ricciardelli wrote:
For antelope and deer it is fine.
That is true. With all due respect, I'm not trying to cause anger by me saying this, but the main question Boneguru stated is are there any loads for the TSX that would give good performance for black bear hunting: I'm presuming velocity, energy, accuracy, etc.
ricciardelli wrote:
Your 85 grain, .243 load is not ideal for bear.
Don't worry too much about this one, as I heard of one guy from this forum who said he knows a woman who took a relatively large bull elk with a 243 Win, loaded with a 95gr. Nosler Partition. And from what I've heard, elk can be harder to kill than a black bear, although bears have thicker muscles, and heavier bones. But remember, the key is ALWAYS bullet placement. The effects of the bullet on the VITAL organs is what kills the animal, it does not always call for the "knock-you-out-of-your-socks-power" syndrome. SO, if a 95 gr. lead core bullet, which expands into a blunt blob metal on the frontal side can do the job on an elk, a solid COPPER X bullet which has teeth of it's own (opens to four SHARP petals) and it's incredible integrity will surely make up for it's lighter weight for black bears. The Barnes manual says many hunters primarliy select lighter bullets for their hunting purposes. This in turn increases the velocity for flatter trajectories, and more energy. That is due to the extra weight retention (don't have to worry about too much weight shedding off the bullet during expansion) and penetration provided by the X bullets. If you haven't read about my experiences with the TSXs, check it out in the "Bolt Action Rifles" section under the heading: Ultimate Barnes X Test. It is kind of near the bottom now. That is living proof about the toughness of those X bullets. And most if not all Barnes X users report pass-thrus on their trophies. That is my take on this issue of "capability." Anybody else want to add on, or, being I am not a hunter yet, correct any innaccuracies I may have placed here due to my inexperience? I only have a somewhat vast experience in reloading, bullet research, and trying to find the right load for my guns that offers the best all-around velocity/accuracy combination.
Remember, deer and antelope do NOT have big teeth and sharp claws!
Right, that is why it is always a good practice to pack a good sidearm for those probabilities. Consider a 44 mag, 454 Casull, or even a 41 mag with a good bullet/load combo. And when I am able to start the hunting experiences of my life, I would not even fathom hunting alone out in those areas where bears are known to hang out. Thanks for reading to my two cents.
Patriot
