Post by: Bearhunter308 on December 05, 2024, 02:33:09 PM
There are different schools of thought regarding caliber and bullet construction, for various reasons.
I'll start- usually if I'm targeting black bear, I've got my .308, shooting 168 grain Nosler e-tips. I go with the copper mono for penetration, rather than cup and cores, prioritizing pass through shots for better blood trails.
Post by: ghosthunter on December 05, 2024, 02:51:13 PM
Post by: CP on December 05, 2024, 02:59:40 PM
Post by: Stein on December 05, 2024, 03:02:48 PM
Post by: MeepDog on December 05, 2024, 03:15:06 PM
Or a 270 wsm shooting an 150gr Hornady Interbond or 130 Barnes TTSX.
Whichever I can get to group the best, but preferably the 270 wsm for the energy. Both guns have already killed bears dead though.
Post by: Woodchuck on December 05, 2024, 03:18:50 PM
Post by: jrebel on December 05, 2024, 03:26:14 PM
.270 win with 150 grain partition
6.5 creed with 124 grain HH hammer hunter
300 WSM with 180 grain accubond
300 WSM with 168 grain HHT hammer hunter tipped
.338 lapua with 260 grain hammer hunter.
Ranges have been 30 yards to 500 yards and all bears died quickly. I would say we carry the 6.5 creeds and 300 WSM's the most. Biggest bears have been killed with the 338 lapua and the 300 wsm's.
Post by: str8meat on December 05, 2024, 05:37:16 PM
Post by: brew on December 05, 2024, 05:45:01 PM
Post by: jrebel on December 05, 2024, 06:03:34 PM
7 mag with 160 gr partitions
That's a deadly combination!! :tup: :tup:
Post by: HereDuckyDucky on December 05, 2024, 06:03:46 PM
RW
Post by: D-Rock425 on December 05, 2024, 06:40:37 PM
Post by: wadu1 on December 05, 2024, 06:48:32 PM
Post by: Farmer72 on December 05, 2024, 07:13:02 PM
Same thing I use for elk when I am rifle hunting.
Post by: Katmai Guy on December 05, 2024, 07:30:20 PM
Post by: RB on December 05, 2024, 07:51:58 PM
7 mag with 160 gr partitions
:yeah:
My brother shot this for over 20 years until he shot the barrel out of his Browning A bolt, then switched to Win model 70 in 300 WinMag.
Post by: RB on December 05, 2024, 07:55:11 PM
.444 marlin, 240gn. Hoping to use on POW spring of '26.
Will be shooting suppressed 300 WinMag 180 grain Nosler Partition if I draw the same tag, in for '26! :tup:
Post by: ASHQUACK on December 05, 2024, 07:59:58 PM
Post by: jrebel on December 05, 2024, 08:05:00 PM
.444 marlin, 240gn. Hoping to use on POW spring of '26.
My .450 marlin would have killed a bear this year......if I didn't have the cross bar safety on!! :bash: :bash: :bash: :chuckle: Next fall....I'm determined to take a bear with my lever gun with open sights. It was a hog too..... :'( :'( :'( :'(
Post by: Katmai Guy on December 05, 2024, 08:20:33 PM
.444 marlin, 240gn. Hoping to use on POW spring of '26.
Will be shooting suppressed 300 WinMag 180 grain Nosler Partition if I draw the same tag, in for '26! :tup:
:tup:
Post by: Katmai Guy on December 05, 2024, 08:22:16 PM
.444 marlin, 240gn. Hoping to use on POW spring of '26.
My .450 marlin would have killed a bear this year......if I didn't have the cross bar safety on!! :bash: :bash: :bash: :chuckle: Next fall....I'm determined to take a bear with my lever gun with open sights. It was a hog too..... :'( :'( :'( :'(
That sucks, I try not to use the crossbar, half cock is good.😉
Post by: Bearhunter308 on December 05, 2024, 09:19:56 PM
.444 marlin, 240gn. Hoping to use on POW spring of '26.
My .450 marlin would have killed a bear this year......if I didn't have the cross bar safety on!! :bash: :bash: :bash: :chuckle: Next fall....I'm determined to take a bear with my lever gun with open sights. It was a hog too..... :'( :'( :'( :'(
I think I remember reading your story about that this summer in the blunders/mistakes thread. I remember because it was the same day I couldn’t get a clear shot at probably the the biggest bear I’ve seen in the woods :'( I still wish I could do that one over!
Post by: MHWASH on December 06, 2024, 06:18:51 AM
.270 w/150gr Ballistic tip on 2 bears
270 w/140 AB on 3 bears
270 w/140 BT
270 w/145 ELDx
6.5 CM w/135 Berger
6.5 CM w/130 ELDm
7mm RM w/160 AB
7-08 w/150 ELDx 2 bears
308 w/155 Lapua Scenar
We have decided that the softer bullets are more efficient killers. usually rolling the bears right where they sand. We've had the hardest time finding the ones with the ABs. They do leave a good blood trail, but usually not for 75-100 yards. I know it's a small sample size, but the CM and 7-08 kills were more impressive than the larger calibers too.
