Hi
I have a win mod 70 Safari Express in 416 rem I will be hunting Brown Bear next year what bullet do you recomend for this hunt?
Dr B

Any bullet 350 grs to 400 grs from nosler, barnes, swift, ect well do you just fine.

Agree w/ p dog shooter.

Pick one of the above and load them up. If your rifle doesn't shoot them to your degree of acceptable accuracy, try another. At least one of them, if not all, should shoot accurate enough.

Gary

Try them all then you will probably find the North Fork 370 grainer to be the most accurate. It is certainly the toughest that will open up without a doubt as opposed to the Barnes on occasion. Good shooting.

400 grain partition

400g X

*** .416 BULLETS FOR BROWN BEAR ***

( IMHO ) The most important consideratios are :

-- A well constructed , tough , bullet that will go through (lots) of heavy bone and/with shedding minimum wt.

-- An Expanding , SP bullet , that has outstanding penetration . Ideally , one that will leave an exit wound , when the Animal is taken from ANY angle .

-- A heavy-for-caliber bullet with an absolute Minimum Sectional Density of .270 .
( Elmer Keith's criteria ) . -- Otherwise , the MOST sectional density that you can shoot well with .

I , personally , believe strongly , in the efficacy of PARTITIONED bullets . However the Barnes Copper Types , have an excellent rep. from real experts , and may be better . -- Barnes is coming out (?) with a Copper-up-front , and Tungsten-behind , bullet , that should be superior to anything ,
( theoretically ) .

-- The Bullet MUST feed perfectly in your rifle .

-- There is great wisdom in selecting a FACTORY ROUND . -- The R&D guys for all of the Major Ammo. Mfg.'s do a lot of fine tuning to get a superior load . -- What they produce in their HEAVIEST , ( WT. bullet ) loadings , in .416 Rem. , -- is already highly perfected to your specific use !

-- If you reload , -- forget it , and buy Factory stuff , -- You don't need target accuracy for Brown Hunting . -- Go FACTORY , because , on average , it's more reliable .

-- A good approach is to inquire on a good Forum , like this one ; -- what Factory rounds the Pro. Guides , - ( and/or African P.H's ), prefer for large , tough , thin-skinned DANGEROUS GAME . -- When you get a goodly consensus , -- buy that one .

Believe you bought the right Rifle , I've got a 70 Safari , in .375 H&H LH .

Good Luck on your hunt , --- MMCOUGAR .

Baylor

Any premium bullet will do the trick. Trophy Bonded, Swift and Nosler Partitions would be my choice in no particular order. I have shot several large animals with all 3 bullets with excellent results. I also believe you can buy them all in factory rounds if you need to.

Mark

All of the above advice is on the money. I like the new Hornady 400gr Interbond in both my 416 Rigby and 416 Rem as well. Just get close enough to place it correctly and you'll do well.

The 410 gr woodleigh is awesome.It expands to about .92 caliber and will penetrate further than any bullet have shot .I loaded it with around 78 grs of reloader 15 in my 416 Rem mag.I liked the old Remington Swift 350 gr bullets they were awesome factory loads.I have a friend who shot a 9'4" coastal bear three times with 400 gr barnes x bullets with his 416 Taylor.The bear took 3 250 gr 358 Norma bullets before that.He switched to the woodleigh 410 gr bullets.The woodleigh bullets have a grove in them for the 416 rigby but I just seated them deeper.They shot around an inch in my 416 Rem mag Winchester Express Rifle.Its my brush load that I trust in my 416 for up close and personal bears.We shot a bunch of different bullets into wood and the woodleigh went the deepest into wood.I bought a bunch from midway on sale and pulled a bunch from 416 weatherby ammo I bought for cases for my 338-378 weatherby.I swear the woodleigh bullets kick more than any other bullets that I shot out of my 416 Remington.

