black bear 44 mag load?

Something like this sitting on top of a lot of powder!!!
300gr WFN gas checked so ya don't have to worry about leading.

Keep in mind if you order from Beartooth Bullets they have about a 16 week backlog right now

https://beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/details.php?id=91

Any wide meplat, 240 gr. or better hard lead swc would work, black bear aren't that big, but they are tough. I'd say if you need to cut loose on a black bear with a pistol, you will want to be able to make multiple follow up shots quickly, and a moderate load under a good cast Keith style 240gr. swc would be my choice for black bear defense.
Quicker follow up shots and all the penetration you'd need.

horsemen61 said:

I have been invited to hunt black bear this fall only caveat is the guide asked us to bring a 44 mag or bigger pistol as a sidearm. I am looking for a load that will get the job done on a big black bear. The guide recommended the more penetration the better and he seemed against hollow points. Any ideas I am pretty sure it will be a lead hardcast bullet but what weight and any brand recommendations would help alot thanks guys.

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Is this a bowhunt? Why is not your primary weapon enough?

Blackies aren't that tough. Any 240-300 gr JSP or hardcast outta a .44 revolver will easily do the job. The question is, can the shooter?

buck460XVR said:

Is this a bowhunt? Why is not your primary weapon enough?

Blackies aren't that tough. Any 240-300 gr JSP or hardcast outta a .44 revolver will easily do the job. The question is, can the shooter?

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That was kinda my thinking... Have far north? Browns include Grizz and they are definitely tougher. NM and AZ both have a lot of blackies and I feel fine with a Glock 10mm for them.
North, they do get bigger but black bears just aren't as big as browns.

Horseman, Are you looking for factory loads or just bullets for your own? I sort of misunderstood your question.

Check out these factory loads.

http://www.underwoodammo.com/44remingtonmagnum.aspx

Also, if your looking at loading your own I would look at getting gas checked lead hard cast bullets for your 44 mag so you can load them up to potential if you desire.

Federal makes a good 300 grain hard cast.

Has Canada eased up on pistols? The last time I checked, Canada liked bringing pistols into the country sort of like Ebola...

So, regardless of load, how is it that you get to have a pistol for backup?

(Curious... )

The guide recommended the more penetration the better and he seemed against hollow points.

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Intelligent guide...

I learned back in the early 90's that soft or hollow points were not what you wanted in a .44 mag on black bear...

Long story, but suffice it to say, since that time I have stuck with a load that I worked up shortly after...

The only hunting load I use for deer and bear is a Hornady 265gr Flat Point over 22gr of H110 with a firm crimp and a mag primer...

Load is from the 4th edition Hornady manual and is not max, and is safe in my guns...

From my 7-1/2" Super Blackhawk it is doing 1300+fps...

The bullet is designed for the .444 Marlin, and therefore acts almost like a solid at slower velocities...

Pretty mushrooms from a handgun you will not see...

What you will see is penetration and bone smashing toughness...

Sadly, Hornady has put this bullet on hiatus till the 'shortage' gets caught up...

Best bet is to find a 275gr cast, and work up a load...

horsemen61 said:

I am looking for a little bit of both guys a factory load is a nice option but as a handloader I want to make a good quality load that will penetrate deep and if need be put down the biggest and baddest bear around the hunt is in Alberta and I got the ok from the guide that I could hunt with the 44 mag pistol as long as the load can show it will penetrate deeply and I am accurate enough

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Let us know how that American getting a handgun into Canada thing works out for you. If the guide has an extra gun for you to use it might be a different story. Outfitters and guides used to be able to get permits (depending on the province/territory) to carry in the bush.

I like Beartooths but wouldn't want to wait 16 weeks if I could avoid it.

Checkout Ledheads Keith style 250 grain bullets, these run well over 2400 in my 629.

Send a PM to JJHACK. He is fairly new here, but is a guide with lots of experience hunting bear with handguns. I've followed his posts for a while on other forums. He seems to know his stuff and I value his opinions.

What's wrong with the tried and true hard cast 24o gr FN over a max load of H110 or 2400 if you prefer? I do not know how much benefit the 300 gr is with the loss in velocity.??

horsemen61 said:

I have been invited to hunt black bear this fall only caveat is the guide asked us to bring a 44 mag or bigger pistol as a sidearm. I am looking for a load that will get the job done on a big black bear. The guide recommended the more penetration the better and he seemed against hollow points. Any ideas I am pretty sure it will be a lead hardcast bullet but what weight and any brand recommendations would help alot thanks guys.

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I'ld suggest a keith type 240 gr swc with 20 grs of 2400 in the 44 magnum.
Don't know if Speer still makes their 240 gr half jackets swc bullets but those also work well.
I do always get the giggles when someone figures a handgun is going to get them out of a mess a highpowered rifle got them into...

Don gave you a great load. Ive shot a bunch of black bear. No 500 lb bear but a few in the 3-400 lb range and would feel completely adequate using a 250 keith at 1100-1200 fps. Ive killed alot of game with loads like that. Even once a 1100 lb bufflalo. I got complete side to side penetration and broke one shoulder with that shot. Yes if i was going out intentionaly to shoot an animal that big or a bear over 400 lbs or id probably opt for a 300 but truth be told i doubt if it would do anything the 250 wouldnt have and the same goes for the lfn vs wfn vs swc arguement. Ive killed animals with all of them and bullet placement is what trumps not bullet design. Any of those designs will kill well if the bullet is placed well. The differnce in there performance is so small its about impossible to tell the differnce in them on game.

I have taken black bears down with 240gr xtp over max load of H110 with 1 shot out of a 4" ruger, not sure why he doesn't want HP. If it was grizzly's I would understand that rule.

For factory loads these should work; http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2900410534/winchester-supreme-ammunition-44-remington-magnum-250-grain-platinum-tip-hollow-point I've used them on deer last year and they worked great.

My father has killed plenty black bear with his .357

These work excellent too: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/605468/hornady-interlock-bullets-44-caliber-430-diameter-265-grain-flat-nose-box-of-100?cm_vc=ProductFinding over a max load of H110 or W296. They don't really expanded but they aren't designed to. They will blow right thru and break bone.

horsemen61 said:

I am looking for a little bit of both guys a factory load is a nice option but as a handloader I want to make a good quality load that will penetrate deep and if need be put down the biggest and baddest bear around the hunt is in Alberta and I got the ok from the guide that I could hunt with the 44 mag pistol as long as the load can show it will penetrate deeply and I am accurate enough

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Canadians aren't even allowed to hunt with handguns, and Americans are severely restricted to bringing a handgun into Canada.
So there's some questions that need further investigating past simply going to the local slobber shop and buying a box of ammunition...

I did some testing with a cast 265 grain bullet and out of a 44 mag, this thing did really well. I was only loading over 18 grains of 296. The Speer 270 grain soft point bullet performed equally well side by side with my own cast bullet. I was casting straight WW water dropped. I would think you would be just fine with a either the Speer or some one else's equivalence.

240 grain xtp at 11-1200 would be nice.

17grs 2400 under a 300gr sierra jsp at 1100 fps from a 5" barrel ought to do the trick.