favorite Black Bear cartridge

Neo said:
I've shot 3 with a .308 and 165 gr. Partions. Shot 3 more with a .30-06 and 180 grain Hornady SP. And another 3 using a .444 Marlin and 265 gr. Hornady's. Good things come in threes, it seems. I've also taken one with a bow, so must have two more coming. :D

Of those combinations, it was the .30-06 that impressed me most with its versatility and authority. But the .444 was beyond impressive when used inside 100 yards. For the close stuff, it was the clear winner -- but I did have to pass on a couple opportunities when using that rifle due to longer shots that would have been fairly easy with the '06.
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Could you tell me a bit more about the 444 hunts? I'm looking at taking mine for a spring bear hunt this year. I'd like an idea of how these perform as far as holding together after hitting bone, and how deep they penetrated.

Were you using factory loads or handloads? If handloads, do you know the velocity?

What type of shots were you presented with, and did any have to pass through heavy bone?

Did the rounds exit?

Sorry for all the ???'s but I'd love to hear about first hand experience. :)
 
Back in my guiding days I've seen blackbear shot with anything from .270 to 460 Weatherby mag. All did a fine job given the hunter did his. To date my favorite bear gun is my 444S. It is short and fast to handle. I use a custom 340 grn cast @ 2300 fps. The round is simply devistating. The last bear I shot (350 lb boar), the bullet went through both shoulders, then through a 2" poplar and to the best of my knowledge is still going.
In the big bore lever guns (444, 45-70 etc) nothing beats cast IMHO.
 
cariboo_kid said:
Could you tell me a bit more about the 444 hunts? I'm looking at taking mine for a spring bear hunt this year. I'd like an idea of how these perform as far as holding together after hitting bone, and how deep they penetrated.

Were you using factory loads or handloads? If handloads, do you know the velocity?

What type of shots were you presented with, and did any have to pass through heavy bone?

Did the rounds exit?

Sorry for all the ???'s but I'd love to hear about first hand experience. :)
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I've shot three Moose with my Marlin 444P. The first was with Remington 240gr factory loads. It was laying down and the first shot hit the top of the lungs just under the spine. The second shot was within a few inches of the first. Each broke a rib on one side and never exited. The third shot broke the shoulder and downed it. The fourth & last shot 'ended' things.
The first two bullets were well mushroomed but as I wasn't happy with the penetration, I as I had started handloading I opted for 265gr Hornady's.
The second Moose, using 265gr Hornady, broadside @ about 125yds. One shot, mid chest area, broke a rib going in, messed up both lungs and broke a rib going out. It went down within a few steps.
The third, 265gr Hornady's, slightly quartering away, about 100yds, broke a rib going in, smashed up the off side front shoulder. Most of the bullet exited, some fragments left behind. Put a second shot into the back of the head but it wasn't really necessary.
 
Gatehouse said:
I relaly liked hitting them wih tthe 375 H&H....knocked th esnot rigth out of them, dropped them fast.

This year it wil be 300WSM 168gr TSX
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What do you have for a .375 H&H and what load are you using? I have a custom .375 H&H using a Sako action that my son in law gave me. Do you have 'favorite' load?
 
Johnn Peterson said:
What do you have for a .375 H&H and what load are you using? I have a custom .375 H&H using a Sako action that my son in law gave me. Do you have 'favorite' load?
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I sold it, but I had a Brno 602, bought it form Supercub.

I used 300 gr Nosler Partitions and 300gr Hornady BT's and RN.

RL-15 seems to be the darling of the 375 H&H crowd these days, but in that rifle I got better results wiht H4350 and RL-19.
 
Either of my 45-70's loaded with Jae-Bok Young's 550 grain Craters pushed with a healthy dose of H-322 to about 1400-1500 fps. I use his 420 gr. Lites at 1800fps. for moose

Bang, thud, straight down, no trackin

Ricky
 
I've used all the following to dump bears
243 win 100 gr
308 win 150 gr
7x57 mauser 140 gr
300 win mag 165 gr noslers (best I've found)
30-06
38-55, 245 gr cast
45-70 gov with both the 300 gr jacketed and 405 gr jacketed

And probably a few more that I've forgot about. Now I prefer my marlin guide gun in stainless. Mostly because I've taken more than my share of bears and I enjoy taking other people out for them more now. Nothing beats the comfort of packing marlins finest gun they've made yet (guide gun) when your tracking an animal in the thick stuff.

But chasing bears with my 55# checkmate longbow has to be the most fun I've ever had. Sure makes you re-evaluate your position in the preditor chain when that bear is huffing and popping its jaws at 30 feet, and all you have in your hands is a stick and string. Especially when you've forgotten your 12 gauge loaded with slugs and buckshot for backup:bangHead: . In the truck. FUN FUN FUN.

Marc S.
 
I like the 45/70 as well with a 500 grain lead cast they drop pretty much dead on impact.
Have used some high horsepower stuff, a ultra mag, and a 30-378 that works quite well too.
But hey my father has shot way more than me with his 30-30 not my choice However?
 
.338WM with 250gr Nosler Partition is the ticket.

This spring I am going to use my .458 Lott with 500gr Hornady IB.
I intend to stalk to within 20-40 yards... close as I can get basically and then punch his lights out.

I'm hoping for a 7' bear again this spring though so there's no guarantee that I'll get one...

If I do get bruin no. 1, then I will likely take the 8x57 out, with 200gr Nosler Accubonds.
 
Marlin 45/70 with MT Chambers 480gr. WFN GC hard cast at 1800fps, no tracking, whatever gun you use front shoulder shots seem to work best.
 
I use a winchester model 70 in .30-06 for all my hunting,yes I've had this rifle since 1976 but...

My best bear kill was with a bow....what a blast..err...there was no blast but you know what I mean..:D
 
Favorite Black Bear cartridge... 280 Remington 140 grain reloads .
Favorite White-tail Deer cartridge....280 Remington 140 grain reloads .
Favorite Moose cartridge...280 Remington 140 grain reloads .
 
Take your pick...

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I'm going with the one on the right. :shotgun:

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