375 H&H and black bear?

Putting a rather LOW SD 235 or 260 gr in 375 is less gun than a 300 WM (or eq.) using a 180 or 200 gr because it's longer and trimmer and thus MUCH higher SD (penetrating power!) 270. Trust us! We get pass throughs on BIG blackies every time (unless cheating w/ a head shot lol) using heavy for caliber high SD bullets (w/ a 375 the 270 is just fine. It'll kill ALL African DG with proper bullet selection, and thus it'll certainly shorten the drag of Ursus Americanus (named by Trump, of course.) lol
 
CP392 said:
I have recently booked a black bear hunt in Northern Ontario for May/June of next year. For sentimental reasons I would like to use my 375 H&H. I understand it's overkill but you can't make things too dead, right?

Obviously I want a quick, clean and ethical kill first and foremost. A very close second is to preserve the bear hide as much as possible in hopes of getting a nice rug made. I'm not set up for reloading, so which commercially avaliable bullet/load would you recommend to give good energy transfer without being too explosive?

My initial thoughts would be a 270 gr TSX or maybe a 300 gr A-Frame. Something heavy duty that will hopefully leave a smaller exit. Any input, guidance or experience is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
The TSX is perfect.
 
CP392 said:
I have recently booked a black bear hunt in Northern Ontario for May/June of next year. For sentimental reasons I would like to use my 375 H&H. I understand it's overkill but you can't make things too dead, right?

Obviously I want a quick, clean and ethical kill first and foremost. A very close second is to preserve the bear hide as much as possible in hopes of getting a nice rug made. I'm not set up for reloading, so which commercially avaliable bullet/load would you recommend to give good energy transfer without being too explosive?

My initial thoughts would be a 270 gr TSX or maybe a 300 gr A-Frame. Something heavy duty that will hopefully leave a smaller exit. Any input, guidance or experience is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
I used a 375 H&H in a Blauser R8 for fun to take a black bear in Saskatchewan last year. I used 270 grain Nosler Accubond. Exit is not as big as faster 30 cal bullets. Good luck
 
B 009.jpeg


.270 gr A-Frame at 2,500 fps was my go to for bear when running the coast in Alaska.
 
I put a hole the size of my fist in my black bears chest with my 45-70 and the taxidermist assured me they make miles and miles of thread to fix it so it looks normal until you really feel for it on the mount lol
Any hole you make can be fixed.
 

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CP392 said:
I appreciate the in-depth write up! Your response is one that checks all the boxes for questions and concerns I've had. I do have the option of hunting over bait from a stand or from a ground blind. I also have the option of glassing, spot and stalk or just meandering through the woods. The outfitter said any style of hunt is avaliable, just depends what I want.

I'll be taking my Sako Bavarian. It's light weight and maneuverable. Maybe too light for being 375 honestly. However, it shoots extremely well and I trust it wholeheartedly. She's sporting a 1-4 illuminated scope to avoid any issues with a black reticle on black target.

I'm almost certain that I'll be sticking with the Federal Power Shok blue box 270 grain at this point. All the responses thus far seem to conclude that this load is just about perfect for bear and I won't have to worry about too much unnecessary damage.
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I like the .375, I've taken several deer with the 270gr Hornady ( cup & core) exited from any angle 1-12" exit hole. An elk was the only game I used a premium bullet on (Barns X) 270gr quartering shot 200yds 1-1/2" exit hole. I've yet to recover a bullet. If there are grizzlies in the area you're going to hunt I'd use a 300gr SP. No need to over think the .375, good hunting.
 
I would use a Woodleigh 270 or 300gr Round Nose Soft point if I were to use a .375 H&H on bear...the 286gr version in my 9.3x74r really opens up well and the RN's kill exceptionally well...if you don't need the BC for the longer shots they kill better than spitzers, my observation over 100's of animals decked.
 
I've taken multiple Black and Brown Bears through the years. Most with 375H&H and 300gr A-frames.
Took my first costal Brown at age 16 on Kodiak Island with a 338WM shooting the old original Barnes
copper tubing and lead core bullets made in Denver, CO (That was 55 yrs ago this month).
Took 2 Black bears on Vancouver Island some 30y ago using a 300 WBY custom I built and the relatively new 200gr A-frame. Otherwise, it's been a 375 for the rest. You can't go wrong with a 375!
 
