Ruff tuff bear country and my life depends upon it? Wellll, I'll answer you not just with what I've done in the past but what I am taking for Coastal Brown bears this spring.
In the past?
Everything that you can imagine, quite likely. A lot of the old and many of the newer actions, in everything from hunting Kodiak deer with a .22 Hornet single shot to a .470 NE double, most every bolt action and many leverguns/slide actions. I was fortunate to hunt a lot of calibers that likely would have ended up poorly if I ran into a bear. I would, however, marvel on the crushing success of dropping bears with good bullets, well-placed, in calibers that one might not expect.
This spring?
My hunting pard is taking his 325 WSM in a Kimber action. My little brother his Marlin Model 1895 in .45-70. I am taking my .378 Weatherby in a MK V action.
Years to come?
Remington Model 8/81 in .35 Remington...and why not?
