Build a rifle for sheep or bears?

[sedancowboy]

I would opt for the pistol and rifle. I work in Grizzly country several weeks each summer and fall.
The theory being that one is none and two is one. For what ever reason sometimes your long gun is not in your hand. I recommend a cross draw or chest rig and don't ever take it off until you crawl into your sleeping bag. I carry a S&W Mountain Gun in 45 Colt with Buffalo Bore bear busters in it. Don't waste the weight penalty carrying bear spray. Ask Todd Orr.
The best solution is for you to carry a sheep rifle and me to carry my 450 Marlin and a pistol. Two is one and one is none. Good luck I know how coveted a sheep tag is.

 

[Edd]

A 236gr 338 Hammer Hunter bullet will kill a Sheep at 800 yards and will kill a Bear at 50 yards.

 

[22250imp]

So I go back and forth, I'm looking at hunting sheep in an area that is crawling with Grizzly, it's also an area that had a reputation as challenging to access, I have my gear list and I'm working in it and it's naturally ultra lite but then I come to the rifle!
I had a rifle planned out on paper that would be on the light side of stupid and probably chambered in a 6.5 SS, awesome on paper till I started thinking about the inevitable run in with bears, I don't like the idea of standing there with a 5 lb 6.5 with a bear deciding how badly my being there is offending him.
I have zero intention of putting my life on a can of bear spray, ya, we'll be packing it but really I'm putting a big hole in something if it comes to it, the last guy locally that got killed blew a whole can into the bear and he died and the bear had spray all over it when they killed it!!
Another guy I know of ran out of spray by the time he made it to the truck, he sprayed the bear, got thrashed, made it a ways and the bear kept coming back for more as he hiked out, he lived but was messed up!
So to the question, do I build an ultra lite sheep rifle and then carry a Ruger Alaskan in 454 OR build an 8-9 lb 300 of some kind and pack just that?

Take a look at a Christensen Arms in one of the big 30's

 

[backyardsniper]

I'm in sort of the same situation .I leave in 30 days to go with a friend of mine to Kodiak island for his bear hunt. He drew a grrat tag in the red lake Olga Bay area and he is a resident so we will be going without a guide. I'm going as an assistant but I'll be packing a self defense weapon. I still can't make up my mind what to pack .I don't want to carry unnecessary weight but I want plenty of gun. I've got a redhawk 44mag and a galco Kodiak holster which I will probabaly take but other than that I cant decide between a shotgun and slug or a large rifle. I've got 45/70's and a 458 Lott even. I'm leaning towards the 870 tactical full of slugs though

 

[dougduey]

My 2 cents. Went on a Kodak Island mountain goat hunt this past October. Had to hike 7 hours through bear country to get to the goats. The outfitter and 2 guides carried 325 WSM's and a 300 Win. I bought a Christensen Arms 338 Lapua. The rifle was light enough and had enough fire power for the bears or goats. The outfitter also said bear spray was a waste since I'd end up wearing most of it due to the usual wind. If I didn't buy the Lapua, I would have used my 300 WSM. Personally, I don't think you can have too much fire power, especially in bear country.

 

[yobuck]

So I go back and forth, I'm looking at hunting sheep in an area that is crawling with Grizzly, it's also an area that had a reputation as challenging to access, I have my gear list and I'm working in it and it's naturally ultra lite but then I come to the rifle!
I had a rifle planned out on paper that would be on the light side of stupid and probably chambered in a 6.5 SS, awesome on paper till I started thinking about the inevitable run in with bears, I don't like the idea of standing there with a 5 lb 6.5 with a bear deciding how badly my being there is offending him.
I have zero intention of putting my life on a can of bear spray, ya, we'll be packing it but really I'm putting a big hole in something if it comes to it, the last guy locally that got killed blew a whole can into the bear and he died and the bear had spray all over it when they killed it!!
Another guy I know of ran out of spray by the time he made it to the truck, he sprayed the bear, got thrashed, made it a ways and the bear kept coming back for more as he hiked out, he lived but was messed up!
So to the question, do I build an ultra lite sheep rifle and then carry a Ruger Alaskan in 454 OR build an 8-9 lb 300 of some kind and pack just that?

In 1952 my father and 2 friends took a 30 day Yukon hunt with Alex Van Bibber.
Each of them got a Dall sheep, a Moose, and a Grizzley. Each of them had one rifle, plus they had one spare along. All were 30/06s using 180 gr bullets. My fathers trophys still hang in our PA camp. His bear was shot on his Moose kill a few days after killing the Moose. One shot in the chest was all it took when the bear stood up, with the 180 loaded with 50 gr of 3031.
BTW, the hunt cost for 30 days with each having a guide, 27 horses, 2 wranglers and a cook, was $1500 per man, or $50 bucks a day.

 

[CliffM]

So here's my 2 cents, build the 338 long or short, you want a 338 anyway.
Borrow my 40s&w or the 45 colt that I will have by that time for a backup.
Dad

 

[jrdp74]

So I go back and forth, I'm looking at hunting sheep in an area that is crawling with Grizzly, it's also an area that had a reputation as challenging to access, I have my gear list and I'm working in it and it's naturally ultra lite but then I come to the rifle!
I had a rifle planned out on paper that would be on the light side of stupid and probably chambered in a 6.5 SS, awesome on paper till I started thinking about the inevitable run in with bears, I don't like the idea of standing there with a 5 lb 6.5 with a bear deciding how badly my being there is offending him.
I have zero intention of putting my life on a can of bear spray, ya, we'll be packing it but really I'm putting a big hole in something if it comes to it, the last guy locally that got killed blew a whole can into the bear and he died and the bear had spray all over it when they killed it!!
Another guy I know of ran out of spray by the time he made it to the truck, he sprayed the bear, got thrashed, made it a ways and the bear kept coming back for more as he hiked out, he lived but was messed up!
So to the question, do I build an ultra lite sheep rifle and then carry a Ruger Alaskan in 454 OR build an 8-9 lb 300 of some kind and pack just that?

