What's your black bear caliber/bullet?

[RB]

7 mag with 160 gr partitions

 
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.

[RB]

.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! 

[ASHQUACK]

338 RUM 225 sst's. Makes bears DRT.

[jrebel]

.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!!      Next fall....I'm determined to take a bear with my lever gun with open sights.  It was a hog too..... :'( :'( :'( :'(

[Katmai Guy]

.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! 

 

[Katmai Guy]

.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!!      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.😉

[Bearhunter308]

.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!!      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!

[MHWASH]

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.

[Bearhunter308]

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?

[follow maggie]

.30-06 if he weather is nice, .300 win mag if weather is not nice. Only because he .30-06 is a 1918 file & I don’t like having it out in the bad weather, anymore. The .300 has a synthetic stock & is much better suited to bad weather & is lighter if I’m covering a lot of ground.

[TeacherMan]

300 WSM or 45/70. They don't leave much of a blood trail with smaller calibers. I want them to drop when they are hit. I have shot around 20 bears and lost two bears in my life. One I shot at 80 yards with a .243 and 100gr bullet deer hunting. I thought for sure I'd anchor him when I pulled the trigger. The other with a .308 and 150 gr. boattail at 250 yards. I had a ROCK solid rest even. I spent a very long time looking for both. The first one would've been my first bear at the time and the second would've been hands down my biggest black bear up in Alaska. I know both shots killed the animals.

[Doublelunger]

4 bears with Berger 175 elite hunters (7wsm). 450 yards, 650 yards,  830 yards and 360 yards. 1 bear with 143 eldx (6.5cm) at 430 yards. They all died pretty dead. Bears are really tough but they seem softer than elk or deer, thinner hides. If I was looking for a specific bar bullet I'd look for one that opened up a little easier.

[Doublelunger]

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.

  I agree with softer bullets on bear.

[RobinHoodlum]

.270 Win with 140 gr Barnes TTSX handloads

[JakeLand]

.50 cal knight with 250 grain barnes T EZ.
.300 wsm 180 accubond