375 H&H with 300 grain Nosler partition for Black Bear

[jimbo1972]

Not Africa related but I know we have a ton of hunters who have hunted big Canadian Black Bears.
After my first South Africa Safari I bought a wonderful Blaser R8 Professional Success with 257 Weatherby, 300 Win Mag and 375 H&H as a hunt the world rifle combo. (I know I must have made Phillip Glass happy) I have hunted with the 375 for deer but not taken anything yet. I'm a big fan of Nosler Partition for anything that is not long range. I would ideally like to use 260 grain Partition but none are available in loaded ammo. Did buy some DRT brand 300 grain Partition at 2400 fps. Won't be carrying the other barrels asit has been suggested extra anything could be problematic in Canada so I will be bringing a Ruger No 1 in 338 Win Mag as a backup in the remote case of something happens with the Blaser R8.
The hunt is end of May in Northern Saskatchewan over bait so shots will be under 50 yards and is hosted by Cabela's. The WTA booking agent who I have booked several hunting trips with says will see plenty of bears with live weight of 300 with an exceptional one going over 400 lbs.
I know I can take a black bear with a smaller rifle but it seems the 375 will be a good choice. Any experience with the 375 and 300 grain partition?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

That combination of 375/300 NP has been used in the past against Cape Buffalo with success. You'll knock a black bear flat with it.

If you've not hunted bear before, study up on bullet placement, it's a bit different in that it's a little back than your normal deer shot placement. The phrase often used is "middle of the middle." It basically means the spot midway from the front of the bears chest to his stomach that is in the middle of the bear.

 

[jlb1036]

300grs nosler partition are excellent for blk bear reload them to 2500fps more then plenty for your hunt and will penetrate expand exceptionally well
i shot a blk bear in maine 260lbs bruin one shot behind the shoulderat about 45 yrds he rolled up dead immediately excellent exit wound size of my fist .

 

[Tgood1]

Yes, I've taken a couple with the 300 grain partition. All fell like hit by lightning. Couple years ago when the local gander mountain store closed i picked up a few boxes of round nose 270 gr and have used them extensively on black bear and deer,,,,,and coyotes, ground hog, hogs etc etc. On average shots around 75 yards. Longest with the 300 grain partition around 150 yards. It's wonderful black bear medicine.

 

[SGW]

Will 100% kill a bear if placed correctly.

 

[MS 9x56]

It will take the largest black bear with a good shot.

 

[Rick Cox]

What do you hunt whitetail deer with? .338 Win Mag?! OK seriously, you don't need to be afraid of black bear. Any decent deer rifle will work.

 

[93marlin]

For the past 15 yrs I have been hunting black bear, not counting Covid yrs.
I've taken 12 bear.
The most powerful cartridge I used was a 300 Short magnum.
Then my Sauer double rifle in 11mm Mauser.
The last cartridge I used last year was a 450 Bushmaster. All of them took decent sized bear. Up to 310lbs. Not Giants but enough for where I was, Manitoba or Ontario.
ANY 375H&H load will kill a black bear, if you can shoot and hit where you want it to go.
Black bear are not terribly difficult to kill.

 

[jimbo1972]

What do you hunt whitetail deer with? .338 Win Mag?! OK seriously, you don't need to be afraid of black bear. Any decent deer rifle will work.

Oh I have lots of toys for deer and hogs. Any of the Blaser Barrels (300 Win or 257 Weatherby), I have my beanfield/Sendero rifle with a McMillian Game Warden stock (See picture) that's a Hart barrel rebarreled Weatherby Mark V in 7mm Rem Mag but it weighs over 14lbs. I have a Tikka T3 that has been rebarreled with a Proof Carbon 7PRC barrel and a Carbon MDT HNT 26 chassis. Also have a Savage ultralight in 300 WSM also put in a MDT HNT chassis. This doesn't even include the "safe queens" that rarely come out to play. Yes I do hunt deer from time to time with the 338 win mag, and yes I have a problem with having too many firearms. Really want to use the 375 as it will be a couple of years before I can do a Buffalo hunt I bought it for. Get lots of deer and hog shooting as I hunt several states, have friends who have farms with crop deprivation permits that need help filling, not even to mention hunting hogs.

 

[WAB]

Your suggested load will work fine. I use 270 gr Swift A-Frames for black and brown bear in my .375. It is very decisive!

 

[WyoBull]

I bow hunted black bear in Northern Saskatchewan during the month of June. At that time up there, they have not been out of their den for but maybe a month so they are not at their full body weight. I was up near Lake Athabaska and in Mid June there was still ice and a little snow on the shoreline of the lake we were on.
50 yards will be a long shot, think more like 25-30 with a rifle. My bow shot was 12 yards.
Black bear are not hard to kill and a 375 H&H is overkill unless that is just what you want to take and if so, your bullet choice will be perfect.
If I went back with a rifle, I would take my Marlin 1875 SBL in 45-70. I think that would be a fun bear rifle for up there.
Good luck up there, it is an awesome trip and the fishing (Walleye, Northern Pike and Lake Trout) is phenomenal and as much fun as hunting bear.

 

[V.Veritas]

If you've not hunted bear before, study up on bullet placement, it's a bit different in that it's a little back than your normal deer shot placement. The phrase often used is "middle of the middle." It basically means the spot midway from the front of the bears chest to his stomach that is in the middle of the bear.

 

[colorado]

It will take the largest black bear with a good shot.

I've killed 300 lb black bears (not big ones) with a 45 using 230g hardball. For large bears I prefer my 270 Win.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

300Gr Nosler Partitions fired out of a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum at 2500+ FPS is absolutely lethal black bear medicine.

 

[Sabre]

Not Africa related but I know we have a ton of hunters who have hunted big Canadian Black Bears.
After my first South Africa Safari I bought a wonderful Blaser R8 Professional Success with 257 Weatherby, 300 Win Mag and 375 H&H as a hunt the world rifle combo. (I know I must have made Phillip Glass happy) I have hunted with the 375 for deer but not taken anything yet. I'm a big fan of Nosler Partition for anything that is not long range. I would ideally like to use 260 grain Partition but none are available in loaded ammo. Did buy some DRT brand 300 grain Partition at 2400 fps. Won't be carrying the other barrels asit has been suggested extra anything could be problematic in Canada so I will be bringing a Ruger No 1 in 338 Win Mag as a backup in the remote case of something happens with the Blaser R8.
The hunt is end of May in Northern Saskatchewan over bait so shots will be under 50 yards and is hosted by Cabela's. The WTA booking agent who I have booked several hunting trips with says will see plenty of bears with live weight of 300 with an exceptional one going over 400 lbs.
I know I can take a black bear with a smaller rifle but it seems the 375 will be a good choice. Any experience with the 375 and 300 grain partition?

I have hunted where you are going and I believe you will have a fantastic time. I would offer a word of caution on the booking agent's comments. There will for sure be lots of 300lb bears in the area. But to say that you will "see" lots of 300lb bears is likely not accurate. You will most likely be put on a bait that has a bear near or over 300lbs going to it. That will be your target bear, possibly and likely, with other smaller bears also coming to the bait as well. It is very possible to get into a 400lb bear up there also. But it is unlikely that your bait will have "plenty" of 300lb+ bears coming to it and also an occasional 400lb+ bear. That statement is a bit of an oversell. A 300lb+ spring bear is a big bear.

Keep in mind they are coming out of hibernation and can lose 33% of their weight over winter. So imagine how big a 300lb spring bear was when it went into hibernation in the fall.