30-30 for bear by Buffalo bore

[DRC458]

No way in the world am I going to rely on any load in a .30-30 as a bear gun. Are you actually hunting bear, or just wanting this as a 'back-up' gun? Either way, I ain't doing it. Buy the .45-70 or, as has been mentioned, carry a shotgun with good slugs. But, it's your hide.

 

[okierider]

Scrap the idea of the .30/.30, for you would just piss off a mad bear.

Up until 2 years ago my brother, James, spent two to three months each year hunting and fishing the wilderness high country of Montana. If you search about bear maulings in Montana, you can read about a couple of his friends.

Here is an excerpt from my uncle's obit about Alaska critters: " He continued his Air Force career for 28 years as an officer and pilot. Among the many planes he flew were the P-47, the F-82 Twin Mustang, the F-89 Scorpion, the F-86 Sabre Jet and the F-102. The F-102 Delta Dagger was an interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950’s. It was the world's first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor and the first operational delta-wing aircraft used by the Air Force.

In 1960 the Air Force sent him to Alaska, land of his dreams. He loved flying there; the pristine vastness of the wilderness and plethora of wildlife he could experience thrilled him every day. An avid fisherman and hunter, he began studying and preparing to become a licensed game guide. This required many levels of rigorous testing, all of which he passed on the first try. He bought acreage 128 miles outside of Anchorage and established a hunting headquarters. He and Meg lived in a campsite alongside the runway. His clients were housed at Eureka Lodge, across the narrow two lane highway that is the Alcan, the only highway traversing Alaska. He bought two light aircraft, a Piper Super Cub and a Cessna 180. These were bush aircraft, tough workhorses that could carry men and supplies into a hunting site, and the meat and fish they procured back out. In summer one plane would be on floats for river and lake landings and the other on huge donut inflated tires capable of landing on the roughest of Tundra airstrips. In winter the floats were changed to skis for landing on frozen lakes. After retiring from the Air Force in 1968 he spent the next 15 years working as a guide. He fished for many species of salmon in the rivers and tributaries of Alaska and the small elusive and wily grayling of the inland waters. He hunted all of interior Alaska and the Bearing Sea. He guided clients for polar, brown, black and grizzly bear along with caribou, elk, moose, Dahl sheep, mountain goat and wolves. When he retired from guiding he had flown over 18,000 hours, 8,000 in the military and 10,000 as a Bush pilot.

An early conservationist he was constantly aware of the ebb and flow of native wildlife. If salmon runs were down, he cut back on fishing and urged his clients to catch and release. He quit hunting black and polar bear several years before they were proclaimed endangered and taken off the hunt list. Clean quick kills were the hallmark of his trade. if a client wounded an animal he would track it, often alone as he had the stamina and skill, until it was killed. He would then field dress the meat, saving the pelt or antlers and pack it out alone."



Our family has known and encountered pissed off bears. Without knowing where you plan to go, or what you plan to do, I would suggest: Be overly aware of your surroundings if you are in "real" brown or grizzly country especially if hiking carrying a heavy pack. Carry at least 2 cans of bear spray within your immediate reach. Carry a 3" or 4" barrel revolver of .44 mag to .470 range. If you prefer a pistol, the 10mm is the current choice over a .45. Keep the backup sidearm where you can draw it from a sitting or standing position. If you can carry a long gun, the best defense against a bear is still a 500 or 870 model 12 ga. with an 18"-24" barrel and full tube extension loaded with 3" shells of #00 and slugs together. Forget center mass.....remember "brain".

The best way to avoid bear trouble is simply to stay the heck away from their turf. Most actual bear attacks happen within 20 to 50 feet, and happen quickly. In less than 5 seconds a large grizzly can have you down. In some parts of Montana, medical help is up to three days away....if they can find you.

Went down a pretty deep rabbit hole on the research of this subject last night, Alaska game wardens say the best defense in their opinion is a pump action 12 gauge alternating 00 and slugs. That is what I am going with to back up the pepper spray! Not hunting bear just camping and site seeing.
I will get a 45-70 when I find the right deal just cause I have always wanted one.
I learned pretty early in life about being aware of my surroundings in the woods as hogs can be pretty aggressive on occasion.

