Small, light, black bear and deer carbine?

Hard to say if they will remain legal but a Ruger Mini 30 (7.62x39) is light, short, and can be made to shoot quite well. Mine has an Accu Strut and a Tombstone trigger job.
 
M1 30 Carbine …. Less than 36” long and about 5 lbs. Flip peep sights for two distances. Used in hot jungles in SE Asia to the frozen hills of Korea.
 
Lots of new products have come out since the start of this thread in 2019

I still suggest a Ruger Scout as a top choice but my short 6.5 Grendel also hits the nail on the head. :)

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JEC said:
M1 30 Carbine …. Less than 36” long and about 5 lbs. Flip peep sights for two distances. Used in hot jungles in SE Asia to the frozen hills of Korea.
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And if you read the Korean war book entitled Breakout, the M1 and M2 carbines were considered unreliable at sub zero temperatures.
Whereas the M1 rifle and BAR remained trustworthy according to infantry reports.
 
CZ 527 Carbine in 7.62x39, Henry 30-30 or 45-70 with the 18.4 inch barrel. 45-70 can be used for a multitude of purposes if you're not reaching beyond 100 metres. I've also become a fan, as of late, for 7.62x39. if you want to reach out, The CZ Range rifle in 308 is hard to beat. I am actually building one in 7x64 with a custom walnut stock.
 
James1873 said:
Having trouble finding a good rifle for what I want it for.
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Having trouble? Seriously, with all the options out there? I would think the trouble would be deciding on what option you liked the best.

The question that started this thread is akin to that other question "What's the best oil for my motorcycle"?

As he said (not quite two years ago) "rifle", I guess that eliminates short little 12 gauges with a red dot mounted that would fit the requirements from bear protection to whacking deer while doing that scouting where his Remmy 700 won't work. The magazine fed requirement would eliminate most lever actions other than the BLR/Winchester Model 88 type choices. A lever action in either of those chambered in 358 Winchester would be fine.

Of course, picking up a bubba'd No. 4 Mk1 Lee Enfield, having a gun smith cut the barrel back to what suited you, and then reinstall the aperture sights or little red dot of your choice might be the cheapest option of all.

I wonder what the OP ultimately decided on?
 
Marlin 336/winchester 94 in the nice and deadly 30-30 i hit gong up to 300m whit ease ammo is cheap
Lee enfield i got one who was made in ontario by a gunsmith no1mk3 action 5 rd mag 20inch barrels new wood stock under 6lbs rdy Shoot 2moa whit ppu 150 drop black bear drt deer jump and crash hard
Cz 557 7.62x39
Winchester model 100 308
 
klaus enuff said:
With requirements like yours I would be reaching for my Ruger American Ranch in 308, short 16.5" barrel, nice and light with detachable mag. Checks all your boxes.

But I don't like the muzzle brake on it and the mag feels flimsy. Other than that it is what it is, an affordable light and compact rifle.
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Ruger currently does not make the Ruger American Ranch rifle in 308 with a 16.5 barrel, I think you are confusing it with the Ruger GSR which does meet the criteria that you specified and I expect the reason that Ruger does not make the Ruger Americn Ranch Rifle in 308 is because they do not want it compete with the Ruger GSR which costs nearly twice as much. The nearest rifle is the Ruger American Predator with an 18" barrel, however this rifle as it currently sold does not have the Accuracy International magazine like the 6.5 Creedmore Predator. However it may be possible to get a magazine conversion kit for it.
 
Go with rifle configuration you are familiar with don't carry a lever if you are a bolt guy because in the heat of the action you will be looking for the bolt handle. How many times have you shot an animal and don't remember cycling the bolt or the lever .Stick with what you are familiar with even the saftey configuration it is your second nature .Nothing to think about than just have to aim and instinct takes over.Use a cartridge that will kill a bear not piss him off .Than practice with it.
 
I carried my 19" barreled T/C Contender carbine single shot chambered in 6.8spc load was 95gr TTSX @ 2900fps for bear cougar protection this morning when I ran my dogs on my local mtn.

I would not hesitate to take a deer at 300 yards or a black bear at 200 yards with this combo.

Several years ago I shot this two point blacktail buck at 230 yards to say that I am impressed with the performance of this little combo is an understatement.

 
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