Anyone have comments on the 235 grain Barnes TSX or 300 grain Sierra BT for Brown Bear.

I will be shooting a 20" barreled Savage so the speeds will be low for a 375 H-H. Just an assumption because of the short barrel. I am thinking that with the velocities I am expecting that these bullets should do the trick.

Or do you think a 250-270 premium would be better? (second guessing).

300GR Sierra are soft as butter,i won't use them on a teddy bear

I would not mess around with anything but a stout bullet when going for Brown Bear. I have used Swifts both the 270gr. and the 300gr. A - Frames. Those bullets both exited the shoulders and broke bears down fast. When you pull the hide off you will have greater appreciation for why it is a good idea to use a premium bullet.

HBH

-1 on cup-'n-core boolits for brownies.

I'm sure the Sierra has killed 'em before, but why would you even consider it?

....... Alot of bear have been killed with the 300 gr Sierra Game King ... Especially out on the Peninsula and Kodiak , back before the new super bullets came out .....

235 X would be fine , imo but it is hard to get away from the 270 gr X bullet as IMO the best all around bullet for the 375 H&H ...250 gr is 2nd .... They create the same diameter wound ,fly a little flatter and recoil less .than the 300 gr bullets .

My favorite 375 H&H load is the Federal Trophy Bodbed Bear Claw 300 gr High Energy factory load ....
They were super accurate in my last 375 and chronographed @ 2700 fps with only around 15 fps variation ,,, And I chronographed groups of 5,sand 10 from different boxes and lot #,s ... I wouldn,t be surprised if that load didn,t go 2600 from your Savage ..

I would use a 300gr Nosler Partition, TBBC, or Swift A Frame, as I have factory loads with all 3

Of course if I was going to reload, and could get some North Forks.....

I was considering the 300 sierras because I think they would work well at the lower velocity of the 20" barrel.

I dont think a 300 premium is necassary because these bears are not Cape Buffalo. I would consider them though I am not that picky.

If evryone thought the 235 grain TSX was strickly an elk bullet I would go to the 270 TSX or 300 TSX.

I plan on loading my own as a box of ammo is around $80 for 20.

I bought some 235 Barnes TSX and some 235 speers and some 300 Sierras for starters. I like to use 235 speers for plinking.

North Fork is supposed to be up and running some time but I have not heard when. I am wanting to get a load started in the next couple weeks because I dont like to work up loads in freezing weather.

The 260 Nosler Partition is another bullet I have considered but I expect the 235 TSX could penetrate as well.

.. I wouldn,t hesitate a minute to shoot a big bear with a 235 gr TSX ... You should be able to push them 2850 fps ..

I have used the 270 gr X bullet alot and really like it so I always recommend that bullet ...

My favorite 375 H&H has a 19 3/4" barrel.

I like the 300gr Nosler Partition in the Federal factory load because the Partition expands good at lower velocity, yet if I hit a big bone up close, the bullet will still stay together and still penetrate deep.

Same on a going away shot on a big bear or elk, if I hit a big bone on the way in I should still get good penetration.

RMiller - here is a report of 9,3 250gr.TSX on brown bear:

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...=665105558#665105558

IMO it would be enough to keep velocity of 250 gr.TSX above 2500fps, and 235gr. above 2600fps for optimal results - if not - use heavier bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
My favorite 375 H&H has a 19 3/4" barrel.

I like the 300gr Nosler Partition in the Federal factory load because the Partition expands good at lower velocity, yet if I hit a big bone up close, the bullet will still stay together and still penetrate deep.

Same on a going away shot on a big bear or elk, if I hit a big bone on the way in I should still get good penetration.

+ 1 My 375 H&H loves those 300 gr NP's and it kills stuff dead!

Contact the Alaska Bullet Works guys and ask for some of their 270gr Kodiak's.

.429 has a good point also ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SD76IiqAq8

Shot the Savage today.

I was wrong it was a lot of fun. Fired 17 rounds through it. I had to learn to move my trigger finger out of the way of the bolt.

Before I ever shot it I replaced the factory pad with a new Sims Limbsaver.

I was taking a peek at the Hawk Bullets website.

Howdy,

In 1999, took a Brown Bear with 375HH and used 270X with RL15 loaded to 2750 FPS - excellent results. My rifle liked the 270 better than the 300 gr X bullets - this was before the TSX bullets were out.

Adios

Sport

. Thatll do .

I've shoot a couple of brown bear with the 300 gr Sierra and it's my favorite bullet for the .375. They work very well on big bears. I haven't used my .375 for guiding in nearly two decades since I switched to the .338 but I use the 250 gr sierra in the .338 and it has accounted for a number of bears and I woulden't use another bullet.
Had a Kodiak permit a few years ago and used one of my .375's for that hunt. That rifle likes 270 gr Hornady's a little better but that bear dropped inside of 20 yards with one shot.

A couple other interesting bullets I found is the 300 grain Hornady Interbond and the 300 grain Nosler Accubond.

I would be all about the Nosler Accubond but out moose hunting this year my brother in law was loading his 300 ultra with Accubonds and one of the tips had fallen off, I cant get that out of my mind. What would happen if the tip was floating around in the barrel?

I would go with the 250 to 300 gr Swift A Frames or the Trophy Bonded. You can't go wrong with them. The Sierra is too soft especially if you hit bone.

True, a brown bear is no Cape Buffalo but he can kill you just as dead.

Is the 300 sierra too soft from anyone experiences?

I think the bullet seems to be heavy enough to do a good job even if it does not keep 100% weight retention.

My thoughts come from knowing the 250 partition in 338 win mag generally goes right on through a brown bear. I am thinking that by going with a softer bullet that I can get very good damage with adequate penetration. I was thinking a 260 partition would be great but I figured a 300 sierra should do as well as a 260 partition.

