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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles
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IronBuck
.300 member


Reged: 11/01/03
Posts: 237
Loc: Pittsburgh PA, USA
Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt.
      #4617 - 29/10/03 04:19 AM

First a little background on my situation. I took my daughter out for her first hunt here in Pennsylvania last Saturday for the fall youth hunt. She used her 30-30 Marlin 336. We saw some deer but she could not get a shot. The deer were not moving through the overgrown apple orchard as they usually do when I bow hunt the area and I could not figure out why at first. Turns out there was a very big 400+ pound black bear in there! He fed up a trail to within 10 yards of us (we were on the ground!) and did not see us. We watched him for 20 minutes. This was in an area where bears are not common. My daughter was more than a little scared until I explained that we woulkd be alright. Then she just watched in amazement.

Our bear season is towards the end of November.I think I will pick up a tag and try to get a few buddies together and go after him. We are not allowed to bait. The area is to thick for spot and stalk. Stand hunting most likely would be a waste of time. The only option is to put on organized drives with 10-15 guys. Shots will be fast and in thick cover.

I think for this hunt I will use my Remington 3600 Pump action 35 Whelen. It is topped with a 2-7x Redfield scope. I have already shot 2 bears with it. It points well, hits with authority and the 250 grain 35 caliber bullet really does the number on them. What would you guys use?

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470Nitro
.333 member


Reged: 17/09/03
Posts: 467
Loc: Madrid - Spain
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: IronBuck]
      #4626 - 29/10/03 07:16 AM

I think a 35 Whelen is a nice caliber for bears. Anyway, since I hunt in Africa and Alaska I always carry, at least, a Bolt action 375 H&H for dangerous game.

--------------------
-----
down by the river on a friday night
pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight
talkin' 'bout guns and dreamin 'bout women
never had a plan just a livin' for the minute

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Gibbs505
.333 member


Reged: 09/08/03
Posts: 442
Loc: BC, Canada
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: IronBuck]
      #4675 - 31/10/03 02:15 PM

Here in BC, we consider that the 7 mm mag is the minimum for Black Bear.
On the smaller cartridges, ie non magnum, the 30 - 30 has taken lots of bears.
For a reallyBIG bear, I think that your 35 whelan or a 338 win mag would be the smallest I would use. If I knew that I was going for a really big bear, I would dig out my 375 H&H, as that would take care of any black around.

--------------------
So I can't spell, so what?

Those who beat their swords into ploughshares, will plough for those who don't!

Those who fail to learn from history will be doomed to repeat it

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NE450No2
.375 member


Reged: 10/01/03
Posts: 942
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: Gibbs505]
      #4991 - 17/11/03 03:54 PM

My wife and I have both killed black bear with a 300 Wby Mag
and handloads with 180 Nosler Partitions. I have also killed them with 450/400 3 1/4" and 9,3x74R double rifles.
Your 35 Whelen should be about perfect.
The bears killed with the 300mag needed more than one shot... not so with the 400 and the 9,3.

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IronBuck
.300 member


Reged: 11/01/03
Posts: 237
Loc: Pittsburgh PA, USA
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: NE450No2]
      #5011 - 18/11/03 10:42 AM

Bear season starts here in a week. It lasts for 3 days. Hopefully my Whelen can make it 3 for 3 I will let you guys know how the hunt turns out. I will also be taking my Savage 99 in 300 savage for bad weather or as a back up rifle. It is peep sighted so there is no scope to "grey out" due to rain.

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Tuzi
.224 member


Reged: 14/11/03
Posts: 5
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: IronBuck]
      #5042 - 20/11/03 09:38 AM

I would have used a 9.3x62 or 9.3x74R, loaded with TUG or Norma Oryx.
In Europe the 9.3x62 comes in handy short rifles "battue" or "stutzen", from manufactors like Zoli 1900, Blaser R93 and Schultz & Larsen.

For driven hunts a see-thru-sights (with red/white "posts") or a red-point scope 1.5x. would allow the use of both eyes and scan the back-grnd at the same time.

Tuzi R.

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jro45
.300 member


Reged: 25/12/03
Posts: 192
Loc: DE, USA
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: IronBuck]
      #6148 - 26/12/03 07:25 AM

I have hunted Black Bear with my 300 win mag shooting the 220gr bullet at 2750fps. Friend had 338 with 250gr bullet at 2650fps.

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mcb
.224 member


Reged: 18/12/03
Posts: 24
Loc: Ohio, USA
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: jro45]
      #6191 - 28/12/03 12:21 PM

I think those new Marlin Guide guns chambered in 45-70 or 450 Marlin would be a great bear setup. The gun handles fast and the either cartridge flings a nice heavy bullet that would not get diverted by brush in heavy cover. Some of the the new "+P" 45-70 cartridges loaded specificly for the Marlin Guide Gun look really good for big game at short to moderate ranges.

I do think that your 35 Wheelen would be a fine gun for black bear but you could alwasy use bear hunting as a good excuse to buy a new gun.

mcb

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IronBuck
.300 member


Reged: 11/01/03
Posts: 237
Loc: Pittsburgh PA, USA
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: mcb]
      #6251 - 30/12/03 07:19 AM

mcb, jro45 & Tuzi.....Welcome to the forums I do love those guide guns. Got my eye on a stainless one in 45-70. Now to think of an excuse................

BTW. We did get three bears during the hunt. Here is a picture of me with the 400+ An 200+ pounder

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Dark_Helmet
.333 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 399
Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Re: Choice of Rifle/ Caliber for black bear hunt. [Re: IronBuck]
      #7016 - 16/01/04 02:50 PM

35 Whelen is perfect... the results would seem to support that conclusion!

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_________________________________________________________________
When someone says a rifle is "ugly," what they really mean is "push feed."

-me

(long live the Mauser 98!)

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