Black Bear. What's your caliber

[MTLabrador]

This year I'll be carrying a 6/250 maybe a 6.5C some days, my boy a .243. Mostly will be packing coffee, a piece of foam, and lots of glass to enjoy watching them.

Those choices sound a little light. I’m afraid they will have to be approved by at least one Canadian before you hunt...

 

[The Hedgehog]

.223
62 gr. TTSX
One shot broke shoulder and crushed him.

 

[jdf]

300 RUM. 212 gr Eld x

 

[Sask hunter]

The bigger guns shine on the not broadside shots. My favourite shot on a bear is a quartering to or away shot break one of theirs shoulders on the way in or out and he is rolling around for a few second lots of times to get ready for a second shot as soon as he gets his feet under him. No fun to track stuff I would rather shoot him and get him down at the barrel

 

[Richardbell]

Marlin 444. Nice in the forest

 

[ccc23454]

I think i am really gonna try to shot a blonde bear with my .44 blackhawk this spring

 

[PNWGator]

77gr TMK out of a .223.

 

[mikwat]

My default rifle for most everything is a 6.5 Swede. I like to throw a 129 grain accubond. Never hunted bear though...

 

[jt13]

Take home point from all these replies seems to be you can kill a bear with just about anything from .223 Rem to 50 BMG.

My wife killed her bear in Quebec with a 7mm-08 140gr Nosler Partition and I killed my bear in Newfoundland with a 270 Win shooting 150gr Core-lokts. Both worked

 

[BAKPAKR]

I haven’t found bears that hard to kill. I have taken a few with 44 Magnum revolvers. This past fall, I took my 6.5 CM with 147 gr. ELD-Ms and my 223 with 77 gr TMKs but I didn’t see any bears. I would guess any 125+ gr mono or 150+ gr cup and core bullet out of your 300 would work fine on bears.

 

[Brian in Montana]

My only bear was with a .308 - 165gn Federal Trophy Bonded Tip.

 

[Tracks74]

Great thread and discussion. I am using a 7mm rem mag this spring with a 168 grain. I feel that is ample impact for a clean ethical kill

 

[Huzzar]

Used a Ruger No. 1 in 45-70 last year. Will be using the Uberti Courteney in 303 British this fall.

 

[Mitchellmountain]

When I hunt PA and NY it’s 358 Winchester shooting 220 gr. Speer flat nose. This spring out west will be shooting 6.5-284 and 142gr accubonds.

 

[belshawelk]

Shot mine with a 300Wm with 180 Gr Accubond at 75 yards. Came out of the woods looked straight at me lifted his head to smell and I shot him in the chest. Found bullet against against the hide on rear hind quarter

 

[Dunning Kruger]

First bear i shot was with a .44 mag revolver with hcfn. Then several with a .308 win88 shooting 150gr corelokts. 2019 i used a .30-30 and took 2 bears. This last season i took 3 with a .444 marlin shooting the (now discontinued) 265gr hornady superformance FP and im sold on it. When i run out of that ammo im going to try out the underwood extreme penetrators. Its my new go-to bear gun, but i do want to get one with my .460 s&w this coming year, and id like to try out my .450 bushmaster ar just for shits and giggles.

 

[wyoboypt]

I’ve only shot 1. 130g interlock from my .270. Quartering on through his shoulder and exited behind the far shoulder. Went 20 yds.

 

[Bullshot]

I am also in the one bear club, taken with a 50 cal T/C Omega shooting a 44 cal 300 grain XTP mag atop 100 grains 777