Post by: Bearhunter308 on December 06, 2024, 10:27:25 AM
We have decided that the softer bullets are more efficient killers. usually rolling the bears right where they sand. We've had the hardest time finding the ones with the ABs. They do leave a good blood trail, but usually not for 75-100 yards. I know it's a small sample size, but the CM and 7-08 kills were more impressive than the larger calibers too.
Interesting, did you tend to get pass throughs with the softer bullets, or just one hole and all energy dumped in the animal?
Post by: follow maggie on December 06, 2024, 11:28:07 AM
Post by: TeacherMan on December 06, 2024, 11:37:01 AM
Post by: Doublelunger on December 06, 2024, 12:24:25 PM
Post by: Doublelunger on December 06, 2024, 12:26:16 PM
My boys and I have used the following:
.270 w/150gr Ballistic tip on 2 bears
270 w/140 AB on 3 bears
270 w/140 BT
270 w/145 ELDx
6.5 CM w/135 Berger
6.5 CM w/130 ELDm
7mm RM w/160 AB
7-08 w/150 ELDx 2 bears
308 w/155 Lapua Scenar
We have decided that the softer bullets are more efficient killers. usually rolling the bears right where they sand. We've had the hardest time finding the ones with the ABs. They do leave a good blood trail, but usually not for 75-100 yards. I know it's a small sample size, but the CM and 7-08 kills were more impressive than the larger calibers too.
:yeah: I agree with softer bullets on bear.
Post by: RobinHoodlum on December 06, 2024, 03:25:55 PM
Post by: JakeLand on December 06, 2024, 04:57:26 PM
.300 wsm 180 accubond
Post by: pashok23 on December 06, 2024, 04:59:46 PM
Post by: hunter399 on December 06, 2024, 05:15:02 PM
Hotcor bullets
Every caliber.
Post by: brew on December 06, 2024, 09:04:02 PM
I bought my a bolt in 1992. Haven't shot it out yet but is extremely accurate with those 160 grain partitions. I use it almost exclusively which is kinda unfortunate cuz I have a lot of long guns but I know when I pull the trigger on her tags get notched7 mag with 160 gr partitions
:yeah:
My brother shot this for over 20 years until he shot the barrel out of his Browning A bolt, then switched to Win model 70 in 300 WinMag.
Post by: BKMFR on December 06, 2024, 11:08:02 PM
Post by: MHWASH on December 07, 2024, 05:11:48 AM
We have decided that the softer bullets are more efficient killers. usually rolling the bears right where they sand. We've had the hardest time finding the ones with the ABs. They do leave a good blood trail, but usually not for 75-100 yards. I know it's a small sample size, but the CM and 7-08 kills were more impressive than the larger calibers too.
Interesting, did you tend to get pass throughs with the softer bullets, or just one hole and all energy dumped in the animal?
It's been about 50/50. I'm not worried about the resulting blood trail, because these bears have gone down right there!
Post by: Twispriver on December 07, 2024, 08:54:07 AM
Post by: CaNINE on December 09, 2024, 06:50:08 PM
Post by: pickardjw on December 09, 2024, 08:28:24 PM
Taking the RSS and TMK's to Idaho next spring though.
Post by: Machias on December 09, 2024, 08:47:01 PM
Post by: huntnnw on December 09, 2024, 09:37:23 PM
Bears can be tough to anchor and the fur soaks up blood making tracking a little tricky. I like using heavy for caliber fragmenting bullets that do a lot of internal damage and put them through the shoulders to incapacitate movement.
you should not be hitting shoulders on a broadside bear lungs and heart are not in the same position as a deer or elk.
Post by: mountainman on December 09, 2024, 09:45:36 PM
Unless, as caNINE stated, you want to incapacitate them on the spot. In the thick and steep, a “dead” bear can disappear very quickly!Bears can be tough to anchor and the fur soaks up blood making tracking a little tricky. I like using heavy for caliber fragmenting bullets that do a lot of internal damage and put them through the shoulders to incapacitate movement.
you should not be hitting shoulders on a broadside bear lungs and heart are not in the same position as a deer or elk.
Post by: buglebuster on December 10, 2024, 04:14:58 AM
Post by: CaNINE on December 10, 2024, 06:58:04 AM
Unless, as caNINE stated, you want to incapacitate them on the spot. In the thick and steep, a “dead” bear can disappear very quickly!Bears can be tough to anchor and the fur soaks up blood making tracking a little tricky. I like using heavy for caliber fragmenting bullets that do a lot of internal damage and put them through the shoulders to incapacitate movement.
you should not be hitting shoulders on a broadside bear lungs and heart are not in the same position as a deer or elk.
