A different kind of bear thread

[tacreload]

My former boss is going on a grizzly hunt next year.I help a close friend out in his gun shop from time to time and he has bought some guns from us.He asked me what he should buy for this future hunt.He has all the regular deer calibers,30.06,.270 so on and so forth but wants something to reach out and touch but also do well up close and personal.Not sure where he is going as I didn't think to ask but I suspect Alaska as he has already been there a few years ago and taken a decent bull moose with a recurve.He has also taken a Bison with a recurve and is no slouch with any weapon.Not afraid of recoil as he probably stands 6'3"and goes about 280.Actually I've never known the man to fear anything or anyone but the dentist(his words).My first thought was the .338 Win Mag.Any and all opinions are welcome.Thank you everyone.I am out of my element on this one.

 

[rwsmith]

It depends....

It depends on whether you like your old boss or not.

Anyway, I'm not a hunter, but through reading, I gather that the .338 is a good big bear caliber. I think for brown bear I'd want something bigger. A .50 Kentucky rifle has a good rep. but I'd like second shot capability.

I'm sure some REAL beer hunters will be along shortly.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Tac, my dad and I hunted Alaska with a Ruger M77 338 Win mag. He used the same rifle for 35 or so years. We got a moose every year and a black or brown bear every other year.

Could it be done with a 30-06? Yes, I've done it. But with the 338, they don't run near as far if they run at all. That was extremely important to us the fact that we didn't want the animal to run. Except for the first brown bear he shot, my ole man never missed his shot and only shot once.

The recoil isn't that bad. Kind of like comparing the 40SW to the 45ACP. The 30-06 I used to shoot was a very nice Weatherby but it had a very sharp recoil. The 338 was just a big push. I'm 5' 9" 215 pounds. As big as he is, he can certainly handle it.

If I was going to spend all that money (and he will), I would want the best. IMHO, the 338 is the best.

I read an article a few years ago, NRA I think, where the writer considered the 338 mag the best all around cartridge for North America. I agree.

A case could be made for several others calibers such as 7MM, 375 H&H, 475 H&H, etc........

But because he reloads he choose the 338. He would load hot and heavy loads for bear and moose and then down size a bit for smaller game such as mountain goats or sheep.

Hope he is successful.

 

[msinc]

338 Win Mag will definitely get the job done...and with very little chance he gets back up and stings you. My personal choice is the 325 WSM. You just want one of the more powerful calibers. It dont matter so much which one...they all will require a hit in the "kill zone." Always remember, bigger plus more powerful don't automatically equal a kill with a bad hit.

 

[Frank237]

A .338 Win Mag with 250 gr trophy bonded bear claws , or a similar quality bullet and with proper placement it should work fine.

First thing that came to my mind was the .375 H&H mag and 300 gr slugs. A step up from the .338 in recoil but still easily shot by any adult.

Either one would be fine.

 

[A10]

Anything under 150 yards or so, I'd sure recommend a .45-70 with heavy solids. They can thump you pretty good, but they can drop anything on earth and they come in a nice handy package.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=35

 

[mtgianni]

Terrain, distances and time of year can all matter. I had heard that many guides were carrying Model 94 BB Winchesters in 356 Win due to quick follow up shots and a shorter 20" bbl. That fell out of favor when Win dropped it's 250 gr loading. His outfitter should be able to tell him if he expects to shoot spring bear out feeding @ 300 yards or berry patch bears @ 25 yards. Scopes should reflect that and the gun should be stainless with a plastic stock. Ugly but not warping due to moisture.
If I were buying an Alaska gun and money was not a factor I would look hard at the Ruger 375 cartridge.

 

[carpriver]

Big Bear... Big bullet.