what bullet for black bear?
- Thread starter geode
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Dultimatpredator
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: GerbsOriginally Posted By: bthomasb1nosler accubond on deer and was satisfied with the results for deer,but I didn't think the bullets looked like they would hold up like the a frame on bear
I feel like it's the opposite. I think the Nosler Accubond is too much for a whitetail. Personally I use Nosler Ballistic Tips for deer and Accubonds for elk and bear. All the bear and elk I have shot with the Accubonds have penetrated shoulders and anchored them on spot. Just my opinion.
Accubonds are too hard of a bullet if your not aiming for a shoulder. I' shot them through whitetail,broadside right behind the shoulder, after 2 shots and it still stood their looking at me I shouldered him. He went down at the shot and laid their like he was paralyzed. Last time I ever used them. I was using 180g out if my 06' it's probably a great bullet for a Cape buffalo but sucks for whitetail. Had the same experience with 260g out of my 375 RUM on whitetails loaded at 3000 fps. You might as well shoot them with an arrow that has a field point on them because both with have zero energy transfer. The accu bond probably would work well if the lightest grain per caliber choice was used at extremely high velocities...3500 fps so the bullet would have a chance of expanding
I feel like it's the opposite. I think the Nosler Accubond is too much for a whitetail. Personally I use Nosler Ballistic Tips for deer and Accubonds for elk and bear. All the bear and elk I have shot with the Accubonds have penetrated shoulders and anchored them on spot. Just my opinion.
Accubonds are too hard of a bullet if your not aiming for a shoulder. I' shot them through whitetail,broadside right behind the shoulder, after 2 shots and it still stood their looking at me I shouldered him. He went down at the shot and laid their like he was paralyzed. Last time I ever used them. I was using 180g out if my 06' it's probably a great bullet for a Cape buffalo but sucks for whitetail. Had the same experience with 260g out of my 375 RUM on whitetails loaded at 3000 fps. You might as well shoot them with an arrow that has a field point on them because both with have zero energy transfer. The accu bond probably would work well if the lightest grain per caliber choice was used at extremely high velocities...3500 fps so the bullet would have a chance of expanding
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222 mag
Member
the last bear i shot i used a 200 grain accubond in 30-06. At 35 yards i hit the 300 pound bear between the neck and shoulder. bullet exited out far hind quarter trashing everything in between.Any good weight retaining bullet will work. they are not that hard to put down but i prefer big, heavy bullet just in case a 700 pounder shows up on the bait pile. And when ya hit em they always run into the alder swamp, never out
wilydawg
New member
Originally Posted By: bthomasb1I don't like the poly tipped bullets for bears especially bigger bears. The poly tip on bullets have 2 jobs ,1 retain their shape for ballistics and 2 to push back into the bullet to aid in the start of expansion. My opinion might be a little misguided towards some but here in pa I was taught by several accomplished bear hunters to shoot a bear in the shoulder to break him down so they don't run,if they run they are several times lost to another hunter.I know several it has happened too. Also bad shots happen to good people,I just don't believe in the penetrating abilities of poly tipped bullets when faced with the larger bones from a good sized black bear.Most of the poly tipped bullets are designed for a high b.c. and yes they are bonded core and all that other good stuff, but I just cant trust them for me so I wont recommend them for anyone else I have used the swift scirocco and the nosler accubond on white tails .In PA if you don't know our bears get pretty big we are pushing 900 lbs for the record and we shoot bears over 700 lbs every year.I have 2 that visit my property that are close too or over 600.So I like to be prepared for what I am hunting.
I respectfully disagree with this. I have killed a number of bears with poly tipped Hornady Interbonds with great success. I shot a large bear (350 lb.) in the boiler room with one, he spun to head on at the shot and I put the next one straight into his chest. That bullet traveled the full length of the bear and we found it just under the hide on one rump. Although the first shot had done its job and was enough, the second was devastating. It destroyed what was left of the vitals, continued through destroying one hind quarter including breaking the heavy bone found there. I didn't weigh it but it was a nice mushroom and was probably 70%+.
This was with a .300 Weatherby at a range of about 50 yards. I've used the same combination at a variety of other ranges with similar results. Personally I wouldn't hesitate to use this combination on black bears of any size. I have used it for other large animals as well, always with great results.
And I know there are other poly tipped bullets with similar construction as the Hornady. So in my humble opinion I don't think you can accurately make a statement blanketing all poly tipped bullets as a bad idea for black bear.
And like 2muchgun - I like to use a lever gun in 45.70 with a 350 gr. solid when ranges are shorter. I use the WBY when hunting spot and stalk where shots tend to be longer.
Just my .02 - YMMV...
I respectfully disagree with this. I have killed a number of bears with poly tipped Hornady Interbonds with great success. I shot a large bear (350 lb.) in the boiler room with one, he spun to head on at the shot and I put the next one straight into his chest. That bullet traveled the full length of the bear and we found it just under the hide on one rump. Although the first shot had done its job and was enough, the second was devastating. It destroyed what was left of the vitals, continued through destroying one hind quarter including breaking the heavy bone found there. I didn't weigh it but it was a nice mushroom and was probably 70%+.
This was with a .300 Weatherby at a range of about 50 yards. I've used the same combination at a variety of other ranges with similar results. Personally I wouldn't hesitate to use this combination on black bears of any size. I have used it for other large animals as well, always with great results.
And I know there are other poly tipped bullets with similar construction as the Hornady. So in my humble opinion I don't think you can accurately make a statement blanketing all poly tipped bullets as a bad idea for black bear.
And like 2muchgun - I like to use a lever gun in 45.70 with a 350 gr. solid when ranges are shorter. I use the WBY when hunting spot and stalk where shots tend to be longer.
Just my .02 - YMMV...
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Tim Neitzke
New member
Shooting clean through an animal is zero energy transfer ?
I’ve harvested 9 black bears in the state of Washington. Ranging from 220 to 420 pounds. 7 with a 300 win and a 180 Nosler partition. 1 with a 338 grain 50 cal aero platinum muzzle loader and 1 with a 6.5 terminal ascent. Ranging from 175 yards to 10 yards. I processed all these beats myself and when someone says they’re thin skinned like deer they obviously haven’t processed it themselves. They are not. The hide is thicker. The muscles are denser. The bones are heavier. They die harder. Period. Shot placement and a tough bullet are paramount. I’ve ripped half of a heart out with one shot and exit wound and the bear ran 100 yards.
The last three bears I’ve taken neck shots to ensure turning the lights off to avoid going deeper into the nasty under growth we have here. Don’t assume for one second a typical bullet will work. Premium bonded or bi-jacketed bullets should be a must.
The last three bears I’ve taken neck shots to ensure turning the lights off to avoid going deeper into the nasty under growth we have here. Don’t assume for one second a typical bullet will work. Premium bonded or bi-jacketed bullets should be a must.
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I worked for a bear bait guide a couple falls. Mostly bow hunters. I checked and placed baits/stands and helped inexperienced hunters with practice on shot placement and recovery. Most bear were down well inside 100 yards, bow or rifle(and muzzleloader). I made sure all hunters were ready for the shot distance the stand would likely produce. Several rifle hunters used 30/30 win in lever actions of different brands. 150-170 gr flatnose sp. Don't recall a bear traveling more than 50 yards after being shot. I used a 12 ga 1100 with slugs for tracking, never had to fire it. Stands on bait were all less then 25 yards, usually 12-15 yards.