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….