I have done several articles on this subject over the years, however it is on my mind a lot and I thought I would summarize my feelings on this topic. First of all there is a distinction between black bears, and brown or grizzly bears. I KNOW I am over stating the obvious as those differences consist of terrain, distance at which shots are fired, How close the bear is to impenetrable thick cover, the sheer weight and size of the bear, heaviness of bones, thickness of hide etc. of the bear itself.
This article is going to concern itself mainly with black bear hunting over bait. A few words about hunting coastal brown bear, interior grizzly etc. Best advice I can give you is that you need to carry the heaviest caliber rifle with bonded type premium bullets that you can SHOOT WELL. Whatever rifle you choose should be weather resistant with a synthetic or laminated stock and a stainless barrel and action. It does you no good to show up at your destination with a .458 Win Mag or a .375 H and H or one its derivatives or even a .338 Win mag that you have NEVER SHOT, much less became proficient with. I have read about stories of folks showing up with a brand new spit polished .338 Win mag with an expensive variable scope and admit they have never fired the rifle. The guy behind the counter at Bass Pro or Gander Mountain bore sighted the scope, recommended a certain box or two of ammo and the would be hunter is off on his or her great adventure.
The rifle is certainly up to the task, however my recommendation would be to get it sighted in from the bench before your trip so that you know exactly where it is shooting at 50, 100, 150 and 200 plus yards. Then get OFF THE BENCH and see how you do from various field positions. If that .338 mag scares the devil out of you every time you shoot it, you have the wrong gun. Take it back and trade it in for something else .30 cal and above. Better yet, READ everything written about bear hunting and rifles that you can get your hands on, and join the local gun club and see if you can try some friends heavy caliber rifles at the range BEFORE you buy one yourself. The minimum should be in the 30-06 range with premium bonded 180 grain bullets. A properly loaded 30-06 with 180 grain bonded bullets that you shoot well beats the .338 Mag that you are afraid of.
If you are not particularly recoil shy, you could have your choice of anything from the 30-06 and up, including but not limited to the various .300 mags and short mags, the .375 H and H and variations thereof, the 45-70 with Garret Cartridge wide meplat hard cast flat nose loads or special loads from CorBon, Buffalo Bore etc. The 45-70 is going to limit the range you can shoot somewhat, however it is certainly capable of taking the big bears. Whatever rifles you choose you are going to want a load that will break a big bears shoulder and penetrate like no tomorrow after doing so. To my knowledge the largest Alaskan brown bear ever recorded was taken by Roy R. Lindsay with a 30-06 on Kodiak Island back in 1952.
As far as shot placement goes it is pretty well recognized that a broadside double lung shot with an adequate caliber and good premium bullet will result in a DEAD bear whether it be an Alaskan brown bear or a 200 pound black bear at a bait site 25 yards from the shooter. The PROBLEM comes in as to whether or not you will FIND your dead bear and take him home with you. There are a lot of articles out there pro and con on shot placement, however the broadside shoulder shot with a .30 caliber and above with a premium bonded bullet will give better odds than a double lung shot on dropping the bear right where he is right now. It should give you an opportunity to make a QUICK follow up shot if he (the bear) doesn't agree with my last statement. In other words, a bear shot through both shoulders is more likely going to drop within sight of where he was shot than a bear with a double lung shot. Dead is dead, however finding your bear and taking him home with you is part of the reason you hunt in the first place. Tracking a wounded bear in thick cover can be a dangerous pastime and should not be taken lightly OR ALONE. A few years ago, I shot a moose in Newfoundland with a Ruger mdl 77 MKII in .300 Win Mag using 180 grain Speer Grand Slam factory loads. I was VERY impressed with the damage on the shoulder shot I took on that moose. My vote goes for heavy for caliber premium bullets and shoulder shots especially on big bear.
For BLACK BEAR hunting whether hound hunting or over bait, you have a lot more leeway. Black bears on average run 150 pounds. That being said, there are a lot of bears taken every year in the 200-300 pound range and also bears taken that are in the 300-500 and occasionally pushing 600 or above range.
