SKS for spring bear??

Still alive said:
Yes, or buy a REAL hunting gun in a real hunting caliber. See my last post.
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My agreement, with bearkilr, was based on what I had read up to and including his post. Traditionally, bear hunting doesn't require a long carry to a baited stand, so 12 lbs didn't seem an issue to me. Also, although I don't own a .308, it is a great all around cartridge, for sure. I've been able to keep my favorite hunting rifle in great condition, through 25 years of hunting, so I'm pretty sure if you are careful, you'll come home with a bear and an unscathed .308. All the best:)
 
Fusion is a Federal brand. One of their so-called Premium brands. Makes no difference if your SKS won't shoot it well enough. Or if you can't hit a 9" pie plate, off hand, at 100 yards every time. If you or your Carbine can't do that, you're not ready to hunt with your SKS. However, it'll kill a black bear if you can place the bullet.
 
Thank you gentlemen for all your help! I've tried every sporting good store from here to Kamloops that might be open today. The ones that are don't 7.62x54 SP ammo or are out. The ones that may are closed today. Closest one that is open is in Kelowna but told me it won't arrive till Friday which is when I leave!
But.....found a source for a 30-06 with a scope!! Off to buy ammo and sight that in now! Yeah!! Bear, here I come!
 
Tikkam65 said:
Just for the comment
30-30 and 7.62 x 39 are the same balisticly
So I'm sure bear have never died by 30-30
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I seem to keep hearing that, but I don't recall seeing factory 7.62X39 soft point ammo offered with 170 gr bullets, which when loaded to 2150 in the .30/30, proved quite effective on black bears. When we look at a 150 gr bullet, the heaviest you'll see recommended for the 7.62X39, it won't come within 200 fps of the velocity you can get out of a 150 loaded in the .30/30. Given the difference in case size, how could it? Just to get an idea of the difference in case volume, if we take both cartridges and fill them full to the case mouth with a fine ball powder, in this case H-335, then weigh each powder charge, we will have a pretty good comparison of volume. In the .30/30 we get 46.5 grs but only 31.7 grs in the 7.62X39, for a difference of 14.8 grs. A 15 gr difference in volume is going to equate to a significant difference in velocity, given similar bullets and pressure, and the only time the 7.62X39 can be loaded to much higher pressure than the thutty-thutty, is when its chambered in a modern bolt action. If a similar comparison were made between the .30/30 and the .308, we'd see that the 46.5 gr capacity of the .30/30 compares to 56.9 gr capacity of the .308, the difference is only 10.4 grs, yet no one suggests that the .30/30 is the ballistic equivalent of the .308.
 
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Still alive said:
Thank you gentlemen for all your help! I've tried every sporting good store from here to Kamloops that might be open today. The ones that are don't 7.62x54 SP ammo or are out. The ones that may are closed today. Closest one that is open is in Kelowna but told me it won't arrive till Friday which is when I leave!
But.....found a source for a 30-06 with a scope!! Off to buy ammo and sight that in now! Yeah!! Bear, here I come!
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.30/06!! Now we're talking.
 
proper shot placement with heavy premium hunting bullets 100 yards and less the sks will get it done id use something else unless sks is your only choice
 
Given the velocity of done factory. 30/30 ammo I've run over a chrono , lots of guys are killing stuff with ammo that is about the same or just a little more than 7.62x39. The velocity listed and the actual can be pretty different
 
Boomer, nice that you put some good info for comparison. I've been told before that the X39 was the twin for the 30-30 but never thought to look up the case volume for myself to see if that were true. Good to know for future reference.
 
big boar said:
Boomer, nice that you put some good info for comparison. I've been told before that the X39 was the twin for the 30-30 but never thought to look up the case volume for myself to see if that were true. Good to know for future reference.
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Ruger started that nonsense in the late 80's when they introduced their Mini 30. "Hits like a 30-30 with faster shots than a lever action".
Up until then, no one used the Russian as a hunting round and soft point ammo was basically nonexistent, also due to the fact it uses .311 bullets, not .308 like most 30 cals. Added to that, most SKS's (and Mini 30's) are wildly inaccurate and you have a bad combo for a hunting round.
 
