On a whim I bought a Ruger Blackhawk today and was wondering if it would be a suitable Black Bear gun? Any ideas on handloads?
Thanks Eric

Get yourself some Bear Tooth Bullets LWNDCG 370 grain gas checked bullets and start with 21 grains of H110 or W296. You should top out at 24 or 25 grains. Seat the bullet in the rear crimp groove and you will have almost as much powder space as the 454 using this same bullet. The 454 has to have this bullet crimped in the front crimp groove too fit most chambers.

Harley, the makers of the LBT boolits told me that the 335 gr. LBT WLNGC is the heaviest to use in a .45 Colt and one of the light ones for the .454. This boolit with 21.5 gr. of 296 is extremely accurate and is more then enough for black bear. The heavier boolit will not give any advantage in penetration or killing power, and you will not enjoy shooting them. I also would stay with standard primers. Magnum primers can force the boolit out of the crimp into the forcing cone before a good burn is initiated. 296 or H110 do not require magnum primers. Groups have always trippled in size when I tested them.
I have killed many deer with this load and they will completely penetrate a deer end to end. I have never recovered one.

the ruger 45 colt would is a very good gun to use against just about everything.

I have been shooting 360 grain bullet over 20+ grains of H110 for a velocity of 1300 fps.

David

Harley,

I have a .45 Colt Blackhawk with a 4 5/8" barrel and a handload using a 275 gr SWC gas check ( linotype ) over 24.0 grs of H-110. Two rounds of this load from my Blk Hawk gave a 300+ lb. boar a very bad time. You are well armed for any black bear. Good hunting, JFS

PS-that 335 gr LBT load over 21.5 grs of 296 listed above, sounds like a good place to start.