Early bear season

EMN89 · July 15, 2017, 06:29 PM

As some of you may know, Virginia is having an early three day rifle bear season before bow season starts. I have a savage .270 wsm and I currently shoot 130 grain Winchester ballistic silvertips, I also have a scoped mossberg 500 smooth bore 12 gauge slug gun which holds 3-4 inch five shot groups at 75 yards. I will be hunting national forest and I don't expect any shots much beyond 75 yards. Would I be better off to buy a different less volatile load for the .270 or just take the 12 gauge? I won't be using dogs, I plan on hunting near food sources and or spot and stalk if the opportunity arises.

Art Eatman · July 15, 2017, 06:36 PM

No reason for that load not to work just fine. As always, just be precise in where you hit.

EMN89 · July 15, 2017, 06:42 PM

I know the load is capable of taking a bear but I'm worried about hitting a shoulder or a quartering shot if one is presented.

Don Fischer · July 15, 2017, 09:33 PM

If I had a reg 270, I'd use it. Don't know a thing about the short mag, wouldn't want one. Unless it was really up close, I'd take a rifle over a shotgun any day.

Fla_dogman · July 16, 2017, 06:50 AM

A 270 sm is more than enough to handle any black bear in my opinion. A Kodiak grizzly is another story lol

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EMN89 · July 16, 2017, 08:21 AM

The cartridge is more than capable I'm just not sure about the silvertip, the bullet has proven to be quite explosive on deer in my experience.

Art Eatman · July 16, 2017, 10:40 AM

The old CoreLokt has been killing critters for a long, long time.

Focus on the shot. Don't worry about the bullet.

Back when I loaded for a .270, I used the Remington Bronze Point. Probably because it was "purty". Didn't matter; Bambi died.

EMN89 · July 16, 2017, 10:55 AM

I was thinking about going with the 150 grain corlokt or possibly the 150 grain fusion. I know I'm probably over thinking everything, I've killed quite a few deer but never had an opportunity to kill a bear with a rifle

jmr40 · July 16, 2017, 11:57 AM

99% of black bear ain't any harder to kill than a deer. If you get real lucky you might get a chance at a really big one. The 270 WSM is the way I'd go between the 2. A shotgun wouldn't even be considered.

The 130 gr Silvertips are designed for rapid expansion even at long range after slowing down. At 75 yards, at magnum speeds they may well over expand and not penetrate enough, even on a deer. They will still kill stuff, but shot placement in order to hit vitals without having to pass through a lot of muscle is more important.

A more stoutly constructed bullet would be my choice for deer or bear. Either of the 150's you're considering would be a better option. But a tougher 130 gr bullet would work too.

EMN89 · July 16, 2017, 12:07 PM

The silvertips were given to me, they aren't my first choice for deer either they are very explosive at close range which they are obviously designed for. I don't like the idea of having to wait for a perfect broadside shot, I like to be able to take a quartering or frontal shot if I need to.

T. O'Heir · July 16, 2017, 12:48 PM

Winchester Ballistic Silvertip's are the same thing as a No$ler BT. A 130 has lots of energy out at 300 yards never mind 75. Winchester says they're suitable for up to elk sized game. Yogi is for sure not armoured. The 130's will do nicely. People have been killing moose with 1230's out of .270 Win for eons.
Sight in 1.1" high at 100 to be on target at 200 and 5.5" low at 300.
"...at magnum speeds..." A WSM isn't really a magnum. At 100 yards, the .270 WSM is just 213 FPS faster than a .270 Win.

langenc · July 16, 2017, 05:05 PM

Jack used em on lots of sheep and elk. No reason to think that it wont work on a bear, esp w/ silvertips. Silvertips worked fine on my moose at 165 yrds(30-06).

GeauxTide · July 17, 2017, 12:02 PM

I would definitely go with the 150 because the velocity of the 130 would be explosive at less than 200 yards and if you've got a bad angle, could be an issue.

