Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska 357 magnum enough for bear?

While I prefer a light 30-30 carbine on the low end of the defensive long guns, I know a good bullet in even a 44 mag or strong 45 Colt will outpenetrate and outbreak bones.

Just as the 17 Remington is better than the 45-70 when shooting holes in steel, a stout, heavy, if slow revolver caliber may be "outgunned" by the lightweight rifles. That doesn't prove anything in terms of on-critter performance. Shooting steel or water jugs is not a good measure of what a bullet will do when contacting fur, flesh and bone.

I will gladly take a 30-30 over a shotgun with ordinary slugs or buckshot.