# Bear with a .243



## dukhunter (Jan 27, 2011)

I have heard a couple people using a .243 for bears. I was wondering if that was a big enough round to effectively kill a bear?


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## FallDreamer (Dec 15, 2010)

A .243 will work fine for a bear, a 415lb bear on Drummond was killed with a .243. Shot placement is the key with any caliber firearm.


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

Look into a neck shot, the 243 would do fine.


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## Dom (Sep 19, 2002)

Capable but I'd recommend a min 30 Cal hole in and out. A lot are are hunt during late evening with low light, shot is taken, bear runs off. With small shot hole and long hair, can often leave sparse blood trail and difficult to find. If not hit proper, could just be laying in wait for you to come stumbling along, like wild boar :lol:


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## Progress (Feb 6, 2009)

sourdough44 said:


> Look into a neck shot, the 243 would do fine.


What if you don't hit the spine?

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## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

Progress said:


> What if you don't hit the spine?
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


 
See last sentence in post #4!


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## GladwinHunter777 (Jan 26, 2012)

If you shoot for neck, and miss the spine, chances are you will hit the trachea or an artery. It will do just fine with a body shot on michigan bears. I reccomend the barnes tsx bullets. Federal premium loads them. They will out penetrate just about anything. There were some guys hunting deer with a 223 and 62 grain barnes, and got pass throughs at 400 yards.

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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)




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## paradork (Jul 27, 2010)

Shot my bear this year with a 30-30, 150 grain winchester power points. Anyhow, the bear was 30 yards away. Broadside shot hitting the atria of the heart. Bear ran 10 yards. Almost no blood, i blame that on a heart shot. The bullet almost didn't exit.


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## weatherby (Mar 26, 2001)

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=406831&highlight=.243+bear


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## brokenarrow (Oct 6, 2003)

Agreed, shot placement is key. That being said,It sure would be a nitemare for the hunter if a book bear came stumbling in, didnt present the best of shots for that cal. and you had to pass. Worse yet, take that shot and not be able to get the job done and not recover the bruin. If there is an option for a larger weapon that can be shot as accurately, I would opt larger. Anyport in a storm though.


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

That would be right, I wouldn't say a neck shot is the right one for every bear sighting or every hunter. At the average pile distances a hunter should be about able to thread a needle with the shot, on an undisturbed bear.

The wind may be iffy, not all opportunities will allow excessive time to contemplate. Just saying it's worth consideration with favorable conditions met.


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## D.C.U.P. (May 24, 2002)

I've killed 6 bears and none of them have bled more than a few drops. They're fat and have long, thick hair. I'm now adamant about putting as big of a hole as possible in the bear. Or else a bunch of holes!

The 243 will work, but it just isn't likely to leave a large hole for better tracking. 


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## aquanator (Dec 1, 2005)

If a .243 is all you have, it's a fine gun but expect minimal tracking blood if the bear runs (take our shoulders and heart and he probably won't run anywhere).

But if you have access to a larger caliber, like a 30-06 for example, obviously it's prefered. I'm a big advocate of higher powered guns so that you can take out shoulder, heart arteries, and lungs - all in the first shot.


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## scottsinift (Mar 28, 2011)

the bigger the gun the better what do u think made this great country what it is


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## sixgun4866 (Jun 7, 2011)

Shot several with my 243 using hornady magnum rounds, all one shot kills couple never even moved once trigger was engaged. 243 is a great round, tack driver, trust it and use it, all my bears were shot in rib cage. Not trying to start an arguement just giving my personal experience.


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