stiab
US Veteran
Actually, the world record black bear is from North Carolina, unless something has happened to change that in the last year or so.
Best .357 load for woods carry in Colorado
- Thread starter Marshal Tom
- Start date
one eye joe
US Veteran
Load that Mountain Gun with CorBon Hunter Ammo. Their 200gr Hardcast Flat Nose SWC will penetrate and smash bones on large dangerous game. Stay away from SWCHP ammo which is intended for self defense against 2 legged varmints........
Jst1mr
Member
Actually, world record status of bears is determined by skull measurements, not weight. The official world record was found in Utah. One was found last year in Wisconsin that was just 5/16" smaller. I believe the state with the greatest amount of very heavy bears is Pennsylvania, with several over 800lbs harvested every year.
squidsix
Member
North Carolina is home of some HUGE black bears. Blackwater Lodge has one on display at over 600 pounds, and it is quite an imposing critter.
That said, when I used to caper all over the N.C wilderness, I packed a .357 and 158 grain jacketed soft points.
That said, when I used to caper all over the N.C wilderness, I packed a .357 and 158 grain jacketed soft points.
Bdouthet
Member
So my point Colorado Black bear for the most part are small.
I got this from the Colorado DOW web site
"Adult males weigh from 275 pounds. Females weight about 175 pounds. Depending on the season, food supply and gender, black bears may weigh anywhere from 100 to 450 pounds. Black bears measure about 3 feet high when on all four feet. They can be 5 feet tall when standing on back legs."
I got this from the Colorado DOW web site
"Adult males weigh from 275 pounds. Females weight about 175 pounds. Depending on the season, food supply and gender, black bears may weigh anywhere from 100 to 450 pounds. Black bears measure about 3 feet high when on all four feet. They can be 5 feet tall when standing on back legs."
stiab
US Veteran
From the American Bear Association:
"What is the record weight of an American black bear?
The world record weight for an American black bear is 880 pounds. This was the recorded weight of a 10.75 year-old male bear shot in North Carolina in November 1998."
There was an 800+ black bear killed in PA last year, which seldom happens, but it has been documented that it was fed honey buns daily by people at a camping area it lived close to. It even had a name (Bozo), and there are photographs of it being fed by the public.
As to 800+ lb. black bears in PA, there have only been 6 killed in the last 20 years, so it does not happen each season.
Last edited:
The problem from my research is the hollow points will mushroom against the skull and not penatrate. What stops penatration is two things. Weight loss and over expansion. Since a bullet shot into a bears skull cant loose weight is such a short trip though just the skin, then the weight loss factor is eleminated. Thus it must be over expansion that stops the bullets from penatrating. As for the newer Black Talons and all copper hollowpoints they may not expand to such large diameter that may penatrate. Time will tell. As stated I have never shot a bear with a 357. So I study the results of knowledgeable observers and hunters. The incedents I am refering to are, the gun writer Bob Milik shot a black bear in the head 6 times with soft point bullets from a 357 , all failed to penatrate and the guide had to kill the bear. Another failed example is the game warden named Kris? that had a small grizzly jump him while releasing it from a cage. The bear took 4 soft point 357's in the head at point blank range, all failed to penatrate. The killing shot was his last and it enterted in the mouth. Lastly in Handloader magazine, a few years back, an article was written by a very knowledgable Alaskan bear guide and ballistics experamentor, his research and multiply incidents left him with the conclusion that even a 357 can easily kill a big bear as long as the bullet is a heavy non expanding and the only way to stop a bear with a handgun is a brain or spine hit. While other shots and bullets will kill a bear they wont STOP it. In his personal collection he had a double handfull of recovered handgun bullets taken from bears.
one eye joe
US Veteran
THIS IS THE TRUTH IN A NUTSHELL ! ! !
While some have commented that on smaller black bears, and that because of their small size, about anything should work. In the story of gun writer Bob Milik, the black bear he shot 6 times in the head at mere feet distance with a 357 and soft point bullets. Tis bear was under 200 pounds iirc and the guide that killed it did so with a 22 pistol. WARNING, this incident happed years ago and was written up years ago, and with my memory not being as sharp as it used to be, some details may vary from the fact.
