.50 Enough for Bear?

[wirehairman]

I am fairly new to muzzleloading, having only got into the sport last summer. I purchased a Lyman Great Plains Rifle in .50 caliber and shoot round balls out of it. The load I've worked up uses 80 grains of FFFg. Off the bench, I zeroed the rifle in at 75 yards and can consistently shoot a 2" group of 3 shots. My grouping averages around 4" without the bench.

Anyway, my wife's cousin has offered to take me on a black bear hunt this spring. Will my .50 be enough or do I really need to find a .54? I'm worried that I won't have time between now and the hunt to find another rifle, work up a load, and really get proficient with it.

 

[pab1]

Do you know what kind of distances you expect to shoot? A 50 will get the job done, but I would lean toward a .54 cal. You can pick up a GPR barrel in .54 from Midsouth for around $118.

 

[wirehairman]

My wife's cousins and his buddies regularly harvest their bears with bows, so I hope to get a shot well under 75 yards.

 

[Ron LaClair]

Shot placement is the key factor. 80gr's of 3fff is a healthy load and it sounds like it shoots well for you. A .50 cal RB through the lungs will do the job just as well as a .54...trust me.

I have a half dozen bears to my credit and I've found the best place to shoot them is through the lungs. A bear unlike a deer will go down very quickly when you put a hole through their lungs. The best angle is broadside, a quartering shot may only get one lung.

Study the anatomy of black bears, their vitals are a little lower than a whitetails. Baiting is a good way to get them in close. I wouldn't change rifles or calibers if I were you.

Good luck :thumbsup:

 

[Vaino]

If'n I had my druthers, a .54 or larger within reason would be my choice, but a .50 PRB properly placed would do the job. Afterall, most blackbears don't weigh that much....150-250 lbs? Most of the blackbears are shot over "bait" or treed by hounds, so a lethal shot placement shouldn't be a problem......Fred

 

[RC]

I wouldn't hesitate with a 50 cal.! if you can group that well at 75 yds, shot placement won't be a problem..jes know what yer[url] shootin..lungs[/url] heart etc.. lessen you goin after griz??? :shocked2: then I don't know? hide? run?,pray?, pray again? hope you have a prayer? good luck,have fun and a quick clean kill! but, jes seein 'em is a rush! enjoy! RC

 

[wirehairman]

Thanks for the help fellas. I think I will stick with my .50 based upon my confidence in how I'm shooting it but spend some time studying a black bear's anatomy.

We can't bait or use hounds for bear in MT, but my wife's cousin has tons of video footage where they are up close and personal. Hopefully, he can get me a decent shot at one.

 

[sduve]

Might be a good excuse for a new gun :grin:

 

[Mad Professor]

Afterall, most blackbears don't weigh that much....150-250 lbs? ......Fred

Sometimes you want to be "loaded for bear" . Caught this guy under the apple tree out back this fall. His rear track is over an inch longer than my size 12 boot!

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Now that is a sure enough Bruin! :hatsoff:

 

[RC]

could be YOGI! or a big, BIG BOOBOO! (but a well placed 50 rb...and ya got yerself a bear rug......an a HUGH taxidermy bill! RC

 

[Ron LaClair]

Bear hunting in the West where you can spot and stalk is a whole different game than it is in Michigan or other areas with heavy brush and swamp.

Just remember when stalking to get within range, a bears eyesight isn't the best but his hearing and nose are second to none. Keep the wind in your face and tread softly. :thumbsup:

 

[Vaino]

Nice one...must be a mutant :rotf: Approx. 2300 black bears are killed annually in Wisc. and MOST weigh 150-250 lbs. Once in a great while, a "monster", as in your photo, is taken and I think the Wisc. record black bear is around 630 lbs.....Fred

 

[Mad Professor]

Nice one...must be a mutant :rotf: Approx. 2300 black bears are killed annually in Wisc. and MOST weigh 150-250 lbs. Once in a great while, a "monster", as in your photo, is taken and I think the Wisc. record black bear is around 630 lbs.....Fred

Have seen him a few times. I was quite impressed tracking him one time, left a pile that might not fit in a 5-gal bucket :shocked2: . He's old and wise...

I used to actively bear hunt years ago but I'm happy now just to follow them and learn a bit. We've had bear in this area of Ma and S. Vt. in the 500-600 lb range and I've tracked a few, most are as you say, deer sized. Just wanted to let you know be very careful placing a .50 (or any) on a big one and be sure of the shot. They can get testy when peeved........people have been went after in tree stands too.

 

[Headhunter]

There ain't a critter that has ever walked the earth that a 50 cal PRB would not kill.

If you don't believe me, You pay for the Trip and Tag and I will show you.

Bigfoot not included.

HH

 

[Mad Professor]

Ever read about Lewis and Clarks first encounter with a Griz? 54s worked but it took about half a dozen of them and they were lucky they had the Missouri to jump into when bruin got POed.

About the trip, I'll stay in the tree, when he's done feeding on you I'll think about coming down.

 

[RC]

which one of l&c's said "they die hard" when asked bout the griz,,,can't member if it was clark or the hunter..? :hmm: RC

 

[Headhunter]

I hunt and killed bears on the ground in Montana. No baiting, no dogs. Spot and stalk only.

In my experience, bears are not very wary animals, they smell just as good as a whitetail and hear almost as good, but they can't see too well.

You can slip up to them and get into a good position and wait for a good shot. 50 to 100 yards is pretty normal.

Reaction to a hit is pretty much like a whitetail if you shoot them behind the shoulder. They might go down right there, or they might run a bit.

You might get into a little fix if he "Happens" to run right to you once shot. That happened to me once. :shocked2:

Keep your head, Put a good one right behind the shoulder, and you will be fine. It doesn't matter what you shoot them with, if you get nailed, you get nailed.

Its bear hunting, and if you hunt bears, you have to realize that there is a little danger involved.

Headhunter

 

[shmrck1]

You do your part, and it sounds like you can, and
a .50 with 80 grns 3fff will do the job.
snake-eyes :v

 

[Halftail]

I got "Into" the Bear one fall and shot one that weighed close to 200 lbs at 80 yards.One shot from my 50 cal. Hawkin loaded with 490 ball and 90 grains of 3f put him down instantly.I know it's wasen't the Biggest bear ever but it was my first and only since.Later the next day while sitting on a rock and waiting for a Deer to walk by, after killing that one I had a "Huge" Black walk almost up behind me,this one I estimated him at close to 400 lb on the Hoof,Looked like a monster at 20 yards and he disappeared as quick as he appeared.
50 CAL.FOR Bear?Plenty.