PNW black bear rifle thought exercise

[BforByron]

If you had to build/buy a new rifle for black bear in the PNW what would you get and why?

I was thinking either a nice short action with a 22 inch barrel in either 7-08 or 308. KISS principle

Or

A TC encore in 460 S&W. The advantage here is being able to use 45 colt for plinking, 454 casull for deer, and 460 S&W for elk(bigger stuff). Pretty amazing what those hot pistol rounds will do in a 20 inch barrel. The 454 seems to basically clone the 450 bushmaster and the 460 will clone modern day 45-70 loads.

Ready, Go!

 

[rebel]

Just my opinion, Marlin 444 with a Williams large aperture peep. Its hard to beat a classic!

 

[swd]

The big pistol rounds are highly effective. I've always thought a 500 S&W carbine barrel for my encore would be fun. They shoot flat enought out to about 150 yards. That being said I'd probably just take a 300 Win Mag. If you need to take a longer shot it's got plenty of poop, ammo everywhere, great selection of rifles, etc. Something stainless/synthetic to deal with your weather.

 

[JRS]

The 7-08 or 308 is plenty of medicine. It doesn't take much to kill a black bear with a well placed shot.

 

[nakneker]

Your calibers are good to go. Be careful and don't use the wrong bullet, if you use a bullet that is lightly constructed, you might get burned. There's lots of good bullets for Black Bears, my favorite are Nosler Partitions, but there's many to choose from. Me and my family have taken many bears with Parttions.

 

[Gary in MD]

30-06 & Nosler Partitions . Done
Gary

 

[284winner]

35 whelen w/225 grainers sounds like a great bear round. Close or distant shots would be easily doable with a whelen.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

I killed a lot of bears with a 35 whelen AI and 250 partitions. Wouldn't change a thing. A buddy killed one with a 7-08. It did ok but not like the whelen.

 

[remingtonman]

If you had to build/buy a new rifle for black bear in the PNW what would you get and why?

I was thinking either a nice short action with a 22 inch barrel in either 7-08 or 308. KISS principle

Or

A TC encore in 460 S&W. The advantage here is being able to use 45 colt for plinking, 454 casull for deer, and 460 S&W for elk(bigger stuff). Pretty amazing what those hot pistol rounds will do in a 20 inch barrel. The 454 seems to basically clone the 450 bushmaster and the 460 will clone modern day 45-70 loads.

Ready, Go!

Id check out the 357 max. I had a 460 katahdin and that thing wasnt a pleasure to shoot in the woods or on paper.
http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=121

 

[tonyb]

Either one of your first two choices are more than enough. Pick a good bullet and start practicing. As you have already mentioned, KISS..

 

[Dub]

the TC encore is single shot and I do not care for that for Black bear. My choices would be a mountain rifle in Win or Ruger in 308 or a Marlin 1894 in 44 magnum with a 1-4x scope.

 

[284winner]

I stated before in a post that IMO bears are pretty easy to anchor. Obviously a big bear needs a little more bullet weight due to the bigger bone structure. Here in Michigan, big bears aren't real common. Still it's piece of mind to have a 200+ grain bullet pushed by a 30 Cal or larger in most guys hands. A 243 will kill one just as dead as a 45-70 or 12 gauge. I hunt with archery gear for bears because I believe gun hunting bears in my home state is too easy with a firearm. Many times more than not the bears I see are 180# or less and die much faster and easier than any whitetail I've ever shot. Obviously other states have much different hunting terrain and many more have much larger bears than we have here or at least where I hunt. I still like the 35 whelen for a bear gun. I think it's great insurance on an iffy shot and it's also a cartridge not very popular these days. It will head into the bear woods with me or my son in the future.

 

[rebel]

Well, my choice is because of the state I'm from. But I live in the Western end in the Appalachians. Still, folks here go east for a chance at a big one.
http://www.ncbearfest.com/biggest-bears.html

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I guess I'm kind of partial to the 45-70.

 

[rardoin]

Plenty of Black bear rugs courtesy of the .270 Win.

No...my last name is not O'Conner.

 

[284winner]

Well, my choice is because of the state I'm from. But I live in the Western end in the Appalachians. Still, folks here go east for a chance at a big one.
http://www.ncbearfest.com/biggest-bears.html

Been reading all about the bears of Carolina. Planning a hunt in NC in upcoming season. My have to break out the 50. There pretty sizable out there.

 

[JRS]

Been reading all about the bears of Carolina. Planning a hunt in NC in upcoming season. My have to break out the 50. There pretty sizable out there.

In 2010, the PA state record 879 pound black bear was dropped…. with a bow

 

[284winner]

Wow

In 2010, the PA state record 879 pound black bear was dropped…. with a bow

Wow. Super bruin. For PA that's a giant. Here in a couple bear units, they get some whoppers too but few and far between. I guess without bears hibernating in NC, the growing season is 12 months allowing some "huge" results.

 

[JRS]

Wow

Wow. Super bruin. For PA that's a giant. Here in a couple bear units, they get some whoppers too but few and far between. I guess without bears hibernating in NC, the growing season is 12 months allowing some "huge" results.

Pennsylvania is actually one of Americas top black bear hunting states. PA is known for its steady supply of 700 pound plus black bears.

 

[284winner]

Pennsylvania is actually one of Americas top black bear hunting states. PA is known for its steady supply of 700 pound plus black bears.

Again Wow. Did not know PA had that quality of animals. I assumed they were about par with Michigan bears. Some big but mostly average 125-175# bears. That's great. I'll have to look at non resident information.