Balck bear: PRB or conical??

[Rat Trapper]

I'm planning a black bear hunt for this fall. In regards to bullets, your thoughts on patched round ball or conical would be??? I have rifles in 50 & 54 caliber that will shoot either.

 

[daniel collums]

not sure but i think big wild hogs would have more body mass,as far as thick hide and Grissel. bone mass might be about the same. a .54 prb with 80grs of black pushing it at 60 yards or so will make a clean pass through if you dont hit the shoulder blade. i have shot a 200# + hog with a .50 t/c maxi ball with 80grs and hit the shoulder blade, it made it through the body and hit the shoulder on the other side and stopped. it did put the flop on him, never took another step. dont think it would matter to much at all with either long as you hit the chest from side to side.

 

[satx78247]

I suspect that a blackie will never know which style of ML projectile hit him.

yours, satx

 

[Danny Ross]

Black Bears are not that hard to kill, just know their anatomy (a little different than a deer's), and either have a broadside leg forward shot or a quartering away shot. The bigger the hole the better, not for killing purposes, but for tracking. Bear hair will act like a sponge so the bigger hole will allow more blood to leak out and get on the ground, if you don't see them drop within sight. If a 50# Longbow can do it, 50 or 54 cal roundball will.

Just like deer shot with a roundball they will die of Lead Poisoning. :rotf: DANNY

 

[longcruise]

Either one with a round ball. Bigger holes are always better!

 

[Patocazador]

Bigger is always better. Maxiball for me.

 

[cynthialee]

Bears scare me. I would want the biggest bullet in the arsenal if I was to shoot one. I'd also want a back up pistol at hand.

So I guess if I was to plan on a bear hunt, I would practice up with the conicals with the .54 and study up on bear anatomy.

 

[necchi]

50 and/or 54 cal with round ball works just fine in Minnesota :wink:
(Aim for the far shoulder)

 

[satx78247]

I've hunted "blackies" though I've not ever collected one.
(That's why it's called "hunting", rather than "killing" or "shooting" bears.)

My "preferred bear medicine" is one of my homebrewed 530 grain .58 caliber Mine ball out of a Zouave (from a tree-stand) & I don't think I'd want anything less, though a .58 PRB is also likely adequate.

yours, satx

 

[Rat Trapper]

thanks for the help.

 

[Blackbruin]

As mentioned before they have very different vital areas, if you shoot a bear like a deer behind the shoulder your more than likely to hit guts...

 

[Ron LaClair]

I've killed 5 bears with traditional gear. If you put a RB through the lungs BEHIND the shoulder he'll be down in 50 yd's or less. Listen for the "Death moan"

A bear's vitals are a little lower than a deer so don't shoot too high.

 

[Rat Trapper]

That's a good point. I have already taken one bear with bow and arrow, and another one with my 45-70 bolt gun.