Of these two 243 bullets, which would you use for blackbear. 85 barnes tsx, 100 partition.
please, no, why don't you use bigger caliber
answers.

Both good. See which one shoots best in our rifle.

My search for the best big game bullet ended when I found Barnes.

Either should be fine, but I'd take the Partition over the Barnes any day.

When the TSX bullets work, they do very well. But when they fail to open, well...that's another story altogether.

I have a 120 grain 7mm TSX on my desk that penetrated most of the length of a hog. The impact velocity was in the 2370-2375 fps range, and there is not even a hint of expansion. When I found the sow, she had made more than 400 yards and was still alive, though obviously quite weakened. A shot through the neck ended the ordeal and was the final nail in the coffin when it comes to my usage of Barnes bullets. I've previously posted a number of photos of recovered Barnes bullets which showed minimal or no expansion, so I won't get into that again.

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... please, no why don't you use bigger caliber answers.

While I cannot answer your question, may I ask why you would be hunting black bear with a 243? No disrespect, just interested. (Very interested, actually).

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Originally posted by 303Guy:

quote:

... please, no why don't you use bigger caliber answers.

While I cannot answer your question, may I ask why you would be hunting black bear with a 243? No disrespect, just interested. (Very interested, actually).

Me too.

I would use the Nosler Partition.

Hey Chumly, Why is it you want to use a 243Win for Bears?

Where do you plan to shoot the Bear with the Bullet?

Have you Hunted Bear before?

Shoot it in the lungs/heart with either bullet and it will die. Last time I checked, black bear didn't have adamantium bones and kevlar skin.

black bear are really no tougher than a large mule deer.
partition.

I've only shot one bear with a 24 cal (6mm Rem.), but it went down without a flinch. Bullet was a 100 gr. NP.

IMHO 6mm is a marginal bullet for that application, but a well constructed bullet put on target will do the job.

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black bear are really no tougher than a large mule deer.

This part I can understand. But how does a bear react if the shot he recieves is not immediately incapacitating? (I don't have black or any other bear in my parts but I am just interested. To be quite honest, I would be too scared to use a smaller caliber on an animal that can bite back! That would stem from lack of experience on my part!)

Black bear can run from 100 lbs to 500 lbs [bigger in rare cases].

I have shot a lot of black bear, I would not want to use a 243.

The 308 is as small as I have gone.

PS. Black bear meat is very good to eat.

Even my 11 year old nephew loves it.

I have used both. Have had some failures with the partition from .243 on up thru a 180 gr. from a .30-06. But my experiences seem to be flukes anyway. I would use which ever shot best in my rifle. Have never gotten tight groups with the partition, and the Barnes groups under 3/8" in most my rifles so. . . . . .
Goodluck.

Shoot the partition while you still can. I have no doubt that many jurisdictions will eventually adopt misguided and non-sensical bans on lead bullets. Then we'll be left with only bullets like the monometal Barnes and will long for the days of the better-perfoming lead cores.

By the way, only black bears in coastal or farming areas (and in the fall) go much beyond 200 lbs. Inland blackies in the spring are neither large nor tough. Your .243 with a 100 grain Partition loaded to 3000 fps will kill one a lot quicker than Joe Bob's .416 Remington loaded for cape buffalo.

It appears the Bear got Chumly and his 243Win!

My search for bullets ended about 25 years ago when I found Nosler Partitions, for all calibers I shoot.
I just bring myself to try other bullets when Partitions kill so well, and are as accuracte as I need.
Maybe lots of good bullets out there, but testing for the sake of testing isn't my bag.
My kids use them too.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
It appears the Bear got Chumly and his 243Win!

Yeah! It would be nice if he came back on. I hope we haven't offended him in some way - certainly didn't mean to!

Both are good bullets but I would want the heavier bullet, so the NP would be my choice.

100g Nosler Partition in my opinion. I used to hunt black bear and elk with good success using 105g Speer spitzers until I bought my 270.

Chuck

You could probably kill an elephant with a .22 Long Rifle cartridge, but it is not wise or humane?

A bear poorly shot with a small caliber bullet will not leave much of a blood trail, and will probably be condemned to a slow, painful death. Where's the sport in that?

An ethical hunter should do all he can to kill animals quickly and humanely. Part of this equation means using enough gun to get the job done right. To me, trying to kill a bear with a .243 isn't the ethical thing to do. Just my opinion. Bill.

Triple Shock X would get my vote, but both should do the job assuming bullet placement is good

95 or 100-grain Nosler Partitions.....

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A bear poorly shot with a small caliber bullet will not leave much of a blood trail, and will probably be condemned to a slow, painful death. Where's the sport in that?

Got news for you, Bill: A bear poorly shot with a large caliber will do likewise. So what does poor bullet placement have to do with the diameter of the poorly placed bullet (except that smaller calibers are usually more accurate and easier to place well)?

I've never seen a black bear that a 243 NP wouldn't kill. A bunch have been lost with big bores by merely shooting at hair.

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A bear poorly shot with a small caliber bullet will not leave much of a blood trail,

From what I have seen, there is little or no difference in the size of bullet holes betweem calibers - it's a function of bullet construction, rather. (I've never shot something with a large caliber).

.243, Never!!! 6.5x55 w/ 160gr, 7mm rem mag w/ 160 gr, 8x57 w/ 175gr.
Now I feel warm and fuzzy. Sure I might use a 180gr .303, 180gr 7.62x54r, or a 286gr 9.3x57(9.3 only under 75 yards) Nothing wrong there either.

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Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Black bear can run from 100 lbs to 500 lbs [bigger in rare cases].

Much bigger if you're in the right place.

I would not recommend a .243 with ANY weight or type of bullet.

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Originally posted by Lamar:
black bear are really no tougher than a large mule deer.
partition.

Lamar, They may not be tougher but when is the last time you've seen a 350-450lb maybe even a 500lb mule deer?

The problem would actually lie in the fact that a black bears bones are MUCH bigger and thicker than a mule deers.
A 243 with either of these bullets would be a good choice for any black bear that ever walked as long as you placed your shot with the same placement as a bow hunter.

Between those two? Probably the partition, to be honest. I'd prefer a bit more weight over the extra speed. A 243 shouldn't push the partitions past their reliable limit, so they should stay together nicely.

Looking though all the posts I did not find one person from Minnesota post so I am am going to throw in my .02 cents...

I have a client i take out hunting every now and then that is a HUGE 6MM fan and has take a few nice White Tail deer 190-220lbs dressed with his and the shots where what I would call Long for such a smaller caliber 250-275 yards...
your avage balck bear in alaska may be 250-325lbs may be wrong but I know from seting up bait stations in MN that we hardly have a shot over 40 yards even when gun hunting so I would say to chummly Go right ahead if it is leage to use in Alaska then why not I would use a 95-100gr Nosler partion with a good speed 2900+ I know Hodgdon has some load data for this with Hybrid 100V they ar pushing a 100gr around 3100fps and at 25-50 yards that would kill a bear with a well placed shot....

I have not killed alot of bears 2 is all I have done in and both of them were done with a .260 rem Model 7 20" barrle and a 125gr nosler partion I dont know how fast it was going I realy didnt care but it had 40 grains of RL15 both bear were around 240lbs dressed one at 35 yards other at 25 yards...........

90gr Lapua Naturalis

I know hunters have done this and I believe it will work, but it just doesn't feel right to me. I would prefer a bullet somewhat larger in diameter.