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Author Topic: Sierra HP for black bear?  (Read 942 times)

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Offline stratocaster

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« on: March 26, 2005, 02:16:29 PM »
I'm heading to Idaho in May for a bear hunt and will be using my 30-06AI encore pistol.  I have worked up a great load using 165g Sierra HP (.75" @yards) but have never used these bullets on black bear.  My other choice would be the Sierra spitzers but I can't them to group any better than 1.75".  Would the HPs be adequate?  The hunt will be over bait in the pm and spot and stalk in the am.
Thanks
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Offline Redhawk1

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2005, 04:28:00 PM »
Personally I would chose the spitzer bullet to the hollow point, given the choice you offered. But I would choose a Nosler partition or Barnes X if it were me.  :D
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Offline stratocaster

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2005, 05:21:59 AM »
Yeah Redhawk, I am a HUGE Barnes-X fan - I shoot them in most all my my big game rifles but no matter how many different powder, seating depth, primer combos I tried, nothing would give me the accruacy results I am comfortable with.  It's kind of a give and take at this point - an accurate bullet that will be OK on game or a bullet I KNOW will give me the preformance desired at the cost of accuracy.  Thanks for response.
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Offline Redhawk1

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2005, 07:09:37 AM »
stratocaster, at the range you were talking a 1 1/2  group will work well.  I have struggled with the same dilemma.  As long as my groups were consistent, I went with the better bullet construction and Barnes X were my choice. A one inch margin on a deers vital zone is something I personally can live with.  :D
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Offline flintlock

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2005, 11:43:01 AM »
strato...if you are compairing the Sierra 165 HP to the Sierra 165 spitzer...the hollow point actually will give you better penetration...
Sierra's hollowpoints are actually "harder" than their soft points...
except for their 22 diameter 55gr...flintlock
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Offline Lawdog

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2005, 12:38:38 PM »
Quote from: stratocaster
Yeah Redhawk, I am a HUGE Barnes-X fan - I shoot them in most all my my big game rifles but no matter how many different powder, seating depth, primer combos I tried, nothing would give me the accruacy results I am comfortable with.  It's kind of a give and take at this point - an accurate bullet that will be OK on game or a bullet I KNOW will give me the preformance desired at the cost of accuracy.  Thanks for response.


Try either the 150 or 168 gr. TSX bullets from Barnes.  I'm getting excellent accuracy with them in all of my .30 caliber rifles.  The 150 gr. TSX should penetrate as well or better than the 165 gr. Sierra HP.  Lawdog
 :D
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Offline Redhawk1

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2005, 04:54:53 PM »
Quote from: Lawdog
Quote from: stratocaster
Yeah Redhawk, I am a HUGE Barnes-X fan - I shoot them in most all my my big game rifles but no matter how many different powder, seating depth, primer combos I tried, nothing would give me the accruacy results I am comfortable with.  It's kind of a give and take at this point - an accurate bullet that will be OK on game or a bullet I KNOW will give me the preformance desired at the cost of accuracy.  Thanks for response.


Try either the 150 or 168 gr. TSX bullets from Barnes.  I'm getting excellent accuracy with them in all of my .30 caliber rifles.  The 150 gr. TSX should penetrate as well or better than the 165 gr. Sierra HP.  Lawdog
 :D


I have picked up a few TSX bullets from Barnes also. They are very accurate bullets. I am going to try them is some of my guns that I am currently loading the Barnes X bullets in.  :D
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Offline stratocaster

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2005, 02:50:27 AM »
Thanks for all the input.  I just ordered 168g Barnes TSX.  I'll work up a load with them this weekend.  I have a lot more confidence in the preformance of the Barnes and/or Partitions - l just hope I cane get an acceptable group with them.  I'll find out this weekend!
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Offline stratocaster

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« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2005, 01:40:29 PM »
Well, I finally made it to the range today to work up loads with the 168 Barnes Triple Shock.  They all grouped great, but I settled on 51.5g of IMR4064.  My best 5 shot group was .75" (51.5g 4064).  I  started seeing pressure signs a little earlier than with the Sierras. I was using 52g of 4064 with the Sierras with no signs of pressure, but the same load with the Barnes was a little sticky extracting the case.  THANK FOR THE recommendation!!!!   I now have an accurate bullet and confidence in it!
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Offline Redhawk1

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2005, 04:34:59 PM »
stratocaster that is great to hear. Glad to see you have a good load and using Barnes bullets.  :D
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Offline Sourdough

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2005, 08:34:11 PM »
Buddy you need to do some research and testing.  First of all the Encore will not shoot as fast as a rifle.  Your velocity will really be down.  Therefore the bullet you need will not be a heavy rifle bullet, like the Nosler Partition or the Barnes.  They will not expand properly at the slower velocities.  While the Hollow point will expand, I'm afraid that it would not hold togeather for a heavy animal like a Black Bear.  I think it might be a good idea to contact Nosler, Barnes, or any other bullet manufactors.  Explain your situation and ask what they make for that purpose.  Maybe the Nosler Ballistic tip or the new Accubond in a heavier weight.  I am going to try the Nosler Accubond 150gr in my 30-30 Contender this year on Black Bears from a stand.
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Offline Lawdog

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2005, 09:57:14 AM »
Quote from: Sourdough
Buddy you need to do some research and testing.  First of all the Encore will not shoot as fast as a rifle.  Your velocity will really be down.  Therefore the bullet you need will not be a heavy rifle bullet, like the Nosler Partition or the Barnes.  They will not expand properly at the slower velocities.  While the Hollow point will expand, I'm afraid that it would not hold togeather for a heavy animal like a Black Bear.  I think it might be a good idea to contact Nosler, Barnes, or any other bullet manufactors.  Explain your situation and ask what they make for that purpose.  Maybe the Nosler Ballistic tip or the new Accubond in a heavier weight.  I am going to try the Nosler Accubond 150gr in my 30-30 Contender this year on Black Bears from a stand.


Don't worry about either the Nosler Partition or the Barnes bullets(TSX or the X) expanding as they are designed to work at 1,600 fps. or more velocities.  So say the technicians at Nosler and Barnes.  Lawdog
 :D
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Offline stratocaster

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2005, 10:29:54 AM »
Sourdough,
Yeah, that's one of the first things I did.  I am a big Barnes-X fan and being my 30-06ai will push the triple shocks at 2580fps (5 feet from the muzzle) with 52g of IMR4064, I feel the performance would be adequate.  I contacted Barnes and fully explained my situation and was told I can expect the triple shocks to properly expand at velocities as low as 1650.  That would put my effective killing range somewhere in the 300 yard range (way more than I would attempt a shot).  I limit my handgun range to no more than 200 yards.  The Sierra bullets, I was told, would be effective down to 1800fps.  I thought that was kind of strange.  Anyway, I feel comfortable with the TSX leaving the barrel at 2580fps to be effective on a black bear out to 200 yards.
Thanks again guys - you really helped me out a lot!
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Offline Sourdough

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Sierra HP for black bear?
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2005, 07:42:40 PM »
Sounds like you got it togeather.  Good Luck!!!!!!!!  That is something to keep in mind since my neighbor has an Encore 30-06 handgun.  I'll give him this information.
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