Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 357 Magnum - Reccomend a black bear defense load

I’d like to hear your opinions on the 357 load you would use for black bear defense. The gun is a 4” Ruger GP100, if that matters.

I loaded some Cast Performance 180gr WNFPGC bullets with a max charge of H110 for hog protection. I haven't used them on an animal but they sure hit steel swingers hard out of my M65 4". I know an avid bear hunter and he doesn't recommend HPs for bear. In his experience they didn't penetrate deep enough.

https://www.grizzlycartridge.com/shop/cast-performance-bullets/38-180gr-wfngc-358-dia-100-count/

Please use soft points for bears.

158 LSWC or the aforementioned CP 180’s. I have a box of the CP 180’s on the bench but haven’t gotten around to loading them. Alliant 300-MP works pretty well. If you want a jacketed bullet, either a plain 158 flat point or the Hornady 158 fp hp (not the regular xtp version but the fp version). The Hornady fp version is designed for less expansion and more penetration plus higher velocities. That being said, I’ve not shot a bear with any of them...

I'd probably load a 158gr Speer jacketed soft point over 15.5 gr of H110.

Thanks gentlemen. Please keep the suggestions coming.

I’m curious to know the difference between using a soft point and hard cast for this application. I figured on using a hard cast, but it sounds like a soft point is preferred by some of you.

Trade for a 44 mag Redhawk. Seriously.

I just prefer jacketed bullets, in all applications.

And I would also prefer a 44 mag if bear defense was my aim. Make mine a vintage Smith.

Never shot a black bear, but if I were to load my 357 mag revolvers for them, it'd be with a damn big charge of H-110 under a 180gr XTP, I don't think a black bear could contain one.

I do not understand needing a defense load for black bears. I have lived around them my entire life and never seen one to worry about. Last fall the neighbor lady (a couple hundred yards away) asked me to get rid of some raccoons that were tearing up her bird feeders so I set out a camera. The first thing I see on it was a 450 lb bear. I told her I was not going to trap it and shoot it. I did get rid of 11 raccoons and she lives with the bear like I do. One comes every spring and tears up the bird feeders so we put them away for a week and there's peace and harmony in the universe. Once on the farm I did load a rifle and go out to make sure the one eyeing up the boar hog changed his mind. Other than that one the worst behavior I have seen out of them is ripping down trail cams. Around here they are just inoffensive varmints. Large varmints to be sure, but nowhere near the PITA a red squirrel is let alone gophers. I am 72 now and I have never ever seen one that didn't leave as soon as it found out I was not friendly, and that includes sows with cubs.

I might consider that, someday... either a 44 mag or a 41 rem mag

I won't try to make you understand. But I will say that, in 24 years of archery hunting in Colorado, I've never had to draw my gun on a bear either (I have been close, however). I've also never had a reason to draw my concealed handgun in town.

I don't plan on giving either of them up, regardless of the odds.

Thanks for the help.

I walked up on a big boar last year, surprised both of us at 25 yards. He eyeballed me, ripped a little rotted stump out of the ground and stuck his nose in the dirt, snuffed and very slowly walked a semi circle around me. His route took him downwind which I thought should be a good thing, but he just layed down on a huge downed log and stared me down. Hell, I thought bears ran when they encountered a human. Especially with a good whiff of human scent. This old boy just didn't give a crap. The Glock 10mm and 220 gr. hardcast was in hand... just in case.

Pretty sure I saw that same bear during archery deer season. He fed on acorns behind me about 80 yards. When he got my scent stream he threw his nose up and sucked some air and stared my direction for awhile. I was in a climbing treestand and about 20' up and I'm sure he never saw me. But even after catching my scent that boar bear just continued feeding along, and away thankfully. But walking out that direction in dark 1\2 mile with the climber on my back and no handgun caused me to consider packing something with me afterward. Especially considering bumping wild hogs is fairly common for me also. As said above, I carry concealed in town so I see no reason not to pack while in the woods.

Elk,

I'd just take my standard load.

158gr Nosler HP over a max load of 2400.


Well, actually, I'd take my .44 mag or 10.5" are pistol, but in a .357, I'd just take old reliable for the little blackie's we have here.

The 44 bores definitely kill better than the 357 bores.

But if a 357 is all you got, to me the only real debate is between a bonded 158 and a soft 180. I lean soft 180 but it's sort of what your gun likes.

There's also the debate between soft nose and hardcast but having whacked a few deers with hardcast 357 at pistol velocity, it ain't real impressive and they went a long way and they also didn't react much to the shot and then taking them apart it looked like they got poked with a hole punch. Damage was exactly caliber sized damage. That was with 180gr hardcast from a 4" barrel at 1150 fps. I think it might be different with a .429 or .452 diameter bullet that is driven fast but not in the ole 36 bore. In a 36 bore go expanding.

You said "defensive use" and for me, that means penetration to break bones like shoulders or through bone to reach the cns. Lung shots, blood trails, dont really matter in a defensive situation, it will all be over by then. While I carry a 10mm or heavy loaded 45 Colt, my wife carries a .357 with 180 grain Cast Performance hard cast fn, over a stiff load of w296. I have no doubt the .357 will do the job on black bear.

While rare, black bear attacks do happen. A fellow across the canyon was hunting with his uncle, the uncle using a rifle wounded a good size bear (for Idaho) about 3 years ago. The bear turned on him and did a pretty good job of chewing on an arm and leg, severely injuring him. The guy pulled his handgun and killed the bear...he used a .357.

https://www.kivitv.com/news/boise-hunter-recovering-from-bear-encounter

They usually don't get big when they act like that.....I carry a 4" 686 when bowhunting bears. I have a stiff load of MP300 (17.5gr? need to verify) and some 158gr FP XTP's It's stout. Shoot a cylinder full of those and that about enough fun. Have not shot anything bigger than a rock chuck with them but do think they would be a decent deterrent. Actually the only time we had to shoot was when it got dark after a buddy bow shot and skinned a bear. Could hear another huffing in the brush and trees about 30 yards away. A couple shots into the side of the mountain and he was gone like he was shot from a cannon.

I should add that back when we ran hounds that I (and nearly everyone) carried a 44mag. S&W 629 8 3/8 with the Keith load of 24gr of 296 and a 240gr flat point. Would likely do so again if I thought I was actually going to hunt them with a handgun.

Centershot, we don't have a bear season - yet. It is coming soon, within a few years for sure. Our bear population is well over the stated management goals for an established population. About double actually. The conservation department just finished a lengthy study of the bear population and has proposed a limited draw bear hunt in the very near future. The MDC just announced a limited draw elk hunt for this fall. The first elk hunt in modern times in the Missouri Ozarks. Maybe when the bears get hunted they won't be quite so bold.

Miles I was of like mind for years myself, until I had a big Boar decide the dead steer he was feeding on wasn't big enough for both of us. I admit I startled him but there was no doubt of his intent. came at me from about 30 yards. I backpeddled as fast as I could ,tripped over a cotton wood log and broke my left leg going down. when he showed his head over the log I gave him 210grains of 41 mag through the bottom jaw and out the top of his skull. the skull measured 6 9/16x11 3/16.
darn thing cost me $16k in hospital bills and never touched me.
in the words of Robert Rouark " carry enough gun".
that said I would use the stoutest load that gp100 can handle under a hardcast wide nosed bullet. you are looking for penetration of either the skull( bad idea) or as deep into the body as you can get.
carry enough gun and as much luck as you can muster. it only takes one sore head to ruin your year or three!

Holy Damn! now there's a voice of experience, glad you gave that sob a couple extra holes in his head, hope the leg healed 100%.