Lever Actions for Bears ? Bolt Actions or Handguns

[Weatherby]

Yogi and BooBoo are roaming the woods and sniffin around your picnic basket, so its time to decide, which bullet thrower fits your next hunt? Are you taking a quick handling lever action? Winchester? Marlin? 30-30....35 Rem....45-70? or your trusted bolt acion? .243....280....338? Or are you a handgun fan.....357....41....44? What type of bear hunting do you do? Will you carry a sidearm? "What firearms are you taking, and why?"

I hate to packum so I dropum where I shootum

[cwh]

On the "to-buy list" is a 45-70 Marlin Guide gun. That seems like a pretty good bear defense gun. Able to throw a fair chunk of lead, and pretty quick follow up shots.

As far as hunting a big bear, I'd probably go with a 33 Cal bolt action like the 338 win mag. I'd hope to get a little less up close and personal experience with a brown bear.

[traks44]

On the "to-buy list" is a 45-70 Marlin Guide gun. That seems like a pretty good bear defense gun. Able to throw a fair chunk of lead, and pretty quick follow up shots.

As far as hunting a big bear, I'd probably go with a 33 Cal bolt action like the 338 win mag. I'd hope to get a little less up close and personal experience with a brown bear.

I think a huge missconseption IMO is that black bears are dangerous. I have even been close to a sow with cubs with no problems. I mean you always have to be aware in the woods but black bears in my experience are a fuzzy waste of space

I shoot either a 7mm or a .280. The 7mm is overkill and I think the .280 is perfect even on big bears. Black bears are not that tuff. Actually, I have seen muley bucks that are much tougher than any bear I shot.


HMMM...I am discovering I have a serious lack of respect for black bears , I will probably be the first Oregonian to dye from a bear mauling

[BigSkyHunter]

I think going after a bruiser boar with a revolver would be pretty sweet. I would go with a Smith and Wesson 460 XVR. It should do the trick on just about any bear at 200 yards or less. At 2100 feet/sec muzzle velocity and the gain twist riflings for accuracy, it should be the ultimate revolver for any kind of species including Yogi, but BooBoo is too small to shoot in my book.

[baltz526]

model 99 300 savage with 150gr partitions at 2650fps open sights. or 308 winchester model 700 with 1.75x5 burris 150gr accubonds at 2950fps, for oregon bear in the brush.the 7mm rem mag for sniping

[Fish Wheels]

Bolt Action 300WSM and a 357 on my side.

[High Country]

A lever action 45/70 just sounds right for hunting bear, but in this neck of the woods my shots are more than likley to be past 200yds out to about 500yds which is as far as I want to shoot.I will be packing a Win mod 70 in 300WSM and a single action Ruger in .44 mag. Unless I just force myself for nastalga to pull out the guide gun and go for it.

[4on4off]

springfield 1903 30/06 165gr.nosler partitions and .357 s&w on my side

[Weatherby]

For Black Bears.....I'll take my 1938 Savage 99 in .300 savage, Lyman sites .165 Nosler Partition. Weatherby 7mm Wby for the long shots, and a SW four inch 629 with .300 grain Hornadies on my hip.

[traks44]

How come you guys carry a pistol. It only takes one shot with a rifle anyway?

[High Country]

I carry one so that if the opportunity arrives were I can stalk within handgun range I will try to use my handgun, several deer have fallen to a well placed 44 round when I could have shot from 200yds with the rifle I was carrying.It is the archery hunter in me.

[Weatherby]

Big Bears in Canada or Alaska. I'll take a .378 Weatherby with quick detachable rings with a XIII 2.5 X 8 Leupold, .300 grain failsafes, and the SW four inch 629 with .300 grain Partitons for the hip. And a .460 Weatherby with 500 grain X bullets for a back up. I like the .378 because its fast and quick handling and has a punch! The .460 is a very big heavy rifle that has its place, but I think the .378 really beats it because of its handiness.

I hate to packum so I dropum where I shootum

[Weatherby]

Yogi and BooBoo are masters of the stalk. If Yogi takes you by suprise and sneeks up behind you and while you tending to nature. And your running down a rainy trail 200 miles from the rest of the world with your pants around your ankles and you slip and fall, or drop your rifle. In the very worst of conditons you can always pull your handgun to save your life. Six rounds of 44 magnum at 5 feet is better than nothing. And if I'm wrong ! I'm food anyway. Or you see the bear and you fire your gun 3 times and empty your rifle and the bear keeps charging........ I guess I want a second chance. Thats why I pack a handgun bear hunting. For Black Bears I'd like to shoot it with a handgun if I can get close enough.

[Beamerfish]

NE Oregon spot & stalk in the backcountry. .270 browning A-bolt in stainless 'cause its light as a feather and a proven bear killer

[Chrome Bumper]

00 ought 12 gauge buckshot pump if you gotta off'em up close and personal. But having watched my sister get licked by yogi I'de hafta say put the vittles away first dude. You can always get a new picinic basket ya blood thirsty killer.

[Yeti]

I am really enjoying my 45-70 No. 1. I would love to hunt bear with a Winchester or Marlin in 45-70. I would preffer to hunt with a gun of historical significance.

Yeti

[Steve L.]

model 99 300 savage with 150gr partitions at 2650fps open sights. for oregon bear in the brush.

Plus I really like the lines and handling of the mdl 99

I like the 45-70 too, but not in a lever gun, too light, beat the heck out you. I shoot a 45-120, loaded as 45-100 and really appreciate the Sharps gun weight wrapped around it.

[A Quest Shooter]

7mm-08 winchester classic featherweight. I believe with a 130 grain hornady bonded projectile.. some long shootin in my bear country..However the one I got last year I wish I had my brackenbury quest.....

[gottafish]

Hard to beat a 45-70 guide gun. I killed a bear with mine and it did it quick.