favorite black bear HUNTING caliber

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brybenn

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As the title states what Is your favorite caliber for bear hunting? No defense situation needed just plain and simple favorite caliber to hunt black bears

As a side note what do you consider the ethical minimum caliber for black bear hunting?
I'm not trying to start an argument. I'm just curious as to what gets carried

My group its all 300wm and 180 gr tsx or partitions except me. I love the 458 diameter so it's a tie between 45/70 and 458 wm
I feel the 250 savage with 110+gr bullets to be the ethical minimum in my view even though the 6 mm is capable
 
I really like the way cartridges pushing .338 or larger bullets of a suitable construction seem to dispatch Black bears. Not that many smaller cartridges won't do a good job as well.

If I was going to go after bears tomorrow though my .30-06 would get the nod, its the only rifle I have at the moment that has suitable ammo sighted in and a scope suitable for bear hunting conditions here in NB. My 12 gauge slug gun would be second choice. My favorite though would probably a .35 Whelen although I don't know why, I haven't owned one.

Ethical minimum should be influenced by factors such as shot distance, and the hunter's abilities. For myself, I wouldn't choose a rifle less capable than a 7.62x39 with a quality soft point specifically for hunting black bears. Would I hesitate to use any other legal option to fill my tag on a target of opportunity bear? probably not.
 
My friend shot a bear using 150grn from his 30-06 at close range, the bear ran to the woods and we found it the next morning.
My 9.3x62 has anchored every bear with 270matrix right on the spot.
 
Min 65lb compound bow with 100gr slick trick broad heads max 577 t rex. IMHO deer are tougher than black bears to bring down and I have taken a few of each to base my opinion on.
 
I have used my .375 Ruger Alaskan successfully for 3 bears now. (250gr TTSX bullet) Each time, it was like Thor came down and smacked
him Dead-right-there with that awesome hammer.
I can't bring myself to use anything else now. I had less than stellar results with my .30 caliber guns. The last bear I shot (double lung) with a .30-06 took me a full day to find, as he still managed to sprint 200 yards through the THICKEST BRUSH I have ever seen. I even had to go home, get sleep, and go back the next day. I love me a good 30 caliber gun, but only for shooting at vegetarians................................
 
sgt.rock said:
I have used my .375 Ruger Alaskan successfully for 3 bears now. (250gr TTSX bullet) Each time, it was like Thor came down and smacked
him Dead-right-there with that awesome hammer.
I can't bring myself to use anything else now. I had less than stellar results with my .30 caliber guns. The last bear I shot (double lung) with a .30-06 took me a full day to find, as he still managed to sprint 200 yards through the THICKEST BRUSH I have ever seen. I even had to go home, get sleep, and go back the next day. I love me a good 30 caliber gun, but only for shooting at vegetarians................................
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Too stout of a bullet maybe? I've shot them with 150gn silver tip ballistic tips, 180gn corelocks, 180gn partitions, 165gn hotcores, and 180gn sst's.
They all worked great from the .308 but the best drt shots have been the 150 balistic tips. Only shot 2 with them but both folded up on impact, double lung shots, 150ish yds, 200 and change lb bears (gargen variety) not huge bears. Everything else I mentioned, never had one go more than 50yds, usually less.
 
My next rifle will most likely be a 35 cal designed solely for moose and bear. It's interesting that most replys are 35s. I like the insurance of a heavier bullet in case that 500+ lb boar comes in. I hunt in the fall so the bears have lots of fat that stops the blood from pouring out of small holes. The biggest bear I've shot was only 265 lbs gutted but the trail cams have caught some big ones
 
If you are not in sales.... you should be!

I caught myself googling .375 Ruger Alaskan after reading your Thor smackdown description.

sgt.rock said:
I have used my .375 Ruger Alaskan successfully for 3 bears now. (250gr TTSX bullet) Each time, it was like Thor came down and smacked
him Dead-right-there with that awesome hammer.
Click to expand...
 
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