Best 30 caliber bullet for a grizzly?

[Salmonchaser]

Take a poll of the guides who hunt the bears. Swift A frames and Nosler partitions will top the list, but what do guides know.

 

[Don Fischer]

As noted I did shoot my grizzly bear with a hand loaded 140 gr. Nosler Accubond out of my 280AI at 3186 fps. Speed checked with a chronograph. The shot was 158 yards broadside. I hit him in the lungs tight behind his right shoulder. He spun 180 degrees into the shot and in one fluid motion did two tight somersaults and was dead. Never even twitched! The bullet exited out the off side behind the shoulder.

I REALLY like Nosler Accubonds, Partitions, and E-tips. They all have worked very well for me and my son over the years. In your 30-06 I personally would feel completely confident in the following.

165 gr. Accubond or Partition - 168 gr. E-tip
180 gr. Accubond, Partition, or E-tip
200 gr. Accubond or Partition

View attachment 183991

I think myself that the best bullet for large game are the bonded bullet's. Hornady claims about 90% retention with theires, that's a lot. I asked Nosler and they told me they are designed to maintain 70%, same as the partition. I tested Speer Hot Core myself years ago into newspaper at 100yds and they maintained 84%, not to bad at all. In all three the core is supposed to stay bonded to the jacket. I don't know about the Nosler or the Hornady but the Speer hot core did! I think if I were planning a trip to Africa I would take the time to shoot the bullet's into some media to determine how well they hold together. I'd also go with heavy for caliber bullet's to gain advantage of the heavier bullet. A 30-06 with a good 200gr bullet will probably do well on a very large animal, it'll also kill a Dik Dik!

The Barnes TSX when it first came out was written about quitre a bit by J.J. Hack, African Pro hunter. His main concern was the petals breaking off and losing penetration. He got past that and has given the TSX high marks in Africa. I suspect that would go for the world. But whatever you use I'd suggest shooting them into some media at what you would consider the max and min range you plan to shoot and know what your looking at before you get there.

 

[deerhunter24]

300 win mag with winchetser 180 grain power points.

 

[GeorgeBlack]

Is not going to be a long shot,most of the time.
Just my opinion,a Berger 190gr or more will do fine.Shot placement will be more important.
Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Pahoundsman]

Is not going to be a long shot,most of the time.
Just my opinion,a Berger 190gr or more will do fine.Shot placement will be more important.
Good luck on your hunt.

The bear met his waterloo with 181 hammers. They did a terrific job at 325 yards .

 

[Salmonchaser]

That's a fair poke on a bear, well done.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Congrats on the bear! I have used the 181 Hammer Hunter in a 300 RUM, but only with an eastern whitetail. Probably overkill.

 

[Pahoundsman]

That's a fair poke on a bear, well done.

Thanks, I was hunting interior bears and we were above timber. That’s as close as we could get.

 

[Pahoundsman]

Congrats on the bear! I have used the 181 Hammer Hunter in a 300 RUM, but only with an eastern whitetail. Probably overkill.

Definitely overkill, but you probably didn’t have to look too hard for him.

 

[Red-Team 98]

Heading to Alaska in September and I was looking for some input from some other shooters. I currently have been loading the Winchester silvertip in 180 grain for elk and they do a great job. I think they would work nicely on bears and I have a couple hundred left. I also have a load worked up for 168 game king.looking forward to some feedback.

I suggest a bonded type bullet .
The Nosler Part a excellent and the Swift A Frame a excellent bullet. I do not suggest anything from Sierra for large dangerous game.
Jeff in Alaska

 

[Mallardsx2]

Oddly enough, I don't shoot through a deer with my 300 WSM shooting 150 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertips.

I'm not sure I would want to shoot a grizzly with one. lol

I did kill a 225 pound black bear with one though...

 

[Bill Zent]

I doubt bullet type and weight used for picking your shot at an unsuspecting Grizz would be the same choice for a charging bear at close range.

 

[Pahoundsman]

Oddly enough, I don't shoot through a deer with my 300 WSM shooting 150 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertips.

I'm not sure I would want to shoot a grizzly with one. lol

I did kill a 225 pound black bear with one though...

I don’t reload the ballistic tips. I have some of the old silvertip bullets that they discontinued years ago. They are a great solid bullet.

 

[Maverick1]

@deerhunter24 - Two years later....OP has been on his hunt, filled his tag, AND replied to the thread.....nice job, @Pahoundsman!

 

[Salmonchaser]

Thanks, I was hunting interior bears and we were above timber. That’s as close as we could get.

Who did you hunt with?

 

[Pahoundsman]

Who did you hunt with?

Roland Welker,he won season 7 of Alone. He’s got a nice camp in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Salmonchaser]

IT is a big state! I know many of the guys guiding bear but I never met him during my career up there. Congratulations on your bear again.

 

[Pahoundsman]

IT is a big state! I know many of the guys guiding bear but I never met him during my career up there. Congratulations on your bear again.

Thanks, he runs a camp out of 47 creek

 

[Wind Gypsy]

#Pencildick

Grizzly Hunting with a 6.5 Creedmoor

Many of the people who poke fun at the 6.5 Creedmoor don't have a clue. It's perfectly capable of killing even big Alaskan grizzlies.

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