Many of these bears over the years have been taken with the 30-30 with both 150 and 170 grain factory loads. I have read about huge bears taken at close range with the .243 Win etc.
My feeling is that these bears also deserve respect and that if you are using your .270 Win, 7MM, .308. Win etc. you should use heavy for caliber loads and probably premium bullets that will hold together. In the case of the .308 and 30-06, I would use 180 grain premium bullets, although you can probably get by quite well with 180 Grain Remington Core-lokts. You also have the choice in these two calibers of using 165 grain premium bullets ..IF THEY SHOOT WELL in your gun. For baited bear using a 45-70 Tim Sundle's from Buffalo Bore recommends their 405 grain soft point. I did water jug testing on this load and also the 350 grain penetrator load from Buffalo Bore out of my Marlin Mdl 1895 45-70. Look for you tube videos on this blog or simply type bear bullet water jug penetration tests into GOOGLE.
In the .35 Rem I would take a hard look at Buffalo Bore's 220 grain JFP for bear hunting.
I also own a .338 Federal with a 3X9X40 Bushnell Elite 3200 firefly/rain guard scope that shoots the Federal Fusion 200 grain and the Nosler 210 grain partition load well. My .Ruger .350 Mag with both Rem Corelokt 200 grainers and the Nosler Partition 225 grain are both tack drivers.
You do not need a cannon to shoot a black bear, however if you are going to buy a rifle for that type of hunting, I would steer you towards a .30 caliber and UP and use heavy for caliber loads for bear hunting. My .308 Winchester is a tack driver with Winchester 150 grain power points for deer hunting. A recent trip to the range indicated that two shots at 75 yards of the Win PP went into 1/4 of an inch and about 1.5 inches high. That is perfect for the eastern mixed woods and fields deer hunting I do. At the same sight setting, (2) 180 grain Remington round nose corelokts went 13/16 inch and dead center. I could go bear hunting over bait with this rifle with the 180 grain loads WITHOUT changing my scope setting at all. For bear hunting, other acceptable loads would include 165 grain or 180 grain controlled expansion bullets such as the tipped trophy bonded, Swift A-Frame, Hornady GMX, Nosler E-Tip and the Barnes TSX. Unfortunately right now with the most aggressive misguided attack on the 2nd amendment in my lifetime, along with Homeland Security buying over 1.5 BILLION rounds of ammunition, you will find most Internet outlets and local gun shops with severe shortages of any and all rifle ammunition. If you reload your own and have components on hand, you are ahead of the game for now. I do not reload anymore, however I do have enough 180 grain round nose Corelokts to take care of any bear hunts I am likely to be fortunate enough to go on.
Whatever rifle and load you choose, get to the range and run 100 or 150 rounds through you gun from the bench and various field positions before you show up at bear camp. You owe it to your quarry to be proficient with your rifle and to learn BEAR ANATOMY and what your outfitter recommends as to shot placement etc.
Dan
Showing posts with label Bear Bullets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bear Bullets. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Friday, March 8, 2013
Bear Bullets
I am on this bear hunting quest once again. I can't seem to get bear hunting out of my mind lately. I HOPE to remedy that in the next year or so with another black bear hunting trip. I am thinking hard about going to Manitoba for two reasons. They have larger bears on average than most N/E states like PA, NY, Maine etc. That is not to say that one cannot bag a 500-600 lb bear in any of those states, as it has been done. I just think the odds are in your favor more in a place like Manitoba than in the states. The other part of the equation is color phase bears are available in Manitoba.
As discussed in my blog and many other places, black bear have been cleanly taken with everything from a .243 Win on up to .375 H and H and even the mighty .458 Win Mag. Perhaps the old lever action 30-30 has taken more bear than any other caliber just like it has taken more deer than any other.
In terms of ideal rifles for black bear hunting whether over bait, or with hounds or spot and stalk would be calibers ABOVE .30 cal and with premium bullets that are likely capable of leaving an entrance and an exit hole and the possibility of a better blood trail. With premium bullets of proper weight, they are capable of taking a heart/lung shot and/or a shoulder shot and giving full penetration from just about any angle.
