Back in the days before the 243 even existed, many bears were killed with the 250 Savage. And it still works today even though you don't hear much about the 250 anymore. Ballistically, it and the 243 are virtual twins.

So yeah, the 243 will work although I would use a premium bullet like a Nosler Partition, one of the bonded bullets (AccuBond etc.), or one of the monometals (Barnes etc) rather than a standard cup and core like a Remington Core-Lokt.

It's not ideal but since she's already familiar with the gun, go for it.

If you want something with a bigger diameter and recoil is a concern, look for a 300 Savage. Most likely have to be used but Savage did chamber it in their Weather Warrior line last year.

Dale

I hunted whitetails in Maine a few years at a place that also provided black bear hunts. I've carried a .300 Savage or 50 years. Just bs'ing with the guides I asked if they thought that'd be enough for a bear. (personally, I don't like bear meat so no way I'm gonna shoot one, but...) and they all said the same thing. Yes, with proper shot placement but they also said that they are happiest when someone shows up with a 12 ga slug gun. Their view was that the *last* thing you want to be doing is tracking a wounded black bear and that a 12 ga slug through a shoulder will put any bear down for a finishing shot if necessary.

Most anything is possible but I personally think a .243 is way too light for a bear.

Just my .02c for what it's worth ;-)

people shoot black bear with bow or muzzle loader all the time and let me tell ya id rather have a .243 with a full clip over either 1 ! anyone who said .243 isnt enough gun either has large bullit envy or no confidence in there shot placement

Not quite sure I agree with your analysis zgrim. I'm extremely confident in my shot placement with any piece in my cabinet. Can a whitetail be taken with a .22? Sure. Is it intelligent and humane to attempt to do so? Not in my book. The chances of a wounded animal are significantly increased by doing such things and as sportsmen (and women ) we should strive for a clean, consistent, immediate result.

hey zgrim...my ancestors killed 1200 lb. cave bears for their caves and meat and hides. they used fire hardened sharp sticks and large rocks. must have worked fine. cause there's no more cave bears. but i wouldn't recommend it as a practical way to hunt today.. and i don't recommend .243's either...
there are bigger faster stronger calibres available to kill quickly and effeciently. you owe the animal that favour. and i have no"envy" however that got in there.and my shot placement confidence is supreme. it has to be when taking out a charging grizz who wants your downed, taggged, elk and you don't want to give it to him// been there !!done that!!..
and as for "clips" ..you strip a clip to load a mag (magazine) having a FULL clip in your pocket but an empty magazine seems pointless.
the lightest rounds i'd use on a bear is .308 or ..270 and up....good hunting to all....and yes bears are killed with bows and arrows and muzzle loaders....whoopee"" how many are wounded and never recovered ??? and yes i bow hunt and muzzle hunt...thats where shot placement comes in....

are the chances of wounding any grater than hunting baer with a bow ? i can see your point but if  your hunting with a .243 you need to wait for that 1 good shot not just dump the gun cuase you think you can hit the animal, wen i shoot i shoot to kill not maime.

i've never shoot to maim. wound. or otherwise..my shots are always meant to kill... quickly, humanely, and successfully. i have passed down that philosphy to my daughters, i hope successfully,but i do agree with you about waiting for that one good shot.you may lose a few animals waiting and not get the shot. but the ones you wait for are taken clean...so good hunting to you ..
.... my daughters got their moose this year...2 rounds from a .270...one in the neck and one to finish it.pics in "member pics" ...they waited for that one good shot...and it worked out....they've also taken some nice bears ...270 also...i don't think they mean to be mean but they call the .243 a girls gun...not a hunters gun...just saying....

i use .243 more for varmit i was just answering the guys ? that yes a .243 can get the job done. i use my .300 win mag wen im hunting but that doesnt mean i dont like my.243 i am and all round gun collecter i just get a kick out of people who think you need a 45-70 or a damn 10guage to kill a bear there is a sutch thing as over kill . were i hunt in northern NY you dont get shots mutch farther than 50 yards cuase of the under brush enless your hunting in a farmers field so the flat shooting .270 or the .308s range isnt realy needed .243s 30 30s 12guage and 7.62x39 is all good brush guns . another reason i like my remington model 7400 .243 carbine is its very hilly were i live and i still hunt never strand hunt and if i carried my browning a bolt .300 win mag all day i wouldnt be able to move by the end of the day the thing ways a ton. so i like to travel light wen possible...............270thompson tell your daughters i said congrats on the moose

thanks zgrim..congrats passed. and i too like to collect rifles and shotsuns. i only use 3 for hunting . but the others are fun on the range. good hunting to all

The .243 will take black bear with properly constructed bullets, 100 or 105 gr. Barnes, Nosler, Swift, etc. However, a larger cartridge is desireable. A .270, 7mm/08 or similar, again with proper bullets, will give greater performance while still allowing minimal recoil. The .243 is inadequate for brown bear.
If you use the .243 you will need to discipline yourself, or your wife will need to discipline herself, to taking only standing broadside shots at short to moderate range, inside 100 yards. That's easily do-able if hunting over bait, or a stand at a water hole or some such. But it becomes more iffy if doing spot-and-stalk hunting.

