Kodiak brown bear rifle

[RH300UM]

So I have had a great opportunity to go and hunt Kodiak Bears presented to me. I am taking it!!!
Problem is I don't have the rifle needed for the job.
I am looking for suggestions from guys or gals who have experience with these bears and their rifle/caliber choice.

 

[HARPERC]

What do you have on hand? How soon is the hunt? Congratulations!

 

[RH300UM]

What do you have on hand? How soon is the hunt? Congratulations!

All longrange setups.
Think I need a controlled round feed. Thinking375 ruger or 338 Rum
Probably next spring. Things are not finall yet

 

[Timber338]

I would use a 338 RUM shooting a 250 Accubond.

On a tight budget I would get the Savage bear hunter in 338 win mag.
Savage Arms Mobile

 

[HARPERC]

I've had one grizzly tag go un filled. My partner got a BC bear on that one,I've had them in camp, met them on the trail, and I've seen a few good black bears taken.

You've been here long enough and often enough, so you know the pro's and cons, as well as I do.

The .375 Ruger should be a great choice, pick a good bullet and go.

If somebody told me be here in the next couple of days, I've got 2 choices in the safe, a ,338 RUM with the 275 Swift A-frame, or my .375 H&H with a 300 Swift A-frame. I'm kind of short on 30 magnums right now, but a 220 Nosler partition would be where I start thinking minimum.

Frankly always tickled to hear someone is going, take pictures for us arm chair quarterbacks.

 

[IdahoCTD]

If I was in your shoes I would slap a .375 Ruger barrel on a SS Winchester 70 classic. I've been saving the one I have for when I get to go back to Africa to hunt Cape Buffalo but it would work the same for you with the big bears. A big plus is brass is easy to get. Another good option would be a 375-28 Nosler if you want something different with a little more capacity. I shot a 375-358STA for everything here in Idaho for years including elk to 650yds or so. It's slightly faster than a 375 Ruger but the Ruger will feed better and fit in the mag easier. You could do a 338 of some flavor too, and it would be better for long range work, but IMO it's just like motors....there is no replacement for displacement when it comes to killing stuff. I've used my .416 Rem on 5 or 6 elk, some bears, a few deer, and my cow moose out to 450yds and it flat thumps stuff too. It's just not as good as a 338 or 375 for long range work unless you shoot a specialty bullet like the CE340gr.

We are going to Kodiak next fall for deer and I'll probably just take a .300wsm, 300wm, or a 300 Norma Imp. I'll load up some Nosler AB's, Partitions, etc. in case a bear gets too close. For everything else I'll shoot my long range load.

 

[HARPERC]

......I would use a 338 RUM shooting a 250 Accubond......

I like the ACCUBOND'S, a Brown Bear trip might push me to try the 300 grains, it's the only one of the .338's I haven't tried yet.

 

[bigngreen]

This better not be like that sheep hunt, we want to see a dead bear dang it!!!!

I would PM phorwath, he lives all up in the middle of them and one of the few guys I trust implicitly with big bear advice.
In my mind I'd be packing a Montana PH in 338 Lapua, control feed and holds 5 down of Lapua or 505 Gibbs, that gun just does it for me for some reason!!!!

 

[HARPERC]

.............I'd be packing a Montana PH in 338 Lapua, control feed and holds 5 down of Lapua or 505 Gibbs, that gun just does it for me for some reason!!!!..................

Cabela's Gun Library Post Falls has a .505 Gibbs on the shelf!

 

[450hunter]

Did you draw a tag for Kodiak Brown Bear? I have been putting in for one of those tags for 20 years and have yet to draw one. Also you being a non-resident you will have to have a guide unless you have first kin family that lives here( brother, sister, son, daughter). Do not over think your rifle needs, you don't need a .505 Gibbs. Most bears are probably shot with 300 WM, 338 WM and 375 H&H. The 375 H&H is very popular up here and yes I have hunted Kodiak before for deer and Mountain Goat.

 

[RH300UM]

Bigngreen,
This opportunity came as a result of that sheep hunt!
Funny how life works sometimes. Thank goodness there are still honorable people left in this world.

450hunter,
This hunt is through a guide who is my buddy. He will remain nameless as I do not have his permission to publicly give out his name or his outfits name.

 

[mustang58]

I had this conversation with a brown bear guide. He told me there is a lot of difference between a 375 H&H and a 416 Rem. He shoots the 416.

 

[KillerBee]

Congratulations on the Trip of A Lifetime~! a 3006 WITH 165 Gr. will do the job, depending on the range. Lots of Kodiaks taken with a bow. The answer, it all depends on the size of the balls of the person hunting them! hehe

 

[RH300UM]

I had this conversation with a brown bear guide. He told me there is a lot of difference between a 375 H&H and a 416 Rem. He shoots the 416.

One of the most interesting Alaskan guides , Joe Want, carried a 500 Nitro double rifle for a number of years. Heard the stories of first hand accounts where that big bore came in real handy at times.