In terms of bullet hole size going in and out, muzzle energy, bullet weight and other criteria, they give one an advantage you just don't have with faster smaller diameter calibers and lighter bullets like the .270 Win, 7MM Mag, .264 Win Mag, etc.
In the old argument about whether or not the 9mm or the .45ACP is the better self defense round for a handgun, the old adage is that a 9MM MIGHT expand but the .45 certainly will NOT SHRINK. I realize that there are other factors such as velocity, shock, energy expended etc. at work, however when talking about an animal that could potentially kill you, it is nice to have a load that you know will likely give full penetration, dump a truckload of energy and do a lot of tissue damage whether any expansion takes place or not.
I own and am fond of four different calibers that I consider black bear rifles:
.35 Remington Marlin Model 336 lever action using Buffalo Bore 220 Grain loads
.45-70 using either Hornady 325 grain FTX Lever Evolution, or Buffalo Bore 350 grain JFN Penetrator loads or one of the Garrett Cartridge loads.
.338 Federal using the 210 grain Nosler partition
.350 Rem mag using the 225 grain Nosler partition
There are also numerous other loads that would qualify with the right bullets, including but not limited to the .300 Win mag, the various short mags such as the .300WSM, the .338 Win mag and the offspring of same such as the .338RUM, and the Ruger version of same, along with the .35 Whelen, the 7MM mag with heavy bullets, the .308 Win, .338 Marlin, .450 Marlin, etc.
I would not hesitate to take a baited bear shot with any of these loads including a shoulder shot or a broadside heart/lung shot and not feel under gunned. At the very least all four loads start out as .35 caliber and above so expansion is less important.
Dan
As discussed in my blog and many other places, black bear have been cleanly taken with everything from a .243 Win on up to .375 H and H and even the mighty .458 Win Mag. Perhaps the old lever action 30-30 has taken more bear than any other caliber just like it has taken more deer than any other.
In terms of ideal rifles for black bear hunting whether over bait, or with hounds or spot and stalk would be calibers ABOVE .30 cal and with premium bullets that are likely capable of leaving an entrance and an exit hole and the possibility of a better blood trail. With premium bullets of proper weight, they are capable of taking a heart/lung shot and/or a shoulder shot and giving full penetration from just about any angle.
In terms of bullet hole size going in and out, muzzle energy, bullet weight and other criteria, they give one an advantage you just don't have with faster smaller diameter calibers and lighter bullets like the .270 Win, 7MM Mag, .264 Win Mag, etc.
In the old argument about whether or not the 9mm or the .45ACP is the better self defense round for a handgun, the old adage is that a 9MM MIGHT expand but the .45 certainly will NOT SHRINK. I realize that there are other factors such as velocity, shock, energy expended etc. at work, however when talking about an animal that could potentially kill you, it is nice to have a load that you know will likely give full penetration, dump a truckload of energy and do a lot of tissue damage whether any expansion takes place or not.
I own and am fond of four different calibers that I consider black bear rifles:
.35 Remington Marlin Model 336 lever action using Buffalo Bore 220 Grain loads
.45-70 using either Hornady 325 grain FTX Lever Evolution, or Buffalo Bore 350 grain JFN Penetrator loads or one of the Garrett Cartridge loads.
.338 Federal using the 210 grain Nosler partition
.350 Rem mag using the 225 grain Nosler partition
There are also numerous other loads that would qualify with the right bullets, including but not limited to the .300 Win mag, the various short mags such as the .300WSM, the .338 Win mag and the offspring of same such as the .338RUM, and the Ruger version of same, along with the .35 Whelen, the 7MM mag with heavy bullets, the .308 Win, .338 Marlin, .450 Marlin, etc.
I would not hesitate to take a baited bear shot with any of these loads including a shoulder shot or a broadside heart/lung shot and not feel under gunned. At the very least all four loads start out as .35 caliber and above so expansion is less important.
