collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed  (Read 10427 times)

Offline konradcountry

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2016
  • Posts: 1014
  • Location: SouthWest
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #45 on: January 06, 2019, 08:23:40 AM »
Makes one think about all the bears that are killed each year with a bow and arrow at 40-50 yards.

Well average is going to be closer to 20-30 but the important difference is that the archer in that case would have a much better chance at hitting the vitals.

Offline mountainman

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 4908
  • Location: Wenatchee, Wa
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #46 on: January 06, 2019, 10:23:02 AM »
6.5 creedmoor is going to have less energy than a 10mm at that range.

So you are basically hitting it with a handgun round and then walking 7 football fields to start tracking where you shot it.

If you are lucky someone else will find it in the next gmu and finish it off.

Come on now, every other day somebody is posting about getting a 10mm for bear protection and everybody talks about how great the 10mm is. :dunno:

At the risk of sounding like a "know it all" here are a few thoughts to consider regarding long range bear hunting:

1. Most of the serious long range hunters I know are very capable and responsible about knowing (not guessing) they can make a shot on game, or they don't take the shot
2. I would just like to warn, I've seen hundreds of game animals shot, I consider bear to be tougher to bring down than deer or elk
3. In most cases if you don't hit vitals you don't kill the bear, even hit in vitals it seems like you need to break them down and stop them, bear often do not leave much of a blood trail
4. I request that most of my hunters do not shoot bear beyond 200 or 300 yards because due to past experience the recovery rate drops dramatically at longer distances

I know there are always exceptions but these are good thoughts to consider.  :twocents:

Don't let your logic and first hand experience get in the way of a good internet debate! :chuckle: I would have suggested something in the 338 or larger category except it sounds like the OP likes the Tikka. Now if I could get my hands on a T3 Superlite in 338 RUM I'd be all over that!!
First hand, real world experience usually gets trumped by Googler experience on hunt wa..😉
That Sword is more important than the Shield!

Offline mountainman

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 4908
  • Location: Wenatchee, Wa
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #47 on: January 06, 2019, 10:24:43 AM »
As bullet design and performance has advanced. Especially in the last 5 years, long range bore diameter have become smaller on the average. Cartridges such as the .338 Ulta, .338 Edge and such are used by fewer and fewer and replaced by lighter, smaller, high BC bullets driven by smaller much more efficient cartridges. Giving the same down range performs on game as the big .338's. Newer more advanced powders have played a big part also.


The .300 Win Mag is a top performer for the hand loader and the .300 WSM is more of the same in a slightly smaller lighter package. I own both the .300 in a heavy and the WSM in a sporter weight. Only the terrain I will be hunting decides which one I field for the day. Both are very capable of crushing the average scrawny WA black bear (AKA Forest Rat) at distance.

A 10mm will kill a black bear as dead as they can get.

Heavy, quality .284 diameters is where it's at. :tup:

Forest rat, not the first time I've heard that lol! Hmm...
That Sword is more important than the Shield!

Offline yorketransport

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+12)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 3310
  • Location: Yelm
  • Preferred pronouns: were/was
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #48 on: January 06, 2019, 05:24:56 PM »
6.5 creedmoor is going to have less energy than a 10mm at that range.

So you are basically hitting it with a handgun round and then walking 7 football fields to start tracking where you shot it.

If you are lucky someone else will find it in the next gmu and finish it off.

Come on now, every other day somebody is posting about getting a 10mm for bear protection and everybody talks about how great the 10mm is. :dunno:

At the risk of sounding like a "know it all" here are a few thoughts to consider regarding long range bear hunting:

1. Most of the serious long range hunters I know are very capable and responsible about knowing (not guessing) they can make a shot on game, or they don't take the shot
2. I would just like to warn, I've seen hundreds of game animals shot, I consider bear to be tougher to bring down than deer or elk
3. In most cases if you don't hit vitals you don't kill the bear, even hit in vitals it seems like you need to break them down and stop them, bear often do not leave much of a blood trail
4. I request that most of my hunters do not shoot bear beyond 200 or 300 yards because due to past experience the recovery rate drops dramatically at longer distances

I know there are always exceptions but these are good thoughts to consider.  :twocents:

Don't let your logic and first hand experience get in the way of a good internet debate! :chuckle: I would have suggested something in the 338 or larger category except it sounds like the OP likes the Tikka. Now if I could get my hands on a T3 Superlite in 338 RUM I'd be all over that!!
First hand, real world experience usually gets trumped by Googler experience on hunt wa..😉

That's definitely not what I see.

Offline Threethirtyeight

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Jan 2019
  • Posts: 29
  • Location: Eastside
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #49 on: January 06, 2019, 06:35:11 PM »
The 300 wsm gets my vote. It is a ballistic twin to the WM but can usually be had in a handier rifle. Run some of the  200 lrx bullets and dont look back. How far you shoot and practice and with what calibers is your decision but I think it is best to practice with what you hunt with as much as possible.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Offline fillthefreezer

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 1486
  • Location: tacoma
  • @adventure_sd
Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #50 on: January 12, 2019, 01:17:52 PM »
@fillthefreezer  is doing work with a Tikka Superlite .300 win mag at extended range.
I’m very happy with my tikka overall for what I use it for. It hangs well in a group of high end and full custom rifles. I’d thread on a faster barrel though, before starting load development if it were me.

