Bear bullets

hansol

hansol

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Hey guys,

Just wondering what everyone is using for "bear bullets" this year? Do you use the same ones you use for your deer/elk loads? Or is there different criteria for what you use?

I've read great things about the A-frames, but at near $100 for a box of them, or any premium bullet for that matter, it makes a guy wonder...
 
These are the rifles/bullets I'll have with me and my son this year for bear season.

Swift A-Frames...

Rem 700 LSS 300RUM 200gr = 3200fps
Rem 700 LSS 375RUM 300gr = 2775fps
Marlin 1895GS 45-70 350gr = 1950fps

Nosler Accubonds...

Rem 700 LSS 280 Rem 140gr = 2960fps
T/C Contender carbine 375 JDJ 260gr = 2300fps

Barnes...

Husquavarna 270 Weatherby 140gr TSX = 3300fps
T/C Contender carbine 45-70 300gr X = 1950fps

Hard Cast WLNGC's...

Marlin 1895GS Beartooth 525gr = 1600fps & Jae-Bok Young 550gr Crater's = 1580fps (camp loads and if I have to go in after a grizzly again this year)
T/C Contender carbine 45-70 425gr Beartooth & 430gr Cast Performance = 1775fps

3" Brenneke Slugs

Rem 870 12 gauge 14" Dlask barrel (son's camp gun & he will use this one if we have to go in after another grizzly this year)

ATC defense loads...

4 1/4" Ruger SRH 454 Casull 300gr XTP-Mag's or Gold Dots @ 1500fps or 355gr Beartooth WLNGC's @ 1420fps if in grizzly country Beartooth 405gr WLNGC's @ 1330fps.

:canadaFlag:
 
Chambers' 420gr. Lfn gc or 480gr.Wfn gc in the 45/70, 540gr. flat pt. in the 50/90 Sharps, 250gr. fl. pt.gc in the .356 Win.
 
pretty much all my family shoots are 7mm RM with 175 gr partitions, for everything. Moose, Bear, Wolf, caribou, sheep, etc... of the lot we have 7 7rm's, 1-270, 1303, 1-300winmag, got to have a few who like to be different
 
Camp Cook said:
These are the rifles/bullets I'll have with me and my son this year for bear season.

Swift A-Frames...

Rem 700 LSS 300RUM 200gr = 3200fps
Rem 700 LSS 375RUM 300gr = 2775fps
Marlin 1895GS 45-70 350gr = 1950fps

Nosler Accubonds...

Rem 700 LSS 280 Rem 140gr = 2960fps
T/C Contender carbine 375 JDJ 260gr = 2300fps

Barnes...

Husquavarna 270 Weatherby 140gr TSX = 3300fps
T/C Contender carbine 45-70 300gr X = 1950fps

Hard Cast WLNGC's...

Marlin 1895GS Beartooth 525gr = 1600fps & Jae-Bok Young 550gr Crater's = 1580fps (camp loads and if I have to go in after a grizzly again this year)
T/C Contender carbine 45-70 425gr Beartooth & 430gr Cast Performance = 1775fps

3" Brenneke Slugs

Rem 870 12 gauge 14" Dlask barrel (son's camp gun & he will use this one if we have to go in after another grizzly this year)

ATC defense loads...

4 1/4" Ruger SRH 454 Casull 300gr XTP-Mag's or Gold Dots @ 1500fps or 355gr Beartooth WLNGC's @ 1420fps if in grizzly country Beartooth 405gr WLNGC's @ 1330fps.

:canadaFlag:
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Thats an auful lot of guns to carry at once isen't it???:D
 
Hansol - I've mostly used 250 Hornady interlocks (in RN or Spitzer form) and the 250Speer HCs outa my 358s (2250MV), 350RMs, and 35 Whelens (2450MV) for bears. All very effective at anchoring black bears. The RNs usually blow a bigger exit hole usually indicating more upset and shocking value. Never had a bear run further than 18yds so far.

For my 356Win lever gun I cut the tip on the SpeerHC 250s so they are suitably flat and weigh in at around 246grs. At around 2120MV they slay bears very well too - in close. Some day I'd like to try Ben's Chambers' cast 250gr. fl. pt.gc he mentions for the .356 Win.

