Brown bear Rifle

[bigbull]

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?

Very practical and good advice for any hunt but playing in willows is something I can relate to and agree completely with the advice.
Above what others have mentioned on calibers I would put my emphasis on the gun and setup rather on caliber, bring what you can handle..
Ultimate reliability and comfort in shouldering and shooting with the appropriate attire not with a t-shirt like when you are sighting in the gun.
I would also assure that the gun/scope fits well with my attire for the hunt. Bring along a small ziplock with something to clean/dry your lenses.
BB

 

[CCAguns]

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???

Might also want to strongly consider the elements. Discuss these with your outfitter well before going. Clothes, of course, and required supplies like zip-locked cloths, tape, etc come to mind. If your 300 is a beautifully stocked, high-luster blued rifle, perhaps all the more reason to consider an alternative. Conditions in AK can be quite rugged and always wet. Salty air around the coast. Additionally, if your guide expects you to tape your muzzle to prevent water or snow freezing in your barrel, you might want to practice shooting it that way prior to going. My two AK trips had extremely opposite weather conditions for roughly the same location. Wet, humid, relatively warm and sloppy the first trip. Drier (but not dry), cold, snowy but rather clear the second trip. Clothing needs to be up to the task or you'll be miserable. My stainless/synthetic 340 Wby was perfect and I was glad to have that rifle rather than one of my "prettier" ones!

 

[RH300UM]

Might also want to strongly consider the elements. Discuss these with your outfitter well before going. Clothes, of course, and required supplies like zip-locked cloths, tape, etc come to mind. If your 300 is a beautifully stocked, high-luster blued rifle, perhaps all the more reason to consider an alternative. Conditions in AK can be quite rugged and always wet. Salty air around the coast. Additionally, if your guide expects you to tape your muzzle to prevent water or snow freezing in your barrel, you might want to practice shooting it that way prior to going. My two AK trips had extremely opposite weather conditions for roughly the same location. Wet, humid, relatively warm and sloppy the first trip. Drier (but not dry), cold, snowy but rather clear the second trip. Clothing needs to be up to the task or you'll be miserable. My stainless/synthetic 340 Wby was perfect and I was glad to have that rifle rather than one of my "prettier" ones!

^^^^^^
This is good advice
YOU are the most important piece of equipment! Take measures to insure YOU can operate at the best capacity.
Off topic I know but I've seen a lot of miserable hunters over the years hunting and guiding. Some that just give up altogether because of preparation issues.
If your mind and body aren't in the game the rifle is secondary.

 

[memtb]

Very practical and good advice for any hunt but playing in willows is something I can relate to and agree completely with the advice.
Above what others have mentioned on calibers I would put my emphasis on the gun and setup rather on caliber, bring what you can handle..
Ultimate reliability and comfort in shouldering and shooting with the appropriate attire not with a t-shirt like when you are sighting in the gun.
I would also assure that the gun/scope fits well with my attire for the hunt. Bring along a small ziplock with something to clean/dry your lenses.
BB

I second what VernAK said about inner tubes for scope covers. Very water/snow proof, very quick off of scope, if lost….no big deal, as you can get many from one inner tube and used (damaged) inner tubes are free and can be had in many sizes.

The huge negative…..they don't carry those large, colorful manufacture logos telling the world about your very expensive scope! memtb

 

[CCAguns]

I second what VernAK said about inner tubes for scope covers. Very water/snow proof, very quick off of scope, if lost….no big deal, as you can get many from one inner tube and used (damaged) inner tubes are free and can be had in many sizes.

The huge negative…..they don't carry those large, colorful manufacture logos telling the world about your very expensive scope! memtb

Ha!!! I love it! Rifles and scopes are becoming billboards like a bass tournament fishing shirt. Don't know why the hunters wear camo on the TV shows when their rifle & scope are flashy with decals!!!

 

[2Rope]

My uncle killed his 9' Kodiak in 1947 with his new Win M70 30-06, 180 grn. He went after flying a B-17 out of England… The rug and rifle are on my wall. He is still my hero.

 

[Marky_mark]

416 Ruger if you're solely hunting brown bear.

Ya thats what im thinking too. I got my hands on some 350 gr a frames and Ill be most likely bringing that. Shot my polar bear with a 338 ss and a frames. It worked awesome. I personally wouldnt have any reservations about anything 30 cal and up with a really well built bullet going at a decent speed

 

[Marky_mark]

^^^^^^
This is good advice
YOU are the most important piece of equipment! Take measures to insure YOU can operate at the best capacity.
Off topic I know but I've seen a lot of miserable hunters over the years hunting and guiding. Some that just give up altogether because of preparation issues.
If your mind and body aren't in the game the rifle is secondary.

Its allllllllll in your head

 

[Bill Peet]

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???

Stay with the 300 and shoot the 200 Noslers, higher velocity ,more impack energy . If you just have to have a new rifle the 338 wm is the next choice, ammo is easy to find when out in the bush. As for sights iron if you can or low power -- 1- 6 is on my 375 is perfect for up close and reaching out some .

 

[Pdvdh]

Ya that's what I'm thinking too. I got my hands on some 350 gr A-Frames and I'll be most likely bringing that. Shot my polar bear with a 338 ss and a frames. It worked awesome. I personally wouldnt have any reservations about anything 30 cal and up with a really well built bullet going at a decent speed

You might enjoy watching some of Billy Molls hunting videos. He's been guiding bear hunters in Alaska for a couple of decades. His videos can be found on YouTube. He's guided brown bear hunters on the Alaskan Peninsula and Kodiak Island. Here's a link to one of his bear hunting videos on Kodiak Island.



