7x57 with 139 grain Hornady Interlock bullets okay for black bear?

MD

MD

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My current favourite rifle is my lightweight 1955 Husqvarna 7x57. My most accurate handloads are with 139 grain Hornady bullet. Now I have already killed one medium size black bear with this combination but it did run a ways (40 yards) despite being drilled through both shoulders.

Since 1976 I have shot bears with a 243, 7.62 Russian, 30-06 and 300 Winchester magnum, but like I said, I like my 7x57 best to carry around.

I have a Husqvarna 270 too that is perhaps my most accurate rifle. I load 150 grain Hornady Interlocks into that. The 300 has probably killed more bears than the others, but it's getting a bit heavy for this 60 year old guy to pack around.

So what do you think? Would you be confident with that 7x57 as described or would you pick one of the others?
 
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I have a friend who is a guide for black bear hunt. His advice is get the biggest gun you can shoulder. He had to chase down wounded bear too many time because his client use medium caliber and poor shots. Some show up with a 30-30 and most just wound the bear and pi$$ them off. My guide friend does not like to track and face wounded bears so he carries a 375 Holland and Holland. I would use the 300WM if I was hunting by myself. There is no guarantee every shot you take will kill the bear outright unless it is a 375 H&H .
 
Old 140gr Hornady interlock - yes
New 140gr Hornady interlock-no
I would up the weight of a cup and core bullet up to 150-154gr class or even up to 160gr bullet in case you stumble accross especially large bruin.
 
Who says it won't be an ass shot with the 300 or 375?

Confident in the 7? use it.

This statement is below is nonsense.



buoff said:
I have a friend who is a guide for black bear hunt. His advice is get the biggest gun you can shoulder. He had to chase down wounded bear too many time because his client use medium caliber and poor shots. Some show up with a 30-30 and most just wound the bear and pi$$ them off. My guide friend does not like to track and face wounded bears so he carries a 375 Holland and Holland. I would use the 300WM if I was hunting by myself. There is no guarantee every shot you take will kill the bear outright unless it is a 375 H&H .
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You should be just fine with that 7x57 and the 139 IL.
However, may I suggest you avoid the boattail design.
The flat base version stays intact better, and as has been commented already, the older ones seemed "tougher"

FWIW, I would choose the 140 Partition over any C & C bullet.

Pay no attention to that drivel about the 300 WSM as minimal, or the 375 being the ideal bear killer.
Could find no evidence of armor plating on any of the blackies I have shot, even recently, lol.

Regards, Dave.
 
I shot my first Black Bear many years ago with 140grn Nosler,dropped dead instantly.When I had the hide tanned it measured 6 ft.6.Since then I have shot many Black Bears with my 243 Blr handloaded with 95 grn.Nosler partitions.Black Bears are not hard to kill.
 
I've always liked exit holes on bear, they cover ground quickly and there's rarely ever snow for tracking, so I'd pick a bullet that can accomplish that, regardless of caliber. I'm not sure the 139 interlock will do that on a large,fat bear. If you go with the 7x57, I'd pick something a little more robust than that bullet, a 150 gr. Partition or heavier. Even a 175 round nose is great over bait or shorter distances.
 
I know they can run. I've lost a bear shot with the 7.62 Russian and even one with a solid lung shot with the 300 Win. Mag. Blood trail and scuff marks for 100 yards into thick bush then nothing. No more lung shots on bears for me no matter what I shoot. Its shoulders or nothing.
 
I have used nothing larger than .30-06 on about ten bears now. Every thing from 180 Hornaday Interlock boat tails to the 150gr Federal Fusion I used this spring. Double lung and top of heart shot. Ran about 30yds and dropped. Most bears will run on impact. They have never gone further than 30yds on me. That said the round you are shooting is fine if you use a good bullet. I used 150gr Federal Fusion this spring. He measured a tad over 6'. A good bullet properly placed will put black bear down.
 
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My .375 Ruger slammed my last black bear something fierce. I think that a 7x57 is actually PERFECT for black bear. They aren't that tough, and the hide/bone is definately NO MORE THICK AND TOUGH than a moose, so you are definately good to go. Like said above, I'd probably pick a heavier bullet all the same, cause shoulder bones do make a mess of lighter bullets. Just ask me how I know. (.270 win 110gr, 30-06 125gr, both of them a little light for caliber, and although the bears died semi-quickly, the bullets were disintegrated. Both bears ran (respectively for caliber)110 yards and 240 of the HARDEST TO FIND IN DEEP BRUSH YARDS that took a whole day.
I have since upped my bullet weight on EVERY gun I use, and have , in my personal experience, that slower and bigger is much more effective than faster and smaller. That is for game animals mind you.
 
Considering all the BG the 7x57 has put down over the years why not? I'd either switch to a premium 140gr bullet or 160gr and go hunting. I am liking the Nosler Accu-bond the more I use it as well as the proven Partition..........Harold
 
I use a 117 gr interlock in 2506 but I avoid the shoulders. The 139 in 7 mm might not break both shoulders of a big boar. Perfect for heart and lung shooting though

I've used 120 gr cxp2 loads in 2506. All died in their tracks but no exit and nothing left of the bullet but copper flecks
So I switched bullets. This year I'm going to try out the swift A frame and scirroco2
 
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