Which Bullet for Black Bear?

[yankees1]

Going to B.C. Canada next spring for black bear and will be taking my Weatherby 340 mag. We will be in mountainess areas so shots could be anywhere from 100 to 300 yards according to guide. I have been loading 250 grain Woodleigh bullets but noticed that at 100 yards they are not holding together at 2800 fps . Woodleigh claims this bullet will over expand at impact speeds over 2500 fps but accuracy was not good until I loaded at the 2800 fps. What other 250 grain bullets would be an excellent choice for blacks?

[Steelhead]

I am certain there are many bullets that should work fine. I find Woodleighs sometimes expand a bit much, thus limiting penatration. I have used nothing but Nosler Partitions on Bears, I would think a good 250 should be just fine. Now experience with X-bullets but they should also be fine at that velocity, same with Fail Safes.  Remember you don't always have to load cartridges to the gills to kill. I have found bears to be much more impressed with big bullets at modest velocity then with high velocity rounds.

I have hammered Alaskan bears with a 250 NP at about 2500fps, and seen them take more hits with higher velocity rounds. Take it for what it is worth.

[Rmouleart]

I have to agree with stealhead, bigger dia moderate moving bullets seem to a job on blackies, I have seen many black bears run after a good shot from a 30cal like 308/3006 using a 150-180gr bullet and run like nothing hit them,unless you head shoot them, but when you hit them with a big dia like a .458 400gr at 1800fps they just fold, drop where they stand, as long as the shot placement is good. Interesting how that works, I would think something traveling around 2400fps using a 180gr bullet would be much more devastating than a .458 400gr at 1800fps, bottom line is the proof of the pudding, Big dia's moderate speeds on bears work the best, I would not believe it till I have seen results from baited bear hunters, I guess the big dia bullet of course makes a bigger hole and in tern bleeds them out quick, lowering the blood pressure of the bear at a higher rate than a smaller 30cal bullets. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

[Cabin4]

I don't know what bullet Weatherby loads on their 250gr factory load. But a friend of mine whet on a griz hunt and him and another guy in the hunting party used factory 250's in a 340weatherby mag. Both these guys took a griz. One a 450lb sow and the other a 600lb boar. Both shots where at 150 to 200 yards. Both shots hit the boiler room and the bears dropped like a sack of potatoes on the spot. No running, moving no nothing. Instant death. Both bullets gave complete pass thru penetration.

[Lawdog]

N o s l e r P a r t i t i o n s is all one needs to know.  It is what I used in my .340 Weatherby for Brown Bear.  Lawdog
 

[Sourdough]

Since Weatherby loads Nosler 200, 210, and 250 grain bullets in their factory loads, that's what I'd do.  Go with the proven product.  These guys are experts, they say Nosler.  I personally am partial to the partitions, the 210 and the 250gr.  The 200gr is a Ballistic tip.