180 gr. Hard Cast For Black Bear??

[whichwatch]

.357 magnum 180 gr hard cast suitable for black bear? 6" S&W model 586.

 

[s4s4u]

Location, location, location. If you put it in the right place it should do fine.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I would say that is a minimum. Black bears come in various sizes depending on your location and some are pretty big animals. It should do fine for your "average" black bear around 200 #'s. If that's all the gun you have the 180 is a descent load. The rest is up to the shooter, keep shooting till he quits moving. Place your shots. The gun and load should be up to it. The variable is always the shooter.

 

[BearBio]

180 grain silhouette bullets (hard copper jacket folded over a hard cast core) failed to stop a 235 lb sow=5 shots in a 3" group behind the ear. Saw several other failures (from 3 years as an assistant guide on hogs) with 357 mags.

Black bears vary in size widely from 700+ lbs down to 180lbs. I agree 180 gr should be fine for ~200 lbs or so. Hardcast is certainly the best slug, I think. Effectiveness does down as size goes up. A predatory male would be harder to stop than the rare sow who charges. Black bear non-predatory attacks are rare=mostly bluffs. Other factors are time of year (fat layer?), illness, SHOT PLACEMENT, emotional level of the bear (angry, scared, etc).

As alway, SHOT PLACEMENT!

 

[CraigC]

It would be fine for the average sized bear of around 200lbs. For the big 500-800lb bears encountered in some areas like NC, I'd want a bigger bullet.

Silhouette bullets are made for knocking over steel targets, not hunting. They have thin jackets and soft, pure lead swaged cores. Contrary to popular belief, FMJ handgun bullets are not that tough.

 

[whichwatch]

Location, location, location. If you put it in the right place it should do fine.

"That's what she said"

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I'm curious, hunting or self defense?

 

[whichwatch]

I'm curious, hunting or self defense?

Would carry it in Colorado for "bear defense" which I know is unlikely and "people defense" if needed, but that is not the original intent for the load.

I know I said bear defense is unlikely but so probably did everyone who has had a bear encounter. Kinda like a boy scout I guess, Be Prepared.
No one says "I'm going to have a wreck today, I better wear my seat belt".

 

[olskool]

not me, I am sure it will take him out but it might be when you are in the digestive track...........

 

[Mus408]

Well if .357 Mag is all you have it's better than a stick. But if hiking the trails I would move up to .44 Mag or hot .45 Colt with 250-300 gr. and it could be in a short barrel trail type revolver 3 inch.
Can't hurt to go big in a small package!

 

[contender]

Bear season opened here monday. We didn't get to go any until yesterday & some today. May go out tomorrow.
I carry my 45 Colt with a 280 grn hard cast slug.
Many of the hunters I go with feel I'm way undergunned. If I tried to carry a 357,,, I'd not be in that group of hunters. They'd politely not invite me & flat out refuse to let me in on the chase.

But,, if that's your choice,,, then as noted above,,, lots of variables that only you can answer.

PS; A 16 yr old boy killed his first bear here today,, a small one at about 250 lbs. We do have them in the 500 lb range here. Ran one yesterday morning,,, at least 400.

 

[historicfirearms]

Hard cast, as in bnh 18-20 or up will not expand unless bone is hit. You might want to use a softer alloy for hunting. Unless you are using them for bear defense, then you will want to keep them hard for maximum penetration at odd angles. But for bear defense, I would say that you are undergunned. 44 mag, 45 Colt or bigger would be better.

 

[REP1954]

Some interesting reading. Just remember man was taking game with a handgun long before the 357 magnum was around. I just wonder how many bear, big and small, have sucomed to the 45 Colt with it's old soft lead bullet in front of 35 grs. of black powder.

http://sportsmansvintagepress.com/read-free/burning-powder-table-contents/smith-wesson-357-magnum-revolver/

 

[David Bradshaw]

.357 magnum 180 gr hard cast suitable for black bear? 6" S&W model 586.

*****

While I have no interest in shooting a bear, my answer is NO.

Oh, the recipe might work----if by "work" we include an animal lost to suffering. A black bear is far too majestic an animal to subject to questionable ballistics. A wounded animal may pound the mountain for miles, leaving virtually no tracks and little, if any, blood trail. Circumstance and presentation change the dynamics of immediate survival, and every year game is lost because the round is incorrect or the marksmanship is lacking, or BOTH.

The S&W .357 Mag 6-inch with 180 grain operates in the 1,100 fps zone, putting it at least 400fps behind the .357 Maximum. Yes, you can boost the velocity of the .357 Mag (and also kick the Maximum farther ahead).

BearBio and the first paragraph of Contender about covered it. Now you have my take.
David Bradshaw

 

[smith1961]

.357 magnum 180 gr hard cast suitable for black bear? 6" S&W model 586.

*****

While I have no interest in shooting a bear, my answer is NO.
BearBio and the first paragraph of Contender about covered it. Now you have my take.
David Bradshaw

Agreed, However,...........

In the OP context of black bear emergency (not hunting), six rounds of very hard cast 180 grain WFN or the like from Buffalo Bore, HSM, etc from a 6" 586 that he already owns, should be adequate.

 

[CraigC]

Agreed! Can't believe I'm one defending the .357 here, wonders never cease! :mrgreen:

 

[Captain America]

In the OP context of black bear emergency (not hunting), six rounds of very hard cast 180 grain WFN or the like from Buffalo Bore, HSM, etc from a 6" 586 that he already owns, should be adequate.

I carry Buffalo Bore 180gr hard cast in my Match Champion in the woods of PA and feel completely confident in it's abilities in an emergency. If I was specifically going Black Bear hunting with a handgun I would probably choose .44 Magnum.

 

[JBL14]

I've carried my 4" GP with the Buffalo Bore 180-grain cartridges in Yellowstone a number of times. I'm not saying that's as good an option as lugging my 4" .44 Mag Redhawk with much bigger hard cast bullets (which I've also done in Yellowstone), but in either case, my first line of defense is Counter Assault bear spray.

 

[REP1954]

I would think that using a 357 for hunting black bear would be more of a preferred choice than using it to defend ones self against a angry black bear who is now hunting you. A precision planned shot is always better than one made in haste.

 

[5of7]

It depends on the bear and the situation.

There is a huge difference between hunting a bear and defending oneself from an angry bear that is approaching one's position at 40 mph. 8)