Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Best black bear rifle and cartridge

I have often heard it repeated that the "best eastern whitetail deer rifle and cartridge" is the 7mm08 and the Remington Model 7.

I haven't read where anyone has staked a claim on the best black bear rifle and cartridge... so what do you think it is?

Perhaps a Remington Model 7400/7600 in .308 or 30-06?

whatever you are shooting at deer!

I've seen them shot with damn near everything and seen them die quickly with damn near everything and seen them run after being hit with damn near everything.

Overall they seem mightily impressed with big slugs at modest velocity.

I have no comment on the cartridge selection, but my experience with the 7400 was less-than-stellar. After getting some age on them, they tend to jam badly or not eject. I have had others tell me of the same experience.

My Wally-World choice would be a Remington Model 7600 in a 30 caliber with 180 grain corelokts, silvertips or powerpoints. Not sure what rifle and cartridge if I were to build and roll my own. Now isn't that insane? Perhaps a 225 grain nosler partition pushed as fast as the .358 Winchester would go...

All together now: "A pre-'64 model 70 in .30-'06 is the best rifle for everything all the time."

Dogger, that would be about 2500 fps. Reputed to work vedddy veddy well on ol' Smokey...

I'd say whatever you shoot well and quickly will do. Also depends on the terrain your hunting.

For me it's my '99 300 savage with a fixed 2 (or 2.5 I forget) scope.

Grew up with a lot of 740/742's and 7600's in our hunting group. Never had a problem in all kinds of weather, but we took good care of our guns too.

I don't know about the model 70, but the 06 works just fine for me. Lately I've been shooting 165 TSX at most everything, and they should work on black bear also. I prefer to just keep it simple.

I'm with SH on this one.

In the years we hunted in Ontario and Quebec we shot alot of bears. Early on we used 30-06, 308, 270 and the occasional 7mm or 300. One year, my uncle brought a 45-70, 1895 Marlin shooting 400 grain Speers under a healthy dose of powder. He killed two big bears that year with that combo. We were impressed enough with the performance and the last trip we took, 3 of us were using 1895 Marlin's in 45-70 shooting 400 gr Speers. We shot 3 bears, total travel distance on all three combined was maybe 40 yards. They don't go far when perforated with those Speers. The bears really didn't like the combination.

Course it don't hurt that those Speers open up to ~ 1" across..............

.35 Whelen is pretty tough to beat. 250gr NP's at 2675fps get it done very well.

All the books I've looked at get 2400-2500 out of a 250. What load are you using?

I proclaim that the all time, most righteous black bear slayer, is the Remington model 7600, "Amish Assault Rifle" chambered for .35 Whelen.

Probably the newer .338 Federal. That is one slam em down to the ground cartridge, if you do your job on shot placement. I am thinking of one for deer and as a back up elk rifle. I have handled the Tikka in this round, and it was sweet!!!!!

I suppose it depends where one hunts, but since fall spot and stalk hunts often start from well below treeline and end well into sheep and goat country, I'd say lighter is better; a 700Ti or 84M.

I've used a 700Ti 30-06 with 130TSX @ 3150 on my last three bears and nothing required a second shot nor any trailing to speak of; I can't imagine them dying any faster (though regular ol' 180 C&C have never failed me either).

Best factory rifle/cartridge for black bear...a 700Ti or an 84M Montana (that also happens to be one of the accurate and reliable variety) in 308 Win - Slight edge in weight to the Kimber, slight edge to the 700Ti in likelihood of being accurate, reliable and a little more corrosion resistant.

I shot a few bears with an 1895 Marlin and a 7600 Remmy 30-06. Both worked well but the 7600 has the edge in follow-up and longer shots if hunting clear cuts. The 35 Whelen would be good bear medicine, too, if you don't mind the extra recoil from heavier bullets. A good scope was pretty important to me when in the woods. It gets dark in there early. I found a 4a reticle in a 1.5x6 Swarovski was ideal.

I'd have to say a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem seems to be the rifle of choice for bear hunters in the areas I've hunted. I use a Marlin Guide gun in 45/70 and Speer 300gr JFP's now.. Also used an 06 and a 35 Whelen, never felt under gunned.. Seeing the bear first is the biggest problem..

.54 caliber percussion Hawken. Hope I get the chance one day.

I've never killed a Black Bear at a range over 75 yards. For a rifle I've always used a .30-30 and it drops them like a bad habit. I would think a .35 Remington would do even better.

I'll caveat this by saying that most Black Bear I've killed were when hunting with dogs, which keeps ranges very short. Hunting over bait has a habit of keeping ranges quite short was well, so I see very little need for a long range rifle for Black Bear.

I might add that lever action carbines in .44 mag are splendid as well. Light weight, accurate and pack a good punch.

imo...
a 375h&h is a great one rifle, to do it all for bear,be it blackies, brownies or grizz
from spot and stalk to baited, to tree stands...

strictly blackies, for a spot and stalk type hunt...a 35 whelen, and for baited or stands, a 45-70