150 Ballistic tips for bear?

[coyote wacker]

Been a bear guide for close to 50 years....seen some shot poorly only had one bear that was not recovered but shot it 3 days later when it came in to the bait limping with a bad front leg from a low bad shot....
I do have my preference to a large caliber and a properly made bullet but also like the same for a deer....
My preference is a bullet that will make complete penetration and expand you just need to put that bullets threw both lungs destroying the heart is much better....
Keep the bullet off the shoulder and threw the lungs all that will be left is the hard work getting the bear out of the woods....
Use the same gun and bullet that you would use to shoot a deer most bears shot are really not that large ......

 

[bigngreen]

I'm not a big BT guy mostly due to the first generation of them were thing jacketed and acted more like varmint bullets but after they put the heavier jacket they are better.
At 308 speed and someone smaller framed I think I'd roll with them, recoils should be better helping the shooter. Keeping the speeds moderate is important with the BT and a 308 will be a perfect launch platform for it. "It weeeell keel!!"

 

[Montucky Roamer]

What was said above. It'll work very well IF YOU AIM FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE MIDDLE!
Don't hug the crease or shoulder with any weapon on bear. Can you kill em right to leg? Absolutely. Can you miss vitals shooting too far forward on bear? Absolutely!. Not so much for avoiding shoulder bones , but because bears lungs extend further back.
Other than leg bones, all bears are very soft and easy to kill if hit in vitals. Lots of people miss em too far forward.
Middle of the middle , then shade forward about 3-4 inches if you want to get picky.
Many bears people think they hit them in the guts, all disgusted with themselves, and they find the bear only went 40 yards from the spot they were arrowed.

 

[Terry Lightle]

Will be fine,just go do your part

 

[MH WASH]

Id' use the BTs and have. I shot 2 bears last year with my .270 w/150 BT @3000. The first one hit the bear in the shoulder at 350 yards, busting the shoulder and wrecking the vitals. Bear didn't go anywhere. Second bear was shot @200 in the middle of the middle. Bullet passed through. Bear went about 50 yards with very little blood to track.

I started bear hunting with Accubonds. My experience after 4 bears is that ABs obviously work, but each bear required a lengthy track job, mostly because neither bear left much of a blood trail within the first 100 yards. I've made a move to a "softer" bullet hoping for a move violent expansion causing the bear to die quicker. This year we will be trying Bergers in the .270 Win & 6.5 CM.

 

[rharfo]

Update: rifle is broken and after pulling one Swarovski scope off that would not bore sight or sight in we have it shooting with another Swarovski and the factory Federal 165 bonded ammo that I have plenty of. It shoots sub moa. Daughter actually graduated last week (had my doubts) so practice out to 400 yards has begun for the upcoming hunt.

 

[sloone]

i have killed many game animals with the bts.but even for black bear i would use accubonds or barnes ttsx.your choice.

 

[rharfo]

i have killed many game animals with the bts.but even for black bear i would use accubonds or barnes ttsx.your choice.

Yup going with a 165 bonded bullet in factory Federal ammo, thanks

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

This is exactly what turned me off on the .308. Now the bullets weren't ballistic tips but were 150 gr core-lokts. I jumped a big black bear at 50 yards and as it was running right to left I hit him too far back (it rained hard the night before and he was soaking wet) and saw the water splash. I cycled the 760 and swung ahead of him but he didn't come into the scope. I lifted my head and he was coming right at me. I timed his lope that when his huge melon went up at about 30 yards I hit him square in the chest. Cycled the pump and did the same thing this time at 20 yards. He turned right and my 4th shot as I was swinging on him smacked a small tree and saw the wood chips flying. My 5th shot caught him right behind the shoulder as he dove into the laurel. I tracked that bear through the laurel on my hands and knees for about 150 yards before the bleeding stopped. I heard 2 shots another 200 yards or so out and some old gentleman finished off that bear with his 30-06.
If, and I doubt if I ever will, I were to use a 308 for bear again I will be using 180 gr bullets, probably Barnes TSX. My theory is use a bullet big enough for the worse scenario.
BTW me and the old timer estimated the bear to go between 400 and 450 lbs. We were close because I saw him a year later and the bear dressed weight was 386 lb.

 

[rharfo]

This is exactly what turned me off on the .308. Now the bullets weren't ballistic tips but were 150 gr core-lokts. I jumped a big black bear at 50 yards and as it was running right to left I hit him too far back (it rained hard the night before and he was soaking wet) and saw the water splash. I cycled the 760 and swung ahead of him but he didn't come into the scope. I lifted my head and he was coming right at me. I timed his lope that when his huge melon went up at about 30 yards I hit him square in the chest. Cycled the pump and did the same thing this time at 20 yards. He turned right and my 4th shot as I was swinging on him smacked a small tree and saw the wood chips flying. My 5th shot caught him right behind the shoulder as he dove into the laurel. I tracked that bear through the laurel on my hands and knees for about 150 yards before the bleeding stopped. I heard 2 shots another 200 yards or so out and some old gentleman finished off that bear with his 30-06.
If, and I doubt if I ever will, I were to use a 308 for bear again I will be using 180 gr bullets, probably Barnes TSX. My theory is use a bullet big enough for the worse scenario.
BTW me and the old timer estimated the bear to go between 400 and 450 lbs. We were close because I saw him a year later and the bear dressed weight was 386 lb.

I shot a 150lb bear head on at 25 yards, 200 grain swift aframe out of a 8mn Rem Mag went from the front shoulder to the rear ham, about 3 feet . He got up to run and I hit him in the gut. DRT. They can take a pounding.
If my daughter could shot my 300 WM that is what she would use. I did have a frien kill a bear with a 243.
Interesting enough broad heads really hammer bears. Their an interesting creature.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

Black bear aren't hard to kill but you need to get that bullet into the vitals with sufficient energy to disrupt their day. My 45-70 with a 300 gr Hornady Interlock knocks the snot out of them and they don't go far.

 

[dogz]

Black bear aren't hard to kill but you need to get that bullet into the vitals with sufficient energy to disrupt their day. My 45-70 with a 300 gr Hornady Interlock knocks the snot out of them and they don't go far.

True that, I've been around a lot of dead ones. I've found that most don't bleed much if at all. speed is my normal choice to get a reaction to the hit on them

Side note use what you're comfy with, I've seen as many taken with the 22/250 and the Swift as anything else and it takes them out just fine.

Lastly, I have a very firm believe that if the first shot doesn't go well that tracking them down is incredibly tough! Therefore I highly encourage people to consider not shooting at bruins much past 350 or so.

 

[MH WASH]

A well shot bear will die soon. A poor shot bear will be hard to recover, weather it's close or runs a far way off. Doesn't matter if it's a 308 or a 45/70. Some of you guys crack me up.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

A well shot bear will die soon. A poor shot bear will be hard to recover, weather it's close or runs a far way off. Doesn't matter if it's a 308 or a 45/70. Some of you guys crack me up.

Even a well placed shot can be ineffective if it doesn't penetrate enough