Brown bear Rifle

[Pdvdh]

Two good close range brown bear bullets:
Trophy Bonded Bear Claws and Swift A-Frames

 

[ratso000]

Phorwath has a lot to say from first hand experience, and should be weighted heavily.

I do think with todays good bullets more can be done with less, but with todays good bullets more can be done with more as well.

I would take your set up, but it is right at my minimum in terms of choices. A new rifle is always part of the fun for me. Only outcome will tell, the not quite sure unknown is a reason we go. Break up the familiar, and go with a new rifle if for that reason alone.

I like the .338 RUM if that's a diameter you choose.

.375 and bears are almost part of the same sentence. Mixed bag says the others. It's a bear trip, get a pure bear rifle if you can.

You'll have fun either way.

375 HH mag is hard to beat.

 

[bigstickjrock]

Planning on a once in a lifetime brown bear Alaskan hunt in a couple years. Have a 300 Win Mag that shoots 220 Nosler partitions and 200 Nosler partitions quite well. Don't really want to buy another rifle but should I move up to a 338 class? Thinking of either a 33 Nosler, 338 WM or 338 ultra??? Opinions???

At least some of the advice is coming from people with experience shooting big bears. Most of the advice is from arm chair experts. I have shot or seen shot grizzly with a 300, browns with 338 and 375 and polar bears with 358 Norma and 375. I tell you with absolute confidence that a 375 was far superior in safe and humane kill power. That 338 on an 11' 4" bear really made him angry. Once they are fired up they get super power ability to absorb bullets and keep going - or coming. That bear closed ground on us fast as the 338 emptied. Thankfully, the 375 anchored him. The only big bear rifle I carry is a 375. By buddy bought a 416! Long range isn't for dangerous game, and often reloads aren't allowed.

 

[zeeman]

Gentleman...... I am overwhelmed by the quality and sincerity of all your comments!!!! I will definitely take all the comments to heart and mind . My 300 WM is a Defiance action Proof Research Carbon fiber barrel and McMillan stock with a 4.5x 14 Leupold tube. Chambered and twisted for 200 - 230 bullets. I have many custom and factory rifles both for LR and regular hunts but I think you guys have talked me into maybe a 338 RUM or 375!!! I have been on many Western hunts for elk and deer both rifle and archery but after an Alaskan cruise with my wife I think I have a calling to head on up to the Last Frontier and chase those big guys at least once before I get too old!

 

[blvette75]

Planning on a once in a lifetime brown bear Alaskan hunt in a couple years. Have a 300 Win Mag that shoots 220 Nosler partitions and 200 Nosler partitions quite well. Don't really want to buy another rifle but should I move up to a 338 class? Thinking of either a 33 Nosler, 338 WM or 338 ultra??? Opinions???

Had one of my 300 win mag rifles re-barreled to a 338 win mag, I had heard 375 calibers and larger are supposed to be better for Brown bear. With a muzzle brake you could pick any new caliber for the big bruin. I used a Bison and this hunt as a justification for the re-barrel of my 300 win mag rifle. Your 300 win mag rounds sound like they would do the job. However, I found that my 338 win mag kicked less (felt recoil to me, which surprised me) with the 265 grain and 300 grain bullets than my 300 win mag with 200 and 215 grain bullets shooting both without a brake, side by side one after another. Have a great time on your hunt.

 

[longrangebob]

Planning on a once in a lifetime brown bear Alaskan hunt in a couple years. Have a 300 Win Mag that shoots 220 Nosler partitions and 200 Nosler partitions quite well. Don't really want to buy another rifle but should I move up to a 338 class? Thinking of either a 33 Nosler, 338 WM or 338 ultra??? Opinions???

 

[Lefty G-gear]

Planning on a once in a lifetime brown bear Alaskan hunt in a couple years. Have a 300 Win Mag that shoots 220 Nosler partitions and 200 Nosler partitions quite well. Don't really want to buy another rifle but should I move up to a 338 class? Thinking of either a 33 Nosler, 338 WM or 338 ultra??? Opinions???

I do believe a regular .338 WM with 250-gr. Partitions will be plenty. IMR-4350
And the .338 210-gr. Partitions can go almost 3000-fps in the .338 WM!

I had a .338 RUM, but after 10-rds. at the range gave me a concussion!

Nosler Load Data

Explore the world of Nosler, renowned for crafting the finest bullets, ammunition, rifles, and brass. Discover our extensive lineup, including Partition, AccuBond, E-Tip, Ballistic Tip, Custom Competition, and more. Experience superior quality and performance with Nosler products.

load-data.nosler.com

 

[Lefty G-gear]

Rifles are getting scarce.
The only one I could find on 3 sites is this model.

