Brown bear Rifle

[freefloater59]

375 w/ 270 or 300 Partitions or bonded. Too much is better than not enough, with 338 close second.

 

[bengineer]

A friend's brother just killed an 8' Admiralty Island brown with 175 eldx at 200+ yds. 7 rem mag in a bolt gun. 6 shots before it was dead. He spun in place, absorbing lethal chest hit after lethal chest hit. One exit hole, iirc.
What does this mean? Is 28 enough? Is the cup and core used correctly here? Is a 300 Win enough? Would anyone contend that the larger medium bores (358, 9.3, 375) arent enough for bear? Does a hunter intentionally take a larger risk by using a smaller bullet or larger caliber (borderline "power" vs too much recoil)?
OP: talk to your guide/outfitter/PH. Listen to him. Bring what he says to bring. Train how he says to train. If this is not the time for a new gun, so be it. But I cant see not heeding Ruark when toothy, clawed animals that hunt back are being pursued.

 

[HARPERC]

Skip the Brake and go for the suppressor. Recoil and Noise reduction really helps prevent flinching.

Been as close as the shop to begin ordering one, and always fall one stop short.

 

[flassen]

My vote is for the .375 h&h. There is a good reason many guide carry them. Get a 20" barrel or so and iron sights with an LPVO if you want an optic. Also a synthetic stock would be good to have. I lived in B.C. Canada for years about 30 miles south of Smithers. We never hunted big bear but did take 4 of them when they came around the house. Generally that was about 1 each year. The 375 did a much better job than the 30-338 we had. Recoil is very manageable. Just my 2 cents.

 

[del2les]

The 300WM with the right bullets, scope and shot placement will do the job, but personally, I use a 338 for larger bears.

 

[Muledeerhuntingfreak]

My buddy I used to go with in Alaska used A 416 Rigby They didn't go far most of the time they dropped in their tracksI would think A 338 would work well I don't think you would have any problems with a guide service sayingNo but I could be wrong you could also use a 460 Rigby

 

[del2les]

A friend's brother just killed an 8' Admiralty Island brown with 175 eldx at 200+ yds. 7 rem mag in a bolt gun. 6 shots before it was dead. He spun in place, absorbing lethal chest hit after lethal chest hit. One exit hole, iirc.

Not my first nor second choice of bullets for large bears.

 

[cabelasken]

Your 300 with partitions should work fine. Bears are very slow to die even with good shot placement. My friend shot a huge polar bear back in the 70's with a 300 and although the first shot was a perfect hit from about 150 yds, the guide asked for a follow up shot after the bear stayed on its feet for about 15 seconds. Remember if the animal is amped up with adreneline, the first and subsequent shots may not show any effect and the animal could stay on its feet over 25 seconds before tipping over. They have a very slow heartbeat.

 

[HARPERC]

Now, all that being said, Kodiak bears are just freaking tough! Those hunts were 20 years ago when I had 2 good working legs so I could get around throughout the tundra and up inside the alders easier. I don't know your age or your physical condition, but if I ever go back to Kodiak I won't be able to walk miles like I used to due to a very bad knee and ankle. These days I prefer to sit back at a more comfortable distance with a very accurate hard hitting rifle and make my shots. If your in good physical shape and can get close then a 300 will do the job with good bullets and good shot placement. However there certainly is a nice feeling of confidence when holding a big 338 or 375 in your hands. With my physical limitations now days I would prefer an accurate long range thumper; probably a 338 Lapua, or variant there of, shooting 285gr or 300gr bullets. A Christensen ELR or BA Tactical in 338 Lapua with a good 20-25 power scope would make a fantastic 300-500 yard brown bear rifle in my opinion. If your in good physical condition and can get within a couple hundred yards however, then my top choice would be the 375, since it has more frontal area, firing 300gr nosler partitions or 300gr swift a-frames. Just my opinions based on the experiences I've had hunting bears on Kodiak.

I really appreciate you bringing the discussion to the basic realities of what works for the individual. Especially those of us not young bucks anymore.

Hunts vary from hardcore backpack, to yacht based glassing beaches, and firearm selection can and should be reality based.

Probably need a boat based hunt myself at this point if I ever make it, so no criticism intended bringing it up. Boat based today might even be more challenging than a boot hunt 40 years ago.

Some of us even need help with getting to the airports. Everybody has different limits, and can be proud of their accomplishments. Work hard to stay in the game, whatever that means to you.

This year 2 partners literally hand carried me to a buck antelope. The pride I take in having such friends was increased so much I can't even tell you what that adds to a trip.

Yes, even at that I pushed my limits, harder than I did with my first antelope hunt in 1982.

 

[HARPERC]

Have fun, dont make it a job

This!

 

[5.56×250]

Im sure every responder has more first or second hand knowledge about big brown. Im just going to offer advice based solely on a hunt i watch a fee years back involving a 700 lbs female and a 338 win. The distance was what looked to be a couple hundred yards as the bear walked the edge of a lake . If memory serves , it took 7 hits to lay her still. Each shot causes her to roll into the lake, and each time she wrestled back to her feet and continued around the lake, looking like she was trying to pinpoint the source of the firings. I don't know the points of each impact , but several were in the shoulder/lung area.
Just like the guy thats 6 for 6 on big bull elk with a 22-250, all but 1 drt, you CAN kill with a lesser caliber, given an animal in the right mindset and perfect shot placement . A once in a lifetime hunt for the toughest and largest animal south of the north pole isn't the animal or opportunity to settle on. I'd be much more comfortable with a 375 ultramag or similar, if it were me. Id want to bring the story AND the rug home

 

[griz375]

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???

Your good to go with your current set up. As a former guide here in Alaska the only change I would suggest is looking at using a Swift A-Frame; I can honestly say the bears I've seen hit with various 30 cal magnums shooting 180-200 grain Swift A-Frame bullets between 2800-3000 fps went down hard, where as I've seen bears soak up as many as 7 shots out of bigger bore rifles where guys thought they needed a rifle bullet combination known for deep penetration where the bullets passed through without leaving much of a wound channel. The A-Frame offers good penetration and excellent expansion which puts all its energy on target. Bears don't seem to handle hydrostatic shock well and the A-Frame creates alot of it. All that being said I wouldn't hesitate to use Noslers either, but prefer the A-Frame for the reasons mentioned above.

 

[tooth doc]

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???

Good bullet in the right place! You have all u need! Of course when did need

 

[tooth doc]

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???

Good bullet in the right place, you have all you need. Of course when did need ever keep us from buying something new. I love my 375 rum! 270 barnes ttsx at almost 3100, hits hard, shoots flat.