FACTS: Pa bear weighed 879 according to game comm ; bear records are by the size of the skull not weight. ;You can "kill" "small" blacks, griz, and giant browns with just about any thing. 158 gr 38 spl at 750 fps, unfortunately in the case of an attack you need to stop it ( brain/ spine ) Corbon's 180 gr is advertised as 1200 fps out of a 6" bbl. Living in the UP of MI I am fortunate to see and hunt black bears, when baiting or coming out of the woods at dark ( during season ) My greatest fear is a skunk!!!, next would be 2 legged predators. I have a revolver ( 500 SW or 629 ) on my hip, my rifle and my hand on a 638 bodyguard in my pocket with CCI gold dot 130 gr. I have NEVER HEARD A BEAR IN THE WOODS. A few scratched the ground for a second or two after being shot, but I only saw them, so I figure my chances in the dark are slim. Hunting spring bear in northwest MT ( libby) My 629 was there, rifle, but my hand was on the 638. Photos of a sow grizz in Yellowstone reminded me why I have a 375 HH and 12 slug. If I had to stand my ground and shoot it would be the nose/eye with whatever was in my hand. Have Fun The bear are unlikely to bother you. Be Safe.
Note foot pounds of energy
( VEL)2 X bullet wt in grains
__________________________ = foot pds energy
450400
( VEL)2 X bullet wt in grains
__________________________ = foot pds energy
450400
stiab
US Veteran
Yes, it was a large bear, made so by daily feeding by humans for many years. Apparently bear records are also kept by weight, or else the American Bear association would not say: "The world record weight for an American black bear is 880 pounds. This was the recorded weight of a 10.75 year-old male bear shot in North Carolina in November 1998." How would they know that if weight records were not kept?
PeterCartwright
Member
Going back to the OP: I really like the 180 gr. Partition Gold as an all around woods carry round for the .357. I'd have lots of confidence that it would reliably expand in soft targets and penetrate adequately on tougher targets. I've also chosen to carry handloads using 180 gr. WFNGC bullets and liberal amounts of W296 in my 4" GP 100 while woods walking.
Just an observation: It seems to me that most of the aggressive (black) bear stories I've read feature smallish bears. Are they younger bears still trying to figure out where they are in the pecking order? The incidents are of course more frequent among populations of critters which have become habituated to human contact and (especially) food. I suspect the really big black bears get that way by carefully avoiding human contact. I'd be curious to hear from biologists "in the know" on this subject.
Even adult black bears can vary a great deal in size/weight. I have a good friend who took an 18 year old boar (black bear) several years ago that went nearly 600 lbs. The bear is mounted standing and is hugely impressive. On the other hand, the only bear I've taken was a two year old sow that field dressed just over 100 lbs. These two bears were harvested in the same county.
PC
Just an observation: It seems to me that most of the aggressive (black) bear stories I've read feature smallish bears. Are they younger bears still trying to figure out where they are in the pecking order? The incidents are of course more frequent among populations of critters which have become habituated to human contact and (especially) food. I suspect the really big black bears get that way by carefully avoiding human contact. I'd be curious to hear from biologists "in the know" on this subject.
Even adult black bears can vary a great deal in size/weight. I have a good friend who took an 18 year old boar (black bear) several years ago that went nearly 600 lbs. The bear is mounted standing and is hugely impressive. On the other hand, the only bear I've taken was a two year old sow that field dressed just over 100 lbs. These two bears were harvested in the same county.
PC
Another option is Doubletap's 200gr WFNGC.
It will run 1200 fps through a 4" GP100 and 1300+ through a 6" S&W 686.
That used to be my trail load as well, but I'm more comfortable with my 625 Mountain Gun with 300gr WFN hard cast bullets when a bear encounter is a possibility.
It will run 1200 fps through a 4" GP100 and 1300+ through a 6" S&W 686.
That used to be my trail load as well, but I'm more comfortable with my 625 Mountain Gun with 300gr WFN hard cast bullets when a bear encounter is a possibility.
BillBingham2
Member
Sounds like alternating bullet types might cover the bases better than just one.
Thoughts?
B2
Thoughts?
B2
thndrchiken
Member
My woods load for eastern PA is the Federal Premium 180 hp. Out of my GP100 is not bad at all. My backup speedloader is 158 partition gold over 14.2 gr of w296.
BillBingham2
Member
I was thinking alternating rounds in the gun at the same time......
B2
B2
Why? Why would any one alternate rounds in a gun. Would you alternate ball/jhp in an auto mag ?? I have seen it said by many people many times and I do not understand the rationale behind it. I pick my highest risk, load accordingly. Switching between loads seems to be the worst choice since if I have 6 rds I will by murphy's law have the incorrect one under the hammer. I have seen people state that they load a birdshot load for there first self defense rd followed by JHP??? Why?? Scare someone?? Average male can cover 21 ft in 1.5 sec, and that is if you see it coming, are in a condition yellow. When I first saw these numbers I went out to draw and shoot. I subsequently have since done that thousands of times. I bet my life on a S&W, Loaded with 40 S&W 165 ranger. The Best?? I have no idea, but you have to do your research and put your money down. It is your life!!! Be Safe.
