Brown bear Hunt

[Jim McClellan]

Looking at going on a Alaska brown bear hunt but I want to have a rifle built first. What cal. do you think is best and what bullet? My own thought is a 338 RUM. I want stopping power in the event things went south!
Thanks
Jim

 

[HARPERC]

I would hunt big bear with my .338 RUM. The 275 A-Frame is a good one. I'd probably go with the 282 Sledge Hammer. A lot of good choices these days.

 

[memtb]

Unless you just want another rifle/cartridge, Your 338 RUM will work just fine! Along with the bullets suggested....consider a Barnes TSX 225 or 250 grains. Historically, the TSX does "not" open quite as readily as does the TTSX/LRX, which may provide slightly better weight retention....if needed for an "extreme" raking shot! You have a 225 TTSX or a 250 LRX that may be also considering! memtb

 

[86alaskan]

If you're building and want a 338RUM, it'll do the job nicely. Or, look into a 375 of some flavor also. If you're worried about a SHTF moment, you'll want that 375. In particular, the ruger hawkeye alaskan 375 or 416, nice and short, very good for what you're after. I carried a 375 ruger and never felt under gunned. I killed 2 brown bears with a 338WM and 250gr hornady interlocks, cheap but effective. The big bears can be stubborn, but they'll go down with good bullets in good places.

 

[zeeman]

If you're building and want a 338RUM, it'll do the job nicely. Or, look into a 375 of some flavor also. If you're worried about a SHTF moment, you'll want that 375. In particular, the ruger hawkeye alaskan 375 or 416, nice and short, very good for what you're after. I carried a 375 ruger and never felt under gunned. I killed 2 brown bears with a 338WM and 250gr hornady interlocks, cheap but effective. The big bears can be stubborn, but they'll go down with good bullets in good places.

In the 338 WM What bullet do you think is optimun as I am preparing for a future Alaskan brown Bear hunt also .... am thinking about buying a Christianson Arms 300 WM and rebarreling to 338WM ??

 

[HARPERC]

225 Hammer in the .338 Winchester.

 

[Patton63]

+1 on the .375 Ruger.

 

[86alaskan]

Depends on the bear, the 225+ copper bullets would cover you just fine. My 338WM would run the 250 at 2800fps, but I was not concerned with brass life, only performance. If I were to do it again, it'd be a hammer sledgehammer or badlands bulldozer for sure. I'm a big fan of copper solids for reliability. I'd run the 200gr barnes from a 300WM and you'd be doing just fine, or a fast 180gr barnes.

 

[zeeman]

Depends on the bear, the 225+ copper bullets would cover you just fine. My 338WM would run the 250 at 2800fps, but I was not concerned with brass life, only performance. If I were to do it again, it'd be a hammer sledgehammer or badlands bulldozer for sure. I'm a big fan of copper solids for reliability. I'd run the 200gr barnes from a 300WM and you'd be doing just fine, or a fast 180gr barnes.

I already have a 300 WM throated for 210 Berger VLD's and 215 Hybrids...would the 225 Hammer or 200 Barnes work in that rig?? ( Defiace action and Proof Research BBl) Would save the cost of a new rifle!

 

[KyCarl]

I have a 338 LM I would take it. Those bears are scary!..and big!

 

[HARPERC]

.....I already have a 300 WM...would the 225 Hammer work!.......

The 225 I mentioned is a .338 bullet. If the .300 WM is a standard1-10 twist the 196 Hammer Hunter, or the 199 Sledge Hammer would be the heaviest in that line you could use.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

If I were looking for a cartridge to be used specifically for BIG bears there would be no question that it would be a 375. I've had very good accuracy with the Barnes 270 TSX which has been a favored bullet for use on African animals for many years.

I have also managed to get the 260 Partitions to shoot very well at 300yds. I dropped two of them into a buffalo with picture perfect expansion on both.

The Hammer bullets have become one of my favorites in many calibers but I haven't had a chance to try them in the 375 yet.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Those dang bears are big. My dad killed six or eight with an 06. Killed one with a 264 WM. A fight he always said he shouldn't have started while sheep hunting. In any event I think 338 was probably designed with your needs in mind.

 

[Salmonchaser]

My preferred bear gun is a 338 Jarret and 250 grain Swift's or Partitions. A good buddy of mine guides on the peninsula for the last 20 years. Like most guides he'd rather see you with an 06 you can shoot instead of something you can't. He'll also just walk away if you start talking about tiny groups. Tell him you can go 10 for 10 on a paper plate at 100 he might acknowledge your presence. He carries a 338 WM. Says it's perfect. Doesn't like the fast 33s because most don't handle the recoil.