Which rifle for black bear?

[Kevn]

.”

 

[cuerro viejo]

I know both will do the job if I do mine, just curious which one people with experience would recommend. I will be hunting in CO this September. I have not done this hunt before or hunted bear before. From what I'm hearing it sounds likely shots will be in or around thick oak brush.

I have a Rifles Inc 300 win mag with a 4-16x Huskemaw scope shooting 180gr Nosler E tips at 2900fps. It shoots them well and I've taken a variety of game with it over the years.

My other option is a Browning X bolt Hells Canyon Speed in 270 win with a Huskemaw 3-12x shooting Hornady 145gr ELD-X factory ammo at 2880fps. I haven't owned it as long, but I've shot it a lot preparing for a muley hunt last year and it also shoots really well.

Both rifles are about the same weight, accuracy, and have similar scopes and triggers. I have confidence shooting both. Velocities and BC are pretty close between them. It's mainly a decision between best terminal performance in a brushy environment, would you prefer a mono-metal 30 caliber bullet, or a more fragile .277 bullet?

Thanks for your help.

Since you’re in Colorado I’d roll 6CM if you were south in NM I’d say 22 CM. I also wouldnt want a mono since you aren’t required, there for no good reason for one. In other words of the two options you gave flip a coin if you shoot then the same

Dont over think it caliber wise, just reminder front of middle middle not shoulder.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Growing up I’d shoot them with my 270 and a fixed 4x Bushnell. 130g silver tips from wal mart worked well. It’s the only gun I had until I was 37.

My dad always used his antelope rifle, a 240 weatherby.

The 270 is fairly antiquated these days but it will absolutely work.

 

[danhuntingmi]

Unless you're in some sort of pinch you're probably better off shooting a bear with a bonafide big game rifle (that you shoot accurately). Because that's exactly what they are is a real big game animal. So why not use something designed for the job? Both guns mentioned in original post should work if he is able to shoot them well.

Bears have a large amount of fur and, often, fat that tends to limit the blood trail compared to other many other animals. Using a specific cartridge or bullet might not change this. Follow up shots aren't a bad idea if you have them. If nothing else, if a bear is on the ground then keep your scope on him a while because he'll be hard to track if he finds his feet again like they do.

 

[Halky010]

Just about any caliber from a .243 on up is good black bear medicine.

That is provided that the correct bullet and bullet placement is practiced.

I hit a black bear at 300 yards with my .340 Weatherby and that bear went 100 yards. Was it the bullet, rifle, me, or did he just decide to travel after being shot?

 

[jdub17]

Black bears are not difficult to kill. Any legal centerfire you shoot well is enough. Shot placement is much more important than caliber.

 

[Poser]

I use a 25-06 with 117 gr bullets. In your case, I'd go with the .270

 

[Fujicon]

Blacks can be tough -- rarely -- but will typically go down with hunting rounds like 300WM and 270 (and good shot placement). On the other hand, you indicated the environement is heavy brush, so personally I'd suggest investing in a 358Win or similar if this will be the kind of hunting you plan to engage annually.

 

[mcseal2]

This isn’t an annual trip, just another adventure as tags get more difficult to draw for other hunts. Its another opportunity to get out and see new country, learn to be a better hunter.

 

[204_ruger]

I am going on my first bear hunt next spring. I put a new setup together for the trip.
Browning xbolt 280AI Speed LR rifle. 1@8 26-inch barrel. Topped with a Leupold VX6 HD 4x24x52mm. Do I need to shoot different type bullet in grizzly area? I have never seen one. Or hunted anyway there they are. Been around alot of black bears. Took my wife bear hunting with her crossbow. She killed a male toad . She got her information about her bear tooth back. It was 7 yrs old. She set up her a bear bait. Back to bullet type.

Hornady ELD X 162, 175 gr. ELD M 162 180.
Berger classic hunter 150 168 gr VLD 168 gr
Nosler Accubond LR 150 168gr.
Nosler Partition 140 150 160 gr.
I have alot of other bullets. Just the ones I was thinking about.

 

[wyldman]

I use a Kimber 84L select grade 30-06 with cheap Remington core lokt ammo either 150 or 180. It lays everything down.

