Need advice on caliber for Moose and bear in Alaska.

[FireFlyFishing]

There`s a very long thread, I think on Rokslide (?), touting the use of .223 on LARGE game like moose, bear, etc. It`s complete with numerous photos purporting to demonstrate the internal damage caused by a properly placed .223 round. I guess with an absolutely perfect shot you could kill most anything with a .22LR too! As much as I`m a proponent of the .223, the thought of shooting something like a moose, and certainly a bear, with one, at least deliberately, is to me not rational when there are other more appropriate ( and humane ) calibers.

I listened to a podcast the other day talking about this. The thought is, you can put multiple rounds on target quickly and accurately because of the light recoil. If you use a frangilble bullet, then you have a wide wound cavity. IDK…in theory I suppose this is true. This isn't my cup of tea unless we're talking yotes or smaller.

 

[CCAguns]

There`s a very long thread, I think on Rokslide (?), touting the use of .223 on LARGE game like moose, bear, etc. It`s complete with numerous photos purporting to demonstrate the internal damage caused by a properly placed .223 round. I guess with an absolutely perfect shot you could kill most anything with a .22LR too! As much as I`m a proponent of the .223, the thought of shooting something like a moose, and certainly a bear, with one, at least deliberately, is to me not rational when there are other more appropriate ( and humane ) calibers.

Yes. Stop a charging griz with a 233.

 

[Turkeytider]

I listened to a podcast the other day talking about this. The thought is, you can put multiple rounds on target quickly and accurately because of the light recoil. If you use a frangilble bullet, then you have a wide wound cavity. IDK…in theory I suppose this is true. This isn't my cup of tea unless we're talking yotes or smaller.

" Multiple rounds on target........" ? Personally, I think that`s absurd and unnecessarily cruel logic ( not you sir, but what you are quoting as having been said on the podcast ) IF the reason one is having to do that is because of the inadequacy of the caliber that`s being used, deliberately, in the first place. It`s just my own personal opinion, but I think that we as hunters should have a primary goal of striving to ensure that the animal whose life we`re taking doesn`t know what hit it ( DRT ). I know that doesn`t always occur, but it should be a goal. Using the proper equipment correctly is certainly an important element in achieving this.

 

[memtb]

Yes. Stop a charging griz with a 233.

How do you say "Darwinism"! memtb

 

[fta0303]

Shot placement and comfort with your gun is more important than caliber size. If not used to large calibers, get a 30-06 and shoot, shoot, shoot. Pleanty big to knock down moose and all but the biggest bears.
If you can handle it, shoot something larger like a 300 win mag but again, shoot a lot. Don't buy a large caliber, shoot it twice and head up here. Lots of recoil with a 338 or 375. If not used to it, will be less likely to want to practice and less likely to make a proper shot placement when it might be offered.

Hunting and shooting are acquired skills. Big guns are a bit harder to shoot than littler ones. So you MUST practice with your rifle if you expect to any good with it. A .22 rimfire is good for basics and many rounds. A 30-06 is a very adequate big game cartridge, better to shoot one well than a bigger cartridge poorly. 375 H&H will require a bit more practice, doable for everyone, but the rifle is usually heavier by 1.5 lbs or so. A 375 Ruger is a 30-06 weight rifle, but kicks harder than the 375 H&H for that reason. I think though that if you can handle 375 H&H, you can learn to handle a 375 Ruger and benefit from a lighter rifle. In Ak, I'd carry a 375 Ruger. But it''s not necessary. A well-shot .30-06 with 200s or 220s is good enough. A .35 Whelen is a great cartridge, much power less recoil than the 375s or th 338s. The cartridges used for many, many years in Africa on the largest game have one thing in common: muzzle velocity about 2200 fps with a heavy bullet. So a 358 cal bullet at 2400 fps ought to be more than adeuqate for a big bear. And a 35 Whelen will shoot as flat as a 30-06 to 300 yrds with the same weight bullet. A 35 Whelen is a much overlooked cartridge of great potential with not too bad recoil. And you can load a 250g Speer HotCor to 2700 fps if you want (see Speer Rifle Data). The HotCor is a widely respected, tough bullet.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

" Multiple rounds on target........" ? Personally, I think that`s absurd and unnecessarily cruel logic ( not you sir, but what you are quoting as having been said on the podcast ) IF the reason one is having to do that is because of the inadequacy of the caliber that`s being used, deliberately, in the first place. It`s just my own personal opinion, but I think that we as hunters should have a primary goal of striving to ensure that the animal whose life we`re taking doesn`t know what hit it ( DRT ). I know that doesn`t always occur, but it should be a goal. Using the proper equipment correctly is certainly an important element in achieving this.