One of the guys that was commenting on the 30-30 heavy loads says a lot of people in Alaska are using these rounds, but as he went on he said the game wardens were advising against betting your life on them and get a shotgun!!!

Thanks for all the input and the pic of that rifle as well Adam!!

 

[DRC458]

Went down a pretty deep rabbit hole on the research of this subject last night, Alaska game wardens say the best defense in their opinion is a pump action 12 gauge alternating 00 and slugs. That is what I am going with to back up the pepper spray! Not hunting bear just camping and site seeing.
I will get a 45-70 when I find the right deal just cause I have always wanted one.
I learned pretty early in life about being aware of my surroundings in the woods as hogs can be pretty aggressive on occasion.

One of the guys that was commenting on the 30-30 heavy loads says a lot of people in Alaska are using these rounds, but as he went on he said the game wardens were advising against betting your life on them and get a shotgun!!!

Thanks for all the input and the pic of that rifle as well Adam!!

Good call!

 

[Shadowrider]

Just spitballing here, but for defense I think I'd rather have the 12ga. Your shots will be close and it throws more lead at them. When hunting the rifle is a no brainer but the shots will most likely be longer. I know I'm raining on your .45-70 buying parade....

 

[dennishoddy]

This is somewhat off subject but statisticly bear spray has been proven to be more effective than firearms in stopping bear charge/attack. Unless you can put a round into the central nervous system of a bear ending the charge/attack, plan on getting mauled severely or killed. Most bear human encounters resulting in injury resulted from a surprised bear and short attack distance. These are two items that are not favorable for those using a firearm.

Bottom line right here. Example.... put a bullet into the heart/lungs of a deer and they will typically take 40 to 100 yds to die because death comes with the loss of blood to the brain. A Griz can inflict a lot of damage in the few seconds it's still alive when it has the capability to outrun a horse and kill it with one swipe of its paw.

 

[dennishoddy]

Here is a decent breakdown I found.

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-best-bear-defense-guns-pics/

Unfortunately they left out the Ruger Super Redhawk. The most robust .44 mag in existence. Loads that the ruger will fire daily with no issues will rupture the cylinders on S&W.

 

[dennishoddy]

Went down a pretty deep rabbit hole on the research of this subject last night, Alaska game wardens say the best defense in their opinion is a pump action 12 gauge alternating 00 and slugs. That is what I am going with to back up the pepper spray! Not hunting bear just camping and site seeing.
I will get a 45-70 when I find the right deal just cause I have always wanted one.
I learned pretty early in life about being aware of my surroundings in the woods as hogs can be pretty aggressive on occasion.

One of the guys that was commenting on the 30-30 heavy loads says a lot of people in Alaska are using these rounds, but as he went on he said the game wardens were advising against betting your life on them and get a shotgun!!!

Thanks for all the input and the pic of that rifle as well Adam!!

When you have your fly rod in hand, that rifle/shotgun will be on the beach. Get a quality sidearm as the last resort.

 

[SdoubleA]

Unfortunately they left out the Ruger Super Redhawk. The most robust .44 mag in existence. Loads that the ruger will fire daily with no issues will rupture the cylinders on S&W.

Dennis, the Super Redhawk "Alaskan" was the first model mentioned. The Rugers are dang good revolvers.

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis, the Super Redhawk "Alaskan" was the first model mentioned. The Rugers are dang good revolvers.

OPP's Missed that one for whatever reason. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[surjimmy]

I use to to believe that the best protection from a bear was a 12ga pump. In the Marines we has buckshot, and the pellets was connected with a wire. It would cut a 3in tree in too. I am a huge 45/70 fan, but after watching what a Bear spray will do I'm not so sure. The spray puts out a huge cloud that shuts the bear down, I was amazed when I saw this and it made me reconsider. The one problem that I have seen time after time is, most people carry their stuff where they can't get to it. Spray does you no good in your back pack, a rifle or shotgun does you no good slung on your shoulder where the strap is under your backpack strap, and a pistol (revolver) does you no good with the flap button down with other crap can get in your way trying to get to it. What ever you choose, keep it where you can get it QUICK FAST & and IN A HURRY, but no way shape or form would I go intentionally into brown or even black bear country with a 30/30 as my gun of choice for protection if I had other options.