What 30-30 ammo should I use for Black Bear in my 336W

[teddy12b]

Well I took my 30-30 to the range yesterday and I shot the following at 100 yards:

170gr. Remington Corelokt
170gr. Winchester Power Point
170gr. Federal Soft Point
160gr. Hornady Leverolution

I was very pleasantly surprised to see that all these rounds were very accurate in my 336W. The worst was the Winchester at 1.5", but that ain't so bad and I can live with that.

Give or take a faction of an inch they all shot very well. Now my next question is what one should I use for a baited black bear? At 25 yards they all passed through a 4x4 very nicely. I'm leaning towards the Federal ammo at this point unless anyone sees a reason I should go with anything different. I'm guessing the shot will be between 50 & 25 yards.

[Redhawk1]

Any of the 170 gr. bullets should do the job just fine.

[Cabin4]

agree, any of the 170's will do. I would go with the slowest of the 3 assuming they are all soft point variations.

[Syncerus]

Factory 170 gr .30/30 ammo is as close to perfect as any factory-made ammunition can be.

[teddy12b]

I've got 4 boxes of the Federal 170gr coming in either tomorrow or Friday.  I couldn't find any in the local stores so I had to go online.  If it doesn't get here in time I'll be using Remington Corelokt ammo, because I can find that abundantly locally.  4 boxes is more than what I'll need but I'll be doing a final sight in with the guys this Friday evening and I wanted to make sure I'd have extra ammo where I'm going.  I have one of those little 20 bullet pouches and that's all the ammo I take out with me is the 20 rounds.  I don't know how much ammo you all take with you but I usually just carry my little pouch.

I'm getting very excited and I tried to talk my wife into letting me go out and pick up Marlin 1895 45/70 just to make her feel a little better about me bear hunting with a bigger gun of course.  She said she knows I'm a good shot and that I'd be fine with what I was taking, darn.  She didn't like hearing that where I'll be going they had a bear start up a guys stand a couple days ago, so I tried to see if I could work in a new gun for me...  Didn't work out.

[Cabin4]

I'm getting very excited and I tried to talk my wife into letting me go out and pick up Marlin 1895 45/70 just to make her feel a little better about me bear hunting with a bigger gun of course. 

Good tactic, try to convince her your life is in danger because you are under gunned!! I will try anything to convince my wife why I need another gun. Any tactic, lie or other sits just fine with me on this too. Guns are not a matter of "Life or Death", wedding vows, 10 comandments, etc. Their much, much more important than that....

[teddy12b]

Well I'll finally get to see with my own eyes what the much debated 30-30 can really do.  I've read about so many people saying that there shouldn't be any problem in less than a 100 yards and then I still get that cloud of doubt in the back of my mind, that "what if".  What if it's a 400 pound bear, is a 30-30 really going to put it down for good?  I have two comforts in the back of my mind.  1.)  Grandpa took a bull elk with his 30-30, and 2.) It does hold 7 rounds and I can shoot fast and accurately.  I'm guessing the first shot will send him spinning of knock him down and if there's a chance for a second shot, I'll be happy to donate the bullet to ease his suffering.

[Graybeard]

Don't worry about or even think about fast. Just put the FIRST bullet in the right place and from there it's all gravy. If it hangs around long enough sure put in a second but chances are it will be on the run way too fast for that. Just make absolutely sure the FIRST SHOT goes into the lungs and you'll find it dead inside 100 yards.

[teddy12b]

Sounds good to me.  I'm used to hunting with my single shots and relying on one bullet to get all my work done.  This'll actually be the first time I've taken my 30-30 hunting.

[Cabin4]

I would not be concerned one-bit, about the 30-30s ability to kill a black bear. Is its range limited? yes-just like any caliber has its range limitations on specific animals.

Your 30-30 will kill a bear with no problem. Just put the bullet in the boiler room and you will have your bear, promise.

The same people who are telling you your crazy, are the same type that think you need a 300win mag to kill a 125lb deer at 50 yards.

I would go with a 170grain rapidly expanding bullet designed for med size game(deer/bear).

[bearfat]

Nosler used to make a Partition for the 30-30...don't know if they do any more.

My first bear was with a 30-30. He was laying down in the bait station and I don't advise taking that shot. Hard to gage where the vitals are...I shot a tad too far back. I was persistent tracking him though and found him about 50 yards away still alive.

This pic shows me holding the 44 mag which I used to put him out of his misery.   

[blackbear]

Nosler used to make a Partition for the 30-30...don't know if they do any more.

My first bear was with a 30-30. He was laying down in the bait station and I don't advise taking that shot. Hard to gage where the vitals are...I shot a tad too far back. I was persistent tracking him though and found him about 50 yards away still alive.

This pic shows me holding the 44 mag which I used to put him out of his misery.   

Bearfat, How much did this bear weigh ?

[bearfat]

My guess about 125 pounds.

[blackbear]

Just wondered, have you ever hunted with your .44 Mag. ?