We now have a black bear season in my home county. I have never hunted BB, but I believe I will be spending a little time doing so this year.

I have and .243 and a 30/30. I was wondering if the 30/30 will be an adequate weapon. I am thinking 170 grain bullets loaded hot would do the trick. Shots will be short, under 50 yards in all likelihood.

Please advise on cartridge selection and or overall intelligence of a 30/30.

No need to load them "hot." A standard 30-30 loading will suffice quite nicely on a black bear at the ranges you mention. Good luck with the hunting...

I too agree that the 30-30 should be perfectly adequate for your hunt.

I agree with Bobby Tomek. And Phil
The 30/30 is completely adequate and no reason to hot load it. If your rifle likes 170's then shoot them, if it likes 150's then shoot those.
The 30/30 has killed more Bears large and small than most people could fathom, my personal feelings are that it is way under estimated as a cartridge.
Have fun Bear hunting

Place a 170 grainer out of your 30-30 behind the front shoulder and you well have a bear rug and some fine eating.

Sounds good guys. I have been shooting 150's for deer, but I will sight in some 170's to see how they shoot.

Snellstrom-You are right on the money with that statement. While I use the Ackley Improved version as the case shape is much better suited to the single shot Contenders I favor, the velocities are still in the pedestrian ballpark of the ol' 30-30. I've taken at least a couple dozen animals with the chambering, and its effectiveness must be seen to be appreciated. Here are just a few…

Damn fine collection of kills with the AI Bobby! I have a bud that took a darn nice pronghorn at a little over 200 yards with the .30-30 AI and 125 grain BT in a Contender pistol.

Probably millions of black bear have been killed with a 170 grain round nose!

a little bigger than a bear,
That rifle has accounted for 20+ elk,
another moose and uncountable deer and antelope.
30-30 is plenty of rifle for lots of game.

Nice moose! Just goes to show what a simple bullet at modest velocity can accomplish. I'm sure the big magnums burning 100+ grains of powder are nice, but they are definitely not for me. I'll take my little 7mm Bullberry or 30-30 AI Contenders any day and never feel undergunned.

In our modern world of whizz bang magnums/ultra-mags/short mags and super short mags, many people forget that cartridge like the 30-30, 38-55, 45-70, 7x57 & 8x57, 32 Win. Special, ad infinitum of generations old cartridges that were around before the magnum craze saw light of day, can and do still kill game quite well.

Thanks again for all the replies. I guess I was getting caught up in the hype. My hunting partner thinks anything less then a 30'06 is a bunny gun.

I even shot bunnies with my 06.

Since most black bears are shot at close range over bait a 30/30 is ok.

Many bears fall to 30/30's in Penna. every year. The 170gr. Will work.

Mike