bear hunting gun suggestion

[pressman]

i might have a chance to go bearing hunting which would give me an good reason to build a new rifle.
now i have a friend in Washington state. that states that if i can shoot 1,000 yards with a normal wind. that he could almost grant me a bear on a 4 day hunt. now with that said i am on a mission of a new build. my heart tells me to build a 338 edge and don't look back. but i do shoot 1,000 yards quit often but it is with a custom built 260 rem. i usually can hold a 8" or so group as long as the wind is not totally gusting all over the place, i also was thinking about the 7mm. i have never shot one but just reading on here i know they have their place. just not sure it is at a bear at 1,000 yards. any and all comments will be appreciated and reviewed.

 

[HARPERC]

338's make good bear guns long, range or close.

 

[pressman]

would the 338 norma fit the bill also? with a 300 gr vld? anyone have one?

 

[winmag]

Black bear, as a general rule, aren't too tough to kill. But some bears act like they're invincible. Weird really. But as a general rule they drop the same as a deer with the same energy.
I've killed em with everything from .44mag to -06, to 270WSM & 338Win.
I have a Buddy has killed more bears than anyone I know with a 243, BUT, he doesn't shoot waaaay out there either.
Figure around 1000#'s of energy, same as a deer, & you'll be fine with the right bullet.

200gr Accubonds at 2900fps from a 300WSM is my current build for the exact mission you describe. Eventhough a 300Win, or Wby, or RUM, would do it with more authority. The WSM gets me there, & is cheaper to load for.

Big 338's are in a whole different league. They put all the smaller stuff to shame at the LR game. But they guzzle powder & cost a lot to load, & shoot.
Id love to have a 338 Lapua, 338RUM or 338Norma, for task specific 800+ yd shooting/hunting, & use my 300WSM for everything closer than that, but I'm not made of $, so the 300WSM is the best choice for ME, & MY style of hunting, range, & budget.

Hope this helped, & didn't muck up the water too much.
Good Luck

 

[pressman]

Thanks for the info winmag. i really had not considered a 300wsm really. i was just thinking of building one big gun not that i would really shoot it much just enough to keep sharp and or shoot something a long way off. that is why i was thinking about the 338 class. i have my 260 rem for just plunking and shooting pretty far. that does not cost me an arm and leg to shoot.

 

[winmag]

Thanks for the info winmag. i really had not considered a 300wsm really. i was just thinking of building one big gun not that i would really shoot it much just enough to keep sharp and or shoot something a long way off. that is why i was thinking about the 338 class. i have my 260 rem for just plunking and shooting pretty far. that does not cost me an arm and leg to shoot.

The 338Norma would be Cool! Build on a standard length Long Action, & get nearly identical performance to the 338 RUM with less powder.
I wish I could build a mission specific 800+ yd rig in 338 (?) probably Norma. Easy to find a donor action!
If that's what your after, GO FOR IT! You certainly won't be undergunned! Even for bigger, tougher game past 1k. It'd be an awesome LR cannon. Or any range for that matter

 

[sp6x6]

would the 338 norma fit the bill also? with a 300 gr vld? anyone have one?

You hada ask 338 Norma.On a spring bear hunt, Ipassed a nice bear this day, waiting for my son to get with me too shoot.