Hi all, long-time lurker here and glad to finally post something.
I am going bear hunting this year and I can use my tried and true 30-06 with 180 grain trophy copper ammo (2700 FPS) or my brand-new 6.5 creedmoor with 127 grain barnes vor-tx LR ammo (2825 FPS). Most bears are going to be under 300 lbs but I’d like them to drop as quickly as possible so I don’t have to follow them into the bush. I am going to be calling them in with distress calls so I’m not sure what size bear will show up.
Normally I’d think “go bigger” but will my 30/06 with 180 grain copper fully transfer it’s energy? This is the most accurate load for this rifle. It has worked well on elk and deer but I never saw big trauma with the deer I shot. Of course I’d like to use my brand new 6.5 creedmoor but I’ve never killed anything with it. Also I’ve never shot a bear before either so give me your advice. Which of these rifle/cartridge combinations would you choose?
There is a strong argument that once you have a .30/06 you are wasting any money that is not spent on hunting. Some cartridges may come close on paper but a hunter does not operate on theory, he is living his life, his dreams and goals and savoring every second of it. A .30/06 means all concentration is on the game, the opportunity and the moment so the cartridge, any cartridge, is not a distraction some tend to build a hunt around.
Having stuck my neck out again on this topic, will wade in deeper. Aussie makes an excellent point, and describes my approach to hunting. I like to hunt: not shoot, not play with cool cartridges, not build custom rifles nor fly rods. Shooting and developing loads and building cool rifles is fun and fully as legitimate and sometimes more so than hunting. None of those things are mutually exclusive, but most humans will follow one of those paths more than the others.
To get to the point, each of us should figure out what he enjoys most and do it. If purely getting a bear is the goal, use enough gun and focus on the bear. If getting a bear with a custom .17 Swift is my goal (or a 10 lb. rainbow on a 2 weight fly rod I built myself), then by all means do it. I merely suggest that we be self aware enough to recognize the personal preference factor and not extrapolate our preferences onto everyone else.
