I just picked up a model 60 3" .357 and will carry it while hiking. Looking for good black bear load. I live in western washington and most bears are 250 - 300 lbs. I was thinking of the barnes xpb in either 125 or 140gr. Or should I stick with a heavier hard cast gas check bullet?

I would go with a 158 or 170 hard cast LSWC if .357 was the only choice, personally I would have a .44 or .41 mag but thats just me.

A heavy lead flat nose GC is probably your best bet, here's an example of a Buffalo Bore load:

Buffalo Bore Ammunition 357 Magnum 180 Grain Lead Flat Nose Gas Check Box of 20 - MidwayUSA

357 is not the ideal choice for bear defense, but it's better than nothing. If you are handloading, a heavy crimp is very important here. You do not want bullets jumping the crimp and binding up your cylinder in a critical situation.

I second this recommendation - I carry this same load while deer & elk hunting. It's a GREAT LOAD!

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David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

I agree with the 180 gr BB. And I would feel more comfortable with a caliber stating with a 4. Be that as it may and attack will prob be up close and fast. Shooting the bear in the heart/lungs will make him/her mad as it rips you a new one. Head shots are considered "stoppers" by people much more knowledgeable than myself. A drill that has been used is to get a 3 gallon bucket, tie a rope to the handle and the other end to a 4-wheeler. Have the person drive at you so that the bucket bounces on the ground and you shoot the bucket. "OBVIOUSLY" you should make the rope long enough so that the 4-wheeler is past you before firing. Get some practice shooting heavy loads out of your 60. The good thing is that MOST bears will go the other way. I had my wife in her stand as I came down to bait, there was a sow and 2 cubs at the bait and they started moving away when I was about 1/8- 1/4 mile away. I came up baited, left. They were back in 15 min and my wife watched them till dark. My greatest fear at night on the trail is a skunk!! Bears, cats, wolves, coyotes will generally move away and in the dark I would never know what hit me. I would suggest using purchased loads instead of handloads in case you run into the most likely predator of the 2 legged kind. Be Safe.

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I BACK OUR BLUE

The Buffalo Bore round is the way to go. Also agree that .357 is not ideal.

Ok. Just my $.02 worth. I live in Eastern Washington, just barely. (Pun intended.) Leavenworth, actually. Went eyeball-to-eyeball with one of the rascals this Spring on my front porch. As I couldn't tell looking out the front room window if it was A) the neighbor's dog, [a no shoot] B) a raccoon [shoot], or C) a cougar [shoot] I had my 586 in hand. It hadn't even occured to me that it may be a bear until I saw him. This is my living room 'at hand' piece. It's loaded with Corbon 125 gr. hollow points, and in retrospect I think this would be a great load to address a bear, if I so chose. Black bear are not thick skinned and they're not heavy-boned. Mostly if they're coming around your place they're just hungry. In all the years I've lived in bear country, and I've seen plenty of bears here, I've never seen a black bear be in the least aggressive. They have always been intent, solely, on eating. For that reason I will keep the trash cans in the garage, the bird feeder well up on the deck, and hope that I never have to shoot one. But if I do I think any high velocity 125 h.p. will do the job, as it certainly has on any number of 250-300 pound varmints with less hair than a bear.

hollow points are not the way to go. Black bears will attack when hungry, they attack more people than any other bear. One just attacked a guy in my neck of the woods hiking a trail in the Red River Gorge in Ky. So don't be fooled cause you never were in the wrong place at the wrong time!!! You might want to invest in a 629 or 29 too!!!!

