Wanting a new bear gun

[easttntrapper]

Well I have been wanting a new bear gun. I have been using a 3030 but now I want to try something else. I want something with some knock down power when things go bad. I have been thinking of getting a 44mag. For one I would be able to carry it during training season with a carry permit. Second I was thinking of a 12 gauge with a red dot scope. Whats yalls opinion on these two. If I went with the 44 I would mpre than likely still be carrying my 3030. If yall think the shotgun would be better what setups and slugs would you recommend?

[Hollister]

My opinion I've seen both guns perform poorly in the field. I killed a 230 lbs that took 6 from a 44 at a distance of about 10 feet upon skinning the animal all 6 bullets had only made it into the fat never even made it into the muscle tissue. Killed a 446 that was shot with a 12 twice between the shoulders both slugs made it to the muscle but never penetrated the vitals. I carry a 357 for side arm an a 45/70 lever action for my big iron.

[Dirty Jim]

I agree with Hollister. From what I've seen the 44 is not a good choice. I've seen the 12 gauge work good but I always aim for the head. I think your 30/30 is a perfect gun. But if your going for knock down power I would go with the 45/70 or the 450 marlin. Or the ol trusty 30-06!

[Mike Leonard]

I have shot bear with everything from a 22LR to a 358 Norma Magnum. the 30-30 is fine with the right bullets and shot placement. If you are shooting them in the head a 22 will work if you can get the right angle. but as we know in a true hound and bear encounter most of the time the proper angle is not alwasy that easy to find especially in a bay up situation. I once had a decent sized boar treed above me in a pine and he was out on a good limb. He might have weeighed 300 or a tad less. Anyway I shot him up thru the bottom of the neck with a short barreled 30-30 and Hornady 170 gr. factory load. He crumpled and hit the ground but was up and runing down hill as soon as he hit. the hounds mobbed him and I ran in and finished him with a shot behind the shoulder. Upon examination I found where the Hornady bullet went up the the neck slightly off center but still hit the spine but deflected and did not break it. Would a 45-70 done any better? Maybe being .458 rather than .308 it might have got more bone but I don't know it was not the gun but my choice of shots and my shooting. Better I should have carefully tied the hounds found a better angle dropped the 170 gr. right in behind the shoulder gave him 10 seconds and that would have been the end of it. But we don't always think as clearly as we should and hind sight is 20/20.

I pack a short barrelled Savage Model 99 lever action in 284 winchester with 150 Gr. Nosler Partitions, and my wife carries a similar Savage in 308 with 165 Noslers. Nice saddle guns and pretty potent black bear medicine and they kill elk pretty well too I might add. We have a lot of guns but these are pretty handy. I won't argue with the 45-70 or 450 Marlin or the 444, or 35 Remington for that matter they do well. I alwasy carry my Smith 357 Stainless but it is not a primary weapon for bear but it can sure save your bacon if you get in a scrape.



Most of the old time lion and bear hunters in the southwest carried a 30-30 out of tradition and also it is a handy gun on a horse or in a pack. Most of them shot well and these boys aimed for the spot right behind the ear and that was usually the end of the story.

[brian j cerelli]

i think alittle different then most of you guys from my own experience, i hunted with a 30/30. liked it but wanted more, so i used a lever 308 killed a lot with that gun, loved the gun but still thought i wanted more. so i bought a new 45/70. i tried 3 brands of ammo, shot about 10 bears with it and always needed follow up shots, even on good placed first hits... so i went back to the 308 2 years ago. use 357 as side arm.
a buddy uses a 44 mag and killed a ton of bears with it.
(he also carried a 35 whelen rifle from time to time)
also hunt with a guy that uses a 12 ga with slugs and he likes it.

i would go with the 44 mag.for the long hikes, and bring the 30/30 and 44 when posible.

[tman308]

I carry a 460xvr! Haven't needed a follow up shot on anything. Bought it for bear years ago. I did put a red dot on it and can shoot really good out to 150yds.

