150 Ballistic tips for bear?

[Clem Bronkoski]

I'd say definitely no. I hit a bear 1 time in the gut and 3 times in the chest with a .308 Win using 150 gr bullets. This was at distances of 40 yards to 20 yards. (ran toward me on the first shot) That bear ran about 300 yards before another hunter shot it. The bear weighed close to 400 lb. I'm sure if I had been using 180 gr bullets there wouldn't have been a problem. Oh yea the bullets were Core Lokts. Nosler BTs I've used in my 270 for deer many many times from in my lap to over 400 yards with no problem. More often than not they were DRT.
I don't believe a 150 gr bullet has the penetration required for a bear over 200 lb. Especially in the fall when they have a lot of fat.
I know this is a long range forum but my favorite cartridge for bear is my lever action .45-70 and 300 gr hps or 405 gr cast bullets. It knocks the snot out of them.

 

[Old Rooster]

Clem I just got my Accurate Mold 405 gr Mold and will cast hard cast bullets at 20-22 bh.
What load do you recommend?

 

[Raudy707]

I guess I've had opposite experiences with both the bears and the bullets. Black bears in my neck of the woods, and I haven't killed 100's, but somewhere in the two dozen count have all been pretty tough to kill on the spot. They have all ran some distance before expiring and a few had me catching up and using a finishing shot to kill. Not as tough as an elk but much tougher than a deer. Nosler Ballistic Tips actually worked very well on the bears we've taken over the years. I've taken half a dozen 300 lb bears with a 115 Ballistic Tip from a 25-06 and 257 Roberts. One shot kills, short track jobs. Under 100 yds. The ones we've had the most trouble with have been since we've switched to lead free here in California. We needed 3 shots from a 6.5 Creedmoor with 130 grain factory Federal loads despite the first shot being shot higher in the crease. Seems the shot only clipped a lung. Tracked him another mile and finally got a few more in him to end the saga. Next one was 6.5 PRC 127 LRX. Shot looked good but again the bear ran 400 yds. We tracked minimal blood, mostly fresh tracks and disturbed leaves and earth to find him sneaking into a big chamise patch I assume to die, but one more in the head neck junction put him down for good. These aren't huge bears. Avg is 250 to 300 lbs. But easy to kill they are not. We hunt spot and stalk and shots are 50 to 400 yds. I've seen the 115, 130, 150s and 168 Ballistic Tips all kill bears with one shot. Very effective. But they all still cover some ground 50 to 100 yds in violent fashion. Brush and dirt flying branches breaking dust and debris flying in the air. Hell a few have turned into a Tasmanian devil from looney tunes and spun themselves 30 or 40 yds before dying. I sure as heck wouldn't want to be in their path to their "easy" death.

 

[Raudy707]

BTW congratulations to you and your daughter both getting bears. My nephews each have taken bears these past 2 weeks of the season. My little nephew shot his with a 308 150 grain E-tip head on at 50 yds. It went down but got back up. He followed up with one thru the shoulders and then one more to the neck. He's 13 and this is his first big game animal. He's the little guy in the green t-shirt. His cousin was with him. Then he got his own bear on Sunday with his 7 mag. 150 grain ttsx. One shot double lung. Ran into the timber and died.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

Clem I just got my Accurate Mold 405 gr Mold and will cast hard cast bullets at 20-22 bh.
What load do you recommend?

PM sent.

Raudy I'm glad you had good success with the BTs but I personally wouldn't use them for bear. I loved the 130s i my 270 Win for deer and kill so many DRT for 10 to over 400 yards. I also agree that bear aren't that hard to kill if hit in the right spot. I've killed them with an 06, 300 WM and 45-70. Out of these 3 cartridges I must say that the old 45-70 is my favorite.

 

[VinceMule]

The 150g Hornady flat base is a lot stouter bullet, they are available.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

The 150g Hornady flat base is a lot stouter bullet, they are available.

I like the good old Hornady Interlocks. IMO they are all that's needed foe elk and down including black bear. For moose and larger I want a bit better bullet. I like the Barnes TSX for those times. But for bear in a 30 cal I want at least 165 gr and 180 preferred.

 

[CBH Australia]

Update, day 3 of the hunt and she killed a cinnamon @100 yards. Complete pass thru the 165 bonded, DRT.

Gorgeous Bear,

Congratulations, was it the .308?
My first thoughts were if it were my daughter I'd be backing her with the .300wm too.

I'm keen on a Bear, the Cinnamon phase would be great.

 

[Coldfinger]

Don't hit the front shoulder bone. I loaded some for a friends deer rifle and he got an opportunity to harvest a bear. Small bear 175 pounds or so at 50 yards broadside. I got the call to skin her out (what are friends for lol) I was not impressed with the bullets performance. Smashed the front leg made it through one lung and into the other as shrapnel. Very little damage outside of wound channel. I would have figured a 150 grain bullet something would have made it at least to the opposite ribs.

 

[rharfo]

Gorgeous Bear,

Congratulations, was it the .308?
My first thoughts were if it were my daughter I'd be backing her with the .300wm too.

I'm keen on a Bear, the Cinnamon phase would be great.

Yes, her bear was taken with the 308, 165 gr bonded bullet from factory federal, shot was 100 yards, pass thru.
I was tagged out and was not carrying my 300.

 

[VinceMule]

the family has killed quite a few elk with the 154g Hornady flat base, which is rated an elk bullet. These 154's are quite accurate, also!

 

[dogbuster0006]

Punch him through the shoulder, black bears aren't hard to kill they're harder to shoot properly because of the thick fur and lack of anatomy study. I don't care what critters you shoot aim to break it's offside shoulder and it's game over.

 

[VinceMule]

+1

I wish more people would speak of aiming so you break the off side shoulder!