July 15, 2017, 06:29 PM	#1
EMN89 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 136	Early bear season As some of you may know, Virginia is having an early three day rifle bear season before bow season starts. I have a savage .270 wsm and I currently shoot 130 grain Winchester ballistic silvertips, I also have a scoped mossberg 500 smooth bore 12 gauge slug gun which holds 3-4 inch five shot groups at 75 yards. I will be hunting national forest and I don't expect any shots much beyond 75 yards. Would I be better off to buy a different less volatile load for the .270 or just take the 12 gauge? I won't be using dogs, I plan on hunting near food sources and or spot and stalk if the opportunity arises.

July 16, 2017, 11:57 AM	#9
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,808	99% of black bear ain't any harder to kill than a deer. If you get real lucky you might get a chance at a really big one. The 270 WSM is the way I'd go between the 2. A shotgun wouldn't even be considered. The 130 gr Silvertips are designed for rapid expansion even at long range after slowing down. At 75 yards, at magnum speeds they may well over expand and not penetrate enough, even on a deer. They will still kill stuff, but shot placement in order to hit vitals without having to pass through a lot of muscle is more important. A more stoutly constructed bullet would be my choice for deer or bear. Either of the 150's you're considering would be a better option. But a tougher 130 gr bullet would work too. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

July 16, 2017, 12:48 PM	#11
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Winchester Ballistic Silvertip's are the same thing as a No$ler BT. A 130 has lots of energy out at 300 yards never mind 75. Winchester says they're suitable for up to elk sized game. Yogi is for sure not armoured. The 130's will do nicely. People have been killing moose with 1230's out of .270 Win for eons. Sight in 1.1" high at 100 to be on target at 200 and 5.5" low at 300. "...at magnum speeds..." A WSM isn't really a magnum. At 100 yards, the .270 WSM is just 213 FPS faster than a .270 Win. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

July 15, 2017, 06:36 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	No reason for that load not to work just fine. As always, just be precise in where you hit.

July 15, 2017, 06:42 PM	#3
EMN89 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 136	I know the load is capable of taking a bear but I'm worried about hitting a shoulder or a quartering shot if one is presented.

July 15, 2017, 09:33 PM	#4
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	If I had a reg 270, I'd use it. Don't know a thing about the short mag, wouldn't want one. Unless it was really up close, I'd take a rifle over a shotgun any day.

July 16, 2017, 06:50 AM	#5
Fla_dogman Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2015 Posts: 265	A 270 sm is more than enough to handle any black bear in my opinion. A Kodiak grizzly is another story lol Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

July 16, 2017, 08:21 AM	#6
EMN89 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 136	The cartridge is more than capable I'm just not sure about the silvertip, the bullet has proven to be quite explosive on deer in my experience.

July 16, 2017, 10:40 AM	#7
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	The old CoreLokt has been killing critters for a long, long time. Focus on the shot. Don't worry about the bullet. Back when I loaded for a .270, I used the Remington Bronze Point. Probably because it was "purty". Didn't matter; Bambi died.

July 16, 2017, 10:55 AM	#8
EMN89 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 136	I was thinking about going with the 150 grain corlokt or possibly the 150 grain fusion. I know I'm probably over thinking everything, I've killed quite a few deer but never had an opportunity to kill a bear with a rifle

July 16, 2017, 12:07 PM	#10
EMN89 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 136	The silvertips were given to me, they aren't my first choice for deer either they are very explosive at close range which they are obviously designed for. I don't like the idea of having to wait for a perfect broadside shot, I like to be able to take a quartering or frontal shot if I need to.

July 16, 2017, 05:05 PM	#12
langenc Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 1,551	Jack used em on lots of sheep and elk. No reason to think that it wont work on a bear, esp w/ silvertips. Silvertips worked fine on my moose at 165 yrds(30-06).

July 17, 2017, 12:02 PM	#13
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	I would definitely go with the 150 because the velocity of the 130 would be explosive at less than 200 yards and if you've got a bad angle, could be an issue.