 

[Birdybird]

Yes, I've been responsible for the killing of hundreds. At this stage in my life, around 300 of them.

Hi, i am terrified of the idea of tracking a bear because i hunt bears in bushy areas with swamps and i dont have an ATV.

What would you consider a high powered rifle? I have a 30-06. My friend told me to get a 300 wm but i refused. He said that I do not need to track at all with a 300 wm but not with a 30-06.

And what would you consider a good bullet?

Thanks

 

[Seak_angler]

Either is perfect. But I am a 270 guy so another vote there lol

 

[Poser]

This whole hole plugging up nonsense is non sensical . I've had bears squirting blood out of them more often than slim blood trails . And every slim blood trail has come from a shoulder or wannabe neck shooting deer hunter . Infact the quickest kill I've ever seen on a black bear was a 80gr .243 from a new hunters gun . He was so dead he never moaned perfect low elbow shot and an absolute bloodbath

So, I saw an example of this "plugging up", though, it would never have occured to me to use that term.
Bears can be difficult to determine features on: Hair is long and consistent. I had a bear standing up on his hind legs in lower light. He appeared to be close to fully broadside, but he must have been more rotated (less broadside) than I perceived with his head turned fully broadside. I shot, he dropped down to all 4s and started walking briskly to my left. I saw an opening he would hit and dropped him there with a 2nd shot.

Upon inspection, my first shot entered the backstrap and exited the center of chest with little expansion.
While butchering him out, I noted this was a fully sucking chest wound as any pressure on the rib cage resulted in a sucking sound. No blood at the entry or exit wound, no blood where I shot him and no blood in the 40 yards between the 1st and 2nd shot. Backstrap was very damaged and only partially salvageable.

Only time that has happened, but I was a bit surprised. Every other bear I've shot (admittingly, not too many) has dropped on impact. This particularly shot did not. I aim center mass

 

[RufusB.Marion]

Yes, I've been responsible for the killing of hundreds. At this stage in my life, around 300 of them.

Around 300? How you do that?

 

[Yoteassasin]

So, I saw an example of this "plugging up", though, it would never have occured to me to use that term.
Bears can be difficult to determine features on: Hair is long and consistent. I had a bear standing up on his hind legs in lower light. He appeared to be close to fully broadside, but he must have been more rotated (less broadside) than I perceived with his head turned fully broadside. I shot, he dropped down to all 4s and started walking briskly to my left. I saw an opening he would hit and dropped him there with a 2nd shot.

Upon inspection, my first shot entered the backstrap and exited the center of chest with little expansion.
While butchering him out, I noted this was a fully sucking chest wound as any pressure on the rib cage resulted in a sucking sound. No blood at the entry or exit wound, no blood where I shot him and no blood in the 40 yards between the 1st and 2nd shot. Backstrap was very damaged and only partially salvageable.

Only time that has happened, but I was a bit surprised. Every other bear I've shot (admittingly, not too many) has dropped on impact. This particularly shot did not. I aim center mass

To be clear ... you hit no vitals ... or bone? .. you've just reinforced my point . It's easy to aim to high and not hit anything of substance . AIM lower

 

[pacoalcracker]

Is a 270 Winchester fairly antiquated? By what standard? It will run with a 6.5PRC out to 600+ yards and who is shooting a bear beyond that? I ran the numbers and I will keep my 270, thank you.

It didn't get to be the "Rifleman's rifle" for nothing. Go with that 270 and leave the 300 mag in the safe.

 

[adventure907]

Here is an example of how a bear can plug up and not bleed. Zero blood to trail, yet a dead bear.

 

[Poser]

To be clear ... you hit no vitals ... or bone? .. you've just reinforced my point . It's easy to aim to high and not hit anything of substance . AIM lower

I don't know if I didn't hit any vitals or not on the first shot as the follow up shot did extensive vital damage. I do know that shot entered and exited through key vital areas, but did not bleed, at least in the ~30 second time frame. Its entirely possible the lungs were filling up with blood and that bear was 60 seconds from dropping dead. I also know from experience that if a bear doesn't go down in ~50 yards, there's a good chance you lost it.