Dan
Monday, January 28, 2013
45-70 Leverevolution For Black bear
As mentioned previously, I am a BIG FAN of the Marlin Model 1895 45-70 lever action rifle and also a big fan of the Hornady 325 grain flex tip Leverevolution ammo. Without a doubt it is a fantastic round in my 45-70 and would easily allow me to make shots on whitetails out to 200 yards and beyond. At 100 yards, on a good day 3 shot groups are under an inch consistently if I do my part.
I have read several accounts of the 325 grain flex tip bullets effectiveness on black bear hunts, and lately have been wondering about the newer lighter 250 grain Mono flex bullet for the 45-70. I imagine they would flatten the trajectory even further and with the bullet construction making up for the light bullet might do a great job.
Examples on the 325 grain flex tip:
From Cabelas customer reviews:
Home » Team Hornady » Scrapbook » 45-70 Leverevolution Vs. Black Bear
Product: Hornady LEVERevolution 45-70
Shooter: Clayton M
Posted: Jun 21, 2008
Below is a link from Hornady to the 250 grain Monoflex load in their Leverevolution line up. MY head keeps telling me that the 45-70 works best with slower moving heavy for caliber loads and I know the Buffalo Bore and Garrett cartridge companies make loads that will stop anything on the planet.
http://www.hornady.com/store/45-70-Government-250-GR-MONOFLEX/
As an example, the current lineup from Garret includes but not limited to:
Does one need that sort of firepower for hunting black bear over bait? I don't think so and for those chores along with deer hunting, I am well pleased with the 325 grain Leverevolution load. Were I to go to Alaska on a brown bear hunt and take my 45-70, I would be on the phone to Garret Cartridge Co. for their recommendations of what to take with me.
Dan
I have read several accounts of the 325 grain flex tip bullets effectiveness on black bear hunts, and lately have been wondering about the newer lighter 250 grain Mono flex bullet for the 45-70. I imagine they would flatten the trajectory even further and with the bullet construction making up for the light bullet might do a great job.
Examples on the 325 grain flex tip:
From Cabelas customer reviews:
457Mag
Would you recommend this product to a
friend? Yes
45.70 Flextip for Black Bear--nothing better!
Date:June 16, 2009
Just returned from a Canadian Black Bear
hunt, using the .45-70 Lever Evolution in a Marlin Guide Gun.
To put it
simply- at 35 yards-two bullets, six holes, one dead bear. The first shot may
have killed him, but I didn't wait to find out. Bullet #1 hit 4" below the spine
& flipped him over, The second shot entered the wrist, shattered it, then
blew on through the chest and out the back on the opposite side. The 300lb. bear
managed to get 25 yards into the woods before collapsing with his death
moans.
This
is the second animal I have taken with this ammo-last summer I took a 250lb.
Russian Sow with one shot that pulled 8" of lung tissue out the exit
wound.
Three rounds on game--all left exit wounds
over 1" diameter.
Maybe next year I'll try it on
Zebra.
HERE is another one of the Hornady Ammunition Site:
45-70 Leverevolution Vs. Black Bear
Shooter: Clayton M
Posted: Jun 21, 2008
I was hunting with a 1874 Sharps. I have had great success with the LEVERevolution ammo in this gun. The most recent is on a black bear hunt up here in Montana. Long-story-short---a LEVERevoultion 45-70 to the shoulder at 200 yards and he dropped like a rock.
Below is a link from Hornady to the 250 grain Monoflex load in their Leverevolution line up. MY head keeps telling me that the 45-70 works best with slower moving heavy for caliber loads and I know the Buffalo Bore and Garrett cartridge companies make loads that will stop anything on the planet.
http://www.hornady.com/store/45-70-Government-250-GR-MONOFLEX/
As an example, the current lineup from Garret includes but not limited to:
- 420 grain SuperHard cast Hammerhead at 1650 fps
- 420 grain at 1850fps
- 540 grain at 1550 fps (ONLY for Marlin's built since 1998)
- 350 grain Woodleigh SuperJack Weld Core JSP at 2000fps
- 500 grain Hornady Copper clad Steel JFN at 1530
Does one need that sort of firepower for hunting black bear over bait? I don't think so and for those chores along with deer hunting, I am well pleased with the 325 grain Leverevolution load. Were I to go to Alaska on a brown bear hunt and take my 45-70, I would be on the phone to Garret Cartridge Co. for their recommendations of what to take with me.