Offline buckfvr

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 4505
  • Location: UNGULATE FREE ZONE UNIT 121
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #51 on: January 12, 2019, 01:45:59 PM »
Makes one think about all the bears that are killed each year with a bow and arrow at 40-50 yards.

Cant imagine its many, and on the other hand, makes me wonder how many are wounded at that range and never recovered, and you never hear about the ones that get away........

Offline MHWASH

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2007
  • Posts: 1187
  • Location: Colfax
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #52 on: January 13, 2019, 07:58:24 AM »
@fillthefreezer  is doing work with a Tikka Superlite .300 win mag at extended range.
I’m very happy with my tikka overall for what I use it for. It hangs well in a group of high end and full custom rifles. I’d thread on a faster barrel though, before starting load development if it were me.

I did a search and found you’re build thread. Very inspirational, I’ll most likely go the Tikka 300WM route.

Offline fillthefreezer

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 1486
  • Location: tacoma
  • @adventure_sd
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #53 on: January 13, 2019, 10:26:37 AM »
My ph # is kicking around here lots of places if you ever have in depth questions.

Offline aaronoto

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2012
  • Posts: 443
  • Location: NW WA
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #54 on: January 16, 2019, 06:34:07 PM »
Sako A7 in 300WM, they make a version with a threaded barrel so you can just slap a brake on.  Only downside is the twist rate on the Tikka's and Sako's, but if you aren't interested in shooting heavier bullets it'd be a great choice.  A 180g Berger Elite Hunter would pair perfectly with that setup.

If you want to shoot some 210+ grain pills I'd go Browning X-Bolt, they're slapping 1:8 twist barrels on their newest X-Bolts. 

Offline Alchase

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2007
  • Posts: 19860
  • Location: Tinker AFB, OK
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #55 on: January 16, 2019, 08:21:56 PM »
Sako A7 in 300WM, they make a version with a threaded barrel so you can just slap a brake on.  Only downside is the twist rate on the Tikka's and Sako's, but if you aren't interested in shooting heavier bullets it'd be a great choice.  A 180g Berger Elite Hunter would pair perfectly with that setup.

If you want to shoot some 210+ grain pills I'd go Browning X-Bolt, they're slapping 1:8 twist barrels on their newest X-Bolts. 

Love my Sakos
Only 2 defining forces sacrificed themselves for you:
The American Soldier and Jesus Christ. One died for your freedom, the other for your soul.

My rock,
He trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.
Psalm 144.1

Offline mountainman

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 4908
  • Location: Wenatchee, Wa
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #56 on: January 16, 2019, 09:22:34 PM »
Sako A7 in 300WM, they make a version with a threaded barrel so you can just slap a brake on.  Only downside is the twist rate on the Tikka's and Sako's, but if you aren't interested in shooting heavier bullets it'd be a great choice.  A 180g Berger Elite Hunter would pair perfectly with that setup.

If you want to shoot some 210+ grain pills I'd go Browning X-Bolt, they're slapping 1:8 twist barrels on their newest X-Bolts. 

Love my Sakos
Great rifles for sure👍
That Sword is more important than the Shield!

Offline MHWASH

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2007
  • Posts: 1187
  • Location: Colfax
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #57 on: January 17, 2019, 05:43:16 AM »
I’ve.pretty much decided on the 300 WM, now just looking to find the right rifle.

Offline mountainman

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 4908
  • Location: Wenatchee, Wa
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #58 on: January 17, 2019, 09:41:33 PM »
That would be a good choice👍
But. Then again, a good ole '06, 270 or like caliber would get you there. A 7×57 would get you close..😉
That Sword is more important than the Shield!

Offline Dan-o

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+24)
  • Explorer
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2010
  • Posts: 16699
Re: Long range bear cal/rifle help needed
« Reply #59 on: January 17, 2019, 10:16:59 PM »
I’ve.pretty much decided on the 300 WM, now just looking to find the right rifle.

Tough to argue with that choice.

Good luck!
Member:   Yakstrakgutp (or whatever we are)
I love the BFRO!!!
I wonder how many people will touch their nose to their screen trying to read this...

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Springer 2024 Columbia River by Blacklab
[Today at 06:50:06 PM]


Holster for FNS 40C by bb76
[Today at 06:37:56 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington bull by Ridgeratt
[Today at 06:34:07 PM]


World Record Archery Blacktail by Karl Blanchard
[Today at 06:20:52 PM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by bearpaw
[Today at 05:27:26 PM]


Bangers and mash by elkrack
[Today at 04:32:06 PM]


Fishing with kids in Wenatchee by elkhunter00
[Today at 04:12:45 PM]


Wenatchee Hydro Park Fishing by Jake Dogfish
[Today at 03:40:17 PM]


Owners of Ireland Farms Dogs by ASHQUACK
[Today at 12:24:39 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by andersonjk4
[Today at 09:23:28 AM]


2024 sheds…..let’s see em’ by NOCK NOCK
[Today at 07:59:18 AM]


Grande Ronde by WSU
[Today at 07:27:36 AM]


Fishing Line by birdshooter1189
[Today at 06:37:36 AM]


Late archery typo? by spin05
[Today at 03:06:41 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal