.30-30 for Bears

by Joseph von Benedikt • May 26, 2011 • 5 comments

 

I just returned from a black bear hunt in northern Alberta, where I tested Hornady’s new 140-grain MonoFlex .30-30 bullet out of a Mossberg 464 lever-action (a new variation sporting Marine Coat finish and fiber-optic sights). Got great penetration out of the bullets, which are a combination of Hornady’s GMX gilding metal bullet and FlexTip LeveRevolution bullet. It combines pointed-bullet aerodynamics with homogeneous bullet penetration, and out of a lever-action no less.

In Ammo • Tagged , ,

5 Responses

  1. Tom

    Imagin that, a 30/30 can kill a black bear!! its a good thing hornady makes a $40 box of ammo for them bears, who just a decade ago were falling over to those non premium bullts

    On July 18, 2011 at 3:03 am • Reply
  2. Hal

    I'm pretty sure the one I killed last year died with just some old core-lokt rounds I had lying around. Must have been a lucky shot.

    On July 25, 2011 at 9:54 pm • Reply
  3. ECVMatt

    For us folks that hunt in Lead Free zones, this is much cheaper than the Barnes alternative. I would like to personally thank Hornady for making a load the lets us keep you good old .30-30's in the field. This stuff goes for about 25 bucks a box around my parts, hardly the $40 quoted above.

    Thanks again Hornady!

    ECVMatt

    ECVMatt

    On September 11, 2011 at 2:10 am • Reply
  4. Lynn Vandevander

    My son killed a really nice blackbear in North Carolina last Nov.(2010). He used a 30-30 with my handloads using a Hornady 170 gr. flatnose. I think any conventional load using a 170gr. bullet would do.After all, the good old 30-30 has been used for 115 years now to "bag" everything from groundhogs to grizzly bear. I don't recomend any of the great bear hunting with the 30-30,BUT it has been done.I was also with my son when he killed a 425 lb. wild boar with the above load,and let me tell ya, that boar died like it was hit by lightning. It was dead before it hit the ground. Like someone turned it's switch off. It was awsome!! So I am here to say, DON'T under estimate the 30-30. So, dust off that light weight, easy to carry 30-30 and go have some fun hunting with it.You won"t be disapointed you did!!

    On October 3, 2011 at 11:38 pm • Reply
  5. marty K

    30-30 has more good history than almost any other rifle round out there. mine says 30 wcf. and i love it.

    On January 31, 2012 at 7:44 am • Reply