any bullet will do for the 416 rem but roscoe and phurley 5 got it right for doing it with style and effectiveness

http://www.northforkbullets.com/416-370.htm

this is a big 5 africa bullet so brown bears would be no problem just put it in the boiler room

no 1 choice north fork
no 2 choice nosler partition

post pics

This one, in 350-gr.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/prodtsx.php

416 Caliber
Diameter Weight Description S.D. B.C. CAT#
NEW .416" 350 gr TSX FB .289 .521 41686

I've notice that the nosler partition is often chosen. My question is, since the Swift A-frame is a much improved partition bullet, why would some one choice the nosler. Is it just that they are cheaper or more accurate? Also the A-frame comes in 350gr and 400gr.
Dr B

the nosler does the "grenade affect" and loses lead but does more damage to lungs ect than becomes an almost flat nose for good penetration the a-frame is tougher for more penetration and bone breaking...imho

Boom
Do you want the "grenade affect" on a BB or do you want to break bones. I think at close range with a BB facing you you have a few bones to go through before you get to the lungs.
Dr B

use the north fork and you wont be disapointed... the nosler partition can do both but the n.f. will be the best as far as tough and expansion sans grenade affect which is good for lung shots. put the north fork flat nose solids as your last two for the best bone crushing penetration for up close and personal skull parting but more than likely you will not need it or your p.h. will help you out

Baylor,

It's been said before but nothing has come along to make the Nosler Partition obsolete. The Swift A Frame is a great bullet that I have used quite a bit but it really is not an improved NP as you suggested. Having the front part of the bullet core bonded to jacket retains weight but negates the original partition design. The frangible front third is supposed to blow apart causing terrific tissue damage while the rear section continues to penetrate.

The SAF folds back on itself while loosing almost no weight but the larger frontal area limits penetration.

They are both terrific bullets but work in 2 different ways. The Nosler would be my choice if both shot equally well in my rifle when brown bear was my target.

Mark

The beauty of the 416 on BB's is, it throws enough bullet and velocities aren't that extreme that to an extent, bullet construction isn't that critical, ie there really aren't any bad choices out there.

If I were personally loading a 416 for BB, I'd likely try the 350 gr X bullet and 370 gr Northfork, whichever shot best.

quote:

Originally posted by BusMaster007:
This one, in 350-gr.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/prodtsx.php

416 Caliber
Diameter Weight Description S.D. B.C. CAT#
NEW .416" 350 gr TSX FB .289 .521 41686

I think that would also be my choice.

Hey Dr B, I'm a little confused. Aren't you the one that started the post discussing using a 7mm RUM on this big bear hunt?

If my memory serves me correctly, after getting responses from many experienced Alaskan hunters suggesting larger calibers, you responded thanks, but I've decided on a 7mm RUM.

So what's with the .416 bullet post? Did you change your mind? Are you serious, or do you just like getting us Alaskan's going?

If you are serious, the .416 will work well if you can shoot it well. If you can't, get a smaller gun. Of course the premiums are great, but even the 400 grain Hornadys have performed excellent for me. I agree with Paul H, it's hard to find a bad bullet in .416.

Hey AK Hunter, Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have a kean sense of the obivious. I did start a thread about on rifle for NA including BB. I still think the 7mm RUM is a great canidate. I'm also considering when I make a BB hunt that i will load up some 175gr TSX at 3200 fps and bust old teddy's ass with it.
What I didn't say was that I only have one gun. I have several that would be sutable for BB including a 416 rem, 338 Laupa, 30-06 (x5), 308 win (X 4) , 7mm RUM, 7mm Rem mag, and 270 win. I'm also conidering buying a new gun just for the hunt, 375 RUM, 338 RUM,350 rem mag or a 338-06.
I wish I had the time and money to go hunt 20 or 30 BB over the next few years and test bullets and rounds, but I don't. So I ask alot of questions off people who have more experince than I do. I very much apreciate all great advice I get from the AR members. Hopefully next fall or the following spring I'll have a chance to get some BB experince for myself.

