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Author Topic: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?  (Read 13305 times)

Offline 300rum

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2015, 10:02:42 AM »
I have seen a bear shot by a 450 Bushmaster, it did a great job. 

Offline buglebrush

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #16 on: March 11, 2015, 10:05:48 AM »
.308 is plenty.  I've killed all mine with my .270

Offline jkononen

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #17 on: March 11, 2015, 10:10:12 AM »
I've got a 450 bushmaster for sale if anybody is interested in trying an AR on a bear. Haha
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Offline tgomez

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #18 on: March 12, 2015, 03:24:49 PM »
.308 will do just fine, and has already dropped plenty of bear in the past. Anything over a .270 will do the job, its all about shot placement. My recomindation is to take your AR out and test the accuracy at different ranges to assure maximum accuracy of your particular AR set-up.
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Offline acnewman55

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #19 on: March 12, 2015, 07:25:01 PM »
Thanks for the feedback folks.

To be clear: was not talking about shooting a bear with 223!

I'm sure .308 is plenty, I'm just trying to decide if I want to build on the AR15 or AR10 platform of at all. I have a .308 bolt gun that will do the job.


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Offline carpsniperg2

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #20 on: March 12, 2015, 07:31:58 PM »
If you wanted to hunt with a AR 15 base type rifle. Build a 6.5 Grendel or 243 wssm. There is also some other calibers out there that I would have no problem with whacking a bear with.

In the AR 10 7mm-08/308 etc all will do fine on bear.
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Offline jrebel

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #21 on: March 12, 2015, 07:54:10 PM »
I am having a hard time deciding which medicine to give to my spring bear....45/70 (AKA Thumper), R25 .308, or old faithful Savage Model 114 .270????   Any thoughts?  Maybe the super redhawk in 454 if it happens up close and personal.  OH the decisions..... 

Offline Todd_ID

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #22 on: March 13, 2015, 03:51:18 PM »
I am having a hard time deciding which medicine to give to my spring bear....45/70 (AKA Thumper), R25 .308, or old faithful Savage Model 114 .270????   Any thoughts?  Maybe the super redhawk in 454 if it happens up close and personal.  OH the decisions.....
I  elected for the lever .45-70 last year and was happy with it.  I wish I would have just taken my bow,  but you only can carry so much in the backcountry. 
Bring a GPS!  It's awkward to have to eat your buddies!

Offline follow maggie

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #23 on: March 13, 2015, 04:24:20 PM »
I vote 45-70 because it's cool. I'm thinking of getting one this year.

Offline grundy53

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #24 on: March 16, 2015, 11:23:58 AM »
The .450 Bushmaster is basically a semi auto 45/70. Ballistics wise.
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Offline ivankom

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #25 on: March 24, 2015, 09:55:08 AM »
legally you can hunt big game with caliber 24 and up

Offline Wenatcheejay

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #26 on: April 03, 2015, 08:29:31 PM »
AR 15 platforms have a vast array of calibers equal to a 30-30.  Shot placement and bullet makeup makes all the difference. If that's not enough, there's always the beuwolf .50.
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Offline Bucks2Ducks

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Re: Anyone hunting WA black bears with an AR15?
« Reply #27 on: April 03, 2015, 09:06:16 PM »
I always wanted to hunt bear with an AR10, but they are so damn heavy. If I'm gonna pack a 10+lb rifle up a mountain it would be a 338 lapua.
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