I called today to find out what bullet they would recommend for Brown Bears with a 375 H&H they guy said the 235 grain XLC I said are you sure I am hunting brown bears he said that bullet is what they use and they have shot many Browns with them and it will easily kill anything in North America even Polar bears. I asked about the New 270 or 300 grain TSX bullet he said only if I was going to Africa and Hunting Rhino or Elephant would I need that heavy of a bullet. He said the X bullet will weigh 99 to 100% after you shoot it so a 235 grain X bullet will weigh more than a 300 grain Nosler Partition after they are fired and out penitrait it by 30%. Well I guess I will take his word for it I mean he must be telling the truth the bullets I was going to get are more than the 235's he told me to use so I would say he is telling the truth.

I spoke with Barnes also and they told my basically the same thing. A lighter Barnes X bullet will work better than a heaver bullet from other manufactures. Due to weight retention. Now for my 375H&H I have Hornady 300 gr. bullets and my rifle is sighted in for them. I did buy a box of 50 Barnes X in 300 gr. before I talked to them. But when I do go on a brown bear hunt, I will use the 300 gr. Barnes X. Don't want them to go to waste.

Considering how much hunting Randy & Coni Brooks do with the 'X' bullets, they should know what bullet will work.

George
P.S. Personally, I'd use a 300gr. Swift A-Frame which is what I use in Africa.

Use the 270 X. The 235 X can't be driven fast enough to offset the B.C. of the 270, thus, it offers no advantage whatever, especially so, at usual brown bear ranges.

The Barnes X bullet gains nothing by slowing down. So I guess speed is your friend. With that said, I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over the decision between the 235 or the 270gr X. Eigther will do nicely I'm sure.



Nickudu, in tite you should be able to toss B.C. in a lake.



Chuck



P.S. Contrary to popular belief, X's do nasty things to the insides of victims.



P.P.S. I'd use the 270 grainer.

B.C. was mentioned only to explain why the 235 shoots no flatter than the 270, despite higher velocity. That said, high B.C. also brings increased S.D. and the extra bullet weight brings more energy ... energy based more on bullet weight than higher velocity, which is the way to go for big bear, IMO.



P.S. - The Barnes X can gain something by slowing down.

You'll shed petals more often with a 235 @ 2,950 than you would with a 270 @ 2,750, especially on heavy game, "in tight".

The latest Barnes manual (blue cover) says that one should select one size lighter bullet weight for game with the Barnes X. The manual suggests that the X works better at a higher velocity, allowing full expansion and deeper penetration. I have heard some reports from some hunters who use heavy for caliber bullets on medium game that the X did not open and worked as a solid. Moving one lighter would be a way to prevent this. Now for me-- Your game would have me using 300 grainers-- so if I move one lighter-- that means I would use the 270. Just my opinion.

Nickudu, I know what your saying. That is why I'd choose the 270 gr. bullet. But what about the recoil.......

X's Shedding their petals, though, bothers me about this much: "0".

Chuck

yeah it's true...a 235 gr. X would penetrate about as deep as a 300 gr. Nosler Partition should be some bad medicine for big bear, but myself...I'd go with the 270 gr. TSX

I think I might go with the 250 grain Barnes X I should be able to get around 2900 to 3000 fps with that and it should be plenty for anything I am going to shoot. The guy I talked to said the 270gr and 300gr TSX bullets are very long and you would have to seat them deep in the case to get them to fit in the magazine box that was one of the reasons he reccomened the 235gr he did say the 250gr would work good but it was not needed so I think I will use the 250gr it has a higher BC and will have more energy.

Chuck, if anything, the recoil of the 235 @ full-tilt is more offensive than that of the 270. I've shot all. Even the 210's @ 3,100 are nastier to shoot than are the 270's @ 2,750 to 2,850, IMO. Loaded down just a bit, the lighter bullets are quite pleasant to shoot and do better on game.



Petal loss does not bother me either, so long as it takes place where the secondary missiles do damage. By this I mean, impacting onside bone @ higher speed increases the likelihood of petal loss, before the bullet gets deep and abbreviates the typical X wound channel. The 270's work well, even up to cape buffalo but for the reasons stated, I would use the 300 X at still lower velocity.



I have found practical use for the 210 grain X but can not come up with valid justification for selecting 235 - 250 grain X bullets over the 270.

The reason I am going to use the 250gr is I will also be using this setup for Moose and Elk (Longer shots) and with my Hunting rifles I like to use one bullet for everything that way you get used to your setup better because nothing changes. I will be trying this rifle out on some whitetails so I am used to it. I figure if a 338 with a 250gr is good enough for Brown Bear a 250gr in a H&H should be to.

I was under the same question while ago..
If y go for bear,big bear..the main thing is to take it down efectively,one shot.I dont care of the bullets remaining weight,if it is 87% or 99%,main thing is that the beast is down and dead.
Few more experienced hunters here told me,shoot it once,hit it hard as y can,usually thers no place for second shot.
Use proper bullets,use heavy bullets.
I choosed the nosler partition 300gr to my 375HH.
Im sure nobody can tell Im wrong with this.

Elias

I would say a 300 grain Partition would work really well but a 250 grain X bullet is going to kill it just as fast and it will shoot a little flatter and hit harder at a longer distance wich is why I am using it because I will be hunting Moose as well.