I like a bigger caliber for bears because of the thick hair they have to soak up blood and have a hard blood trailing time. Especial if not hunting with dogs.

I like my 35 Whelen.
A pretty decent hole, in and out.

But if a 243 is what I had I sure wouldn't feel like I was handicapped.

.243 SUCCESS -- BANG-FLOP 1 shot, right down, 100 yards. His legs were flailing around, so I took 3 more shots to end it, but I missed with all 3 follow up shots. My heart was pounding too hard on the follow up shots. Hands shaking. Upon inspection, the exit hole was 3". Blood splattered everywhere. 100gr bullets. No partitions, just regular ammo.

Congratulations! I've got a Remington R25 in 243 that will be seeing whitetail duty in Alabama come January.

My son's first deer rifle.
 

My youngest son is small. last year at 13 years old and just over 80 lbs, I bought him a Remington Model Seven in .243. Used gun that I got a good deal on. Youth model. Fiits him perfectly and doesn't kick. He has taken two deer. A doe and a spike. First kill was the doe. Impressive wound from a low chest shot. Deer ran about 50 yds at most.i Spike was facing him at 60 yds. He shot it center of chest at bottom of neck. Federal soft point. the cheapest soft point bullet that walmart sold. Made a golfball sized hole on the inside of the chest cavity, traveled all the way thru him from chest to rump. Was in the fur on the deers left hip. DRT. I was impressed. Those cheap rounds also print about a quarter sized hole for 5 rounds at 100 yds. No worries taking deer with that rifle out to 200 yds. a black bear? I'd shoot one with it if it was within 100 yds.

Do you like the R25? I wanted one, by my state made them illegal since the Sandy Hook Disaster.

I hear they are heavier than a standard hunting rifle.

Here's a 105gr Hornady Amax recovered from a cull whitetail the other day taken a 400 yards. My rifle is twisted 1:7.5 for them.



This one was recovered from a hog taken at 370 yards with the same setup 2 weeks ago. Nearly identical results.



I use these for culling critters due to the performance, low recoil and accuracy of my 243 Win.rig.