Savage Arms 57046 110 Bear Hunter 338 Win Mag 2+1 23", Matte Stainless, Mossy Oak Break-Up Country Fixed AccuStock with AccuFit

Savage Arms 57046: Caliber: 338 WIN Mag - Handed: Right - Rate of Twist: 10 - Weight: 8.39 lbs - Overall Length: 43.13-44.1 - Barrel Length: 23 - Ammo Capacity: 2 - Series: 110 Series - Magazine: Hinged floorplate - Stock Material: Synthetic - Barrel Material: Stainless Steel - Barrel Finish...

www.classicfirearms.com

 

[Lefty G-gear]

Your .300 WM will do too.

Nosler Load Data

Explore the world of Nosler, renowned for crafting the finest bullets, ammunition, rifles, and brass. Discover our extensive lineup, including Partition, AccuBond, E-Tip, Ballistic Tip, Custom Competition, and more. Experience superior quality and performance with Nosler products.

load-data.nosler.com

 

[Muledeerhuntingfreak]

When I get home after work I will check and see what components I have for the 460 and the 416 Rigby I have brass and bullets no powder or primers brand new never been fired If that's the route you decide to go

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Make sure whoever you choose as a guide service APPROVES your rifle for the hunt and in writing. Some guide services have minimum cartridges for brown bear and getting picked up at airport is not the time to find out.

Wouldn't one of the very first questions asked by a reputable guide being considered be what gun you wanted to bring?

 

[BPollard]

Planning on a once in a lifetime brown bear Alaskan hunt in a couple years. Have a 300 Win Mag that shoots 220 Nosler partitions and 200 Nosler partitions quite well. Don't really want to buy another rifle but should I move up to a 338 class? Thinking of either a 33 Nosler, 338 WM or 338 ultra??? Opinions???

338 WM. 210 partition or 215 Sierra game king. Even a 215 Barnes tip triple shock. Good velocities, great sectional density. a monster killer

 

[ralphjunius]

.375 H&H or .375 Ruger (or bigger if all shots less than 75 or so yards).

Went to Africa with a .308 with 200g partitions handloaded to 2600fps. Then next time with 375 H&H with 270g Barnes TSX @ 2735fps. No comparison in stopping power. One shot 375 completely flattened all animals. Similar animals ran 50 yards hit the same way with the 200g partitions. Biggest animals were around 600 pounds except I did take a giraffe with the 308. The rear lead of the partitions started extruding like toothpaste from the 308 in those animals and of course the front end completely disappears. Can't imagine what a 300 magnum might do to them. Of course I did not recover a 270g TSX, but they were incredibly effective.

If you can afford to go hunting in Alaska but still can't afford a new gun, I'd go with no less than 200g Barnes TSX or Swift A-frames. But really not enough diameter to stop a big animal, but they will kill them. Heck you can kill them with a 6mm CM.

At reasonable hunting distances animals don't know the difference between a .338 WM and a .338 RUM, so I wouldn't fret over that. But that bullet diameter is marginal for stopping anything the size of a coastal brown bear. The .338 WM is a lot easier to practice with.

You don't hear much about it anymore on the internet but bullet diameter is important, very important with big animals. It appears the internet gurus have forgotten or don't even know about it. Momentum is also very important with big animals, followed by you guessed it, energy, IMO. Of course you can argue about Taylor's formula if you want.

And save your pH and/or your friend's ears by NOT putting a brake on your gun. You won't even feel the recoil of a .375 H&H or Ruger shooting at any large animal, especially anything big and dangerous. You will feel the 416's and up and you will find it difficult practicing with full power loads unless maybe if you are an NFL All Pro offensive lineman.

 

[Treeslug]

Your 300 is just fine providing it is ultra reliable and durable. It should fit you like a fine shotgun and don't hang a lot of crap
on it that will hang up in the alders.....ammo pouches etc. If it's got a floor plate, glue it shut or duct tape it. Your scope cover should be easy and water tight. Years back, we used pieces of inner tube stretched over the scope.....harder to find today. Now I go to a physical therapist friend and get a piece of .....I think it's called Theraband or some such....your bullet choice is good.

Good luck on your hunt.....Where will it take place?

Install a muzzle brake.
I even have one on a 22 Creedmoor. Very nice for spotting hits. Muzzle brakes on most everything else too. With an efficient muzzle brake, recoil is almost a non-event.

In the Bay we hunted brown bear earlier this month, the local guide and client had a 10+ footer scramble to within 5yds of them after shooting it.

They returned the next morning to find a good blood trail and the boar still alive. Were able to finish it with additional shots fired.

I don't have the fine details about shot placement, but feel certain the guide was plugging it too, since it came at them. And they commonly carry .375s.

The bigger the bear, the bigger the caliber of my rifle carried. At this point, I use .338s. I don't hunt with a guide. So don't have to worry about them shooting my bear. I just like them down sooner than later.

If a guide put a bullet in my bear, or any other animal I paid to shoot, that guide better have a tag for that species. I don't need to hear about all the times a guide or a PH saved a client from an animal. I know it is their duty to save my life, but other than that, he best keep his rifle pointed somewhere other than at my animal. If the animal wins, then I should have been better or brought more gun. And if he does save my useless carcuss, it will be more to save his license and a big investigation. Just thinking out loud!