I went back a month and see you folks had a discussion on Nosler Ballistic tips before I started reading this board. I love them in the 165 grain version out of my .300 Win. Mag.
Never had one fail on deer in about 15 kills. I am moving up to 180's as I have read 180's tend to be better in the .300. My question is with the talk of useing them for Elk and Moose I wondered if anyone ever shot black bear with them? I planned to use Nosler Partitions as I always though BT's were only for thin skinned game. I am sure I won't go wrong with the Partitions but the tread about shooting Elk and Moose with them got me thinking. Just don't know about going through a thick hide and layer of fat. Having never hunted bear I have lots of concerns and questions and this is one.

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Don Nelson
Sw. PA.

Don, My experience with 165 bt's started with
groundhogs and then a few whitetails. I had
kills but the bullets recovered showed some
failures and one at a distance of 377yds.
My opinion for the win mag and weatherby 300's is to use 200 gr bullets. I like sierra
spitzers for deer size game and premiums for
anything larger.

I have taken black bear with 140gr ballistic tips out of a 7mm-08 and my partner used 165 gr ballistic tips in his 30-06 to take a few bears.Performance in all cases was excellent.I have also used 180gr ballistic tips in my 300 ultramag to take elk and moose.I use lung shots almost exclusively with one black bear taken at the base of it's throat as it was facing me.

Black bears are not especially "thick-skinned" or hard to kill with a well placed shot. I'm sure the 165 gr. BT would work fine as will the 180 gr. Partition.

I've killed several hundred deer and wild hogs with the 165 gr. BT @ 3400 fps from my .300 Jarrett. Never lost a single animal hit with that bullet.

When hunting the big stuff (african game), I switch to the 200 gr. Partition @ 3050 fps with equally impressive results. Never lost an animal with that load either.

I'm going to Quebec for a spring bear hunt next week and have decided to shoot the 200 gr. Partitions. Hunting over bait, the shot will only be around 50 yards. At 3400 fps, the 165 gr.BT would go off like a hand grenade, undoubtedly killing the bear, but perhaps also doing serious damage to the hide. Using the 200 gr. Partition, I'll still have a dead bear, and a bear skin rug without huge holes.

For elk or moose forget about the 165 gr. BT and go with the Partition in 180 gr. or 200 gr.

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Life member of the NRA and GOA. Do you part to protect our Second Amendment rights and our hunting heritage!

I've shot 1 bear and 3 moose with 180 grain ballistics out of a 30-06 at a (graphed) MV of 2600 fps. The moose were all shot at under 50 yds - 2 of them in the 1200 pound range, and the bear (about 150 lbs) at 150 yds.

All were 1 shot kills the bear and smallest moose (800 lbs) died on the spot. The one big bull was running, but dropped in the distance his momentum carried him, and the other was "out of it" and staggered around for a while before dropping.

I was extremely pleased with their performance at these velocities.

I have shot several heads of African game with ballistic tips. I do not care for them on any thing bigger than Kudu cows. They do however shoot really well out of my .300 win mag. I still likke the controlled expansion bullets for the larger animals.

I have shot 165 gr BT's out of my 30/06 and they open up a little quicker than the woodleigh 165 pp's I tried. But then again the BT's are probably ideallt suited to Aussie game. The larger cal BT's are constructed a little heavier than the .22 cal BT's etc. I think.

Any way I reckon there a good accurate bullet.

Shoot the Partition. You will need the penetration and pass-thru for quartering shots or if you are brave - the Texas heart shot! You do not mention if you will be hunting spring or fall bear, there is a difference in the tenacity of this game animal during these seasons. Fall bears are lively and heavier. Would you want to wound a 500lb+ black bear? Then go tromping around in the thick stuff to find him? I would opt for the 200gr partition or 180gr partition gold moly-free in the 300. MtnHtr