I bet a 235 TSX does as well as any 270 grain lead core does.

But then again I think a 300 TSX would penetrate the greatest although velocity would be the lowest. This could be a one bullet for anything load. Definately being the bullet of choice for a going away follow up shot.

I expect that I will not admire the shot and that I will apply more shots if needed. The first shot will be a boiler room shoulder shot and after that anything goes (off course still prefering the same boiler room shoulder shot).

The shot I am looking for is the quartering to shot between the head and shoulder right at the base of the neck. This shot had dropped Browns in there tracks for friends with 300 win mags and 200 partitions.

Read the bullet description in the Sierra manual on the 375 300 gr. soft point. It's made for larger game.

Geoff

I have read that. It says the 300 sierra does well on larger bears.

I did buy a box of 300 grain Barnes TSX bullets. I will most likely fill the mag with these even if I use something else for the first shot.

I shot the other 33 rounds I had loaded. That rifle is fun. One good (lucky) shot I made was on a dud 38 special round my son found while we were shooting. I shot it offhand with one shot at 20 yards.

If a 300 RUM with a 200gr Accubond will cleanly kill a brown bear, I just cannot imagine that a 235 TSX in 375 wouldn't do 10x better.

Personally, with YOUR 20" bbl, I'd take the 235 TSX and load it as fast as you can with accuracy being in second place, so long as groups are still reasonable at distances you intend to shoot.

300 TSX and the Aframes would be my very very close 2nd choice.

/.......,.,Ak Shooter has alot of experience ,the biggest problem with the 300gr Sierra would be a bunger shot , but it would bust the hips or leg and that will do alot for slowing the bear down ...I would bet the 235 gr TSX will out penetrate the 300 Sierra,s ... Biggest problem with the 235 TSX is it looses velocity faster than the heavier bullets ..

I get 2600 fps out of the 300 gr TSX in a SS Classic M70. Only advantage over the 235 TSX will be greater penetration through heavy bone.

I expect either would do if well placed. The 300 would be more forgiving in a fast shot situation.

I shot some work up loads today.

68 Varget 300 TSX 2467,2479
71 R-15 300 TSX 2479,2488
76 H4350 300 TSX 2452

I think I will be giving the Varget load of 68 grains some more attention.

With the 235 TSX R-15 was by far fastest and with 75 gr. went 2795,2786. I am going a couple grains higher with this load. Just did not get them all shot today.

Only shot one Sierra 300 with 69 gr R-15 went 2478. So it looks like the Sierra may do another 50 FPS faster than the TSX.

With my 9.3x64 Brenneke with a simular barrel length I get 2800 fps with the 250 gr TSX and RL 15 ...

I am actually going to work with the R-15 load with the 300 Barnes TSX because the Varget load showed more case expansion than the others I tried.

--

Every rifle is an individual.

I know a number of hunters that have used the 300 gr. Sierras in the .375 on brown bear with success, and like AK hunter states the 250 gr. Sierra in the .338 is great bullet I know a lot of local idaho who favor it for elk. I have seen a lot of nice expanded bullets from these hunts with both bullets..

That said I still have this unsubstantiated distrust of those big Sierras as hunting bullets and it irks me they won't come around and bond the core.

My choice, however, would be the 350 gr. RN Woodleigh, its a real hammer on soft skinned stuff like Bears. The 350 gr. PP is just as good but a bit tougher for more penetration.

I just feel better with a bonded core or partitioned bullet.

I am afraid that in my rifle that 350 grainer would only go about 1800 FPS.

RMiller, FWIW, my Remington 700 in .375 H and H loves the 260 gr Partitions. I loaded it with 72 grains of R-15 and I think it shot around 2700.

I shot a bull caribou that was facing me with it's head down at 300 yards with it. The shot angle was probably 25 degrees. The bull entered just behind it's head and we found it lodged just inside the hide in the back ham near the joint. So, it went through that animal lengthwise. I weighed the bullet and it weighed 160 grains.

My 375 H&H has a 19" barrel.....and it has suprised me how much velocity is lost due to that fact. The losses seem to be substantially less in my rifle with 300g bullet loads than with lighter ones.

I found some loads in which I lost 2-300 fps from the book with lighter bullets...

My experimenting has lead me to finding that heavy bullets with lead cores (NP, etc) NOT Barnes TSX will give me the best combo of velocity, energy, and BC from my short barrel.

Cheers,

Dan

I have seen a few bears killed with 300 Sierra bullets and they always worked as intended. In fact the bear that was laying in the water in my "Big Bear"article in the current Successful Hunter magazine was taken with one. the bullet was perfectly mushroomed and just under the hide.

I haven't used bullets lighter than the 270TSX in my 375's but am betting they should work perfectly

I've always shot the 285 grain Grand Slams and have been very satisfied with the results. You might look into them and see what you think.

I've shot 2 with the 300gn Hornady Interbond, because that is what I had on hand at the time.

The first bear had one exit both lungs and turned to run. Second shot broke the hips. He plopped down and spun around to face me and the third took out a 1x2" chunk of sturnum going in. I didn't look for the bullets.

Second bear was inbound at 40yds and was bang-flop. That's certainly good enough for me.

I load 300gn Noslers for hunting and use the Hornadys for practice, but they can definitely do the job just fine.

Bob

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/index.php?cPath=45

Here is a smorgasboard of goodies for your 375. Most of them less than $50 a box.

quote:

Originally posted by HBH:
I would not mess around with anything but a stout bullet when going for Brown Bear. I have used Swifts both the 270gr. and the 300gr. A - Frames. Those bullets both exited the shoulders and broke bears down fast. When you pull the hide off you will have greater appreciation for why it is a good idea to use a premium bullet.

HBH

Ditto's HBH