Black Bear Hunting Rifles
For a black bear hunt, experienced hunters recommend using heavy bullets and heavy calibers due to the large size of these animals. Regarding cartridges, the nearly obsolete .358 Winchester would be a very wise choice but there are other alternatives as well, such as the Savage 99, Browning SLR, .350 Rem. Mag. and the very popular and available .35 Whelen.
Many hunters use their deer rifles chambered to something between .270 and .30 caliber for conducting black bear hunts. We recommend leaning towards the .30s but the .270 or even a 7mm will be efficient too. If you are going to choose a lighter caliber then you must be extra careful in choosing very tough and good, heavy-for-caliber bullets that will penetrate. The round-nosed bullet initiate expansion and will transfer energy a lot faster than spitzers do and at closer ranges the ballistic inferiority isn’t a real issue. A good combination would be the .270 with a 150-grain round-nose bullet and for the 7mms we recommend using bullets from 160+ grain. For the .30 calibers we advise you to use 180 grains as this combinations has proven its efficiency over the years.
Hunting behind hounds is a totally different game because the chase will often take the hunter through some of the most difficult areas so the gun weight and the handiness are crucial aspects which every hunter must take into consideration. The classic houndsman’s rifle was the light, short and famous Remington M600 in .350 Rem Mag. but unfortunately it was discontinued many years ago. There are other efficient alternatives like the lever actions from .35 Rem. upwards.
In our opinion the .300 Win. Mag. is a simple yet efficient black bear hunting gun along with the Barnes X bullets. The shot placement remains a very important issue for this type of hunting but from our experience the .30 caliber along with a 200 grain bullet will do the trick. Other good choices would be the 8mm Rem. Mag. and the .416 models. The .375 H&H is a traditional and popular choice among black bear hunters but it is hardly the only .375 out there. The faster cartridges like the brand new .375 Ultra Mag. offer a little bit more versatility.
All things considered, there are plenty of rifles, cartridges and bullets you can choose for your next black bear hunting adventure but we advise you to do a little research because only good combinations will lead to efficient hunting experiences. One last piece of advice, the cartridge should be flat-shooting enough in order to allow you to make a shot at medium range without having to worry about holdover. The cartridge should have enough power so that you will still have enough penetration and energy for making an efficient shot.
Useful Info :
We offer you a small list of black bear rifles you might consider purchasing:
Remington’s Model Seven
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Lightning fast and superbly accurate, the compact, short-action Model Seven has been a leader in the woods since it was introduced in 1983. This rifle is a quintessential Remington classic with some striking commemorative upgrades. Its American walnut Classic Deluxe-style stock is custom laser engraved with “Model Seven 25th Anniversary” and has an intricate 25th anniversary medallion inset at the pistol grip cap area. Added to its traditional good look is a high-sheen blued finish on the receiver, bolt and 22" standard-contour barrel.
Winchester Model 1894
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The original Model 1894 was produced in .32-40 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, .25-35 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, and .32 Winchester Special. It was the first sporting rifle to sell over 1,000,000 units. The millionth Model 1894 was given to President Calvin Coolidge in 1927. It was the first hunting rifle chambered for the (then) new smokeless powder cartridges. The .30-30 Winchester is the cartridge that has became synonymous with the Model 1894 rifle. In 1964 the manufacturing of the 94 was changed in order to make the firearm less expensive to manufacture. Generally "pre-64" rifles command a premium price over post-64 rifles.
Beeman Air Rifle Silver Bear 1785 .177 Cal 500 fps Brake Barrel Combo
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Engineered for extreme accuracy, speeds of 500 fps (in .177 cal.) and long-lasting performance. Steel receiver and rifled all-steel barrel with custom muzzle break. Compact, lightweight Monte Carlo composite stock with recoil pad and ambidextrous cheek piece. Single-stroke break-barrel cocking action. Sport trigger and automatic safety. Includes a 4×20mm scope with finger-adjustable turrets that’s been professionally mounted and sighted in. Ready to shoot straight out of the box. A great beginner rifle for a youth who wants to step up to a break barrel. Caliber: .177 cal. Weight: 5 lbs. Length: 37". Single Shot Youth.
Ruger Model M77 MKII Compact Rifle
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The Ruger Model 77 Mark II features a controlled feed Mauser pattern action with a flat bottom receiver and an integral recoil lug, one piece bolt, full length Mauser type extractor, fixed ejector, steel hinged magazine floorplate, generous ejection port for fast loading from the top of the action, square bridge action with integral scope mount bases, and an innovative diagonal bedding screw. The barrel is precision hammer forged. The bolt release is at the left rear of the receiver, and the three position (Model 70 type) safety is located at the right rear of the receiver. The barreled action of M77R Standard and M77MSR Magnum rifles is finished in a polished blue. The bolt is left in the white for contrast on the "R" and blued on the "RSM." The walnut stock was designed in the "modern classic" style. It is supplied with a pistol grip cap, rubber butt pad, detachable sling swivel bases, and cut checkering.
Remington Model 7 CDL
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Big impacts are what the Model Seven does best. With a precision-balanced 20" barrel and receiver that is 1/2" shorter than a Model 700 short-action receiver and a weight of just 6 1/2 lbs. (standard calibers), it’s still the ultimate dense-cover compact rifle. All Model Seven calibers, including magnum, are available in CDL versions. They have clean, satin-blued barrels (except 350 Remington Mag: 20" magnum contour barrel with sights); classically styled, American walnut CDL stocks; and R3 recoil pads with LimbSaver technology. When you match this quick-handling short-action rifle with some of the hardest-hitting calibers known to big game - Remington Short Action Ultra Mag and WSM cartridges - you need a little longer barrel. Model Seven rifles in these calibers feature a 22" magnum contour barrel.