Bullet for black bear (7mm-08)

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I want to use my trusty old Model 7 youth in 7mm-08 this year for bear season because it will be lighter to walk around with (my usual bear season gun is a 300 win mag, but it weighs upwards of 11lbs) but my pet load for it is a 120gr. sierra pro hunter (like the game king i think, just not a boat tail) Is this bullet to thinly skinned for black bear?

I have some 140gr Ballistic silver tips, or 140 gr game kings, or should i pick up something else?

Problem is my rifle shoots really terrible (like 2-3.5" vs .75-1.25" at 100yds) with some of the 140's, it seems to like quicker powders and the lighter bullets.(perhaps because of the really short barrel?)

I wouldn't care about group size to much for hunting usually but i will be hunting in the Berkshires, near a lot of long power line runs and across some valleys where a long shot (300-400yds) is likely.

 

[uk roe hunter]

i have a model 7 and i use speer 145gr hotcors. they might be a good bullet for you to consider. I find that it is spot on accurate with the first 2 shots from a clean cold barrel ....then the groups open up when the barel gets hot. but this is no problem because i normally only shoot one deer a session. i have not shot bears before but them hotcors are a tough bullet that holds together very well in game

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Barnes bullets...the toughest expanding bullet there is...Also, you will get more speed out of the short barrel using them...and they penetrate REALLY good...even at extended ranges.

They have 130 and 140 grain bullets...either would work fine for black bear.

 

[huntershooter]

Nosler "Accutip" is a "controlled expansion" bullet (read that-capable of moderate penetration), that has been as accurate as their "Ballistic Tips" out of my rifles.
Penetration is in order for Black Bear.
I would not use the Ballistic Tips.

 

[220_Swift]

I would also second trying the Barnes bullets. I would also try some of the Nosler Partition's and see how they group. I would have complete confidence in either of those bullets. Good luck

 

[GooseGestapo]

Most of the 140gr bullets will suffice for Black bear.

The Remington Cor-lokts are really good, as are the Hornady 139gr bullets. From my experience with my Rem M7 (later one with 20"bbl), on numerous deer, the Ballistic Tips and Sierra's even in 140gr are a bit too soft for larger bear (over 300lbs). I've found that the Cor-lokts penetrate as well or better than the Nosler 140gr Partitons. The Partitions give near explosive initial expansion and looses a lot of weight. The smaller rear section dosent' seem to carry as well as some of the larger diameter partitons I've used (.30 and .338"). I recovered a 140 Partiton from a ~85lb yearling deer shot angled through the shoulder. Many similar shots with Cor-lokts, and Hornady Interloks have completly penetrated. The Cor-lokts don't expand as quickly and besides are 1/4 as expensive, so you can either just get a single box of factory ammo, or, 2 boxes of 100 bullets, and experiment to find a powder charge that works in YOUR rifle.

If you want to stick with a 120gr bullet, you couldn't do better than a Barnes Tripple Shok. It'll give you nearly the same velocity as your current 120's, but is totally up to any eastern black bear.

I too have had problems with some loads regarding accuracy (140gr). I've found that best accuracy is with IMR4350. I use 46.0gr for ~2,750fps (chronographed). The pressures are actually quite low, you really can't get too much IMR4350 to cause over pressure. However, over 46.5gr with a 140 Ballistic Tip won't seat deep enough to feed through the magazine without deforming the bullet due to powder compression!

For a faster powder, BLC2 seems to be the best. I've gotten a few good groups, but haven't tried really working it up. It seems to shoot better as I get hotter with it, but I haven't found the point of diminishing returns as it seemed to reach max pressures really quick with the bullet I was using.

And of course, on the other hand, if you're shooting a Sierra 120gr, the likelyhood is that it will do just fine on most bears that you're likely to encounter. The largest bear taken in Georgia weighed 600+lbs and was taken with a single shot from a .243 with a 100gr Remington Corlokt factory load. Most however are under 300lbs, so a well placed 120 probably will do the job.

Shot placement is the #1 issue, No matter what caliber you're shooting.

 

[uk roe hunter]

gestapo,
have you tried the imr with the hornady 139's? i am thinking of coming down from the 145's for my bread and butter deer round. I am currently using 50 gr of re19.

i fancy either the sierra 120gr sp or the speer 130gr sp. I have a tub of imr 4350 coming this week.

uk