Black bear hunting with a .30-30?
#11
I think it depends on the black bear we're talking...
the ones I hunted in western Canada, a 300win.mag was ideal, my dad's 270 was hardly enough...
in the lower 48 though, maybe a 30-06 would be ideal? of course over bait at 30yds vs. open ground at 200-300yds makes a big difference.
the ones I hunted in western Canada, a 300win.mag was ideal, my dad's 270 was hardly enough...
in the lower 48 though, maybe a 30-06 would be ideal? of course over bait at 30yds vs. open ground at 200-300yds makes a big difference.
#12
.30.30 will do the trick.Even a larger magnum is marginal if the shot is mis-placed.I have shot a lot of bear with .30.30 and .308 among others right behind the head and they dropped where they stood.seperated the spine from the skull.I was close though.I would go for a heart and lung shot at a distance though.
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Allenton Wis.
Posts: 186
My 15 yr old son just got one last month with his .270 Win. It was surely enough. It went 20' and that was it. Slightly quartering towards us, one shot through the front shoulder, blew the heart almost in half and out the bottom. 150 gr. Hornady 53gr IMR 4350. One shot and It was all over but the cryin and the weepin. The bear was 206 gutted.
#15
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Colorado
Posts: 335
I've hunted deer w/ 30-30 and agree with the others that it has the goods for bear. The one caveat i would add is to be sure of your hunting situation. For example, in CO we can't bait and can't use hounds, so you're not shooting from a stand or inside of 75 yds. There is a good chance that you might need a 100+ yd shot, in CO. In that situation you might want something with a little less drop and a little more punch out past 100. I see you're in PA and will probably be in a stand or deep woods, so I know this isn't an issue for you but I'm adding this for others that might read the post.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Last edited by spuddog; 10-21-2012 at 05:35 PM. Reason: typos
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,926
Before any of us were born
...PA hunters were harvesting bears with 30-30's.
Of course, the bears weren't wearing the protective armor that needed the high velocity cartridges to down them.
Kidding of course, but I noticed the calibers started getting letters after the number, denoting that the rifle will take on all armored bears walking Penn's Woods.
Of course, the bears weren't wearing the protective armor that needed the high velocity cartridges to down them.
Kidding of course, but I noticed the calibers started getting letters after the number, denoting that the rifle will take on all armored bears walking Penn's Woods.
#18
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 608
It is not just the cartridge but a combination of the cartridge, bullet weight, bullet construction and bullet speed at expected shooting distances. I have never shot a black bear, but for me I would use a bullet heavier than the 150 gr. in a 30-30 - something with the ability to penetrate more than the off the self 150 gr. Some of the black bears can be a good sized animal and A LOT of animal from ribcage to ribcage. Rem, Win, Federal and Hornady make a 170 gr. bullet for the 30-30. Hornady also has the 160 gr. LEVERevolution ammo in 30-30. Use what shoots well in your rifle also also has the capability to do well what may be required of it.
#20
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Petersburg, WV
Posts: 6
I grew up bear hunting in WV and have seen countless black bear killed with .30-30s. I suspect that PA bear hunting situations will be really similar to the ones we have in WV so your .30-30 is more than sufficient.