Wht bullet for black bear with 44 mag?

[billy_56081]

  What bullets would you guy recommend for shooting a black bear with a 44 mag? I thinking on using Remington 240 g jsp's. Or would you guys recommend a hollow point? I'll be shooting about 30 yards with a good rest.

[Lloyd Smale]

for something the size of a good sized black bear id personaly steer clear of hp bullets. Id use a soft point or better yet a hard cast bullet.

[Ak.Hiker]

Check out foggymountain.com. Lots of good info on black bear hunting. They like the softpoints as well in the 41 and 44 magnum.

[Mikey]

I believe j.j. hack, one of our members and moderators uses the 240 gn slug on black bear.  I believe he feels that the bullet performs well and the bear reacts noticeably to the effect.  You may wish to check out his forum on Bear Huinting just down the list here at Graybeards.  Mikey.

[S.B.]

J.J. moderates the Hunting Africa forum, as well.

[SwampThing762]

Billy,

I cast my vote for the Hornady 300 gn XTP.   It does wonders on Florida boars, so it should do well on black bear.

ST762

[Redhawk1]

I am with Lloyd on this one. 

[corbanzo]

Another one with Lloyd, but depending on your area, it's up to you.

If you are in an area where there may be some lurking monster of a blackbear, I would go with cast bullets.  If you are in an area where it is pretty much all 150-300 lbers, 240+ grn softpoints will do the job just fine.  I was never a big fan of hollow points, mostly because up here, where there are blacks, there also may be browns, and there are some bears who just don't wanna die. 

I think that Redhawk1 would agree with me on this one, I would rather have a bazooka than be even a little but undergunned.

(By the way, redhawk, have you had your .44 out since you got the .500s and .460s?  hahaha)

[WyoXJ]

The Speer 270gr Gold dot would be a good choice.

[Ak.Hiker]

I tested out several types of 44 magnum soft points in my Ruger carbine several years ago. Out of all of the softpoints I tested the 270 Speer Gold Dot held together the best and had the most penetration.

[Redhawk1]

Another one with Lloyd, but depending on your area, it's up to you.

If you are in an area where there may be some lurking monster of a blackbear, I would go with cast bullets.  If you are in an area where it is pretty much all 150-300 lbers, 240+ grn softpoints will do the job just fine.  I was never a big fan of hollow points, mostly because up here, where there are blacks, there also may be browns, and there are some bears who just don't wanna die. 

I think that Redhawk1 would agree with me on this one, I would rather have a bazooka than be even a little but undergunned.

(By the way, redhawk, have you had your .44 out since you got the .500s and .460s?  hahaha)

Sold my 44 Mags, I only use my 460 and 500 Mag now. How ever I did get a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt to do some hunting with. But my main handguns for hunting are the 460 and 500 Mag.

[myronman3]

it depends greatly on the size of the bear you are going to shoot.  little bears,  90 to 150 pounds, dont require a 460 or 500 s+w to kill them,  despite what some here will tell you.  i would never shoot a bear that small while hunting.  might as well shoot someones lab and call that sporting; but i digress.     i know one guy that killed one with birdshot once. 

myself,  i shoot hardcast bullets for everything out of my handguns, so that is what i use.   i think a remington jsp would do the job just fine.