270 grain Soft points work great and are not anymore overkill than some of the more common North American magnums for Black Bear. I occasionally shoot whitetail with them. It is Africa’s 30-06 after all used on everything from micro antelope to big bull elephants.
 
I shot an approximately 300 lb black bear in AK with a 375 H&H with 300gr Swift Aframe. I was hunting brown bear as well, so I needed the extra punch. It killed the bear quickly, and didn’t mess up the hide much at all. If I were going strictly black bear hunting today, I’d use a 30/06 or 308 most likely. But you’ll enjoy carrying your 375 nonetheless.
 
Are you shooting it over bait or running it with dogs? Where I'm from, people just run them up a tree with hounds and shoot it in the back of the head. To me, the hardest part would seem to be keeping up with the hounds. I'm sure in either situation, a .375 would do the trick. (Of course, I don't mean to assume your manner of hunting. I've only heard of those two ways for black bear.) Stay safe!
 
Since you don’t hand load, I’d roll with whatever factory ammo you find readily available that you like and the rifle shoots well. Accubond, TSX and Aframe will all perform wonderfully on a black bear. You should get some expansion, but with slower moving H&H bullet you really don’t need to worry about blowing the hide apart, even if shooting it more than once.

Nice thing about spring bears, before they rub, they have the nice, thick coat where even a mediocre taxidermist can easily hide holes in a rug…really good one can work magic.
 
CP392 said:
I have recently booked a black bear hunt in Northern Ontario for May/June of next year. For sentimental reasons I would like to use my 375 H&H. I understand it's overkill but you can't make things too dead, right?

Obviously I want a quick, clean and ethical kill first and foremost. A very close second is to preserve the bear hide as much as possible in hopes of getting a nice rug made. I'm not set up for reloading, so which commercially avaliable bullet/load would you recommend to give good energy transfer without being too explosive?

My initial thoughts would be a 270 gr TSX or maybe a 300 gr A-Frame. Something heavy duty that will hopefully leave a smaller exit. Any input, guidance or experience is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
I've killed exactly two black bears, so I'm hardly an expert. I killed one with a .30-06 and a bullet I can't remember. The other was with a .300 Win Mag and a 180 grain Nosler AccuBond. Both bears died right off, so I'm pretty sure your .375 H&H will work just fine. I think a lighter bullet on a Nosler Partition or the A-Frame you.mentioned ought to do the job without blowing up the hide.
 
Sako AV in .375 H&H, with Hornady 300gr, Will not fail you with the right bullet placement.
 
I hunt black bear (and deer and elk for that matter) with my .375 H&H cos there's plenty of grizzlies around. In general, if i'm trying to save fur/pelts/hides on any critter, whatever the calibre, i load heavy for calibre bullets. I wouldn't go below 270 grains in a .375 (i carry 300 grain loads) and i'd want to know that the bullet type is not fast-mushrooming. I've had too much experience with light for calibre bullets going at faster velocities (as they do) leaving woeful exit wounds. Anyways, unless you're blowing an animal to pieces there is no such thing as overkill. Wasn't it Elmer Keith (maybe O'Connor) who said it's far easier to be undergunned than it is to be overgunned?
 
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Hornedfrogbbq wrote on Rhoyland4's profile.
Do you mind me asking what auction you are referencing? I'm not in the market for any of those rifles...just curious.

Frosty in Fort Worth
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Getting some culling done!

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K_P wrote on Buckleyguy12's profile.
Good morning from Montana.

I'm looking at a post from 2018 where you were looking for a lefty Winchester in .375 H&H Magnum. I'm selling mine. My email is [redacted] in the event that you're still searching for a unicorn.

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Kelly Palmer
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Gents, if you book and pay your deposit before the end of this year , you can have the bigger cull package for the 2026 price! https://www.africahunting.com/threa...griffiths-safaris-starting-at-us-2-560.96285/
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I am currently in Northern Cape scouting a hunting area, we will have lots of amazing hunting opportunities for 2027! I will post updated available dates soon!
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