Dan
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Bear Rifles RE-visited
Now that deer season is over in NYS, my mind is turning back to bear rifles. As mentioned in a recent post, I had sent my .338 Federal to Ruger for some work and recently received it back. I am currently out of 200 grain Fusion loads, however I do have some 210 grain Nosler Partition loads on hand. A couple of boxes of the Federal fusion load are on order and when they arrive I plan on making an afternoon trip to the local range to put the .338 Federal back through its paces.
I suspect the .338 Federal with the fusion load would make a dandy load for black bear, whitetails and about anything one would want to kill with the .338 Federal. IF I were booking a grizzly/brown bear hunt, and using this rifle, I would opt for the 210 grain Nosler Partition load.
With bullets weighing in at 185 grains to 210 grains, the .338 Fed is reputed to give between 1820 to 1920 ft lbs of energy at 300 yards. It does that with less than 9 inches of drop at 300 yards when zeroed at 200 yards. Nothing to sneeze at. I will not begin to try and make a case for this caliber being the equal of the ,338 Win mag......IT ISN'T. On the other hand most of us do not need a .338 Win mag for hunting whitetails, black bear, moose etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qdumOj9W6Q
I am currently considering possibly selling my Ruger .350 Rem mag. I might also consider trading it for a new 30:06 or even a NEW .35 Whelen. Factory ammo for the .350 mag is scarce and expensive, however I am looking into finding someone locally that will reload for me and change my mind. Part of the problem is that brass is also limited and expensive and it doesn't appear at this point in time that Remington Arms is going to step up to the plate and start making new brass for this caliber. It is a shame as I dearly love the ergonomics and handling capabilities of this rifle and fortunately it is very accurate.
I bought this rifle primarily to use with the 225 grain Nosler partitions if I ever got an opportunity and finances to go on a brown bear hunt. Because of the ammo shortage situation, I might resign myself to use the .338 Federal with 210 grain Nosler partitions and let it go at that.
I also have the Marlin mdl 1895 45-70 and for black bear, whitetails etc. I am happy to use the 325 grain Hornady Leverevolution factory loads. They are extremely accurate out to 200 yards which is as far as I have tested them at the range. If I were hunting brown bear with this gun there is an amazing variety of custom loads for this rifle including Garret Hammer Heads that will take anything that walks and also big critter loads from CorBon, Buffalo Bore and others.
In closing I sometimes regret not having the ability to know the future. If I had that power, I would have purchased the Remington bolt action BDL in .35 Whelan instead of the Ruger 77 .350 Rem Mag a few years ago. The only reason being the shortage of not only factory ammo but also brass for the .350 mag. At the same time, .35 Whelan factory ammo or custom loads can still be had through several outlets for a reasonable price. I don't believe the .35 Whelan has any significant performance margin over the .350 Mag per se, it is just easier to obtain ammunition.
Here is a older link to an EXCELLENT review of the Remington Mdl 600 (vs.) the Ruger 77 in .350 mag caliber. The article is by one of my favorite writers, Chuck Hawks:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_350Mag_rifles.htm
EXCERPT:
Conclusion
Both of these rifles incorporate some good features. For rifles of their power they are handy and fast handling, with good portability. The .350 Remington Magnum cartridge is an excellent one. Both rifles are very accurate, more so than they really need to be. At the range there is little to choose between the two, although the Remington's superior trigger (after adjustment) makes it easier to shoot accurately, and its effective recoil pad makes it more comfortable.
In the field it is a different story. Although the Remington 673 Guide Rifle is an adequate hunting rifle, the Ruger M77R Mk. II Standard rifle is superior in most areas. Perhaps the most significant difference is that the Ruger's few deficiencies are easy to correct (principally a recoil pad and a new trigger assembly), while the Remington's problems are fundamental design deficiencies.
