Which bullet for brown bear?

I want to start working with my .444 Marlin Contender for a probable brown bear hunt this fall.
The load I had worked up for moose was 270 gr Speer Gold Dot softpoint @ around 2100. Never did get to try it on moose.
Anyone have experience with this combo or with this cartridge on big bears?
Would this be a good bullet choice or would you choose something different? Suggestions?

I shot my 2 Brownies with a .416 Rem Mag. so what do I know?
Nevertheless, I'd also look at the Hornady 265 gr. bullet, which should work very well.

Vance,
I think if I were to go after Browns with my .444, I would choose the Northern Precision 350 gr bonded bullet. Out of my 14inch barrel I'm getting 1800fps and its a deadly killer on the big stuff.

Thanks guys.
I really don't want to step down weight wise 500WE, & if I change at all will probably go up in weight. Do (did) you up here or just came up hunting?

Ed, do you have a contact for Northern Precision or a web address where I can look at their products? Any load data you wouldn't mind sharing?

Buddy used his 375 JDJ with the Hornady 270gr Spire Point on his grizzly. Dropped it with one shot.

Vance,

Be sure to remove the front sight.

On a more serious note: I'd call JD Jones on this one and see what he recommends. I'm thinking an Encore with a 375-06 or something like that would be more appropriate. If you don't have a serious DG rifle backup with you, that 444 seems a good bit light for a brownie.

Your chances of getting the bear pi$$ed off or wounding him and loosing him seems very high with a 444. I rarely criticize people for cartridge selection but I urge you to stop and carefully think this one through.

Another excellent resource is Mark Hampton. He's been there and done that with single shot handguns many a time. I think he'd also recommend something with a bit more oomph.

$bob$

Vance
Northern Precision's # is 315-493-1711. JD worked up this load in my barrel. Max load is H322 47.5 gr - 350gr NP @ 1814 fps.
Buffalo Bore, Garret and Corbon also load heavy (340gr) hardcast bullets for the .444. I wouldn't rule these out either.

I have a Contender in .444 Marlin and it surely would not be my first choice. I second the notion that if you persist with this way of thinking a reliable fellow with a BIG gun should accompany you as a back-up. I have lots of heavy artillary handguns but without a doubt my .375-06 JDJ would be by my side on such an adventure.

Re-read the first issue of the magazine. Larry W. hunted them with a FA .454 and had a 45-70 T/C laying next to him as backup. That's if I remember correctly.

Just out of curiousity, what velocities are you guys getting with a 275 gr or 300 gr bullet in the 375-06?

Vance, I've been fortunate to take a few bears with the 375 JDJ using 270 grain Hornady spire points at 2070 fps. However I managed to take a really big brown bear with the 375/06 JDJ with the same bullet at approximately 300 fps faster. This would be my choice for a huge brown bear. Of course you could never go wrong with the 375 JDJ. Good luck with whatever you decide. MH

Hi Vance,
To start off with I don't know how you're getting 2100 fps with 270 grain bullets out of your .444 Contender. I presume you have a 14" barrel. You've got a great load. I get 2450 fps with 270 grain TSX's and a bit over 3000 fps with 300g FMJ's.

OOPS! 2300 fps with 300g FMJ's.

Thanks for all the input guys.
1st off, though I've never attempted to take one I had two run ins with large brown bear boars just last year.
Both started out at under 20 yds, & one lasted over a minute (seemed MUCH longer) with the range varying from about 12 yds at the beginning to a max. of about 30 at one point & then back down to 20ish. No shots were fired either time. Both times I had my Mod. 29 with 320s @ about 1325 & man did I feel undergunned!!
All that said just to tell you I have met the beast & respect him GREATLY!
With that said, I do feel comfortable with the .444 for hunting purposes. If I could go pick any barrel I wanted to it probably wouldn't be my 1st choice, but I can't do that.
Mark mentiond taking a few bears with the .375 JDJ, & I know many others have. Obviously the .444 gives up nothing to the .375 JDJ at short ranges. The main problem I see is finding a bullet that will hold up to the bone/muscle mass.
I would consider a heavy hardcast but the maker of my muzzle brake (expansion chamber type) said gas-checks are a no-no with the brake.
I like the .375-06. I have a possible line on a .376 Styer tube for my Encore, but finances make that a someday thing.
But to be honest with you if I'm primarily putting together a brown bear gun I hink I might step up to something over 40 cal.
I don't know how much harder the .444 can be driven from an Encore than my Contender but I would be interested in finding out. At 200 yds I think the 375-06 or Styer would be superior, but at 150 & under I'd rather have a .429 bullet of the same weight at the same velocity if possible. Maybe the .460 S&W would do it with a .458 (better yet).

Interestingly, if you put any stock in the Taylor KO formula, the .444 with a 270 gr @ 2100 produces a value of 34.7. The 375-06 with a 270 produces the same value @ 2400.
The .444 with a 300 @ 2000 has a value of 36.7, & the 375-06 with a 300 produces the same value @ 2300, so by the Taylor formula the .444 & the .375-06 is pretty much apples to apples at short range with the same weight bullets.
Range will change that quickly with the advantage going to he .375 as the range increases of course.

As to my load, I'm using 51.7 gr of AA 1680 with WW primers. Accurate Arms suggested a max of 52.5 IF MEMORY SERVES!! Don't trust that # as I don't have it in front of me, but my load was well under max. & showed no pressure signs. Velocities were 2101, 2110, & 2101 for a 3 shot string. That is a 14" barrel with a David White brake beyond that (yes, it's ugly, but it works!).
Of course you need to atart lower & work up in your gun.

Mark, do or did you live in this part of the country (Alaska)? I'd love to read of your bear hunting adventures if you wouldn't mind sharing, as well as your recomendations for shot placement & the like.

Lastly, believe me, I have no intention of intentionally hunting brown bear with ANY single shot pistol (or for that matter any SS rifle) without proper backup with a rifle of what I consider to be a stopping caliber in the hands of someone I trust.
I bowhunt moose in this country alone with a .44 mag as my backup, & that puts my nerves on edge enough.

I still haven't figured out the picture thing, but would one of you be willing to add a picture of a brownie track with my Contender sitting beside it if I email it to you?

Just out of curiosity what would be wrong with a 330 -335 gr hard cast bullet in that 444 Marlin for that big bear? Say pushed at maybe 1600 or so?
Do you not think it would lay one in the shade if you do your part?
One of the beauties of the Encore in 45/70 is one can push bullets as heavy as 550 gr to around 1500 or 300 gr bullets to slightly over 2000 if you find the right powder.
Of course if you have an aversion to cast bullets that may be why you wouldn't want to use one.
On Garretts site there is much game taken with cast bullets from 45/70"s and 44 Mags using cast.
Just wondering why.

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I still haven't figured out the picture thing, but would one of you be willing to add a picture of a brownie track with my Contender sitting beside it if I email it to you?

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Have you tried adding it to the gallery of pics on handgunhunt.com? If not, send it on and I'll add it to the gallery for you.

dan@handgunhunt.com