If I ever do go bear hunting, which I seriously doubt, I'll use my Mossy 500 that I fitted with a Spec Ops stock. Virtually zero kick. I kid you not. I could shoot slugs through that all day in nothing more than a t-shirt. Well, maybe some pants too. ;-) What that guide in Maine made pretty good sense to me.

This is your wife. I would highly recommend something like a 7mm-08. Or a 308 would be better if shes is comfortible with it. Shot placement is most important and being comfortible with recoil, noise, etc helps to ease the shooter and give them confidence to place the shot where it needs to go without the fear of the recoil. A .243 will more than kill a bear in Ga with a well placed shot. But what happens if during that well placed shot the bear moves slightly? The wind picks up just enough or blows a limb inot the path of the bullet. Her bullet punches in a little far back or worse - into the front shoulder. Now you have a long and harrowing task ahead of you! I would say, have her shoot the biggest calibre she is comfortible with and use a load that give you peace of mind "just in case".  A 30-30 at 50 yards is an excellant low recoil choice as are many others. Another option on this would be to get her comfortible with a gun (say a 30-06 for this example) then have someone load custom loads for her. A 220 grain 30 cal bullet moving around 1700 fps will do the job without a lot of recoil.  Just my 2 cents. Good luck to both of you and I hope she gets her bear. Remember that practice is of utmost importance no matter what you/she decides.

Lots of replies here saying the .243 is good enough and will work. Sure, and like Allen says, you can kill 'em with a .22LR with a lucky-once-in-a-lifetime shot. If that's the gun your wife is most comofrtable with, then it's the best one for her to use. But I'd be real close with a stopper incase all she does is tickle that blackie. I hit an Alaskan black bear a few years ago in the shoulder with a .30-06 which broke the shoulder and one front leg, and the bear still managed to climb a tree. I was an inch off from going thru the powerplant and initiating shutdown-mode. So don't underestimate them at all.

Talked with a lady friend (a Aliut) a while back. Her family is from the Barrow area. She told me that all the men in thier village only used the .223, regarless of what they hunt. From usein'um to plink the heard off ptarmigan to killin' mauradin' polar bear.
It is obviouse that them boys have a lot more balls then I!
Allen

HMM First of all I hand loaded a 243 that will shoot through a whitetail at 275 yds broadside. Now to your question would I use a 243 on black bear? Not by choice. I choose a weapon for the game I hunt and conditions that I hunt in. If you are with her in the same blind with a back up weapon then I might consider it. That being said, it is ALWAYS better to use a weapon that matches the game. Is it possible to kill a black bear with a 243, the answer is yes. But my choice for black bear hunting is not the 243. I would rather use a larger cal that could break bone and knock down the bear.This is from an old hunter that has seen a heck of a lot of hunting misadventures by the best of shooters. More is usually better on game that can hurt you or the person that has to follow up and finish the job if things went bad. Note I have seen deer hit with everything from the 22-250 to 375 and run off. Some took hours to recover. That being said I have no doubt that a black bear is a lot harder to kill than a deer, thicker hide, larger bones.

I shot my first black bear (Michigan) 2 years ago with a .243. 300 lb bear. It ran about 30-40 yards and died. No death moan either. I vaporized both lungs and put a hole in the top of the heart. No blood trail to follow. I paid close attention to where it ran and found it easily. Visit a picture of me on Facebook under North Country Hunting Adventures. - Mary

I took my first black bear in Michigan (300 lb) with a .243. Text book shot. I vaporized both lungs and put a hole in the top of the heart. It didn't go far. I have also killed a 275 lb Russian boar with the .243. Great gun. Visit Facebook under North Country Hunting Adventures for a picture of "Mary and her bear". - Mary

Gentlemen there is not a chambering I like better than a 243 Win, and within it’s capabilities it is one of the best designed cartridges of all times. Having said that I personally would have no problem shooting a black bear, even a very large black bear with a 243, but I’ve been shooting a 243 Manlicher Shoenauer MCA 1961 rifle for about 40 years and I can place bullets where I want them out to over 300 yds consistently. So in my opinion as long as a shooter is proficient with his/her rifle it will do the job, but is not the best choice for a dedicated black bear rifle for just anyone.
My choice for a woman would be a 7mm-08, or a 280 Rem with a 3-9 X40 scope with a lighted reticle. Black bear’s black color makes the black reticle disappear, if not illuminated, and the 40 mm will gather a lot of light. Many bear will not come to a bait till last light, and baits have to be in tight cover or they simply do not work well.

Here is a blast from the past about 243 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjdF...re=related

"Gentlemen there is not a chambering I like better than a 243 Win, and within it’s capabilities it is one of the best designed cartridges of all times." Mac

+1

Now for bear, I'd want my 7MM Rem Mag !