I was going to use a 375 H&H for black bear as I want to try the rifle/scope combination out in the field before an African cat hunt. I put a new Kahles 1.5 X 6 iluminated reticle scope on the gun and wanted some field experience. My bullet of choice is the 300 grain TBBC. I was hoping this would not do excessive damage to the pelt but not sure.

Any comments.

BigB

As long as you stick with a controlled expansion bullet like TBBC then your exit wound should be reasonable. Try to avoid the shoulders also. I've never hunted with a 375 but have killed with the TB. Bullet holds together with a great mushroom and weight retension.

I've killed or witnessed the kill of 40 or so black bears. I've blood trailed another 40 or so. I certainly don't have the experience of some members of this forum, but I'm not totally blowing smoke. You should have no problem with that potent combo. If anything, the bullet my be a little "hard" for a black bear, but at .375 diameter, even if it only expands marginally, it should do just fine. Having two holes in a big bear is a great advantage in tracking them, of course, be they put there by a bow, shotgun slug, or a rifle. Bears can lose themselves in some really thick stuff quickly, even though they were running on "empty". Just remember that a bear's lungs aren't where a deer's are. Somewhere on the net there is a great profile showing the location of the vitals. I think it is a Bowhunters Education site or something like that.Try to find it and study it well. I've seen lots of bears shot too far forward and lost, one this year with a .416... and two shots at that. I followed another this fall for over a mile in the dark that had a bullet behind the right shoulder, but never got but one lung. It was shot with a .30/06 and a Trophy Bonded, at that. I think it possible to break both shoulders of a bear and not even hit the lung cavity.. look at the picture and you'll see what I mean.
Good luck... I'll be after a big one with my bow in Manitoba come June 8th.

[ 02-26-2003, 04:51: Message edited by: JudgeG ]

I think your TBBC's are a good idea. As stated you want two holes in the bugger. They won't bleed worth a darn usually without an exit. My preferences are Swift A-Frames and Barnes X's. All bears I've shot with these have bled like crazy and exit wounds are about 3/4 - 1" but had very wide, wound channels from start to finnish. The farthest Ive had one travel was about 10 yards or so and there were no major bones hit.

.375 h&h plus swift a frame, or tbbc, or north fork=bear getting knocked on his ass

I have seen the 300 gr. TBBC in action on a medium sized black bear. Load was the Federal High Energy load, 2620 fps MV, range was 15 yards. Blew a huge hole all the way through, and broke a shoulder/leg. Great choice for bears. It has since proven its worth on another bear. Enormous damage!

I have used the TBBC in both 7mm. mag. and .338 mag. They both kill bears, as well as African game very well. The PH in Africa was not to keen on the TBBC until after we recovered a few from critters. All had mushroomed perfectly and with great weight retention. Never recovered one from a black bear though. With two holes in them the bullets are still out in the woods somewhere, bears are,or were in the freezer, heads on the wall. Just stay away from frontal shots with all of the hair it is easy to miss what you want to hit. At least that is what the outfitter said.

Thanks for the information, now I have to get a bear to be able to report back the results.

BigB

Bears have got alot of fur...Most bullet holes won't be noticed on a good pelt.