Bear load info for 300WSM

Guys unsure if this is the right venue but have a question. Recently won a Savage 26" Pipe in 300WSM from an NRA Raffle. Wanting to use it for Va Black Bear season. Black Bears here tend to hover in the 150-300lb range depending on age and gender. I have been thinking of the 180 Hornady RN Soft point as most shots would be under 150 yds on average.

Jim

ncwg2boatguy said:

Guys unsure if this is the right venue but have a question. Recently won a Savage 26" Pipe in 300WSM from an NRA Raffle. Wanting to use it for Va Black Bear season. Black Bears here tend to hover in the 150-300lb range depending on age and gender. I have been thinking of the 180 Hornady RN Soft point as most shots would be under 150 yds on average.

Jim

Click to expand...

That 180 will work fine for what you need, as well about any other good 180 grain bullet. Are you hand loading?

I don't buy any ammo brother. I am loading my own.

This spring I loaded up some 180 ABs for an all around big game round for my dads wsm. He drew a bear tag for this fall here so hopefully we will find out how it works.

I think the Nosler Accubonds are the best multi use bullet ever fielded. I just had 100 of the 180 so and figured I would try them.

Black bears are easy to kill when shot placement is good. My buddy shot a 360lb bear with his 30-06 using a Rem Corelokt bullet. You can't get a more basic cup & core bullet than that. Bullet hit the bear broadside and exited. Death run got the bear about 40 yds before expiring.

However, with so many excellent bullets around I'd opt for a Partition or Accubond just for the extra penetration if the shot angle needed it.

I shot my spring bear (250lbs) this year with a 350gr A-Frame fired from a Marlin lever gun. Bear was hit squarely through the shoulders. You can guess how the bear fared on that one.

I love the 300. WSM with a 180gr nosler accubond!

Last year was first time using 45/70 guide gun. 350gr go
Was brutal on the bear. Took 2 steps.

This is what a Speer 400gr FP from the 45-70 does to a black bear. You can see the entry hole in the middle of the exit.
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Yep. Similar results from 400gr a few years back. People under estimate the brutal stopping power a LG slug moving at 1600-1800 fps.

The first thing, There seems to be 3 schools of thought on killing black bears. 1. The first is Destroy the lungs, heart and big arteries and veins attached to the heart. The bear may move a few yards dead on its feet. 2. The second is break the bear down on the spot. Shooting a little high in the shoulder in a broad side shot getting both shoulders and maybe the spine. The bear will go on it nose right where shot. 3. In groups where dogs may be used, Many of the dog owners want a treed bear neck shot so it will not be able to get hold of a dog and hurt it.

I spent 15 years as a Field Game Warden in the mountains of West Virginia, About 40 miles from the Virginia line. I had to kill many a bear in my job. My work rifle was a 308 Win. bolt rifle with 1.5X4.5 scope and shells loaded with 180 gr. Nosler Part. If a bear is shot broad side through the lungs the Nosler Part. opens fast destroys a bears chest. or will break both shoulders and stand a bear on his nose if needed, And any angle shot is no problem.

So any load data would be great. I will work up.

Varmint hunter... that bullet did some amazing work. I shot a small bear with a 300gr speer on the point of the front shouder quartering towards me. Exited the opposite hip. Not near the amazing performance. Well done!!

I think many rifles and loads will work for lung shots. But if you want to shoot it in the shoulder and drop it, there may a difference with penetration of different rounds.

The hornady RN is bascially a corloct or partion, I believe. I bought some but havn't loaded. I used the Hornady spitzer last year on a deer. I think the debate would be same as corloct RN vs SP.

I used always use RN. Coefficient is less. But I shot at 30-50 yards. Is the expansion that much better than a pointed? I am curious, but suspect it is an old debate.