243 and nosler ballistic tips

[Mountain_Life]

5 inches of fat between the ribs and hide?

 

[CJ19]

5 inches of fat between the ribs and hide?

i can't speak from skinning one myself like that but some of the garbage and cornfield bears you see pictures of in PA have stomachs that almost drag on the ground. muy gordo.

 

[Smtn10pt]

5 inches of fat between the ribs and hide?

This was a 430 pound bear I took. Not the greatest pictures but all I have saved.

 

[freezerfull]

I have to agree with the more penetration is better crowd. So out of those two options I’d pick the Barnes. I shoot them with match bullets/cup and core too but more like .308 diameter 210 and 215’s.

If I was going to use a 6mm/.243 I’d be pretty picky with my shot angle, even more so with anything along the lines of a BT, SST and other polymer tipped non bonded cup and cores.

Yes, bears are easy to kill. they also can cover a lot of ground quickly while “running dead” and leave very little blood on the ground with their fat and wiry hair. I’ve also watched a bear absolutely assault a stump for about 5 seconds before expiring, 15 yards away from where it was shot. Pretty much went impact, immediate run and attack of whatever looked like a threat, I’d say bullet impact to contact at stump was 3 seconds.

My biggest piece of advise, regardless of caliber and bullet, is if they’re not stone dead put another shot in them if you have the opportunity.

 

[Big_wals]

Pennsylvania. I have a 617 pound bear mounted in my house.

Wow. I would love to find one that big in Idaho. Maybe if we ever get a grizzly season….

 

[Formidilosus]

This was a 430 pound bear I took. Not the greatest pictures but all I have saved.

You mean a 430 ponder that is maybe 12” thick across the lungs?
Yes, certain eastern bears get huge. So do SE AK bears- they are killed left and right with 223’s. No, a Barnes mono is not the best answer there. The 95gr NBT will penetrate side to side of any black bear walking and create a much better wound the whole way.

 

[Smtn10pt]

You mean a 430 ponder that is maybe 12” thick across the lungs?
Yes, certain eastern bears get huge. So do SE AK bears- they are killed left and right with 223’s. No, a Barnes mono is not the best answer there. The 95gr NBT will penetrate side to side of any black bear walking and create a much better wound the whole way.

I’m not sure if you are saying that bear isn’t the weight I said it was or not. Here’s a pic of it in the field.

If you get a perfect shot and make
Perfect placement it may work, if you get a hard quartering shot on the edge of a mountain laurel thicket you may have to let that bear walk.

 

[StupidLightweight]

That's a monster bear! Congrats. However, the "may work" with perfect shot placement statement is either disingenuous or you've never killed big game with the .243 and the right projectiles. When it comes to killing stuff quickly, that's a ferocious combo.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’m not sure if you are saying that bear isn’t the weight I said it was or not. Here’s a pic of it in the field.

I’m saying that even a 430lb bear is not very wide.

If you get a perfect shot and make
Perfect placement it may work, if you get a hard quartering shot on the edge of a mountain laurel thicket you may have to let that bear walk.

Do you have experience with the 243 and the bullet being discussed?

 

[Smtn10pt]

I’m saying that even a 430lb bear is not very wide.




Do you have experience with the 243 and the bullet being discussed?

I don’t have 243 experience, I have used both bullets in question. Plenty of deer with the BT’s and a few animals with the ttsx.

 

[Formidilosus]

I don’t have 243 experience, I have used both bullets in question. Plenty of deer with the BT’s and a few animals with the ttsx.

You’ve used the 6mm 95gr NBT, and from that you think it doesn’t penetrate deep enough for a bear?

 

[cuerro viejo]

Howdy fellas I'm looking for advice and experiences on shooting black bear with a 243 win . My shots will be under 250 yards spot and stalk or waiting at water . I own more potent caliber but I shoot this super accurate rifle well and has put 7 deer down this year with 95 gr balistic tips and 80 gr Barnes ttsx 80 gr. with out issue. The ttsx loading gave full penetration but seemingly slow to kill with a vital shot deer running 50 to 100yds. The ballistic tip either dropper them in place or they ran less than 50 yds but only exited about 50% of the time with obvious core separation. Any advice or suggestions is appreciated.

95 NBT is second only to 95 TMK. If you must use a Mono, a hot loaded 80gr TTSX, and keep shots under 200, and be prepared to track further.

I use a 16” 22 CM and 77TMK in all the non-communist states, and a 6cm in the communist state

Regardless of bear size, there is no iron curtain over the vitals. Fat and thin rib bones are no match for ANY center fire rifle.

Don’t over think it, your current experience has already been verified by you. Believe in the results. Deer are harder to kill then bears

 

[Smtn10pt]

You’ve used the 6mm 95gr NBT, and from that you think it doesn’t penetrate deep enough for a bear?

I shot 130 gr NBT out of my 270, never used a 95 gr 6mm round. I think it will be fine on most bear, I don't think you are hitting an XL quartering toward bear on the point of the shoulder and killing it with a BT. If someone does I would like to see it.

 

[Taudisio]

I shot 130 gr NBT out of my 270, never used a 95 gr 6mm round. I think it will be fine on most bear, I don't think you are hitting an XL quartering toward bear on the point of the shoulder and killing it with a BT. If someone does I would like to see it.

That is a STUD of a bear you got. Here was my post using a 6 creedmoor (effectively a 243) with the ELD-Match at 524 yards.

Post in thread '6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/6mm-243-hunting-success-on-big-game.284525/post-4122040


The 95gr Nosler BT is a different animal and has a great track record and story behind its development. You should dig into it.

 

[Formidilosus]

I shot 130 gr NBT out of my 270, never used a 95 gr 6mm round. I think it will be fine on most bear, I don't think you are hitting an XL quartering toward bear on the point of the shoulder and killing it with a BT. If someone does I would like to see it.

The 6mm 95gr isn’t a .277 130gr NBT.

And you are worried about a super, massive “shoulder” that is about as thick as a standard piece of cardboard and that you can see through? And that shoulder that is at the very edge of the vitals, or not even covering them?

 

[100percent]

This was a 430 pound bear I took. Not the greatest pictures but all I have saved.

Man, that’s one hell of a lot of boot polish!!!

 

[Steve O]

The 95g .243 BT is not like any other NBT. It was the pet project of their top ballistician, Gail Root, and he designed and refined it for himself and his pet 243 Winchester. It doesn’t matter what NBT you have experience with, none of them are designed the same as the .243 95g

It will work on ANY black bear just fine.

 

[DawnPatrol]

Shoot either bullet through both the lungs, you’ll be fine. Hit the guts or the shoulder, it won’t matter what bullet (or caliber/round) you shot it with.

 

[Smtn10pt]

The 95g .243 BT is not like any other NBT. It was the pet project of their top ballistician, Gail Root, and he designed and refined it for himself and his pet 243 Winchester. It doesn’t matter what NBT you have experience with, none of them are designed the same as the .243 95g

It will work on ANY black bear just fine.

I was unaware of this. I based my initial comments on my experience with that bullet in a different caliber and noslers description that the ballistic tip is designed for antelope and deer sized game.

 

[03mossy]

Having recently rebarreled a couple rifles to 243 I have been reading everything I can on 243 bullets for deer and the 95 grain ballistic tips seem to be well loved and rarely anything bad ever said about them.

Seems to be the cheapest factory option for them is the Winchester silver tips?