Black Bear 30cal

[GMC403]

For you guys hunting Blackies with a 30cal (308, 30/06, 300) what is your preferred bullet/weight, or factory load?

No bear defense bs, just legit 0-300y spot and stalk hunting.

Cheers.

 

[Superbrad]

Accubonds are my choice now that I reload, but plain old rem corelokts worked for me for years...... I prefer 180gr....

 

[hoytcanon]

In .308 - 165 IB/AB, in .30/06 - 180 AB or Part, in .300 WM 180 or 200 AB or Part.

 

[GMC403]

I stocked up on a pile of Factory 165gr Nosler AB rounds for my 308's ($30 a box!) plus they seem to group really well.

I found a cache of Federal Premium 200gr TBBC 30/06 ammo that I was debating picking up. I have zero experience with that load/bullet though.

 

[chappy]

for the 308 150 or 165 grn bonded swift or acubond or noz partition. 30 06 180 grn any decent bullet like hornady cup and core, any bonded or noz partition. 300 180 bonded swift or acubond or partition. this is what works for me.

 

['Boo]

For you guys hunting Blackies with a 30cal (308, 30/06, 300) what is your preferred bullet/weight, or factory load?

No bear defense bs, just legit 0-300y spot and stalk hunting.

Cheers.

Any bullet that will work on deer will work on Black Bear. They are quite "soft" animals with a fairly light bone structure.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Personal preference for the 308, is 265 grain. It has the right balance between energy, velocity and trajectory.

 

[Suther]

Personal preference for the 308, is 265 grain. It has the right balance between energy, velocity and trajectory.

I assume that was a typo lol

While I dont hunt with a 30cal, my buddy does. He's got a 30-06 and uses 180 grain for everything (which is probably exactly what I would do too with an aught-6)

Actually, come to think of it, I do hunt with a 30cal, I've got a Lee Enfield that I occasionally take out. With that, I use 180 grain Winchester Power Points. Haven't actually gotten to shoot anything with it though... Hopefully I'll fix that in a few weeks when bear opens up again in these parts...

 

[ljones]

I have always used the 180 gr bullet in my .30-06. Used everything fom the older Hornady Light Magnum rounds shooting the Interlock bullet. I currently use Federal Fusion in 180gr. It has easily downed every blackie that I have sent it through.

 

[hometownhero]

I would use 165's in my 30-06.

 

[Eagleye]

When I was controlling "orchard" bears in the Okanagan - Shuswap many decades ago, I used the 30-06
exclusively. At the time I was loading the 165 and 180 Partitions of the early design.

I could not detect any difference in effectiveness between these two bullets on Black Bears.
They were quick, dependable killers, and a goodly number of black bears were disposed of without
any wounded escapees. Most shots were inside 125 yards.

Regards, Dave.

 

[BigUglyMan]

When I was controlling "orchard" bears in the Okanagan - Shuswap many decades ago, I used the 30-06
exclusively. At the time I was loading the 165 and 180 Partitions of the early design.

Regards, Dave.

That would be my inclination as well. Then again, there are very few big-game applications in North American where you could be accused of going wrong with the 30-06/180NPT combination.

 

[Red_Mist]

I use 165g Hornady GMX in the 30.06 and 180g Nosler AB in the 300 win mag.

 

[cody182005]

180 grain Nosler accubond in 308 has worked great. 210 berger vld in 300 win mag also worked great for killing bears but not so much for saving hides at close range.

 

[Eagleye]

That would be my inclination as well. Then again, there are very few big-game applications in North American where you could be accused of going wrong with the 30-06/180NPT combination.

X2!! You can lay your money on this statement. Dave.

 

[medvedqc]

another for 180 np that works well.

 

[Brobee]

Have shot a fair number of black bears with a 308 and 150gr tsx's. All single shot kills, have yet to not recover one, no bad experiences to report at all about that combo.