whitetail hunter23

going bear hunting next year i hope..lol..a few years ago my father killed a 545 lb black bear. his hide squared almost 8 ft.. on the maine -canadian border..he was using a 303 british and he said that he had to shoot this monster bruin 4 times in order to keep from getting eat up.."no, not a joke..the 4th and final shot..the bruin was about 20 feet from him and he had to shoot it in the side of the head..he wants me to use a big gun that will do the job right the first time..he said either i get a 300 win mag or a 338. now can anyone tell me how i get one of those tamed down in order not to get a broken collar-bone or a dislocated shoulder????..i am only 5ft3 and weigh 130 lbs..please help!!!!!

Sheridan

I'd recommend you just go fishing, if you are scared to shoot those.


I'd generally put LOL, but this time I mean it.

Sorry, no offense !!!


Kicks like a 12 gauge shotgun with 3" mags, that's all.

Colorado Luckydog

A muzzle brake will make a 300 WM kick like a 270. I shoot a 300 ultra mag and it's a breeze with a Holland Brake. I think it kicks less than a 30.06.

Ridge is right though. A 30.06 would do just fine but I don't blame you for wanting more.

UncleNorby

Like any larger game animal, it comes down to the right ammo and shot placement. A good bullet (partition style so it will break a shoulder and still penetrate) from anything like a 303, 308 30/06, in the right location is all it takes for black bear. You can shoot them in the wrong place several times with a standard or magnum cartridge and get the same result.

And even with a good shot to the heart/lung area, there's always the chance that a bear will decide to run straight at the hunter. To prevent that, you have to break them down on the first shot. If possible I'd opt for a shot angle that would break the off-side shoulder.

cooper_m22

I have used 30-06,308.300wsm, and I have even used a 280rem all work just fine for Bear, but my favorite is my 300wby. When I go Bear hunting up here in MT my 300wby is my go to gun. But that is just because I like my Weatherby Mark V a lot.

c-rad

You don't need a big rifle to hunt black bear. A 243 or a 270 is for than enough gun. Shot placement and a good bullet is key. If you are that worried the animal is going to attack you might want to reconsider hunting it. You will miss or cripple the animal from lack of concentration.

redgreen

Get an 1895 marlin 45 70 and you can handle any bear that walks. With factory ammo, the recoil is very mild. If you handload, you can make them pretty stout.

newton29

Are you going to hunt over bait? There's a bunch killed where I live with a 30-30. Little recoil, just wait for a good shot into the vitals, and it's a dead bear.