Curious about loading up for bear

[shrimpy50]

Hey fellas, I was interested in different ideas for black bear. My setup is a TC Pro Hunter, with a Leupold VX-2 3-9x40. Currently, I use White Hots 100cgrains, and a Hornady SST 250HSLD. I have a Bellm hinge pin that allows this beauty to shoot pretty nice. I am open to suggestions, and I am considering a move to Blackhorn 209. I know for sure I will be using a Barnes Spitfire, just not sure what grain. Any and all experiences are welcomed!

 

[03mossy]

I drew a bear tag this year and went of Friday to set up my bait and cameras. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I will be shooting 290 grain barnes TMZ's over a healthy dose of blackhorn. Thursday I will test loads starting at 105 and going up to 120. I recently switched from 777 so that's the reason I need to rework loads. I have no doubts the barnes will do its job.

 

[sqezer]

Interesting you posted this, I just asked my buddy sabotloader about using my 1-20 .45 Knight with the 200 gr. XP Leigh Bullet 0r go with something a little more beef, the other choice will be the larger BLOODLINE or XP LEIGH Bullet. We have a few Black Bears 400 plus LBS. Longest shot will be 40 yds. Any info would help, this is my first bear hunt. Thanks for asking the question.

 

[cayuga]

Wow ... when last I hunted black bear I used a .54 caliber Renegade with a round ball or a REAL Conical. I never had a shooter come in so I did not get to test my load. I really was not worried about the load but did have a .44 magnum revolver as back up. The worst day was when I'd set up in a ground blind and a sow and two cubs came in to the bait. The sow was eating and I thought the cubs were going to come in the blind with me, they were that close. Needless to say, I was a little nervous that day.

Some concerns with the SST is, if that thing don't open, you will pencil hole that bear and a bear can take a good hit and stop bleeding so fast it shocks you. Its because of their fat layers and hair. So when the bear runs off, you might not have any blood trail at all. So while I think the SST would do the job, I think I would look for penetration and expansion. For that a copper Barnes would be hard to beat. And if the shots are close, go heavy. The harder you thump them the faster they run away. If I had to go tomorrow for bear I would be shooting my White .504 with a .5045 495 grain all lead conical bullet. I know that will plow into them, expand, and thump them hard.

The main thing is accuracy. You want to blow a good hole through the vitals. Then after you shoot and it runs off, listen close for the bear. As a bear dies they very often times do what we call a "death moan." It will make the hair rise on your neck. Try and pin point that sound.

Friends up where I live (the black bear capitol of the world its know as) say the best thing for a bear is a tree stand and a good bow. The arrow slips through them, leaves a nice hole and then a blood trail. But we are not talking archery. So like I said, something heavy, solid, that expands would be what I would be after.

I chased bear off the front porch this spring and one came in the yard to steal my steak. But we really have thinned them out around here. They used to be seen almost every day or at least every other day. Now they are staying away from the house unless you have something out like a recycle barrel.

 

[ShawnT]

I prefer to use a heavier bullet over the lighter versions. For me in the 50 cal I would stick to a 290 to 350 grainer. I like the extra weight behind it. Keep in mind a good size bear is thicker than a deer, but also they can have a heck of a thick layer of fat covering those bones. My first bear was an old dry sow that was about 300 lb. We more or less skinned that old girl twice, once to get the hide off and the second to get the 6" layer of sticky fat off the meat! :shock: Depending on the year and available food sources they can have a thick or thinner layer according to the guide I used. The long hair on them can also soak up lots of blood so between that and the fat clogging up the holes you really want something that plows on through and expands for a good Blood trail. Bear can soak up a heck of a hit. The Boar in my avatar was 430+lb and I shot him with a 300 grain Swift A-Frame from my Knight MK-95.

Bullets I would consider would be the Barnes Expander (Knight Red Hot), Bloodline for copper bullets or Speer Deep Curl (If you can find them), Swift A-Frame for bonded core bullets. I prefer a wider meplat bullet over the pointy bullets in an ML.

I don't know much about White Hots but I would definitely think about stepping up to BH in your TC.


Just my 2 cents.

 

[Widude]

Agree, I would go a little more stout than the average SST bullet, Barnes or maybe a 300 grain XTP type bullet. No matter, much comes down to shot placement. At bait ranges one should be able to thread a needle unless rushing a shot.

With a nervous bear or the wrong breeze one may not have all day. The last bear I shot I used a shot a former guide was big on, the base of the neck. The results were immediate, could of used a 223.

 

[GM54-120]

I would consider these and they are about half of MSRP. Reliable expansion and penetration.

