Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska 300 Win Mag Big Bear Bullet

Nosler partitions was my go to bullet in my .338. But I’ve seen too many impressive results from cuttin up dead critters that clients killed using Barnes bullets.

Nosler partitions are great bullets. The Barnes bullets are greater ime. Ymmv

Have cut up a lot of critters. Most of the time their vitals seemed surrounded by meat that must be shot through to hit vitals.

And it ain’t bragging if you’ve done it. Just fact

You had to go and quote WhattaDickHead so I had to read it... She is not worth the effort, just a whiney clueless twit.

Ouch! I had been in and out of the military, got married, had worked years on the Alaska Railroad, and had my first child on the way in 1978! Now I feel as old as the Core Lokt design!

But, admittedly, I've still got a few hundred 30 caliber, 165 grain Core Lokts (with another 150 loaded up) for my customized Garand. I don't hunt with it, but I can sure light up the area with it if a problem bear (or vehicle) is looking for trouble. It produces a consistent 2750 fps in winter temps, and is a hoot to shoot.

Barnes TTSX, Nosler Partition, Swift A Frame, and Hammers. Any of these make guides very happy when you show up with them.

Sure do miss ol’ Randy.

‘Sure do miss ol’ Randy.”
Yep.

I like what rost495 has to say in his several posts. It reveals the practical side of matters, not just the ideal.

We don't have griz or BBs here in Ontario but we may have the largest population of blacks of any US state or Canadian province. Whatever, I've been a "dedicated" bear hunter for at least four decades and trust larger bullets (calibers) than smaller ones for faster and more blood letting. As we all know, a bear's fur and fat can close up wounds very quickly. The first bear I killed was in the Northeast of our province near the Quebec border in a wilderness area - I used the same outfitter for my first eight seasons in that same general area southeast of Algonquin Park, mostly wilderness Crown Land. After that I started baiting on my own and have continued till this day in the Haliburton Highlands (Crown Land) mostly. That first was killed using a Marlin in .45-70, and I've killed lots using a variety of .45-70s, Including the Ruger No.1

I've used the 286 Nosler Partition and 250 AB in my 9.3 x 62 for bears without fail- one and done. And a TSX only once from my .458. It was a 350gr leaving the muzzle at 2750 fps. Frontal hit at 100 yds. A smallish bear that went the farthest of any I've ever shot lethally. The bullet was too tough for that young bear and didn't expand! Last year my .375 H&H was loaded with the 250gr TTSX and will be again this year at about 2850 fps. I hope it works. I had a big bear coming last year but didn't want it because it was too big! I'm 88 and hunting alone.

Just a quick story: When I was still using the outfitter, he'd put me in new locations every time I went. On this particular year, he put me in a location that no one had previously hunted (except one of his guides that he didn't know about). It was so new that no blind or stand was yet in place, but because he knew me from past experiences, he said I could find a spot on the side of the ridge above the old logging road where the bait was placed just off the road on the far side. Beyond that was thick bush and forest. I went up the ridge about 60 yds, found a good boulder to sit on with a young 6' fir in front. I found a space between branches where I could rest the rifle and waited for what was described as "a good bear" to show up. Well, the "good bear" showed up an hour later and only sat in front of the bait-site with it's back to me. I wanted a better angle, so waited. When the bear changed it's position and exposed a shoulder I squeezed the trigger on my .300 Wby, and as I did the branch - rifle rest "fainted" from the weight over the past hour. That bear took off hitting 30 mph in three strides. Well, I had to go check for any sign of a hit. There was none. The bear went down over a steep cliff, landed at the bottom in a carpet of moss leaving too large prints of front paws, crashing through the debris left behind by a logging operation several years earlier. Because I'd never previously hunted that area, I knew nothing of the cliff or previous logging operation. After crashing off for a few seconds, there was dead silence - a well known(to me) bear antic - dead silence. I was not going there. . . alone! My closest help was 10 miles away! My .300 Wby load was a 220gr Nosler Partition at 2800 fps.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

This thread started out with the words "I know that no .30 Cal is considered a stopping round"

I am not so sure. I can't say what is the most popular round used by residents in Alaska today for big bears, but from the 1950s until 1990 it was the 30-06 and by far the favored bullets were 200 grain round nose. I'd be interested to see what was the #1 choice in Canada for the same years, but my guess is that it would be a 303 Brit or a 30-06 there too.

What is considered a stopping round is less about the round and more about who is doing the considering.

My sister lives in Alaska so I have been up there hunting a few times and if I were to go today I'd choose one of my larger and more powerful rifles, BUT if I were to find myself up there with any of my rifles from a 270 up to my 404 Jeffery and all those in-between I'd not feel under-armed with any of them ------ as long as I got to choose what bullet I was loaded and zeroed with.

