bear hunting with cast

[mac266]

I'm overseas and daydreaming about my next hunt when I get back (2016, so I have a long time to think about it!). I've decided that I'd like to hunt mule deer with one of my leverguns, using cast boolits that I've made. So far I've done all my hunting with bolt actions, sometimes factory ammo, but handloaded ammo as of late (modern bullets, not self made boolits). But I'm going to change that. The bottom line is I love shooting leverguns, and the areas I hunt are thick timber that rarely offers a shot over 100 yards. So, why not?

Of my fleet of leverguns, I prefer my Marlin 336 in .30-30 the most. It balances better than the others and thus far I've been able to hold the tightest shot group with it. So, now for the question: I have a Lee 150 grain, gas checked, flat point mould that holds the best shot group I can muster. I think I'm right around 1800 fps with my load. I know that will be enough to put down a mule deer, but what about a Colorado black bear?

I usually get a bear license when I'm out hunting deer, just in case I see one. Of course, every time I've had a license I never saw a bear, and every time I didn't bother to get a license, a bear wandered past me! But, I figure, one of these days the stars will align and I'll have the license when I see a bear. Given that they have about 4 inches of fat surrounding their bodies, will that boolit go through enough to put him down, or should I just use the .35 Remington with a gas checked 204 grain boolit just to be safe?

Yes, the .35 Remington will do better, but I don't prefer the gun if the .30-30 will do the trick.

[GabbyM]

For 30-30 I have an RCBS 30-180-FN for a heavy boolit. Mine will weigh just under 200 grains cast from WW alloys. The are calibrated 180 grains from Linotype. NOE has there rendition of this mold listed as the 311-195-FN
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=581. This is as big a bullet as you can fit into a 30-30 and get good performance. It is a long bullet and it's gas check will be below the case neck even in a 30-30. I never had any issues wit that in the 30-30 or 30-06. One thing you do have to be careful with is nose diameter. It has a fairly long bore ride. With a lever gun you can't chamber a crush fitting nose.

I'd want a tough alloy that will hold together through ribs. Looking for an exit hole as any bear I've experienced double lung shot ran 250 yards.

[white eagle]

I believe that you have a winner and should use it
bear(black)aren't that tough,although you would tend to think differntly
the shots you describe your Boolit choice is sound, use it

[outdoorfan]

I personally would not shoot that 150 grainer at less than 15-16 bhn, especially if a black bear encounter is a possibility. Ranch Dog makes a nice design (NOE carries them) that works very well too. Once again, I personally wouldn't go too soft if bear is expected. That's just my opinion.

[Edward]

Deer are tougher ,bear with a lung shot runs out of gas quicker at least for me though I use cedar shafts not lead so maybe I should not opine !

[irishtoo]

just to throw this out...... i shot a pa black bear 2 years ago with a .45-70 (factory loads) this year it will be cast boolits. the point is, the bear leg bones were larger in diameter than a pa whitetail but the side wall of the bone was quite thin. a whitetail leg bone was maybe 3 or 4 times thicker then the wall of the bear bone. irishtoo

[Dale53]

The main thing with bear is to shoot to "Break Bone". That will be most effective for a quick stop. If you are broadside, then through both shoulders. Always, keep in mind what's behind the shoulder (high or low) so you also damage critical elements (heart and lungs).

Dale53

[GooseGestapo]

I have both single and two cavity versions of that mold. My older brother had my single for about 25yrs. He used it to take mulies , white tails, jack and cotton tail rabbits, ect. Typically unsized, no gas check for plinking, small game; 7.5gr Unique for~1,300fps. big game with gc and normal load of whatever powder was available. Two cav. casts to 158gr, single to 160gr with w/w.

He loaded some cast from straight wheel weights over 28.5gr H4895 for a coworker (Air Force). Coworker was hunting near Elmendorf AFB. Not sure what, but not intentionally bear, though he had a bear tag/license. One shot, dead bear (black). Ten years later, another indigent airman repeated the job near Limestone, Maine (Loring, AFB).

Shot placement X3. Cast bullets allow lots of practice.
I wouldn't hesitate to shot a bear with it. Though if hunting bear, I'd prefer the .35. With my RCBS 200gr FNGC (220gr), over 39.0gr BLC2, it's just "more better".
I've only killed deer and pigs (220lbs largest) with 150 FNGC, but have no doubt it'll work.
Its the standard fodder of my three .30/30's.