At these modest velocities a so called premium bullet just isn't required in most big game 35s. If uping velocities to over 2600fps - at 358Norma speeds and such - TSXs, NosParts, and AcBonds may (???) be a better choice - but I havn't used those bullets on bears myself.

Swift make some VERY NICE aframe 250s and 280s in .358 which would be no doubt superb in the big 35s for big bears. If Kodiak Island is in your plans then maybe buy some. Too many $$$ for me when other lower cost fodder seems to work so well. But reports suggest those "aframes" are superlative for penetration.

For deer I often download - usually using 200gr spitzer interlocks at around 2500MV. However any of my 250gr. loads will work fine on deer too if necessary (I moose hunt an area in which a deer or bear can be taken too as a target of opportunity).

More often though I grab my 35Rem lever trapper for my deer hunting (Rem200SP_CLs at 2100MV) - or a lesser calibre like my 260Rem (140Interlocks at approx 2650MV) - very good on dropping deer in my experience.

Recently, just for fun, I've begun bear hunting with 286gr spitzer interlocks (resized .366" to .358") and 310grRN Woodleighs from my 35Whelens and 350WSM. Last fall I didn't connect with a bear but maybe this year. Those heavier pills are certainly not "needed" but should work very well. We'll see.
 
Black bears are very easy to kill. Interlock, innerbond, accubond, blah blah blah. what every shoots best in your rifle, use it. just slip one behind the shoulder, and pour a coffee.

Me? 165gr SPBT Interlocks in my .308win.
 
I usually hunt while I am working as a prospector so I will be on several trips over the spring/summer which will be about 6 weeks during bear season and I'm always taking different rifles especially the trip my son will join me on.

With just me hunting/working I would only take the T/C Contender in 375JDJ, Marlin 1895GS 45-70, Rem 700 LSS 375RUM and my Ruger SRH 454 Casull I'm leaving in a week for 2 - 3 weeks thru BC and into Alberta so I will also be taking my Marlin SF 17HMR, a T/C Contender barrel in 223 and my new Sako 85 Gray Wolf in 22-250 for gophers/coyotes and turkeys...

Ok so I am a CGNTZ... :D


:canadaFlag:
 
:D thats good humour, if you only new what we were actually doing and what gun was already loaded you wouldn't have wasted you time... ;)
 
hansol said:
Hey guys,

Just wondering what everyone is using for "bear bullets" this year? Do you use the same ones you use for your deer/elk loads? Or is there different criteria for what you use?

I've read great things about the A-frames, but at near $100 for a box of them, or any premium bullet for that matter, it makes a guy wonder...
Click to expand...



I was thinking of using a 180 grain Winchester Power Point in my .303 followed up with a bayonet charge if needed.
If that doesn't work, then some 180 Partition's out of the 300 Winnie oughta do it.
 
Yes, bears are easy to kill. A hundred plus years ago a very effecive bullet was designed that has proven deadly on bears to this day. The bullet was the 170 grain 30 calibre, with a good chunk of lead exposed, and shot in the 30-30.
 
i use noz ab, swift scirroco, noz partions and this year will try barnes tsx. i don't think it maters as long as it shoots well. might even try hornady 195 grn spitzers in my rem 8.
 
How do the interlocks hold up on those "less than perfect" shots? I'll be using the 300 grain interlocks in my 375, so am curious how they hold up when they hit big bones.

Then again, it's not like those big lumbering bullets are going any faster than 2500fps, so maybe it is a non-issue at those speeds.
 
hansol said:
so maybe it is a non-issue at those speeds.
Click to expand...

I would agree.

my 350gr Interlocks @ 2150fps have proven themselves from many poor angles on more then a few moose and bear. (stopping/anchor shots)


what continues to boggle my mind when i read these threads is the "less the perfect shot angle" topic that always comes up. to me it's very simple, why would you ever consider making such a shot? lots of bears out there, Bear #1 doesn't give you a good angle, move. that doesn't work? pass, and go find bear #2.... or #3, or #40. it's not like they are hard to find.

now less then perfect shot placement.... well that's a whole 'nother barrel of monkeys....
 
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