(MY INPUT)
I handled rifles in both calibers at the local Gander Mountain store a few years ago and ended up finding a Ruger for sale on line brand new in the box. If I had not found the Ruger on line, I would have choosen the BDL .35 Whelan OVER the Model 600 carbine in .350 mag. Hind sight being 20/20 it seems history would have now proved me smarter in the long run to have went with the .35 Whelan from an ammunition availability stand point. I keep HOPING that Remington Arms will see the light and start producing factory ammo in both 200 grain and 250 grain persuasion again along with selling NEW brass for the .350 mag at a reasonable price. When they decided to promote the Model 600 in .350 mag again a few years ago, my understanding is they all sold out rather quickly. They OWE it to those of us who snatched up a .350 mag to at least occasionally run a quantity of 200 grain and 250 grain corelokts and make enough brass to keep those rifles going.They already have the tooling for it and I think they would sell the brass and ammo as fast as they could make it.
Dan
I suspect the .338 Federal with the fusion load would make a dandy load for black bear, whitetails and about anything one would want to kill with the .338 Federal. IF I were booking a grizzly/brown bear hunt, and using this rifle, I would opt for the 210 grain Nosler Partition load.
With bullets weighing in at 185 grains to 210 grains, the .338 Fed is reputed to give between 1820 to 1920 ft lbs of energy at 300 yards. It does that with less than 9 inches of drop at 300 yards when zeroed at 200 yards. Nothing to sneeze at. I will not begin to try and make a case for this caliber being the equal of the ,338 Win mag......IT ISN'T. On the other hand most of us do not need a .338 Win mag for hunting whitetails, black bear, moose etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qdumOj9W6Q
I am currently considering possibly selling my Ruger .350 Rem mag. I might also consider trading it for a new 30:06 or even a NEW .35 Whelen. Factory ammo for the .350 mag is scarce and expensive, however I am looking into finding someone locally that will reload for me and change my mind. Part of the problem is that brass is also limited and expensive and it doesn't appear at this point in time that Remington Arms is going to step up to the plate and start making new brass for this caliber. It is a shame as I dearly love the ergonomics and handling capabilities of this rifle and fortunately it is very accurate.
I bought this rifle primarily to use with the 225 grain Nosler partitions if I ever got an opportunity and finances to go on a brown bear hunt. Because of the ammo shortage situation, I might resign myself to use the .338 Federal with 210 grain Nosler partitions and let it go at that.
I also have the Marlin mdl 1895 45-70 and for black bear, whitetails etc. I am happy to use the 325 grain Hornady Leverevolution factory loads. They are extremely accurate out to 200 yards which is as far as I have tested them at the range. If I were hunting brown bear with this gun there is an amazing variety of custom loads for this rifle including Garret Hammer Heads that will take anything that walks and also big critter loads from CorBon, Buffalo Bore and others.
In closing I sometimes regret not having the ability to know the future. If I had that power, I would have purchased the Remington bolt action BDL in .35 Whelan instead of the Ruger 77 .350 Rem Mag a few years ago. The only reason being the shortage of not only factory ammo but also brass for the .350 mag. At the same time, .35 Whelan factory ammo or custom loads can still be had through several outlets for a reasonable price. I don't believe the .35 Whelan has any significant performance margin over the .350 Mag per se, it is just easier to obtain ammunition.
Here is a older link to an EXCELLENT review of the Remington Mdl 600 (vs.) the Ruger 77 in .350 mag caliber. The article is by one of my favorite writers, Chuck Hawks:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_350Mag_rifles.htm
EXCERPT:
Conclusion
Both of these rifles incorporate some good features. For rifles of their power they are handy and fast handling, with good portability. The .350 Remington Magnum cartridge is an excellent one. Both rifles are very accurate, more so than they really need to be. At the range there is little to choose between the two, although the Remington's superior trigger (after adjustment) makes it easier to shoot accurately, and its effective recoil pad makes it more comfortable.
In the field it is a different story. Although the Remington 673 Guide Rifle is an adequate hunting rifle, the Ruger M77R Mk. II Standard rifle is superior in most areas. Perhaps the most significant difference is that the Ruger's few deficiencies are easy to correct (principally a recoil pad and a new trigger assembly), while the Remington's problems are fundamental design deficiencies.