Nosler .451 300gr Partition $24.00 Box of 50
https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm ... 29&dir=278

They even did well in this 80gr BH209 load test
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=27089

 

[shrimpy50]

Wow. thanks for the feedback. i went to the range early today, after I bought a jug of BH 209. I only have my SST right now, I am waiting for some Barnes MZ stuff to come in the mail. I only fired 4 shots. 1 @ 50 yds. through a clean bore. 120gr. load and 250gr SST. first shot on paper. next shot 1 inch lower. I made the necessary adjustment for elevation and moved to 100 yds. The shots were perfect for elevation but still to the right. the 2 shots at 100 yds were slightly less than 2" centet to center. not as good as I hoped for, but I will be dropping the charge by 5 grs. next time.

range trip was cut short because i had no powder spout to expedite reloading. all 4 of those shots were built improvising a scoop out of cardboard and dumping powder into the lid. I spilled 50 grains or so on the bench, it was time to quit!

My thoughts are the sabots might be a little soft for the powder, so to speak. If anyone has better ideas, let me know!

 

[GM54-120]

The SST sabot is likely the red 3 petal easy load sabot. Your Barnes will likely come with the MMP HPH-24 sabots or a very similar size MMP sabot.

Since you have a T/C barrel you may want to try.
Harvester Black smooth for under 300gr (use these even with a 300gr bullet)

Harvester Black Crushribs (These are often a good fit in a tight T/C bore)

MMP HPH-24

Get this for your bottle of BH209 http://www.cabelas.com/product/Thompson ... 741104.uts

 

[shrimpy50]

I did order the spout! I was curious as towhether or not the crush rib sabots would be benficial. THanks.

 

[GM54-120]

It depends on how tight your bore is. I can load a Black Smooth or MMP HPH-24 just fine in a true .500 land to land bore. That is semi tight compared to many 50cal ML bores.

 

[alaska viking]

Well, I am new to the MZ thing, but not to bear hunting. I am also now shooting a T/C, and as posted above, the mmp 24 is the ticket. The yellow sabots that come with the Barnes TMZ's will fit, with serious pushing, but accuracy suffered, for me.
I then substituted the 24's, and WA-LA! 1" groups. Loaded MUCH easier, as well. Still takes applied pressure, but loads well. I was shooting 100 grains, (volume), of Bh209.
I have NOT killed a bear with a muzzy, yet. However, have taken over 2 dozen by other means, (center fire, bow, X-bow), as well as a couple of big brownies, and can tell you that every bear is different. Some simply die at the shot, other do not. MOST, not all, drop at a good shot, but big bears have a nasty habit of getting up and finding the thick stuff. Then you have to go dig them out. With a good shot, they are often found dead. Not always. When you find yourself entering thick stuff looking for a bear you just shot, you will find that there is simply no such thing as too much gun, or powder, or bullet.
Go big. Go accurate, and go confident.
May your bear drop at the shot, and stay there. It's best.

 

[sqezer]

With what I have read, I will be going with the .52 that I received from sabotloader with the 275 or 300 gr. Leigh or maybe the nasty XP. Being very recoil sensitize because of 2 neck surgeries I will have to suck it up and go big. THANKS.

 

[03mossy]

Good choice Sqez. I have my Omega dialed in with 120 grains b209 and a Barnes 290 tmz. Heading up tomorrow morning to refill the bait and check the camera. Gonna be a restless night.

 

[ShawnT]

From the testing that Sabotloader and Ron did with that XP, I would not hesitate to use it on Bear. I bet that bullet would break down his running gear and really mess up the vitals to boot! 8)

 

[sqezer]

From the testing that Sabotloader and Ron did with that XP, I would not hesitate to use it on Bear. I bet that bullet would break down his running gear and really mess up the vitals to boot! 8)

I really want to see what that XP will do on a bear, I have viewed some trail pictures and most are in the 200+ area but he has a few that will push the scale over 400. All the stands are placed at 40 & 50 yards, I think the XP for the first shot will do just fine & backed up with the 275 or 300 gr. BLOODLINE will do the job for sure.

 

[alaska viking]

Use the Bloodline, first. You want to drop ALL bears at the shot, and be prepared for another shot. I have killed MANY bears, and most will drop at the first shot, but some have a nasty habit of getting back up. Digging them out is not fun. I want to anchor them, period. Even the smaller black bears can take a hit. They are not super-natural, of course, but after 25-30 bears, I have been involved in a few dig-outs that I could have done without. Both flavors.

 

[50bowhunter]

Use the Bloodline, first. You want to drop ALL bears at the shot, and be prepared for another shot. I have killed MANY bears, and most will drop at the first shot, but some have a nasty habit of getting back up. Digging them out is not fun. I want to anchor them, period. Even the smaller black bears can take a hit. They are not super-natural, of course, but after 25-30 bears, I have been involved in a few dig-outs that I could have done without. Both flavors.

Amen to that. I shot this one a couple years ago, about a 40 yard shot from a treestand. At the shot he dropped and never twitched. I gathered my stuff from the tree, lowered my muzzleloader to the ground, and climbed down. When my feet hit the ground, I heard a noise and he was on hit front legs dragging himself to the edge of the ridge. Before I could do anything, he looked like a black sled going down the mountain. He was dead when he got to the bottom but it took me and my dad over an hour just to get him back to the top.

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