Exactly. I value animal recovery too much. I may lose a little meat with a front shoulder shot but my chances of recovery are greatly increased. A unrecovered bear = 100% meat loss.
Post by: SpicyTacos on December 10, 2024, 07:27:20 AM
Post by: dilleytech on December 11, 2024, 08:31:20 AM
Preferably 466gr arrows with 100gr slick trick magnums are my favorite though. Zero meat loss
Post by: carpsniperg2 on December 11, 2024, 10:21:46 AM
Post by: passman65 on December 11, 2024, 12:05:06 PM
Post by: RockScar on December 28, 2024, 03:31:55 PM
Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk
Post by: Okanagan on December 29, 2024, 08:30:01 AM
Black bears are relatively easy to kill-- and can be super hard to find once hit. I want an exit hole to increase the chance of a blood trail from double to four times over an entry hole alone. Soft feet, fat that plugs wound holes, a few steps in brush after being hit often means a difficult trail to follow. And no one can guarantee an instant kill on hunting shots.
My choice is based on being in on more than 60 black bears, a dozen of those killed by me. I have used 165 Sierra Game King, 180 Nosler Partition, 180 Swift A-frame, 95 grain Nosler Partition in 6mm, 140 Sierra soft point in a 6.5 Swede. I’ve been in on kills done with .22-250 to .375 H&H. Experience is why I pick a medium bore or larger bullet designed to pass through from almost any angle.
The quickest kill I’ve ever seen on any animal was a black bear shot with a 6mm 95 grain Nosler Partition. I still have that 6mm but choose the 180 A-frame in 30-06 every time if hunting bears, and cheerfully agree that it is way more than needed to kill a black bear.
Easy to kill, hard to find after the shot. A ton of overkill beats an ounce of underkill. :)
Post by: finnman on January 20, 2025, 02:31:50 PM
Or my 30-06 using 165 grain Nosler partitions
Post by: kselkhunter on January 20, 2025, 03:10:45 PM
35 Whelen - 250gr Nosler Partition
356 Winchester - 220gr Speer FP
450 Marlin - 350gr Hornady FP (I have the 405gr JFNs as well, but usually just stick to the 350gr)
If wide open country for longer shots, I pack the 7mmRM. Mid range I pack the 35 Whelen. Shorter range (ie thicker forests) I pack either the 356win or 450 Marlin. The 7mmRM and 35 Whelen are suppressed, so I enjoy shooting those more. I love carrying the 450 Marlin the most as its a Browning BLR in 18" barrel so tend to pack it more than the 356win these days.
Post by: huntnnw on January 20, 2025, 04:03:00 PM
Post by: jasnt on January 20, 2025, 04:11:10 PM
Post by: AdnaHunter on January 20, 2025, 08:08:18 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on January 20, 2025, 09:57:30 PM
Post by: mountainman on January 21, 2025, 08:22:37 PM
7-08 rem
308 win
30-30 win
444 marlin
264 win
45-70
30-06
300 win
338 win
338 edge
44 mag
454 casull
Been in on kills with everything from 22lr-375 h&h
Post by: Rat44 on January 22, 2025, 07:37:29 AM
Post by: Macs B on January 22, 2025, 08:58:31 AM
Post by: bearpaw on January 22, 2025, 10:51:19 AM
My personal favorite is a 340 Wtby Mag with 165 gr TTSX at 3500 fps, low recoil (due to light bullet), flat shooting, high shock and a deadly hole all the way through. But honestly that much power isn't really needed most of the time.
Post by: dilleytech on January 31, 2025, 11:11:54 AM
Unless, as caNINE stated, you want to incapacitate them on the spot. In the thick and steep, a “dead” bear can disappear very quickly!Bears can be tough to anchor and the fur soaks up blood making tracking a little tricky. I like using heavy for caliber fragmenting bullets that do a lot of internal damage and put them through the shoulders to incapacitate movement.
you should not be hitting shoulders on a broadside bear lungs and heart are not in the same position as a deer or elk.
Exactly. I value animal recovery too much. I may lose a little meat with a front shoulder shot but my chances of recovery are greatly increased. A unrecovered bear = 100% meat loss.
The only bear I have lost was shot in the shoulder. A bear shot in the head can still roll down a hill and not be found. I would take a dead bear over a wounded bear.
Post by: Britt-dog on February 03, 2025, 01:34:45 PM
Post by: Rigby416 on February 04, 2025, 10:49:27 PM
.35 Whelen 250 grain
Post by: trophyhunt on February 05, 2025, 06:08:13 AM