The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Want to load some cartridges for possible Black bear loads.

**44 AMP** · May 3, 2025, 07:11 PM

Your Contender is .44 Mag??

Mr Black Bear is not a difficult animal to dispatch, PROVIDED you put the bullet in the right place, and that gets a bit tricksy for many, because the vitals are inside a shaggy loose fitting bear suit, and aren't quite where you expect them to be.

In the .45 Colt I've been using nothing but 250gr hard SWCs for nearly 40 years, over 10gr Unique. Its a hot load in a Colt SAA, but listed in the old books. From my 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk it runs just a bit under 1100fps. From the shorter barrel gun, it should still get you in the 900+fps range.

Hunting a bear, and stopping an attacking bear are more than slightly different things.

Uber heavy bullets are the rage now, have been for a while, but I never had a need or use for them. I don't run 180s in my .357s or 300gr in my 44s or .45s. Just no point that I can see.

May 3, 2025, 07:11 PM	#7
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 30,449	Your Contender is .44 Mag?? Mr Black Bear is not a difficult animal to dispatch, PROVIDED you put the bullet in the right place, and that gets a bit tricksy for many, because the vitals are inside a shaggy loose fitting bear suit, and aren't quite where you expect them to be. In the .45 Colt I've been using nothing but 250gr hard SWCs for nearly 40 years, over 10gr Unique. Its a hot load in a Colt SAA, but listed in the old books. From my 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk it runs just a bit under 1100fps. From the shorter barrel gun, it should still get you in the 900+fps range. Hunting a bear, and stopping an attacking bear are more than slightly different things. Uber heavy bullets are the rage now, have been for a while, but I never had a need or use for them. I don't run 180s in my .357s or 300gr in my 44s or .45s. Just no point that I can see. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.