Bear Hunting with a 30-06

[Deck78]

Dad is going up to PA for a bear hunt and wants to borrow my 30-06 to hunt. Any of you guys have suggestions on what type of load would be best for hunting bears. They are having real problems with them up there this year and his buddy said most of the bears they have gotten on trail cam are well above 600lbs so dad is nervous he might be undergunned??? He does have his trusty S&W 500 .50 cal revolver strapped across his chest. I think he is secretly hoping he has to use that beast :grin:

 

[Locksley]

interesting

 

[HandGunner480]

180 TSX Barnes will unplug any blackie in PA! (600? holy moly)

The 500 will DIRTROLL a blackie from anywhere inside "reasonable bear range" in the 1st place!
HL

This would be a very foolish thing to do for hunting a 600+ pound black bear. You are going to want to use heavy-for-caliber bullets. For the 30-06 this would be a 220+ Grain bullet. You can buy some real good factory 220 Grain bullets. Woodleigh Weldcore makes a 240 grain bullet for the 30-06 if I'm not mistaken. PA is home to some of the world's largest black bears. I believe they have recorded something like 6 or 8 over 800+ pounds.

 

[Cottontop]

30:06 is plenty of gun. 6 of us hunted Saskatawan several years ago . 4 of us used 30.06 the other two 270. All killed bears. I used Remington corelock 180 gr flat nose. Complete pass through. Bear fell dead about 20 yards away.

 

[Chris Tripp]

I have a hard time picturing a 600 pound black bear in Pa, but with that said a 30-06 is more than enough.

 

[HandGunner480]

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/johnmccoy/20 ... led-in-pa/

Does that make it easier to picture? I 30-06 is a fine and very versatile round. If you are hunting monster black bear, you are going to want to go with the most penetration possible. For the 30-06 a 220 grain bullet would be your bullet of choice if you are going to use factory ammunition.

 

[Tony USMC]

Im from PA we got big bear!

 

[Chris Tripp]

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/johnmccoy/2010/11/20/possible-world-record-black-bear-killed-in-pa/

Does that make it easier to picture? I 30-06 is a fine and very versatile round. If you are hunting monster black bear, you are going to want to go with the most penetration possible. For the 30-06 a 220 grain bullet would be your bullet of choice if you are going to use factory ammunition.

Now I remember the investigation on this bear revealed it was barn raised, but regardless, I just never thought of Pa having a large quantity of big bear, but I guess I can be wrong, if I can find a place to go there and film next spring, I may have to make a trip.

 

[Tony USMC]

Season is real short if I remember correctly

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.federalpremium.com/products/rifle.aspx
Here's a link that you can compare velocity & energy for the factory loads they offer.You'll see that the 180g Barnes,Nosler Partitions & Trophy bonded carry quite a bit more energy than the 220g Speer.

Black Bear,even large blackies,are not hard to kill. IMO the 30-06 with a well constucted bullet in 180g will quickly dispose a black bear.

 

[taximan]

Black Bear,even large blackies,are not hard to kill. IMO the 30-06 with a well constucted bullet in 180g will quickly dispose a black bear.

x2

a well placed bullet from most big game caliber guns will do the trick. Ive used everything from 7mm 08, 50 cal, bow, 300 win mag, and a 30/30

180 grain out of a 30/06 will be plenty

also remember most bears are killed at relatively close range....but not all.

 

[HandGunner480]

Just because a bullet has a higher energy and or velocity than another bullet, does not mean it will do a better job. A heavier bullet at moderate velocities will out penetrate a lighter bullet at higher velocities any day. Do your research on ballistics please. While a 180 grain 30-06 bullet will do the job on a bear, does not mean it is the better bullet for the job. When you are facing 600+ black bear, the 220 grain 30-06 bullet is what you are going to want to take. Remember 2 holes are better than one.

 

[stik]

Just because a bullet has a higher energy and or velocity than another bullet, does not mean it will do a better job. A heavier bullet at moderate velocities will out penetrate a lighter bullet at higher velocities any day. Do your research on ballistics please. While a 180 grain 30-06 bullet will do the job on a bear, does not mean it is the better bullet for the job. When you are facing 600+ black bear, the 220 grain 30-06 bullet is what you are going to want to take. Remember 2 holes are better than one.

while true with an arrow, there are riflemen that would disagree. they argue that they want all the bullet's energy expended in the animal. i really don't care either way as long as it is dead.

 

[Locksley]

I have a hard time picturing a 600 pound black bear in Pa, but with that said a 30-06 is more than enough.

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/johnmccoy/2010/11/20/possible-world-record-black-bear-killed-in-pa/

Does that make it easier to picture? I 30-06 is a fine and very versatile round. If you are hunting monster black bear, you are going to want to go with the most penetration possible. For the 30-06 a 220 grain bullet would be your bullet of choice if you are going to use factory ammunition.

Im from PA we got big bear!

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/johnmccoy/2010/11/20/possible-world-record-black-bear-killed-in-pa/

Does that make it easier to picture? I 30-06 is a fine and very versatile round. If you are hunting monster black bear, you are going to want to go with the most penetration possible. For the 30-06 a 220 grain bullet would be your bullet of choice if you are going to use factory ammunition.

Now I remember the investigation on this bear revealed it was barn raised, but regardless, I just never thought of Pa having a large quantity of big bear, but I guess I can be wrong, if I can find a place to go there and film next spring, I may have to make a trip.

Just because a bullet has a higher energy and or velocity than another bullet, does not mean it will do a better job. A heavier bullet at moderate velocities will out penetrate a lighter bullet at higher velocities any day. Do your research on ballistics please. While a 180 grain 30-06 bullet will do the job on a bear, does not mean it is the better bullet for the job. When you are facing 600+ black bear, the 220 grain 30-06 bullet is what you are going to want to take. Remember 2 holes are better than one.

I always liked the 180 grain bullets in 30/06 and if I were bear hunting I would get the partition Noslers and go with that ,then I would have the velocity and penetration needed .

 

[stryker]

I've killed bear with a crossbow so I know that anything thats a 180 grain on up will get the job done easy. They are just like any other animal and if u blow there heart out then they can't do a whole lot afterwards. JMO from past experience.

 

[Anonymous]

Even thou the 220g bullet does have greater sectional density the higher velocity of the 180g bullet makes it more efficent assuming all things are equal,both bullets constructed the same,ie: barnes 180g & 220g.The 180g will give you deeper penetration and because it retaians more energy will make it more efficent at killing.

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_bullet_ ... _power.htm

Heres an article that might shead some light on the subject