Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 375 Winchester for black bear?

Anyone with experience with this round on big black bears. I live on Vancouver Island and my last bear was 6'7'' and easily 400lbs. Wanted to try one of my levers this spring. Anyone use this round for bears... all shots 100yds or less, but thick bush so need to put em down quickly. Thanks!

Have you shot a bear with it before? You might get lucky and have it work twice!

I've used 300 and 338 Mag on black bears before. I'll take the challenge and hunt with my little 375Win, if I succeed I'll get my kids to show me how to post a pic.

Never had one, but should work for your very large black bears for 100 yds and less.

I would wager that your 375 Win is close in performance to the 375 JDJ out of a contender pistol. The contender in 375 JDJ has taken all manner of dangerous game world-wide. Cape buffalo have been harvested with the JDJ round in a handgun. I don't think a large black bear will even present a challenge for your 375 Winchester. I'd rather have a 375 winchester up close than my 30-378 weatherby or any 30 cal magnum.

go for it.

Have a pard that has taken a couple with his 35 Rem lever. It wasn't a problem either time. A seven foot bear doesn't really die harder than a six footer. Hunt with confidence that you have enough power...

best,
bhtr

Hello All
One of the guides in bear camp in New Brunswick a few years back thought that it was the greatest thing going with 255gr Barnes originals, and I believe he said they were going 1900fps.
nelson

Looking forward to the picture. Good luck!

I wouldnt have any reservations using a 375 win for blackies, if you handload i would look into a 250gr FP Hawk bullet www.hawkbullets.com and i would stay away fromt the 200gr bulllets.

I think that the 375 Winchester is about the same as the 35 Remington, nothing more, nothing less. From where I'm sitting, the 375 Winchester doesn't offer much as a factory loaded cartridge and it is handicapped by having so few after-market component bullets available.

I'm a strong 356 Winchester with 220 grain Speer advocate for anything in NA smaller than brown/grizzly bears and at ranges under 150+/-yards. My 356 Winchester rifles are a stainless Marlin 336 that Bearrr264 put together for me and a Marlin 336 SD that Regan Nonneman rechambered from 35 Remington.

Jeff

I shot a bear with the 375 win in a contender pistol 14 inch barrel. I was using the 235 grain Hawk bullet and the shot was about 30 yards. She went maybe 15 yards and went down. It wasn't a big bear just average for around here.

I know one bear is not much but the 375 win worked on that one anyway and I wouldn't hesitate to go after another bear with it.

Never shot a bear with my 375 Winchester, but did shoot a mule deer that impressed me.
A forked horn was running down hill right at me. prolly 50 yards. I shot him in the right sholder, bullet exited the left ham. Lengthwise penetration.
220 grain Hornady at about 2000 FPS.
I was very impressed with the cal.
Just got a 30-30 re-bored to 38-55. Gotta see how it works with the same bullet, going a little slower.
Virgil B.

I'm getting the idea it might work.

I understand what you're saying, but you only need a couple of good bullets to get what you need out of her.

Cast bullets,Barnes 255, and Hornady 220 all perform well in my Model 94 375. I have never shot a black bear with it but it is very effective on deer and wild hogs and I would expect similar performance on bear.