300 Savage for fall bear hunting??

Odawgp

I was thinking 180gr Nosler Partition

With that bullet what is everyone thoughts on weather or not it is enough gun?

wtroper

Plenty of gun. The old 300 is under appreciated in today's world. Go hunt with it and never look back. It will do its job if you do yours.

Good hunting.

joes

Great Caliber! Todays 300's are too fast, slower, heavy and someting to hold together is perfect for bear, and by the sounds of it you hit the mark. To many "mags" blow through and never begin to expand especially if hunting over bait on close shots. Just my .02

laogai

i dropped one in alaska dead in his tracks with my 270 with 130 grain failsafe. 300 savage plenty. 180 grain fine over bait, but would go with 165 if longer shot possible. partition or accubond or interbond or such. my 2 cents

CryptoChief

My comment is pretty much the same as the others. Plenty of gun. Your 300 is just a shade shy of the 308 Win. Many folks put both chamberings into the same category as far as use and killing potential. I used a 7/08 with a Hornady 154 grain SST to take a 366 pound boar last fall. Your 300 will easily match or even top what my 7/08 did. If I had to do it over, I would have liked to have had a partition or one of the bonded bullets though. The SST got into the vitals, but left not even a hint of an exit wound (bullet hit him on the point of the left shoulder and angled back at about 30 degrees). Regardless - dead bear. So, load up some 165's that was suggested or the 180's and enjoy your hunt.

CC

Cubslover

Perfect, I do remember reading that the 300 Sav is much better off with bullets below 180grains...I guess the performance goes south when you get heavier than 180's.

I'm sure a 180 will do the trick though.

My $.02

Odawgp

thanks that is reassuring, I have read a lot on the net about bear hunting and all the articles I can find say 30 caliber mag or bigger and min of 180gr bullet.

My first thoughts after reading these articles was that is this bear is going to eat me if I shoot it at 50yds with a 300 WM.

"Too much gun, going to fast, too close"

I will have to spot and stalk as bait hunting is illegal in Colorado

A 300 yd shot would not be unlikely out here, maybe I will go get some 165's, I use 165 BT's in my 300 WM for deer and elk.

Honestly, what I am really trying to do is find a use for this box of 180's that I have been hauling around for 4-5 yrs now.

The 180's lose 100-150fps to the 165's and at 300yds drop 3 more inches but are carrying more POP!!!

CapnMidnight

Sell them to me, thats the bullet I load in my 300 win mag and in my 3006s, been putting meat on the table for a long time.
W.D.

laogai

black bears are not all that tough to kill. people who say 300 WM is minimum might be talking grizzlies, where I'd agree, but for blackies you can have 100% confidence in your 300 savage. in CO I'd use bonded 165 grain; save your 180s for closer range. and have fun!

Mobuck

What range do you expect to make the shot. Under 100 yards the 180 would be fine. Over 100 yards, I would go to a 165 partition. Either will blow through most bears but the 165 will expand better at the longer range. The 300 is good enough but the 180's are not real speedsters.

5mmgunguy

I would go with the 165 grain partition. 180 grain is ok for 100 yards or less...the bullet will be pretty deep in the case and will limit powder capacity a little.

sandwarrior

The bullet/case combo would be an excellent one for black bear. While it would work, I would think twice if your thought was to go to Alaska... They use that a lot up in Northern Minnesota. At least a lot of guys I've met up there do.

Odawgp

quote:Originally posted by Mobuck
What range do you expect to make the shot. Under 100 yards the 180 would be fine. Over 100 yards, I would go to a 165 partition. Either will blow through most bears but the 165 will expand better at the longer range. The 300 is good enough but the 180's are not real speedsters.


I am thinking 100-200yds

With as many as I have seen in the last three yrs (all withing spitting distance +/-50yds) I don't want to get to much powder behind a small bullet and have a pissed of black bear try to eat me.

Mobuck

The 165 partition will get the job done with no problem. You can break the front shoulder if you can and it will still give you plenty of penetration. My suggesttion is not to do the TV superhunter thing where he shoots once and then waits while the animal runs off. Just keep pumping them in there until the bear is not moving anymore. Bears don't usually stand around waiting to get shot again but try it anyway.

DEG305

I have personally seen a 350# black bear killed with one shot from a 17hmr! sistance was 20yds. and the bullet entered his ear, moral being, shot placement! I've been hunting with a 300Sav for years and have never been dissapointed. The 300Sav. is one of those cal's. that will never let you down. Go with the 165gr loading.