Reloading 300 savage for bear

I help out a buddy with his bear guiding business this fall and I have a savage 99F in 300 Savage that I plan on using as my brush gun. More than once we have tracked clients bears that didn’t die as humanly as we would like and have had to assist in the kill. I was hoping to build a hard hitting short range load for my .300 savage to use this year. Has anyone reloaded this caliber or similar ones for big game or have any knowledge on what combinations would work best? Any ideas appreciated!! Thanks!


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What kind of bears?


JTD

Black bears


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I thought, but just wanted to make sure. If it were me, I would pick something like a barnes tsx in a 150gr or a Nosler partition in 165gr. Both of those choices will give you all the penetration you would need through thick fur/ hide and bone.


JTD

I have had excellent results using Hornady 180 grain round nose on Ga whitetail and hogs up to 250 lbs. Loaded over Varget and shot out of Model 99 takedown.

I guided in Maine for 20 years or so after I retired from the military. This was back in the day when there were not to many of the high(er) tech bullets around.
My "sports" killed many black bear using the 300Savage,30-30Win,and even the 243Win,at the closer ranges. I had several sports kill the bigger Maine deer at 200yds with the 300Savage. Several moose were taken with the 300Savage also at the closer (called) ranges.
For your application I suggest using a jacketed heavy round nose or a fairly heavy solid copper. Even a NosPart would be good.
Tracking wounded bear through a alder marsh or a spruce/fire thicket is no fun. If it were a daylight track I used a Marlin 1895 chopped to 16 inches and the LOP reduced to 13.0 inches. This gun had a ghost ring rear and fiber optic front sight. At night I used a Benelli M1 Super90 12ga with a 14" NFA barrel and Trijicon front and rear sights.
I finally quit guiding bow hunters because I seemed to get all the shitty shots. But I still had to track wounded bear several times per season.
We hunted bear over bait and over the blueberry fields. We used a dog on leash to track for special occasions. ---- SAWMAN

Thank you all. It’s sounding like Nosler Partition would be a good option over top of Varget. I like to hear that so many others have used it


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The NosPart is a good bullet. Especially at the closer range speeds of the 300S.
I have shot them at the slower speeds out of my 308/AR with the gas turned up to eject properly. I was using about 65-70% of the Hodgdon max 308Win load using H4895. --- SAWMAN

Thinking also . . . take a look at some of the .308" bullets marketed for the 30-30. Especially theNosParts,Barnes,and Hornady GMX. --- SAWMAN

I use a .338 win mag, and my guide likes not having to track my harvest...

I really have nothing to add to this thread, but I'm excited for bear season... I'm booked for my 4th year.... and can't wait.

PA. is a great hunt. They actually have much bigger bear in Pa. than in Maine.
Good luck with the hunt. --- SAWMAN

I never get out in PA though... I do enjoy hunting in Maine. My first ever bear was a 7 y/o male that weighed 372lbs in Hancock County Maine. That's a good bear. I got a full mount and he's in my basement.