Bullet Recommendation for Black Bear Hunt

[DRT]

Take a .17HMR. It's the only caliber anyone needs.[emoji849]
Seriously, any round you would shot a whitetail with can easily kill a bear. That rifle of yours I wouldn't worry about a blood trail. Bust his shoulders down and you wont have to search for him at all.
More than enough gun regardless of bullet weight.

Gary

[DirtyDave]

Have you looked at the Hornady 325gr FTX?
They are supposed to perform pretty well.

But just about any expanding bullet will work out of a 45-70 at 30 yards

[dphillips62]

http://www.acmebullet.com/bullets-reloading-brass/45-70-Hard-Cast-Lead-Bullets?product_id=448

these
they are wicked
if you don't care for coated they also have the uncoated

[Radar]

I still think that Remington pump in 35 Remington would make a more memorable hunt with a modern rifle. Especially at 30 yards.

Guess its like them yankees coming down here to hunt hogs with a 45-70 loaded with some crazy azz high powered load. I guided some fellers from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and according to them, these hogs we got in Texas are man eaters and must be shot with elephant killing loads as they will over run you and gobble you up.

Aint nothing like a yankee sitting in a box blind over a feeder at 50 yards with a shoulder busting 45-70

Now if you loaded that 45-70 with 65 grs of black powder and shot a 1-16 tin/lead cast bullet from an old Lyman Govt 405gr mould using iron sights, that would be cool. I dont believe I would waste a bunch of money on some fancy ammo though.

Heck, just take what you want and enjoy yourself. Kill a biggun.

[T-roy66]

Thanks for all the replies. Radar you have a good recommendation. I will bring the 35 Remington and the 45-70 and let the moment move me as to which one to hunt with. I ordered a box of 405 grain cast performance bullets to try in the 45-70. I have a couple of boxes of 300 grain hollow points that I will try. I will have to shoot the 35 rem to see if it shoots accurately The gun came from my wife grandfather when he passed. I will shot the 35 rem. with some 200 grain soft points. I will keep you'll in the loop as to how well it shoots. Thanks again for the recommendations.

[Texastaxi]

I used the Federal Premium Power Shock 300 gr Jacketed Soft Point.

My guide told me to shoot until he said stop; he didn't want the bear hitting the ground alive and risk it going after the dogs, so after the first shot, I racked another one and shot a 2nd time. Then he pushed my rifle down and said "I couldn't tell you to stop fast enough, but that first shot dang near knocked it out of the tree".

He said I picked an excellent caliber for bear and that he'd never seen one hit that hard. That big, slower bullet puts some serious hurt on them.

[oneeye]

Aint nothing like a yankee sitting in a box blind over a feeder at 50 yards with a shoulder busting 45-70

That's how this Yankee does it and it's very effective. The only difference is I shoot a 458 x 2 Marlin. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to buy or roll my own hard cast bullet that is accurate from its Douglas barrel. The 300 JHP's do the job just fine.

[Radar]

That's how this Yankee does it and it's very effective. The only difference is I shoot a 458 x 2 Marlin. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to buy or roll my own hard cast bullet that is accurate from its Douglas barrel. The 300 JHP's do the job just fine.