[mike martell]

I like the more popular calibers with more readily available cartridges/ ammo best...Any place you travel, Most sporting goods stores will have available ammo in a pinch....Just a thought!

I feel it is equally as important to have the right caliber, optics and match your ammo to your rifle. I Shoot a Ruger Stainless steel, Synthetic stock in the 7 MM Remington Magnum and hand load the Nosler 160 gr. Accubond, topped with a Leupold Vari x 3X9

[1bigbear]

The 44 and the 12 gauge u might as well just throw the gun at the animal.. Used a 30/30 for years worked real well. But have now went to a 350 rem. mag. With no problems ever.

[mondomuttruner]

Thee ol time tested caliber argument, always gotta laugh at these...this and that is junk and this is the only caliber.
Shoot what your comfortable shooting, know your gun, know your limits, and know where to shoot with what your shooting. I think the most important thing is picking the right bullet for what your shooting. Bear are pretty easy to kill when you hit them in the right spot.

[Beardawgs]

I've read about some different old timers that used small, low power caliber rifle or pisols. The argument being that a guy doesn't want to knock a bear or lion out of a tree with a big gun only to have quite a bit of fight left in it as it hit the ground. The smaller caliber with a heart/lung shot would keep the critter in the tree to die, then fall out completely dead. The bear that I have shot out and have seen shot out were with bigger calibers, and they were knocked out with plenty of fight left. I think a small 22 cal. centerfire is ideal like a 22 Hornet, but I haven't tried it, just an idea.

[easttntrapper]

Thanx for the info! Looks like I will probably go with the 44 for a sidearm and stick with the 3030. Was thinking about the 12 gauge cuz I heard the newer slugs could really crush some bone.

[Tbblue]

I sold my 44. I carry a 12ga with a 18" barrel n folding stock with a sling. Throw it on ur back n never catch on the brush. I shoot brenneke black magic magnums 3" 600grs out of it. Flat knocks them cold. But it's no different than any other gun , u gotta shoot em in the rite spots. U can have the biggest gun in the world n if u don't make a good shot it's no good. If I went to something different it would b a short little 45/70.

[mefishme1234]

as a butcher I see what a gun can do. I killed a 180 boar with a single arrow.. I have cut a 380 boar shot 5 times with a 308 then 6 from a 44 mag.. I gonna start running bears this year with a buddy. I have a Glock 20 in 10mm that will be loaded with the Buffalo bore bear rounds and a 12 ga with slugs.. almost bought a 454... may still do. If we don't loose bear hunting here in maine, and I get hooked on bear hounding, I be getting a 35 rem in a carbine I think...

[Chad H]

During kill season, I pack a Marlin 45-70 guide rifle, 18 inch barrel, no scope, stainless, lever action tough to beat, its light easy to carry through the thick brush for a bay up, and the 45-70 is good bear medicine, I had a bear turn on me bout 4 yrs ago, I shot it above its left eye at about 4 yds, dropped him in his tracks. It's a gun I wouldn't overlook. My 2 cents

Chad H

[Jake Bell]

Heart/Lung shots make me cringe, especially if its bayed up or coming out of a tree and the dogs aren't tied back, each to their own though, I just don't like vet bills. Head shots pile them up instantly. I shoot a .444 marlin that I had the barrel cut down to 18 1/2", It has the pistol grip instead of the straight grip like the guide guns, I really like it, but it's a bit heavy after a few miles and you can't find bullets for it just anywhere up here. If I were living in a spot like WV or TN where on average the bears don't get real big like lets say eastern N.C I think I would carry a 30 cal lever gun just because they are lighter. I've seen bears killed with lots of different guns, and there is only one degree of dead, I think shot placement means A LOT more than caliber, that being said if you consistently run into 300-500+ lb bears I would opt for a bit more gun, not because you can't kill them with smaller calibers, I just like the peace of mind when shit hits the fan I have a little bit more leeway. JMO