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Hunting & Fishing First bear hunt

Tikkad

Sergeant
Minuteman
Mar 3, 2010
239
0
32
Abilene texas
Alright there may be more questions to come this being my first time hunting bear's and all, but I want everything to go well. The hunt will be at then end of November for Black Bear. I want to first make sure my weapon and load is right.

The firearm is a 300 Weatherby Magnum Mark 5 in a Manners stock with a 20MOA base Leupold Mark 4 rings and a Leupold vx3 4.5- 14x50

as far as large caliber center fires I also have a 308, a 257wby, a 6mm-AI a 270, and a 30-06 But i feel that this will be the best choice.

----Bullet choice is my real question -----
In the past i have done well with 180gr Nosler partitions over IMR4350

but like i said previously I want all to go well... I want a bullet that will not blow up on close range shots but will still get the job done if I have to reach out there a little bit. so any load recommendations would be great Im just mostly concerned at the moment over bullet selection (and powder)
 
Re: First bear hunt

Hard to find fault with the Partition on heavy game. If you're comfortable with it then I'd run it for sure.
 
Re: First bear hunt

Used and witnessed partitions used to drop all manner of game in AK. Seemed to work as well or better than whatever new design was popular at any given time. I think you're GTG.
 
Re: First bear hunt

Nosler is what I used in my 300wby 180gr and 340wby 250gr that is my main meat getter, pushed hard. Never ever failed from around 85 yards out to 425, been using them since 1978, too many to list. Thick bone and muscle boobo, thin skin bou and tuff goats where it ideal to tip over where they stand. Its a Mark5 superlight, alloy mounts and fixed 3x to keep the weight low.

Where do you plan to hunt? I only ask because, I would recommend a lighter rifle since you have 308 and 06 if the AO requires you to tote a rifle all day up and down and around. But I also know sometimes you just gotta with a certain pop gun. As far as horse power, 300wby with 180gr has plenty to spare for blackie. Its good for an interior and coastal brownie even though I prefer a 338 after using both.

Good luck
 
Re: First bear hunt

where are you hunting at? that would be the first question, theres alot of times i owuld rather be packin a light weight 308 or 3006 than that bigh heavy 300. any of the rounds you listed will put down a black bear real quick as long as you do your part and put the bullet where it needs to go. I made a bad shot with a 340 wby using 250grn Partions back in may and the bear got in the brush.... not a good situation to be in