These are on my list to try. Sounds like they perform well and are accurate. At one time they had a 150 gr 277 and would like to the 140 gr 6.5 mm as well.
Maybe I missed it but what general area of our province did you end up hunting in? You definitely made the right choice in using your guides rifle instead of your bow. Pretty tough to get close to big old smart bears.
It was supposed to be an inexpensive load kind of like the Hornady Interlock factory loads (American Whitetail?) they put out bit for some reason they screwed that load up. Hopefully the Browning 170 gr plated is better in that inexpensive category. All the rest of the loads are decent but the...
On the Facebook 6.8 Western sites I'm on (there's two I know of) the Browning 175 gr Sierra TGK factory load is the most accurate on average in a variety of guns. I handload that bullet and it was easy to get excellent accuracy with it. My custom Tikka hates the Winchester 165 gr ABLR factory...
Don't have anything to help you with but have thought this bullet would be an excellent choice in a 300 WSM even in the 1 in 11 Tikkas. Be just as good in your 1 in 9 twist.