Brown bear Rifle

[PastorHunter]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Windfall harbor in Admiralty Island, Alaska​

The ABC Islands is the colloquial name for the Alaskan islands of Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof in the northern part of the Alexander Archipelago, which are all part of the Tongass National Forest. The islands are known for their wilderness and wildlife, including a dense brown bear population.[1]
Most of the islands' area is federally protected wilderness. The city of Sitka has its urban center on the west coast of Baranof Island. Outside of Sitka, there is only minimal industry and human presence on the islands, despite the fact that Admiralty (7th), Baranof (10th), and Chichagof (5th) are among the largest islands in the United States.

 

[Arctiv Bob]

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???

Used the 300 win. Mag for many years. works on deer, black bear & moose, no complaints. Any of the .338 class are great. Spent 2 decades as line man in remote high arctic, in vehicle had my favorite .375 H & H Mag. Is it effective? Shot 2 moose, with 1 bullet. Did come face to face with polar bear at 40 feet. Vehicle/rifle was 100 yards away. So broke world record for climbing telephone pole, beside me. polar bears can not climb.

 

[INVICTUS]

How about a roll call. What is the smallest caliber that has been effective for a Brown Bear kill?
Not that I advocate for it, just a curiosity. I’m pretty sure we will see some 7mm mag variants. I’m just wondering if there are others, in this forum that have done the job with a smaller caliber.

 

[comfisherman]

Saw a lot of problem peninsula brown bears put down with a 30-06...

 

[Pdvdh]

How about a roll call. What is the smallest caliber that has been effective for a Brown Bear kill?

Me... 7mm Rem Mag with Barnes TSX. Required several shots, and left me wanting more knockdown/knockout punch. Bear quickly traveled quite a distance. Marginally effective.
A friend... 270 Win with factory ammo. Required two good hits. Bear might have gotten away without some good fortune and a 2nd good hit. Marginally effective.

Smallest caliber I'll now use is 338. Will sometimes pancake them with good bullet/good hits.

 

[8x57IS4Me]

Muzzle breaks are great reducers of recoil but DON'T touch one off in an enclosed space.
Magn-a-ported 8Mag, Thought I had been hit with a baseball bat.
Lesson Learned
BYW, Rem 8Mag w/ 220gRNis also a fine bear cartridge.

 

[Turpentine21]

A really good friend of mine that has hunted all over the world and outfitted some in Africa just did a boat hunt for Browns. The required caliber rifle was 416. This guy had a double rifle in 500 Gibbs and a bolt in 375. Plus a very nice 300 Jarret. They told him to leave those at home and bring a 416. The 500 was plenty of rifle but only held two bullets I guess. The reason they gave is that where they hunt thick cover is always close and they didn't want a bear to make it to that cover. I don't know, never hunted bear and never will. But I guess they had their reasons for requiring the 416. He ended up with a beautiful Nosler limited run 416 Remington. Unfortunately it was all for naught as they saw nothing he was interested in shooting.

 

[INVICTUS]

Well. I’m a firm believer, if you can’t shoot, it really doesn’t matter what you’re shooting. I have it on the highest authority a 6.5 PRC will keep them from thick brush.
I grew up seeing people chase whitetail all night that were gut shot with 300 magnums. Listen to hunters, all a lot older than I was explain how they needed more gun. Laughed at me because I shot a 243. However, I never had to trail a wounded animal.
Opinions vary, results speak for themselves.
Lethality is in the shooter. Same argument with gun control. It ain’t the gun you have to worry about.

 

[bballard]

View attachment 579786

Well. I'm a firm believer, if you can't shoot, it really doesn't matter what you're shooting. I have it on the highest authority a 6.5 PRC will keep them from thick brush.
I grew up seeing people chase whitetail all night that were gut shot with 300 magnums. Listen to hunters, all a lot older than I was explain how they needed more gun. Laughed at me because I shot a 243. However, I never had to trail a wounded animal.
Opinions vary, results speak for themselves.
Lethality is in the shooter. Same argument with gun control. It ain't the gun you have to worry about.

Any animals that are gut shot is bad regardless if you are shooting a 300 whiz bang or a 243. It is generally more about shot placement than caliber. Can you make a perfect shot eveytime you pull the trigger under any hunting conditions? More power to you if you want to hunt brown bear with a 6.5. In my amateur opinion, that is just a disaster waiting to happen. Just because you can, doesn't mean it's a good idea.

 

[INVICTUS]

I say the same thing about driving these days.

 

[C-130 Dude]

Used the 300 win. Mag for many years. works on deer, black bear & moose, no complaints. Any of the .338 class are great. Spent 2 decades as line man in remote high arctic, in vehicle had my favorite .375 H & H Mag. Is it effective? Shot 2 moose, with 1 bullet. Did come face to face with polar bear at 40 feet. Vehicle/rifle was 100 yards away. So broke world record for climbing telephone pole, beside me. polar bears can not climb.

I gotta ask, what was your fps on your climb?

 

[TLC]

View attachment 579786

Well. I'm a firm believer, if you can't shoot, it really doesn't matter what you're shooting. I have it on the highest authority a 6.5 PRC will keep them from thick brush.
I grew up seeing people chase whitetail all night that were gut shot with 300 magnums. Listen to hunters, all a lot older than I was explain how they needed more gun. Laughed at me because I shot a 243. However, I never had to trail a wounded animal.
Opinions vary, results speak for themselves.
Lethality is in the shooter. Same argument with gun control. It ain't the gun you have to worry about.

.243 is plenty for deer. Anyone who believes that a 6.5 PRC is adequate for brown bear, would probably consider a .223 for elk.

 

[INVICTUS]

Well. Hmmm. Never been in a place to kill an elk. I did kill a gazelle with a 9mm pistol one time (Beretta 92). That’s still pretty good.

Maybe someone will chime up that’s pulled this 223 Elk deal. Has to be someone.

 

[INVICTUS]

To your point. Now when I hunted with one of my buddies I carried this.

Some of those dudes where little shaky when it was live. Juuuuuust in case.