(MY INPUT)
I handled rifles in both calibers at the local Gander Mountain store a few years ago and ended up finding a Ruger for sale on line brand new in the box. If I had not found the Ruger on line, I would have choosen the BDL .35 Whelan OVER the Model 600 carbine in .350 mag. Hind sight being 20/20 it seems history would have now proved me smarter in the long run to have went with the .35 Whelan from an ammunition availability stand point. I keep HOPING that Remington Arms will see the light and start producing factory ammo in both 200 grain and 250 grain persuasion again along with selling NEW brass for the .350 mag at a reasonable price. When they decided to promote the Model 600 in .350 mag again a few years ago, my understanding is they all sold out rather quickly. They OWE it to those of us who snatched up a .350 mag to at least occasionally run a quantity of 200 grain and 250 grain corelokts and make enough brass to keep those rifles going.They already have the tooling for it and I think they would sell the brass and ammo as fast as they could make it.
Dan
Friday, April 27, 2012
More On Bear Bullets
I came across an article from Joe Riekers concerning proper bullets for bear hunting that mirrored my own thinking on calibers and loads so I thought I would do a post on this subject. Joe starts his article by mentioning that black bears have been taken with all manner or firearms, including handguns, varmint rifles, black powder guns shooting .50 cal round balls etc.
He then gets into the nitty gritty of what one should use if he or she takes black bear hunting over bait seriously. Three factors he considers important to success in north east bait scenarios are the bear's anatomy, the close range and the downward angle of the shot.
The only variable is shot placement. One should practice from an elevated stand if hunting bear over bait from a tree stand. This will help you to determine the angle of the downward shot and what vitals you are likely to hit, especially if you can use some sort of 3D type target showing vitals. One has to imagine a straight line through the bear and has to consider not only the entrance hole, but where the bullets path will take it through the vitals.
CLOSE RANGE: Most bear baits are set up from 25 to 50 yards. I have seen them set up at 100 yards in some camps. The close range of many of these baits determines the type of load you should be shooting. ALL bullets are designed to perform best within certain limits. You can take advantage of these close range situations by using premium or hard cast bullets in .35 caliber or larger in diameter and a nominal velocity for the bullet design. Joe mentions that this would include the .35 Remington, .44 mag and .45 Colt , .358 Win, .444 Marlin, 45-70, .450 Marlin, .50 Alaskan and also .45 and .50 cal muzzle loaders and 20 and 12 gauge slugs of proper weight and composition. Your favorite load may not be listed, however this list is intended to be a guideline. not an all inclusive list. The bullets normally used in these calibers are already working within their intended parameters. You end up with a .35 cal and above rifle with a heavy for caliber bullet at a moderate velocity. These are near perfect for close range baited bear situations, and provide a better chance of complete penetration leaving and entry and an exit hole to bleed from.
Calibers such as the .270 Win, .280, 25:06, 7mm mag etc. need premium bullets and even then you may take a perfect lung shot which will kill the bear but it the bullet does NOT expand, you may obtain complete penetration and leave only a pencil size hole, inhibiting a decent blood trail. I would either use heavy for caliber expanding bullets and take lung shots or if up close and personal at 25 yards as an example, and using premium bullets, you may want to take a shoulder shot.
(MY INPUT) I would take a look at loads from Buffalo Bore and Garrett cartridges for the .35 Rem, 45-70 etc. I would add to the list the .350 Rem Mag with 225 grain Nosler Partitons and also the .338 Federal with 210 grain Nosler Partitions. In the .308 and 30-06 I would lean towards premium 180 grain loads. In the .35 Rem I would opt for the 220 grain BB load and in the 45-70 either the 405 grain expander load or the 350 grain penetrator load. Garrett loads have the widest meplat of any loads I know of. In muzzle loaders I would use either a bullet like the TC Maxi Ball or perhaps a 300 grain premium shock wave saboted bullet say in a .50 cal ML.