No argument here!

 

[model 700]

I'm looking to pick up a new rifle for a hunt scheduled at the end of august.

Im considering 338 RUM, 375RUM, 375 H&H, and 416 Rigby....

I want a larger bore rifle as long as it'll shoot pretty good to 300 yards I'm fine with it.

I was going to suggest a few rifles that are pretty good 7mmSTW , 300RUM , and 8mmMag. I have all three and they are really great rifles. But I see what you're possibly looking for. Those are some pretty heavy hitters. Will definitely do the job.

 

[Syncerus1]

One planet, one gun... .375 H&H. solids or softs, Dik Dik to Jumbo's, and every living thing in between. Ammo widely available globally. A no brainer IMHO...

 

[memtb]

One planet, one gun... .375 H&H. solids or softs, Dik Dik to Jumbo's, and every living thing in between. Ammo widely available globally. A no brainer IMHO...

That was exactly what I was thinking when I bought my first one, in 1982! memtb

 

[JiggyIi]

Hunting and shooting are acquired skills. Big guns are a bit harder to shoot than littler ones. So you MUST practice with your rifle if you expect to any good with it. A .22 rimfire is good for basics and many rounds. A 30-06 is a very adequate big game cartridge, better to shoot one well than a bigger cartridge poorly. 375 H&H will require a bit more practice, doable for everyone, but the rifle is usually heavier by 1.5 lbs or so. A 375 Ruger is a 30-06 weight rifle, but kicks harder than the 375 H&H for that reason. I think though that if you can handle 375 H&H, you can learn to handle a 375 Ruger and benefit from a lighter rifle. In Ak, I'd carry a 375 Ruger. But it''s not necessary. A well-shot .30-06 with 200s or 220s is good enough. A .35 Whelen is a great cartridge, much power less recoil than the 375s or th 338s. The cartridges used for many, many years in Africa on the largest game have one thing in common: muzzle velocity about 2200 fps with a heavy bullet. So a 358 cal bullet at 2400 fps ought to be more than adeuqate for a big bear. And a 35 Whelen will shoot as flat as a 30-06 to 300 yrds with the same weight bullet. A 35 Whelen is a much overlooked cartridge of great potential with not too bad recoil. And you can load a 250g Speer HotCor to 2700 fps if you want (see Speer Rifle Data). The HotCor is a widely respected, tough bullet.

I absolutely love the 35 Whelen️it just flat out knocks stuff on its A.. Rear

 

[akmtnhnt]

Yes. Stop a charging griz with a 233.

As opposed to a 44 mag with 33% less energy and 6 instead of 30? Really?

 

[akmtnhnt]

This whole thread, while most of it quite old, is hilarious. You don't need a cannon of a rifle to kill any bear or moose. Basically if you own a center fire cartridge rifle, with an appropriate bullet in it, you can take it hunting for anything in Alaska. The only limiting factor will be your accuracy with the rifle and the range it's effective at. Not a single animal is wearing body armor despite what a lot of people seem to think.
Off the top of my head the only weapon restriction as far as size is for bison, but there's no caliber, just weight and muzzle energy, which basically limits you to heavy 7mm's and up. They more or less describe a 30-06.

 

[CCAguns]

This whole thread, while most of it quite old, is hilarious. You don't need a cannon of a rifle to kill any bear or moose. Basically if you own a center fire cartridge rifle, with an appropriate bullet in it, you can take it hunting for anything in Alaska. The only limiting factor will be your accuracy with the rifle and the range it's effective at. Not a single animal is wearing body armor despite what a lot of people seem to think.

Most consider the worst case scenario they might unfortunately get into in an area with large carnivores. The idea is to stop the charging animal, not whether or not you kill it. If brownies or grizzlies weren't there, the old 30-06 would be quite sufficient. Many a shot bear has killed the one that shot him. If you're unfortunate enough to get too close, you may not get a shot at all!

 

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