Better For Black Bear

[Idiot]

I've got a 444 Marlin (JM) and a slew of Hornady 265 grain "Light Magnum" ammo. I've also got a number of 308 Winchesters and a small batch of Remington 180 grain SP cartridges.

The black bear I want to shoot will run around 250 - 350 pounds and will likely be shot at 75 to 150 yards. The country will be somewhat open - some small trees, bushes, and thick prickly pear cactus. Which of these two rifles and cartridges would you use and why? Which ever on doesn't go hunting will go away. Thank you.

[jeepnik]

Reach in your pocket. Take out a coin and toss it in the air. Heads for the 444 tails for the 308. Bullet placement is the most important factor.

[JimT]

Yep. Either will work.

Years ago I was corresponding with an old cowboy up in Idaho by the name of Keith. Mr. Keith told me of 7 black bear taken with .44 Magnum sixgun using the 250 gr. SWC cast bullet. All were one shot kills. All gave complete penetration. If the sixgun will do it either of those rifles will also.

[Blaine]

Personal preference would be the .444 (I have a nice 73-ish example)....As the above experts said, either would do nicely.

[wvfarrier]

Either will work. Ive killed them with 150 grain 30-30 loads and even with a self bow and stone point. They are not particularly tough

[FWiedner]

.
I've killed a black bear with a 158gr JSP from a .357 Magnum. (It was what I had when he came into camp.)

I've no doubt that either of your firearms are capable of doing the job.

If you've got more than one .308, could be an opportunity to pare the accumulation down to best couple or few.

Take that Marlin hunting. You know you want to.

[piller]

My vote is for the Marlin. Reasonably priced and accurate bolt action rifles are common. Lever guns are more difficult to find anymore. At least the better quality ones. That Marlin needs to be used on an animal.

[wm]

Which rifle do you want to associate with the memory and the trophy? Which rifle do you want to pass down to your grandkid with a great story?

Wm

[FLINT]

444 because it's a levergun

[Pete44ru]

444 because it's a levergun

And, IME it's infinitely more satisfying to take a bear with than any .30cal...………..

.

[Idiot]

I guess the nod goes to the Marlin. Now, I've got an old 375 Winchester that might do the same thing...

[AJMD429]

Yep. 308 is for precision targets or hunting medium-large game at 300-500 yards, and for anti-two-leg work at whatever distance necessary. 444 is for slapping large game out to 300 yards and living the Levergun Life....

...now choosing between 444 Marlin and 375 Winchester would be a harder choice....

[Lastmohecken]

Past 150 yards, my vote would be the .308 Win with good scope. Under a Hundred yards, my vote would be for the .444 Marlin.
Back in the 80's I used a .444 Marlin some on deer, at close range and it was always devastating. But I have used a Browning BLR Leveraction in .308 Win with 180gr Winchester Silvertips extensively for many years and have complete confidence in it for about any shot out to 300 plus.

I do love the big bores though, and have been using a Browning 86 carbine with a William's receiver sight in 45/70 on hogs a lot in the last 2-3 years, and more recently a new Marlin 45/70 with an Aimpoint. All shots were at 30yds to maybe 75 or 80 yards and with 300 gr factory Winchester Hollowpoints. But if I was stretching the range out to 150yds or more, I would prefer the BLR in .308 and 2 x 7 Leupold scope.

My Marlin .444 was late 70's or very early 80's vintage. It shot the factory 240gr softpoints of the time reasonably well but did not stabilize the 265gr Hornady's of that vintage, and I worked up some 265gr hand loads back then, but I never got them to shoot all that great, but in reflection I may have been shooting hotter loads then the gun liked and might have done better If I had backed off some more on the powder or changed powders.

I would use the gun I liked best, and go for it. However, if you have a good gun in .308 Win, that you like, I wouldn't trade if off, even if I did take the .444 bear hunting.

[Grizz]

Screenshot (6222).png

I keep this to hand . . . , but I can't toss it 300 yards. yet . . .

[Idiot]

Screenshot (6222).png

I keep this to hand . . . , but I can't toss it 300 yards. yet . . .

The problem is I couldn't toss it 20 yards!

[Idiot]

Yeah. I'm going to take both to the range and decide which one I like better. I like both lever and bolt action rifles. However, it may also come down to weight and ease of carry. I got rid of my M71 because I got tired of lugging it around. It was a good serviceable firearm, and I liked the romance of the cartridge, but even that faded by mid-afternoon with one more hill to climb. I've kept the Marlin thinking I'd hunt with it some day, especially after acquiring enough ammo to hunt with the rest of my life (now more than enough). But I never really got around to taking it out more than a couple times. Perhaps I'll give it a another shot. I've come to appreciate the 308 Winchester and have come full circle back to it. I used it a lot when younger and needed to hunt to put food on the table. It always got the job, romance or not. Nowadays I like that I can buy ammo for it any where if I'm too lazy to handload, and kindly regard its tender recoil. We'll see.

[Blaine]

Either will work. Ive killed them with 150 grain 30-30 loads and even with a self bow and stone point. They are not particularly tough

This requires a separate, thread, Sir.

[wvfarrier]

Ive used self bows and stone for nearly every harvest ive made in the last 20 years. This is my first year using "modern equipment"

[M. M. Wright]

Either will work. Ive killed them with 150 grain 30-30 loads and even with a self bow and stone point. They are not particularly tough

I think a lot of us would like to see pics of your bows and arrow points. I made a bow one time from an old fence post that was Bois-d'arc. It was quite a project for a 14 year old but it worked. Never learned to work flint.

[wvfarrier]

My current set up.....though im not using them this year. Ive been shooting heavy draws for too long and my shoulder is acting up so i bought a compound and learned to shoot it with my right hand.

That bow is osage with 2 layers of sinew, reflexed and copperhead skinned. Dacite points on river cane shafts.

[JB]

Both will do the job, but I'd go with the 308 just for the improved trajectory.

[t.r.]

My Savage 99 .308 has taken three bears for me. All shot at less than 100 yards. My favorite ammo is Remington core-lokt featuring their round nose 180 grain soft tip.

TR