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

[AlbertaJohn]

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?

You Sir are good to go...

 

[MD]

You know, I had half a box of Hornady custom ammunition with 154 grain bullets and they were quite accurate out of my rifle, but they have discontinued making thoose.

The reason I ask about the 139 grain bullet load is because that is what was shooting well out of the rifle when I got it from the previous owner and I have since bought a supply of bullets and loaded up 40 for it.

 

[mkrnel]

From your first post I gather you found the bear after it ran 40 yards, so when you were dressing it out did you check the wound channel that the 139gr Hornady projectile made? did it explode soon after entry or did it keep together, penetrate deeply and mushroom well. This will tell you whether or not your got a good projectile for the job. I have found the 7x57mm as well as the 6.5x55mm with good bullets to be very reliable for game the size of black bears and bigger.

 

[MD]

"did it explode soon after entry or did it keep together, penetrate deeply and mushroom well. "

No, it didn't explode, but I found that it didn't mushroom particularly well either, more like just punching a hole in the shoulder blade rather than mushrooming on it. It killed the bear though.