CUP & CORE conventional bullets: These loads consist of melted lead poured into a copper jacket and are fine for hunting whitetails. The problem comes into play with the close range of baited bear sites at 50 yards and under because of the possibility of the bullet still moving way to FAST and the heavy structure of the bear and heavy bones etc. These bullets can fragment and come apart inhibiting their penetration qualities. They would be better if the bait is more like 75 to 100 yards away allowing the bullet to slow down some before impact.
IN a nut shell if you use, larger calibers starting at .35 and up, heavy for caliber and/or premium bullets (vs.) the calibers UNDER .30 cal with bullets impacting outside of their intended parameters because of distance to the bait and the size of the animal being shot you have taken steps to insure a successful hunt.
Dan
Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things.
He then gets into the nitty gritty of what one should use if he or she takes black bear hunting over bait seriously. Three factors he considers important to success in north east bait scenarios are the bear's anatomy, the close range and the downward angle of the shot.
The only variable is shot placement. One should practice from an elevated stand if hunting bear over bait from a tree stand. This will help you to determine the angle of the downward shot and what vitals you are likely to hit, especially if you can use some sort of 3D type target showing vitals. One has to imagine a straight line through the bear and has to consider not only the entrance hole, but where the bullets path will take it through the vitals.
CLOSE RANGE: Most bear baits are set up from 25 to 50 yards. I have seen them set up at 100 yards in some camps. The close range of many of these baits determines the type of load you should be shooting. ALL bullets are designed to perform best within certain limits. You can take advantage of these close range situations by using premium or hard cast bullets in .35 caliber or larger in diameter and a nominal velocity for the bullet design. Joe mentions that this would include the .35 Remington, .44 mag and .45 Colt , .358 Win, .444 Marlin, 45-70, .450 Marlin, .50 Alaskan and also .45 and .50 cal muzzle loaders and 20 and 12 gauge slugs of proper weight and composition. Your favorite load may not be listed, however this list is intended to be a guideline. not an all inclusive list. The bullets normally used in these calibers are already working within their intended parameters. You end up with a .35 cal and above rifle with a heavy for caliber bullet at a moderate velocity. These are near perfect for close range baited bear situations, and provide a better chance of complete penetration leaving and entry and an exit hole to bleed from.
Calibers such as the .270 Win, .280, 25:06, 7mm mag etc. need premium bullets and even then you may take a perfect lung shot which will kill the bear but it the bullet does NOT expand, you may obtain complete penetration and leave only a pencil size hole, inhibiting a decent blood trail. I would either use heavy for caliber expanding bullets and take lung shots or if up close and personal at 25 yards as an example, and using premium bullets, you may want to take a shoulder shot.
(MY INPUT) I would take a look at loads from Buffalo Bore and Garrett cartridges for the .35 Rem, 45-70 etc. I would add to the list the .350 Rem Mag with 225 grain Nosler Partitons and also the .338 Federal with 210 grain Nosler Partitions. In the .308 and 30-06 I would lean towards premium 180 grain loads. In the .35 Rem I would opt for the 220 grain BB load and in the 45-70 either the 405 grain expander load or the 350 grain penetrator load. Garrett loads have the widest meplat of any loads I know of. In muzzle loaders I would use either a bullet like the TC Maxi Ball or perhaps a 300 grain premium shock wave saboted bullet say in a .50 cal ML.
CUP & CORE conventional bullets: These loads consist of melted lead poured into a copper jacket and are fine for hunting whitetails. The problem comes into play with the close range of baited bear sites at 50 yards and under because of the possibility of the bullet still moving way to FAST and the heavy structure of the bear and heavy bones etc. These bullets can fragment and come apart inhibiting their penetration qualities. They would be better if the bait is more like 75 to 100 yards away allowing the bullet to slow down some before impact.
IN a nut shell if you use, larger calibers starting at .35 and up, heavy for caliber and/or premium bullets (vs.) the calibers UNDER .30 cal with bullets impacting outside of their intended parameters because of distance to the bait and the size of the animal being shot you have taken steps to insure a successful hunt.
Dan
Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things.
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