As for as enjoying "geting Alaskans going" a little contraverse and lively debate has allways been part of the fun before and after the hunt. I that light I might just take my 270 win w/ 130gr TSX when I go. After all 458 win belives it's adequate for BB.
Dr B

DrB a lot of BB have been killed with 270,06,300wm ect. 458 says they well all work(lord nows he as lots of time in with BB's.

I was a firm beliver in the abilty of my 06 300wm ect to do the job(and they still well). Then I saw some BB's and stood next to a few full sized mounts. When you see the bushel basket size heads the forearms as big as your thighs ,the inchs long claws ect.

I built a 416 taylor and loaded it with some good bullets.

I am a firm belive in using what you want, hunt them with a 22 hornet if you want. But for me I using something a bit bigger then the avg deer rifle.

pdog...rechamber to 416 a.r. and get rigby velocity (400@2400 another 150 fps on the taylor)

NO amount of misses will kill a bear ! mpb

doc...let us know which bullet you decide on...

p.s. are you gunna have some solids in the mag too?

Boom Stick
Barnes TSX 350gr. No solids needed with these bullets.
They are also more accurate than I am.
Dr B

DR B

Good choice

Hey Doctor, What do you have your Dr. degree in? I have a hunting partner that has his Dr degree in languages.

I think Paul hit it on the head with a 416 and the velocity and bullet weight just about any good bullet will work well. As for needing a big rifle for bears I have a funny story. My friend and I just got back from an Elk hunt in Wyoming. Well my friend has been giving me a hard time because I told him I was going to use a 375 H&H IMP with 300gr failsafes when I come up there next Oct for BB. He always ask's if I am hunting elephants when I go to AK next fall. Well the second to last day of our hunt we were sneaking on some elk and cut Grizz tracks in the snow. Big Grizz tracks I might add the front paws were probably 9 inch's across in the snow. Well we walked a little farther and there was an elk carcus and we could hear something circling in the trees. I was tired so I sat down and took a break. My friend who had a 300win with 165 IB's was as white as a ghost. I figured I would talk to him to make some noise as I was sure the bear was close by. All I had was my 7mm STW with 140 Accubonds as my 300win was tipped over a few days earlier by my hunting partner and the scope is toast. I had 200 Accubonds loaded for that. Anyway my friend was pretty ghost white after we left the area. So hear I am sitting in the woods with 7mm STW with only 140gr bullets and he has a 300 and I thought he was going to come unglued. I really did not get scared but I was alert after we heard the noise and saw the carcus. I sat down because well one I was tired and I figured if the bear was going to charge I was going to put the first one under the chin and the second in the head. Well anyway the next day the elk were in the same area and my buddy wanted to go home because he was scared but he will not admit it. Now he says he is using nothing under 200gr bullets and we didnt even see the bear. I mean do not get me wrong I respect Bears and cannot wait to hunt them but I think some people let fear take over common sense sometimes. If 458 says a 7mm mag or 30/06 will work on bears I will take his word for it. Some might ask well then why am I using a 375 and my answer is I can shoot that rifle just as good as any other I have so why not?

My 416 Rigby is very accurate with the 300 gr. Barnes X bullets. I took a nice Water Buffalo with the 300 gr. Barnes X with one shot.

*** DR B ***

DOC , -- I like your sense of humor , and hope to have you and your good info. with us for a long time .

Just on the rare , and seldom seen ; one-in-a-thousand , off-chance , --- stick to the .416 .

( Humble advice from a highly inexperienced but well researched , Brown Bear Student ) .

The Great Jack O'Conner , was an open-country type , -- not an Alders-man .

---- Nose To The Trail , MMCOUGAR .

Even Jack used a 375 on his BB hunts.

I'll ask again my hunting partner has a Dr. Degree also him and I have been all over the place hunting together. He is a professor at our state college. I was just wondering what you have your degree in sir?

I Have a MD from LSU Medical School New Orleans. I will be starting a private pratice in southern Louisiana in March 06.
Dr B

Thank-you DrB