338SS! I've got one being put together that'll come in around 7lb no scope with a proof barrel, Hawkins ti brake, LPA Fuzion Ti, Manners T stock. Barnes 225 or 250 or something similar. Just my opinion but I sure am excited to get the rifle back and check that out.

 

[Longshot284]

Personally, I'd either opt for a short action 338 like a 338 RCM or similar and do a light weight build or I'd 9lb 338 RUM - whichever gave ya the warm and fuzzy. But, to more directly put my opinion towards your original question I'd vote for the 8-9lb 300!

 

[WYO300RUM]

My thinking anymore is the same as big green, you spend enough time and encounter the g- bear a few times it starts to make you reevaluate. I dont hunt alone, and always carry at least my .45 or 44 when I go into known g- bear country. But anymore you never know when or where that might happen. I like the odds stacked little more in my favor if I get attacked if I have a sidearm on me and I cant get to my rifle or a buddy there to atleast attempt it to shoot it. I know the father very well who had to shoot one off his son about 1.5 years ago in the south fork of the hungry horse reservoir black bear hunting.

You may be talking about the father and son archery elk hunting near South Fork that his son was attacked . The father got an arrow in the bear and killed it.. it was a sow. If I remember correctly it was on a kill or leftovers from somebody's kill. It was in 2014 I think. I saw the boiled skull of it in a friend taxidermy shop. You are all correct .way too many Grizzlies that have no fear of people. I think gunshots are their dinner bells. I've been hunting the Cody area every year since 1998. I've seen how bad it has gotten . Friends there are getting tired of it also . I won't bore you with stories . Hopefully since delisting they can be hunted . It will probably end up like the **** wolves.... I won't get started on them. I myself would carry my 300 rum and either my 460 S&W xvr or Ruger Super redhawk 454 Cassul. Both are heavy but not so bad in shoulder holster. 7 and 9 in barrels though... my 44 MAG Blackhawk much lighter. Bear spray ? Maybe. I just read article on the new Sprinfield XVm auto in 10mm. 16 rounds and light. Maybe with a good 180 gr. Bullet ?

 

[D.Camilleri]

I am spending more and more time with my raging bull 454 in my cross chest holster. Grizzly's have taken over my deer hunting area in the Hoback of Wyoming. I hunter shot and killed a big boar last year that attacked him. That being said, I haven't jumped on board with the 6.5 craze. I have had 7mm, 300 rum, 338 win mag, 3006 and my favorite 338 rum. Last fall my 300 rum barrel gave out, and I had my smith put my still good 338 rum broughton on my 300 rum action. That action started as a 338 win mag, so it just seemed right to go back to the big bore. So now I have two 338 rums as my hunting rifles! Why, I want to shoot lighter bullets out of this one. I have a bunch of swift sirrocco 210's to try out as soon as the weather isn't so cold, maybe this week! I am hoping to push the 210's between 3300 and 3400 so they will be flat shooting with plenty of punch to 800 plus. Up close with a grizz will still be a fight stopper. I have done much testing trying to determine the best type of bullet to save my life. The jury is still out. 300 gr accubonds penetrate deeply, but are so tough, they don't make a big wound channel. 300 grain Bergers have never failed me, but I can't say that I trust they will penetrate enough on a point blank one and done attempt. Last season I played with the Hornady 285 eldm and was pleasantly surprised to surpass 3000 fps. Only made two kills on antelope, needless to say neither took a step and very little meat was lost. As I get older, having a heavy handgun and a heavy rifle does take it's toll, but a little conditioning can help. As I try to drop weight on my carry rifles, I am looking more and more to carbon wrapped barrels, so my next build will probably be a carbon wrapped barrel in say 300 rum or 338 rum. I will let the others experiment with the 6.5's. As for the big bore handgun, I never shoot it double action, not to say I can't, but I am just much more accurate single action. I load up a stiff load of lil gun behind a 300 grain nosler partion handgun. I am debating buying a 10 mm auto for a lighter carry option, but I don't buy into the extra fire power unless you happen on to a herd of Grizzlies! I think of it like this, try driving a nail with a 2 oz ball pein hammer. Then pick up a 4 lb sledge and hit the same nail............nuff said!

 

[Knightvision]

"I think" you should not talk about weight when you are talking about a 4lb. revolver + ammo + holster along with a light rifle 61/2 lbs.? with a buggy whip barrel vs a real rifle, 300wm minimum, @ 8-9 lbs. 50+ years living and hunting in Alaska my .375 H&H is my go to, if any thought of bear is considered, and still lighter than what you might be carrying. Just an old mans "I think"

 

[PNWGator]

Know you build awesome rifles and a lot of thought goes into them. This will be a fun project for sure and I'm anxious to see what you end up putting together. FWIW I really, really liked the build 30 Hammer put together. Seems ideal.

 

[jmgstr]

Cooper firearms makes a rifle they call it backcountry mine is in 300 wm without scope it is just over 5.5 lbs shoots 1/2 Moa firepower & lightweight