Stopping any aggressive animal is first about placement and 2nd about straight line pentation, bone included.
Having killed many horses and cattle with a 270 Winchester I know what it's capable of doing with good bullets. In addition to horses and cattle I have killed animals from American bison, buffalo, moose, hippo, elephant and Kudu, a whole lot of elk, and a lot of others, I can say with no reservations I have learned about what works and what doesn't. In Africa I use 4 calibers. 308, 7X64, 8X68 and 404 Jeffery. I never had any problem with any of them either.
I own or have owned rifles up to 460 G&A and black powder rifles up to 8 bore. (I have made but not hunted with 4 bores, a 2 bore and also a 500 Jeffery and a 505 Gibbs) I kinda-like big rifles and as a rule I lean toward larger bore sizes. BUT experience has proven to be that it's far more important to have a bullet that holds together and a person shooting who has skill under pressure.

My nephew is a pilot in Alaska. As an illustration to my conviction of what I am saying, if he were to come down and land here and tell me to get in the plane to go hunting and I could take any rifle I have, from my 270 Winchester up, I would not even hesitate to get in the plane and go. Would I feel OK about facing down a mad bear with my 270. Yes I would!
That's not to say I would not choose one of my 9.3 or my 375H&H, or even my 404 if I had the chance, but the idea that I would just not be OK with a 270, 30-06, 308, 300 H&H, 8X57 or 358 Win is just untrue. ALL will do fine given good bullets and a cool head behind the rifle.
As a side note: My Sister has a Winchester M88 in 308 I got for her when she moved up there. In the years she's been there she has killed almost all her game with it including 3 brown bears. Caribou and moose too. All 3 bears have been one shot kills. I load her ammo and used 180 Gr Nosler Partitions.
No problem with any animal yet from 1988 to last year. Still going strong.

You and I are somewhat the same. Takes deep straight penetration. So far I have yet to get wound up. Just perform and do my job. That said the 458 has never felt over bore so to speak.

Take your pick. But for a guide following up it's never going to be small if I have a choice.

OTOH you can say but you killed a black bear tearing up camp with a 9mm. Yes. It's what was there. It worked.

Situations can be so different. Each one. And because of that there is no replacement for displacement. You never need it until you need it, then you NEED it.

That said RE good bullets. With the choices we have these days I don't understand why some still choose a partition. I've seen some really poor penetration from them. Broadside moose that never make it past the ribs. Plenty yes, But.... It's still better than showing up to a brown bear hunt with Bergers....

In the end it's almost always going to be the Indian and not the arrow. But the arrow still better be pointy at least.

My bullet can piss higher than your bullet.

Well, not really - they just kinda dribble out.... according to some.

I mostly use factory Corelokts or Hornady White-tail toand including 30-06. Other stuff in the .338WM.

NEVER AGAin a 210 NP tho, on game. Does OK on paper. I need to load and waste those last 30 or so that came with the rifle 35 years ago. Better idea- lsell them to some sucker.

Hunt w/ my M1 rifle.

Ported Gas Plug in place of the gas cylinder lock screw, and Remington or handloaded 168 gr. TSX at ~ 2800 fps.

Have to believe that a heavy, 8-round semi-automatic M1 rifle, loaded w/ such ammo, would be hard to beat as a defensive weapon, given 2-3 rounds/sec. aimed fire.




GR

Hey there Las- what problem did you have with that 210 NP? I've read of others who ruined the front half of a spike elk shot through the shoulders with a 338 WM. In the 338/06, many swear by it, but my rifle would not shoot it!

I'm too old to carry a heavy piece like a Garand, but sitting in a fortified defensive position with that monster, and they can't even drive up to harass you.

I got a gorgeous CMP field grade rifle a few years ago for $850.........delivered in a custom CMP rifle case. New barrel and stock. No pitting. 1944 serial number. I then sent it to Schuff's in Michigan. He builds Mini G's, but I didn't want mine cut down to 16", or even 18" (I also had a Tanker in 308). I wanted a 20" barrel, hoping to maintain 2700 fps with a 180 grain bullet. The best I can squeeze out of it in 180 grains was 2600 fps. So I went down to 165 grain, and voila! I get a consistent 2730 fps average with Core Lokts and A-Frames and 52.5 grains of IMR 4895. I'm customizing a Streamlight onto a chopped down M1 bayonet so the light can simply be snapped on or off. The rifle always attracts attention at the range.

one of those Garands in 458 would be cool to have. But they are heavy. Of course my 458 bolt is heavy too.

Apparently 9.3x62mm is doable.



Hell of a thing.




GR

Wow! a 9.3x62! Years ago, I read where a one arm guy had a gunsmith make a Remington 742 in a 9.3x62 for Brown Bear Hunting! That was the first time I ever even heard of the 9.3x62. Accordingly, he got his bear too, ha.

For big bear with a 300 Win Mag I would use a 200gr Swift A-Frame.

Schuff converts them to 35 Whelen. If the 24" barrel length is kept, the higher velocities are maintained.

thats COOL. I've seen pictures of and the 458 win mag M1 being fired. Wasn't interested at the time. Interested now though. Out of stupidity I imagine. 416 caliber and I might do it period but that wont' happen I doubt.