Favorite bear rifle or bow!

[tgomez]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE/MUST HAVE RIFLE OR BOW TO TAKE ON BEAR HUNTS? Mine is my Remington 700 SPS in 30-06 with Nikon Buckmasters 4.5-14×40 SF scope, shooting Hornady Superformance GMX .150s, or Remington Core-Lokt .180s.

[RadSav]

I don't think I could answer that question honestly with a single choice.  Not sure I have a "Favorite" or "Must Have" bear gun or bow.  That is more of an eeny, meeny, miny, moe decision for me.  I've probably shot more bear with a Model 88 Winchester in .308 than anything else.  When I moved up from Oregon it was one of only three guns I brought with me so it does have a special place.  Still one of my favorite guns to carry so maybe that's the answer. 

The .444, .243, 6mm, 30-06, 7mm, 270WSM, 257Bob, 250Sav, 300Sav, 325WSM, 300WM, 30-30, 358, 7X57, 12 Gauge and Triple Deuce all performed flawlessly with the right ammo and each was my favorite as I viewed each bear through the sight or scope.  My bow list is equally mixed.  Probably having tagged more bear with the old Golden Eagle Talon MkV with 2219 XX75/Zwickey BDD than any other single outfit.

I think I might list my "favorite bear hunt" as the one when I tagged a big coastal boar with a T/C Contender Super 14 in 30-30 shooting 130 grain Hornady Spire Points.  He was in tall thick salal 130 yards and slightly below me.  Each blast of the Weems he would stand up and look around.  But the brush was tall enough all I could see was the head.  He finally stood up long enough for me to drop the call and get a good rest and hold the mil-dot for an end of his nose impact.  If not for the cloud of red mist floating in the morning air I may have thought I had missed.  To this day that is the only bear I have taken past 50 yards with a pistol.  Was pretty dang exciting!!

[jkthomps]

Nice setup tgomez! Like RadSav, I don't think I could answer with one choice; however, I do have a Remington model 760 30.06 pump that I consider old faithful. It was my first hunting rifle when I was 12 and I can always count on it and love shooting it. I pretty much retired that rifle and now use a Tikka T3 .300 wsm or Remington model 700 30.06. I archery hunt with Bear Attitude now, nothing special but gets the job done 

[coachcw]

.375 H&H one of the best all around cartridge next to the 300wm. I own neither right now ! what the heck . 

[AdnaHunter]

I use a 325wsm 220 grn sierras.

[MountainWalk]

Pre-64 Winchester m-70, in. 35 Whelen.  Still don't have a favorite load. The rifle doesn't wear as scope. Redfield ring sight.

[The scout]

300 rum for everything

[Smoke]

depends on what I'm carrying at the time... ether the 06, 270, or hoyt...  most times I'm carrying the Hoyt tho...

[superdown]

My favorite if i could only choose one would be my browning A-Bolt II with a Leupold VX-III 2.5-8x36 325wsm shooting Winchester 220grn power points.The one i am using this year just because i haven't taken any game with it yet would be my marlin 336 stainless 30-30 with a Leupold 1.5-4x28 scout scope using hornady 160grn leverevolution.Third would understandably be considered a better bear gun than the 30-30 would my Winchester 1886 45-70 with a lyman fool proof peep sight on it shooting Winchester 300grn premium silver tips.I am reserving that rifle for deer season and if i don't get a bear by the time deer season rolls around i will just shoot a bear during deer season with the 45-70.I like to use a different rifle and cartridge as often as i can for the experience of variety and seeing first hand how they work on the animals.I walked right up on a bear a few years ago while muzzy hunting for deer and let it walk away because i honestly forgot i had a bear tag.  

[tgomez]

Superdown- my cousin shoots the Marlin 336 in 30-30 with the Hornady Revolution ammo for all big game, and he swears that it gives it another 80 yards of effective accuracy! I think you will enjoy that set-up. Besides that who doesn't like to pack around a good old lever action rifle.

[superdown]

Superdown- my cousin shoots the Marlin 336 in 30-30 with the Hornady Revolution ammo for all big game, and he swears that it gives it another 80 yards of effective accuracy! I think you will enjoy that set-up. Besides that who doesn't like to pack around a good old lever action rifle.

That's good to hear  yeah i love lever guns and old style guns in general.The only rifle my dad ever bought for himself to hunt with is a BLR in .358 winchester He's taken a lot of deer with that rifle over the last 30 years.He has bought and sold a lot of other rifles but never hunted with anything else. I have asked him why he doesn't use something different and his answer is always nothing has ever taken another step after getting shot so why would i ? I can't really argue that logic.

[mountainman]

.444!

[whackmaster]

257 Weatherby Magnum 

[Firedogg]

 My favorite depends on where and how I am hunting.

  For those open across to the next hillside or clearcut shots I use my Browning Stainless Stalker in .300 Win Mag.   

  If I am spot and stalk or just working my way through reprod or thick brush its a Marlin 1895 .45-70.

[crschralping]

My favorite is my 300 weatherby mag. Second favorite is my savage 110 -06.