Hello everyone. I am new to the website and forum, but not new to hunting. I hope I am posting my question in the right place.

I will be going black bear hunting this spring in Alberta. While I have taken many deer and wild boar, this is going to be my first bear trip. The outfitter has told me that bears can get quite large this far north.

My question is : What rifle should I buy for this trip? I have read and heard so much on the topic, yet I still don't have a good idea. I have for many years used my trusted 30-30 and it has served me well. However, I have read that it may prove to be slightly less than adequete for some of the larger bears I might encounter. Others have said that the 30-30 loaded with the proper cartridge is more than enough.I would LIKE to buy a new rifle, so I am certainly open to ideas on caliber and specific model. I can comfortably shoot the big bores and have cleared the budget up to about $1k.

How about a Marlin lever gun in .444 Marlin or 45/70 ? The new LeverEvolution ammo is awesome in those new XLR guns.

Wow, what a problem to have! If this is the case, then NO WAY is your 30-30 even remotely adequate for bears! $1,000 will get you a fine rifle & some pretty decent glass to go on it.

Given that youknow and trust your 30-30, and that you can shoot the big bores comfortably, I'd suggest stepping up quite a bit. You know, space your calibers some. How about a .338 Win Mag, or maybe even a .375 H&H? Both cartridges would barely yawn over a black bear, but they'dallow you to hunt anything on this continent with complete confidence. That said, anything from a 7mm-08 / 7x57 on up would serve you well for black bears.

For specific models, I'd suggest, as I always do, whatever fits you best. This is especially true if you're looking at a harder-recoiling cartridge. They make lots of different kinds of rifles because we hunters have so many different kinds of bodies! Browning, Remington, Savage, et. al. are doing enough things right enough of the time to stay in business: they're not schmucks. So shoulder lots of rifles, then pick the one that flies into place best for you. I would, however, suggest a bolt action for this endeavor.

Whatever you choose, though, I'd suggest "pulling the trigger" on it quickly. You'll want enough time to get comfortable with your new rifle & scope before heading out. If I were stepping into a much larger caliber, I'd want to pump at least 200 rounds through it, from various shooting postions,before taking it afield.

Let us know how it goes,

FC

I guess you would want variety, so if you can shoot the big bores, get a .338 Winchester Magnum, it'll work great for elk, moose, bear, and everything else, even African game.

As far as what rifle, I don't know much on the subject, just the caliber.
I have heard good things about the Winchester Model 70, though, but if you got one, chances are it's been used, since they went out of production.

30-30 is fine for black bear, even Canadian ones, but in Alberta you may be looking at some longer shots and the old lever isn't great for reaching out there.
If you can't see yourself chasing grizzleys or going to Africa I see no need for anything bigger than a 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag (or a 30-06 for that matter). It'd still be a big jump in size and give you a rifle for different styles of hunts, big enough for moose/elk, but not complete overkill if you want to take it for deer.

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tschaef is right ,you don't need a big gun to kill a black bear. i've seen a few hundred killed with normal calibers. if i were going just after bears i would use a heavier bullet in what ever caliber i carried. i wouldn't go out and buy a magnum just to hunt bear. here in va. we mostly use 270,3006 maybe a 7mm. the bear here go up to 700lbs. i've seen plenty killed with muzzleloaders.

I love threads like this!

Great to hear all the good choices for black bear. I already have a 30/30 and a 30.06 but if I were going after a bear I'd get something bigger just to add to the arsenal.

I love my .358 Win for anything in the large game family up to 250 yds. Hell, a grizzly at 50 yds with the intent to make me his snack would be no match for the .358 win and a good 225 or 250 grain bullet. I have a Browning BLR 81, but Ruger is now chambering it in thier Hawkeye series I believe.
Question is, after the bear hunt, what else do you want the rifle to do?
Do you see yourself chasing moose, elk, bison, alaskan brown bear or a trip to the dark continent perhaps? This is where you should think your purchase through. That rifle should have a place in your arsenal that will be called upon to perform again. To spend 1K on a rifle and glass for one trip just seems like a waste of good money. You could borrow a buddies larger caliber and go on the bear trip. Every rifle in my safes has a well thought out reason as to whyit is there. Eight rifles and a few shotguns.
I've owned up to 30 rifles at one time. Spent the dough because I thought I should have it. The wisdom came with maturity. Sold most of them and replaced useless ones with the money from the sales. Now, I have what I need to hunt from squirrels to brown bears or Africa if I get there in this lifetime.
Give your purchase alot of thought. Then go buy the nicest gun on the rack! Best of luck on your bear hunt!!!

If you have $1k cleared for a gun, then by all means spend it!!!

I do believe your 30-30 would do the job (especially with LeverEvolution ammo), but I might look at a Marlin 1895GS "guide gun" in 45-70 for a change of pace (I would still use the LeverEv ammo, though).

The 1895GS should run about $550+/- which will leave just enough to add a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 for $400+/-.

Another classic caliber you might want to add to your arsenal is 375 H&H and would do great for bears. I have a Blaser in 375 H&H, but it is more than your current budget will allow. I have seen several gun chambered in 375 H&H on gunbroker that should fit your $1k limit.

Good luck with your choice and let us know what you end up with.