Billy has stated he prefers his brown bear hunters come with a minimum .338 caliber rifle. I think he carries a 375 Ruger??? Billy has almost certainly experienced and observed more brown bear kills than any member responding to this Thread. Maybe more than all member's responding here, combined. He seems very level-headed.

I've used the 338 Imperial Magnum and the 338 Edge to kill a few big brown bears. The original 225gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws leaving the muzzle at +3,300fps was impressively devastating on solid broadside hits to the center of ribs. I'm about out of those bullets, so I've rotated into some Swift A-Frames now.

Also shot one with a 338 LAI. Again, very dead bear. No problems.

In spite of those experiences with my 338s, I'm currently planning to step it up a notch, to a 37XC. Yes I can kill a brown bear with lesser caliber rifles from a safe distance. But engage one from 50 yds on in? I want to increase my odds of anchoring an unwelcome close range bear with my first shot. I'm confident that's why Billy prefers his hunters hunt brown bear with .338 or larger caliber rifles. No fun going into the thickets to follow up and finish a wounded bear.

When I camp overnight in brown bear country, I like to share my tent with a .458 Win Mag and 400gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws. A rogue bear can never be killed too dead.

 

[Marky_mark]

You might enjoy watching some of Billy Molls hunting videos. He's been guiding bear hunters in Alaska for a couple of decades. His videos can be found on YouTube. He's guided brown bear hunters on the Alaskan Peninsula and Kodiak Island. Here's a link to one of his bear hunting videos on Kodiak Island.



Billy has stated he prefers his brown bear hunters come with a minimum .338 caliber rifle. I think he carries a 375 Ruger??? Billy has almost certainly experienced and observed more brown bear kills than any member responding to this Thread. Maybe more than all member's responding here, combined. He seems very level-headed.

I've used the 338 Imperial Magnum and the 338 Edge to kill a few big brown bears. The original 225gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws leaving the muzzle at +3,300fps was impressively devastating on solid broadside hits to the center of ribs. I'm about out of those bullets, so I've rotated into some Swift A-Frames now.

Also shot one with a 338 LAI. Again, very dead bear. No problems.

In spite of those experiences with my 338s, I'm currently planning to step it up a notch, to a 37XC. Yes I can kill a brown bear with lesser caliber rifles from a safe distance. But engage one from 50 yds on in? I want to increase my odds of anchoring an unwelcome close range bear with my first shot. I'm confident that's why Billy prefers his hunters hunt brown bear with .338 or larger caliber rifles. No fun going into the thickets to follow up and finish a wounded bear.

When I camp overnight in brown bear country, I like to share my tent with a .458 Win Mag and 400gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws. A rogue bear can never be killed to dead.

A friend is mine hunted with Billy a couple of years ago

 

[CCAguns]

You might enjoy watching some of Billy Molls hunting videos. He's been guiding bear hunters in Alaska for a couple of decades. His videos can be found on YouTube. He's guided brown bear hunters on the Alaskan Peninsula and Kodiak Island. Here's a link to one of his bear hunting videos on Kodiak Island.



Billy has stated he prefers his brown bear hunters come with a minimum .338 caliber rifle. I think he carries a 375 Ruger??? Billy has almost certainly experienced and observed more brown bear kills than any member responding to this Thread. Maybe more than all member's responding here, combined. He seems very level-headed.

I've used the 338 Imperial Magnum and the 338 Edge to kill a few big brown bears. The original 225gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws leaving the muzzle at +3,300fps was impressively devastating on solid broadside hits to the center of ribs. I'm about out of those bullets, so I've rotated into some Swift A-Frames now.

Also shot one with a 338 LAI. Again, very dead bear. No problems.

In spite of those experiences with my 338s, I'm currently planning to step it up a notch, to a 37XC. Yes I can kill a brown bear with lesser caliber rifles from a safe distance. But engage one from 50 yds on in? I want to increase my odds of anchoring an unwelcome close range bear with my first shot. I'm confident that's why Billy prefers his hunters hunt brown bear with .338 or larger caliber rifles. No fun going into the thickets to follow up and finish a wounded bear.

When I camp overnight in brown bear country, I like to share my tent with a .458 Win Mag and 400gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws. A rogue bear can never be killed too dead.

458 Win Mag is great bear medicine when they get up close & personnel. I did likewise back in the 90's when my Army Ranger guide suggested one. I was hunting caribou & moose but my buddies were after "ole griz". His words were that if you're backing up another hunter or enjoy sleeping comfortably at night in a tent, carry a 458 Winny or bigger. Unfortunately, at my age and condition I won't be making those hunts anymore. I have a Browning FN Safari in 458 Win Mag if anyone's interested.

 

[memtb]

CCAguns, I'm sorry to hear that you won't be getting to use that Browning anymore…. Someone will be getting a nice rifle, when you sell! memtb

 

[CCAguns]

CCAguns, I'm sorry to hear that you won't be getting to use that Browning anymore…. Someone will be getting a nice rifle, when you sell! memtb

No doubt. I never had to shoot an animal with it but did put a couple of boxes through it. I'm always shocked at how these big bullets can shoot cloverleaf groups at 100 yards. My 45-90 does likewise. But it sure provides comfort in big bear country!