Black bear hunting in grizzly country a bullet question.

[204_ruger]

I am planning on going spring bear hunting next spring. Taking 14 days off to go on. In either Idaho or Montana hopefully. In a grizzly country. I am planning on taking my new 280AI. Shooting ELD 175 X or or 180 gr M. But I can take my new 300 wby 200 gr ELD X. Or should I go with a different type bullet. In case something happens. I want to stop a bear from mauling me. Will the Hornady bullet work? Or should I go with a partition type bullet? I am taking a 10 mm also with bear spray.

 

[mike.adams.467]

I hunt with a .300 Win Magnum and don't carry my pistol when I am rifle hunting. I always have spray with me.

 

[Jason Snyder]

An Abrams tank?

In all seriousness, the .280 is fine. I’ve never carried spray and/or a pistol when I had a rifle.

Do what makes you feel comfortable.

 

[IDVortex]

So if we play the 'what if' game (which I'm very good at doing too, so not trying to judge you!) If you were about to be attacked by a charging griz, and had one shot to make sure counted, id be taking my lighter rifle I know for damn sure I can be way more accurate with then a heavy gun that if I can get a second shot off with, I'll be able to stay closer to on target then a magnum that rises the gun to the moon and back.

I don't carry bear spray. And the only reason I carry a pistol with me with a rifle is if I do get a animal down, my hand gun is more exasisible then my rifle, and if I'm looking for a rounded bear in thick cover or a down game in thick cover, ill take my handgun over a rifle.

At the end of the day, do what's comfortable to you though. But if you take a magnum. And not practicing for rushed shots and follow up shots for a chance of a charging griz I see no need to bring it.

 

[IDVortex]

An Abrams tank?

In all seriousness, the .280 is fine. I’ve never carried spray and/or a pistol when I had a rifle.

Do what makes you feel comfortable.

Abrams are the same as a .223, you need a atomic bomb if you want to be lethal.

 

[mcseal2]

I have to think hard about carrying both a handgun and rifle except in big bear country, and then it depends on how I'll carry my rifle.

Hunting AK I carry a 300 win mag with 180gr E tips. I also carry a 10mm in a chest holster, but I do that because I'll often strap the rifle to my pack if the terrain is fairly open and I can get away with it. Trekking poles in both hands are nice in tundra, and the pistol is still quickly accessible. I have never carried spray. The odds of needing any bear protection are low with good situational awareness. The pistol is multi-purpose in my view, I can hunt a caribou or blacktail with my 10mm if my rifle has a failure and I'm working with weight limits on what I can take. The handgun limits range, but it's still a chance.

If you consider that you are comfortable with a 10mm, the same logic says that almost any rifle is more effective. Easier to shoot and much more powerful.

Personally, I'd probably take the lighter of the two rifles, no pistol or spray (at least when packing them on my body). I'd pick a bonded or mono-metal bullet for the rifle though as a little insurance. Probably not necessary but it makes me more comfortable knowing I have the extra penetration if something does happen.

 

[Luke S]

I shot a 6 foot grizzly with a 308 and ELDM bullets. A Rocky Mountain grizzly probably won't be huge. Use what you are more comfortable with. I'd go with the lighter rifle assuming it has a good scope and you shoot it well. Pistol or bear spray if it's not accessible. More importantly be smart and don't jump a grizzly.

 

[204_ruger]

I am used to black bears. I see them alot turkey and squirrel hunting. Had a big black bear within 15 yards or less. I had a 28 ga 6 shot for squirrel hunting. He finally seen me . He ran 30 yds and started popping his teeth. And kind of blowing. I was setting still. He was eating white oak acorns. He walked over this hump. And he was that close. Wind had picked up. I could hear something. Couldn't tell exact direction the sound was coming from. When I decide on the scope. Just looking around at all the options. I am going spending alot time getting used to it. Going to predator hunt with it too. Spend as much time behind it as I can. I won't be walking into brush. I never seen a grizzly out in the wild. Going to carry 10 mm in chest holster. I wanted to asked because ya live around them. Areas ya hunt do ya see many? I didn't know if ya carried different rifle and ammo. In areas that had more grizzlies as others.

 

[ZAK13]

As a few others have already stated, the 280 is just fine, and I'm assuming it's the lighter of the 2 you have. As for whether you choose to carry a pistol as well, that's completely up to you.

 

[plebe]

If you were about to be attacked by a charging griz, and had one shot to make sure counted, id be taking my lighter rifle I know for damn sure I can be way more accurate with then a heavy gun that if I can get a second shot off with, I'll be able to stay closer to on target then a magnum that rises the gun to the moon and back.

Freehand, this may hold true with a semi-auto. Otherwise working the action is taking you far enough off POA that it’s probably not going to have a significant impact on the follow up shot.

I don’t know that it’s really much of a thing at charging bear distance anyway, especially with some practice. Deer trackers and driven boar hunters routinely pull off hectic shots w/ follow ups using bigger bore rifles. Probably managing the stress of the situation is more critical than bore diameter.

Anyway, just my thoughts.