"But if I do I think any high velocity 125 h.p. will do the job, "

Chriss, you are welcome to your oppinion but please let me clear the area before you try to prove up on your theory.
Dan

I've taken a black bear with 125 gr. .357 hollowpoints. We were turkey hunting and stumbled across the bear. I had a bear tag, but didn't really expect to come across one. Ammo was the only .357 I had at the time, and was carrying more for self-defense than for hunting. It was NOT a one shot deal. They are tough animals, "thin skin" or not. Of the rounds we recovered, one had stripped the jacket and damaged the shoulder, but was not fatal. Another barely penetrated the hide, hit a rib and stopped without doing any damage. You really need a heavy bullet built for penetration, not a high velocity light-weight hollow point, especially if you are fending off an attack (which are pretty rare with black bears -- they rarely attack people unless injured or feel cubs are threatened).

Yeah, 180 gr BB sounds great.
Except he's launching it out of a 3" barrel. And you're thinking that bullet is going to get up to speed? Uh-uh. Not gonna happen. I'm sticking with my opinion.

best to invest in a 44 mag.or larger

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Hollow points are definately a bad choice for bear. A charging bear may only give you a skull shot target. Due to the shape and thickness of a bear's skull hollow points tend to flatten out, follow the zygomatic arches staying under the skin and exiting without much damage. A favorite load for your purpose is the Thompson designed Lyman 358156 cast bullet in 162 grains. It is a gas check design that prevents leading, something the .357 Mag is notorious for. In it's solid form it is a great choice for general applications including long range shooting, hunting and busting into the brain cavity of an irritated bear. It should be crimped in the upper crimp groove for an overall cartridge length of 1.580".

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Doug

I agree with getting at least a .44 if your carrying in the woods with bigger bear a possible threat. The 3 inch .357 might just get you eatin.

I agree 100%....except you are absolutely wrong.
Black Bear are thick skinned with heavy layers of fat underneath. They are also heavy boned, with all the loose pieces knit together with fat and gristle. You flub the first shot and let it get angry and you will find out how heavily built they are. I've tiptoed through the laurel and taken a few too many apart to let that one go

That said, if you must use the .357 use the heavy cast bullets, you need penetration on Black Bears, HP will only cause superficial damage, and the bear will then cause you deep tissue damage.

Not to sidetrack, but while on the subject, what are thoughts on 45ACP +P or 45 Super for black bear?

I've used regular FMJ 230 as well as LSWC .44 Spec, on medium (200-400) Black Bears. I did always have something in the .30-30, .30'06, .348 area with me.
I'm sure either would be fine with good shot placement on an undisturbed ursus.

Gentlemen I have shot several black bears, and I have seen several others shot by my wife and friends.
I did kill one with a 475 Linebaugh.

However I always carry a handgun as well. On my forst 2 bear hunts I carried a LW Commander, with 230gr ball.

However after seeing the fat, muscle, and bone structure of the 7' 2" bear I shot in Montana I carry my 44 Mag as a back up with a hard cast bullet of at least 240gr.

When attacked think Penetration.

Penetration is your friend.

If I was to again carry a 45 ACP, 1911 or a S&W revolver I would carry either the Buffalo Bore 230gr FP +P or one of the +P heavy lead bullets.

Same for the 38/357 Mag.

I have two loads I use when hiking in my state (black bear all over the place). The first is S&B 158 gr FMJ and the other is the old W/W 158 Metal piercing load. Both shoot to point of aim at 10 yds. from my Model 360- moderate blast and recoil. Put the current issue rubber S&W stocks on and that helped with control. Also carry 1 HKS and 1 Tuff-Strip as back-up. Hope I don't have to use it.

180 gr Hard Cast @ 1300 fps from a 3" barrel...that'll do...

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php...t_detail&p=100

You need something fast, hard, and heavy.

DoubleTap Ammunition

No hollow points.

Quite right.

They are tough, thick, and strong. Black bear can be more unpredictable and aggresive than browns.

Hollow points clog and deform altering thier path and causing premature fragmentation. Heavy hardcast lead bullets are needed for deep penetration. Hopefully breaking bones along the way.

I prefer a 44 mag.

I wonder about the Fiocchi 142gn FMJTC load for black bear. I just bought some, have not had a chance to shoot any, but from what I read, it is a pretty hot 357mag load.