8MM Mag. 180 Ballistic Tip Bear Hunting Bullet

[cfore]

I've booked a bear hunt in Arizona for August and the guide says the average shot is about 300 yrds. sometime farther. I've shot antelope and hogs with the 180 BT's at 3,250 fps. Sometimes the completely penetrate and sometime the jacket is left in the animal empty. I know broadside in the ribcage the bullet will kill a bear but I was just wanting an opinion from someone with more experience with this bullet. I've shot two bears at 300 yrds. with 200 gr. speer bullets at 300 yrds. One broke the shoulder and was lost somewhere in the animal. I found the bear but didn't have much of a blood trail. The less than ideal shots are what I'm concerned about. I know the partions will be fine but was wanting something that will shoot a bit flatter.

Thanks

 

[laker]

i would try the 200 grain AccuBond.

 

[7mmfan]

Second the 200 grain AccuBond. They have B&C bears in Arizona.

 

[Guest]

You could shoot the AccuBond, or the Partition, but to your point, the AccuBond will be a tad flatter. Another option is to shoot a Hornady 195gr Interlock bullet. Not a bonded bullet, but designed to stay together and pretty good at it, too. Check the velocity range from Hornady, but I suspect it shoud be fine. I would stay away from the BT, as it is designed to open easier, and on a bear, that might mean fragmenting.

 

[Mighty Peace]

Another vote for the Accubonds :grin: . As POP says "ACCUBONDS ROCK!"

 

[JD338]

And yet another vote for the 200 gr AB.

JD338

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I'll just go ahead and say what I really think. The 180g NBT will certainly work for bears. IS there a better bullet, most certainly. Put the bullet where it needs to go and you wont have a problem. I've killed them with a whole heck of a lot less. I've killed 3 with a 25-06 and 115g NBT and 117g SBT bullets from 375-450 yards. 1 bear took 1 shot, the other 2 took 2 shots. If you know your hunting big bears and the oppurtunity of a close shot is great, then you could consider the AB, but IMO, its not needed unless there big bears at relatively closer range.

 

[cfore]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll try some 180 TSX bullets this summer and see how they do. The 300 TSX's shoot and penetrate great out of my 375 H&H.

 

[JD338]

The 300 gr TSX should penetrate into tomorrow! :shock:

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Second the 200 grain AccuBond. They have B&C bears in Arizona.

I third it! :lol:

or a 200 gr Partition.
With the 220 gr bullets and rl25 7mm fan and I reached well over 3100 fps in a 26" tube.

 

[cfore]

The 300 gr. TSX shoot through hogs like they aren't there. Great exit would with lots of internal damage. I also shot a feral goat and a water buffalo in Australia with them at 2,500. Found two of the five I shot the buffalo with and I think they were the ones that broke the shoulder then stopped under the off side skin. The goat was shot at about 60 yrds and the exit would was about the size of a quarter. They seem to expand well on large or small game.

Were you shooting the 220 Sierra out of a 8mm Mag? If so what load were you shooting? How well do they penetrate? I got 3,450 using rl22 and the 180 BT's out of a 24" tube but was getting flat primers so I backed off to 3,250. Thought I would try the same load with the TSX's. I've not shot any 220's out of my 8mm Mag. Hornady quit making them and I don't shoot many Sierra bullets.

 

[FOTIS]

We shot the 220 Sierras out of our 8mm mags but never shot them on game. Better off actually since I do not trust any sierra product on big game.

83 gr of H4831
83 gr of RL22
85 gr of RL25

all 3100 fps from a 26" tube.

Max loads all so work up slow! :shock:

 

[Jeff Olsen]

I've booked a bear hunt in Arizona for August and the guide says the average shot is about 300 yrds. sometime farther. I've shot antelope and hogs with the 180 BT's at 3,250 fps. Sometimes the completely penetrate and sometime the jacket is left in the animal empty. The less than ideal shots are what I'm concerned about. I know the partions will be fine but was wanting something that will shoot a bit flatter.

Thanks

You want the 200-gn AccuBond, then. I use it in my .325 WSM. Will fly as flat as the 180-gn BT for all practical purposes.

-jeff