pretty much any of those bullets are plenty for black bear. I would probably shoot whatever your gun likes best. I've had very good luck with the barnes TSX in several calibers and like they way they work and thier high BC values. Other bullets that you could look into would be 270gr Failsafe and the Nosler 260gr Accubond. I'm shooting the 260gr Accubond for moose, carabou, and interior griz this year, its really accurate out of my rifle.

While I'm sure that any of these are plenty for black bear, are any "too much" i.e. not expanding properly. SAF's too hard? Woodleigh's too soft? Speer just right, etc...

I voted North Fork soft as I think they are a good combination of expansion and penetration. However, I have only used them in 9.3 in the 250-grain weight.

ditto charles_helm

Swift A-Frames anytime i can get them.I have seen a 500# bear up close and personal,Thats a big animal!Hit him with all you got!Good Luck!

For what you described North Forks would be my first pick and Woodleigh my last. You can fill in the others however you like they're all good. The Woodleigh softs were too soft in my experience and over expanded. I had a 250gr 338 woodleigh come apart in a leopard! Black bears by and large are bigger/thicker animals.

While I agree that Northforks are the best of bullets, I have never had a Woodleigh fail and I have used a ton of them on Buffalo, Eland, and most plainsgame and also on elk and deer and a few bear.. even witnessed them used on elephant for body shots with perfect success...

The only two bullets I have had fail or rather not perform to my likeing is Swift A Frames as they expand into a smooth ball and sometimes don't leave a good blood trail and the game goes a long ways...The other is BarnesX and I have been unlucky with them more than a few times, but I will say they have always worked perfectly on buffalo...

ManCannon
I used my Blaser R 93 in 375 on my black bear hunt last June, [I did not see a bear] and I will be taking it to Idaho in a couple of weeks for another black bear hunt.
I am hunting over bait, but you never know when I might see a bear at a distance when going to the bait sight.
I plan on using the Federal Factory load with the 250 Trophy Bonded Bearclaw bullet. I have had excellent results with TBBC's in my 308, so I am giving them a try in the 375 H&H. This is a less than full power load, but still plenty enough for the bigest black bear IMHO.
TBBC's have given me good wounds, good kills and do not tear up the hide.
If I was not using the TBBC I would use the Federal Factory 300 gr Nosler Partition.I really like Swift A Frames but I think they and Barnes X bullets are to "hard" for black bear in the 375. And I do have a few boxes of the Remington factory 300 gr SAF, I will safe them for possible use on Brown Bear, I still like the NP for them too.
I have killed a black bear and several other animals in my 9,3x74R with both 286 Nosler Partitions and 286 Woodleigh Softs , both worked very well.

I used a 300 grain TBBC on black bear a couple of years ago. Bear went about 40 yards with a shot placed on the shoulder. 4 of us were hunting that trip and all took bear. The other guys were using 7mm & 300 mags with softer bullets and all had one shot kills with the bears only going 5 - 15 yards before stopping. But of course they had much more hide damage.

BigB

Unless you just want to use a premium bullet, they would be overkill, in my opinion. Black bear aint that tough, and I would use a 270 gr Hornady spirepoint, 300 gr Sierra gameking, or a 300 gr. HDY RN sp in that order. The Nosler 260 gr. bonded would probably be a good choice also.

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
I voted North Fork soft as I think they are a good combination of expansion and penetration. However, I have only used them in 9.3 in the 250-grain weight.

I'm sorry I didn't have more of a chance to talk with you when I stopped by...what all did you shoot with the 250gr North Forks, what distances, and how did they work?

quote:

Originally posted by gringo_pistolero:
I'm sorry I didn't have more of a chance to talk with you when I stopped by...what all did you shoot with the 250gr North Forks, what distances, and how did they work?

A Kudu bull and a Gemsbok cow for leopard bait. All shots passed completely through. All shots were less than 200 yards. I ended up switching rifles due to a scope mounting issue (actually my fault as I had a loose QD lever that I did not notice right away). I would have preferred to continue with the 9.3 but circumstances led me to stay with my second rifle. I like the way North Forks have a soft front to expand but solid base for good penetration. I'd like to talk about weight retention but only recovered the one we shot into the riverbank.

I'm hoping to give them a try on feral hogs this fall, maybe a whitetail as well.

A Nosler Partition is more than adequate.

Gary

quote:

Originally posted by GaryVA:
A Nosler Partition is more than adequate.

Gary

But that wasn't one of the choices...

IMHO I'd use a Hornady 270 or 300gr Interlock RN or a Nosler 300gr Partition.

270gr or 300gr TMRK loads from Federal or Remington whichever your rifle shoots best.
With such a big hole premium bullet is not needed in this case, but it is a fine choice if that makes you more comfortable. I like ABC so my choice in US would be 300gr TBBC offered in Federal Premium loads.

I sure like the new Accubonds and can't go wrong with Partitions

Guys,

I have a bunch of 270 gr Barnes Xs loaded to 2600 fps left over from a plains game hunt last year. Are very accurate in my rifle.

Though they are obviously not necessary for black bear, would they be "ok" for that use?

I'm pretty familair with the 375 and I doubt seriously if there is any such thing as bullet failure with any 270 or 300 gr. bullet on a black bear.....

The absolute best bullet in a 375 H&H, for black bear is a 300 gr Nosler Partition! Near, or far, it will open, and will penetrate like an icepick! The 375 H&H loaded to 2550 with the 300 gr Nosler Partition will absolutely flatten any black bear ever bread, regardless of weight!I also shoote flat enough to place your shots to 300 yds with precision! I voted for the North Fork on the poll, but it is my second choice!

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I'm pretty familair with the 375 and I doubt seriously if there is any such thing as bullet failure with any 270 or 300 gr. bullet on a black bear.....

That is the reality! One note on the swift A-frames. My last safari, (July '04) I shot 180 grain A-Frames in a .300 Jarrett. I wasn't real excited about what I saw out of the A-Frames. They didn't stay together near a much as they had in the past. I spoke recently to someone who is in the know and they said that Swift and changed their manufacturing process in the past 18 months and have been having a few problems. He went on to say that I wasn't the first to make this comment. I would stick to the Northforks.

find the cheapest 250 grain or bigger bullet for that hog leg and go hunting.....even a .257 Roberts is sufficient for the task....

You could almost kill one by throwing the gun at them and never firing a shot.

Any factory loaded .375H&H SP round proven accurate in your rifle.

Yep any of those would do for that sort of varmint.

However, the absolute best would be the North Fork, because it is the best soft point in the Universe. Either 270 grain or 300 grain would do in .375.

Whichever one shoots best in your rifle. That would most likely be the North Fork too.

If your rifle shoots Barnes use it.

The most important thing is shot placement with a bear. If they are badly hit they do not leave muc blood at all, and even a big one leaves very little track as they walk on padded feet.

Shoot him through both shoulders with a 270 grain X bullet to anchor him and try and give him a second shot before he tries to move off.

GOOD HUNTING