I have also been told the 30-30 was close too the 7.62X39 .. I do not do much deer hunting but do a lot of bear hunting ..I have took a 652 pound black bear and a 100 pound and most in between. If you play with bears long enough you ""WILL " have a close call of some sorts .. And when that happens you will want enough gun .. Lots of bears are killed every year with 30-30 for sure .. BUT you will never see me hunting bear with one .. I have seen bear shot shot out of trees with dogs under them and in that case you have time to pick your shot and most times it can be a head shot . A 30-30 or most any center fire rifle is fine under those cases ...
Even the 44 mag is good fro bear .. A 200 pound bear shot with a 44 magnum is a dead bear if you do you part for sure .. A 500- 600 pound bear and that 44 magnum becomes not enough .. In my opinion anyway .. Too much fat ( I seen four inches on a 500 pound bear) and bone structure .
A shot a large bear through the front shoulder with a 300 WM .. That bear was dead on it feet for sure . but did not fall right there .. it walked about twenty feet dragging the insides before it fell..
A hunting partner almost got mauled buy a 400 pound bear after shooting it though the front shoulder with a 30-06 ..
He did not give it time to die and walked in over the ridge .. the bear was standing up with his feet on a tree .. he shot it the second time .. so now he has two 30-06 through the front shoulder. One each way... And then it came at him .. he put the third shell in him at close enough you could touch the bear with the barrel .
I gutted that bear myself and to think a bear can take that much damage is hard to believe unless you see it . a 1200 pound moose would never take that much lead and still be a live for sure
In most cases shooting a bear is not more eventful than shooting a deer.. You shoot and the bear falls.. But there are times when things do not go so good and that bear does not want to die .. You may shoot alot of bears with sks and 30-30 for sure without incident .. But I would say it will only take one real close encounter to change your mind and change guns
 
Guys; go with 123 grain Prvi Partizan Soft Points. Ensure you and your SKS can shoot 3 inch groups at 50 yards and have at it! There are better rifles for the job, but the SKS with the right ammo and a competent (and ethical) shooter are fine. I would never take any animal beyond 75 yards with an SKS and iron sights.
 
The Kurgan said:
Guys; go with 123 grain Prvi Partizan Soft Points. Ensure you and your SKS can shoot 3 inch groups at 50 yards and have at it! There are better rifles for the job, but the SKS with the right ammo and a competent (and ethical) shooter are fine. I would never take any animal beyond 75 yards with an SKS and iron sights.
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Is that what you would take one your first bear hunt with NO hunting experience? I don’t think so...

The OP has it sorted out I think, but in general folks should look at how much an overall hunt is costing them, gas, travel, accommodations, time off work etc... it doesn't make any sense to skimp on the one piece of equipment that allows you to achieve the goal of the trip...
 
Tikkam65 said:
Just for the comment
30-30 and 7.62 x 39 are the same balisticly
So I'm sure bear have never died by 30-30
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What is ALWAYS left out of this equation is that a 3030 shoots a 170gr shell as opposed to the 123gr soft point. Do you want to wager that might make a difference? You can also buuy factory loaded premium ammunition for the 3030, making a FAR superior hunting cartridge.
 
Jay said:
A well placed 7.62x39 round on a black bear will work.
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It will for a practiced and patient hunter who can place his shot properly. But what we have here is a first time bear hunter, inaccurate rifle with a crap trigger pull, crude open sights, probably not fired anywhere but off the bench and marginal ammunition. Throw in a little buck fever and the odds of a wounded bear left to suffer in the bush become higher and higher.
 
Hi!
OP update!!
Took out a BSA 30-06 with 180gr. JSP Federal ammo. Rifle had not been shot for 15 years. Belonged to my father in law who passed 30 years ago. Took me 20 rounds to sight it in as the scope was completely off. But now, confident to shoot 2 inch groups at 100m.
Funny aside... When I was at the range, some young guy in his 20s with a tacticooled SKS, no scope, was banging a gong at 200m! He was shooting fairly rapidly and hit 4 out of 5 shots. Told me he just got the rifle a week ago. Asked if I wanted to try it. i said NO! Did not want to embarass myself after my own SKS experience.
 
Claybuster said:
It will for a practiced and patient hunter who can place his shot properly. But what we have here is a first time bear hunter, inaccurate rifle with a crap trigger pull, crude open sights, probably not fired anywhere but off the bench and marginal ammunition. Throw in a little buck fever and the odds of a wounded bear left to suffer in the bush become higher and higher.
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Totally agree! Did not want my first hunt to be memorable for the wrong reasons!

Also MattLS,
I have a tacticooled 12ga. It has a stupid sling that carries the shotgun low and is uncomfortable. The shotty is also heavy. The BSA 30-06 is the answer for me!
 
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