I've got a NavyArms 92 in .45 colt. Was wondering what bullet would be the best bear "medicine"
I hike a lot with my 3 Goldens, on my neighbors place and spotted a big black bear a few weeks ago.
Want to be prepaired 'case a bear decides to eat my Golden "oldie" she's 14 and mostly deaf and half blind.
Thanks!
Virgil B.

I have been playing with the Lyman 457122HP and the NEI solid version of this bullet in the .45 Colt. I am using 20.0 gr of Winchester 296. I am using a Winchester Model 94AE 16" Trapper. I am getting 1400 fps with this combination in the Trapper and they do penetrate.

Virgil

I have used the Win/Nosler partition gold factory loading in 44mag to kill a 200lb black russian boar. The 250gr bullet penetrated the cartiledge shield and was recovered on the off side weighing 231grs.

I believe the loading in .45 colt uses a 260gr bullet and this load should level any black bear walking. The Speer gold-dot factory load is also another good one that is bonded and tough.I would use either for elk,(in a carbine) under 100yds.Hard cast bullets also are pretty good for bear and should penetrate at least 30 inches.

You might want to try out the Buffalo Bore item 3B a 300 grain Speer JFN. That's what I would carry in my 1894 Cowboy in 45 Colt for bear. Should be an awesome round. I mostly deal with a little bigger bears so I carry my 45-70, also good for bears. If you reload the 300 grain speer with about 21 grains of H110 should light a fire in old mister black bear.

thanks for the info!
I do reload, so will try the 300 gr. Speer first.
Am presently loading 200 gr. Speer "flying ashtrays"
It might have lots of "whap" but don't know about penatration, and that was the biggest Black Bear I ever saw!
Would need LOTS of penatration to shoot through him/her!
Virgil B.

IMO, if you want penetration, stick with a lead FP or SWC. I use a 300 gr LFP over 20 gr WW 296 in both my Marlin Cowboy and Ruger Bisley. I get 1400+ f/s in the Marlin, and 1085 f/s out of the Bisley. (5 1/2" bbl). Recoil is very manageable in the rifle, and not bad in the handgun.

I've taken a couple deer with the Cast Performance 265gr WFN over enough H110 to give 1750 fps out of my Trapper.

Currently I'm shooting a "lighter" load consisting of a 300gr WFN and 21.5gr H110 for about 1500 fps. This is easy shooting and pentrates like crazy. I would think it would be an excellent black bear load.

With 23 gr. H110 under a cast or jacketed 300 gr. bullet (XTP-MAG, Sierra FP, or LBT style GC) I get about 1550-1590 fps. That's about .45-90 blackpowder ballistics and it was considered a great cartridge for all around use.