bullet choice for black bear

[rck329]

OK guys,
If you were going black bear hunting with your large caliber revolver, which would you choose for you bullet?

jacketed hollow point
jacketed flat point
hardcast bullet

[bearhuntr]

If you are using 300 grainers I cannot fathom that any of the above choices would be bad. Friend shot a bear with a 45 cal at 40 yards with a hard cast and dumped him on the spot. You can expect a pass through with the hard cast and probably the same with a jacked projectile. I'd like to see my bullet going around 1100 fps or so. (44 mag or better)
Go get em!
best,
bhtr

[Lawdog]

rck329,

I have always used jacketed hollow points in my .44 magnums.  I prefer a bullet that expands.  To me a hard cast bullet is almost the same as using FMJ's.  Lawdog

[Cabin4]

I would use a hard cast load in the 44 mag. I like the added measure of penatration for a pass thru shot. In addition, the extra bone crushing capability of a 300 grain or so hard cast load will have if you hit shoulder, ect.

The 44mag is wide enough that expansion on a black bear would not be at the top of my priority list, but pass thru and bone crushing are.

[Raging480]

This is my second year hunting bear, using my .480 in the early season.  I load 325 or 400 grain Speer Gold Dot Jacketed flatpoints, but have no experience with actual performance on bear.  I do not doubt for a minute that either will penetrate an Adirondack blackie.  
No baiting, no hounds, just scouting and sitting in a stand over a trail, hoping that a bear will venture within 50 yards or so before it gets dark.

[Cabin4]

you can bait for bear in NY but the bait must be removed 9 days prior to the season opener. after baiting is done, you can then put scents (no bait) in place of where the bait sites were.

a steel pipe like 1 or 2 inch in diameter driven into the ground and filled with scents such as honey or other sweet scents should proove very good.


give it a shot.

[Zachary]

If it was me?  Hardcast. Period.

I would definately stay away from hollow-points.

Zachary

[1911crazy]

I carry a 44mg as backup with 200gr JHP pumped to the max load.  Now is it speed "FPS" or bullet weight that matters in stopping power or both? I read years ago that the 357mg and 44mg handgun has killed every north american game there is.   Now on the other hand the 7x57 mauser has done that and more in African thin skinned game too(speed & 173gr bullet).  No flame intended just looking at facts and searching for info?  Speed or Power??   Which is more shocking?                                           BigBill

This was life before all these super sized handguns.

[Graybeard]

JJ Hack has perhaps been in on the killing of more bears than any other man alive today between his personal hunting, his guide work and the years he did bear control work for a forestry outfit. I believe he has been in on the killing of over 1000 bears.

He says use a JHP and in the .44 mag specifically recommends the 240 JHPs.

BUT in spite of going against the advice of a person with vast experience at it and me with zero experience with bears I'd still go with a heavy hard cast with wide meplat if I were doing it. Can't help myself. Every thing I know about handgun hunting tells me that's the choice I'd make.

GB

[Cabin4]

I thought his recomendation for jacketed bullets was more for personal defense against bears, if I remember correctly. He said that the bullet expansion & lodging in the bear caused it to divert its attention to finding out what was stinging so bad. This stinging was able to divert enough of the bears attention that an attack could be stopped.

This is differant that hunting to me. I to like a hard cast load in a 44mag for bear. Although my preferance is the 45-70 with a 300 grain partition. Even know these have a low SD, the partion goes through on a stright line breacking bones all the way. On larger bear, I would not use the 300 but a larger hard cast load.

I may be wrong , but this is what I took from the articale.

[Graybeard]

You are correct but from all I've gathered from Jim he still prefers the JHPs for hunting them also. I prefer JHPs for deer but when the game gets bigger, tougher I have to go with hard cast.

GB

[DLH]

OK  here's another angle;  I have a 454 Casull, it loves 300g Hornady XTP's and 300g gas checked cast bullets from a LEE mold, "nice BIG flat metaplat"  Witch one would you give the nod to?

   I also have a 44mag revolver, and a 45/70 Contender. But I like the Raging Bull!!!!    

[Varmint Hunter]

I used a 300gr Swift A-Frame bullet in my 454 on a 325lb Russian boar. Got bullet expansion and enough penetration to make me think that the bullet is still buzzing along. :wink:
Seems like the best of both worlds.

I also read JJ's coments on bullet performance and bears. He certainly convinced me of the benefit of using jacketed hollowpoints.

Last bear that I shot took a 700 grainer right through the lungs. He ran only about 50yds before I heard the "death moans". Later, I went over and retrieved my arrow.

VH

[DzrtRat]

If you were going black bear hunting with your large caliber revolver, which would you choose for you bullet?

Well, I AM going black bear hunting with my large caliber revolver.  I'll be using a 250 grain hard cast under 26 grains of H110 from a .45 Colt.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

~Rat

[dabigmoose]

HI D-RAT
I have taken many a bear and moose with hard cast bullets. Bears
being both black, costal brown and interior grizzly you should do just fine.
Bullet placement should be your primary focus and bear anatomy
same as a bow hunter.
dabigmoose

[DzrtRat]

Howdy Moose,

I don't have any doubts about the hard casts, but I did do a little thinking and shooting before I decided on the 250 grain bullets.

I'm not really sure if my pistol really shoots the 250's better, or if it's just me handling the recoil wrong, but I shoot a little better with the 250's.  I can put them into about 2 inches at 25 yards pretty easily.  I can do pretty close to the same with 300's, but I get a flyer now and then (most likely me 'cause I haven't shot a lot in a long time).

I'm kinda wondering though; what are the limitations on the 250's pushed at about 1400 fps compared to the 300's at 1250?  or are the differences significant enough to notice in the field at handgun ranges?

I kinda think either would shoot through both shoulder blades on a bear at close range, but.......

Thanks,
~Rat

[bearhuntr]

300g gas checked cast bullets from a LEE mold, "nice BIG flat metaplat"

DLH,
For answer (read as "opinion!") see above!
best,
bhtr