Sounds like the 338win mag upwards would be the best. I also have a 9.3x62 which would be good but one problem is I hate the thought of taking a rifle anywhere where factory ammo is not freely available and i believe that would be the case in Alaska/North America? Also the 338 is a little flatter shooting, and I would guess that Moose would be open plains type shooting.
The rifle I was considering is a Tikka Whitetail hunter s/synthetic and I know that its not crf but if one is going to shoot DG with a pushfeed I feel its probably the best one. I have the same rifle in 7mmRem Mag and have used it extensively and it feeds seemlessly and I have never had a hangup with. But I know its not crf. I will think about that one.
Posts: 789 | Location: Australia | Registered: 24 May 2002
I've hunted Alaska 5 times, and started those hunts with a 300 Weatherby. But I've since gone to the 338 Win Mag. I'm of the opinion, (whatever that's worth ), that the 338 is the best cartridge for Alaska hunting. Moose are big, but not hard to kill, just hard to convince their dead. Bears are big and tough, and can be hard to kill, so for me the 338 gets the nod. A 210 Nosler will shoot flat enough for all of your hunting needs, but I prefer 250 grain Noslers myself.
A use a Model 70 Classic in Stainless Steel. If you don't have a Stainless Steel rifle, now might be the time to consider one. A week of rain will really wreck havoc with your rifle. I prefer Controlled Round Feed rifles for an animal that can be a threat. I have experienced jams in push feed rifles, (2 rounds arguing about who should go into the chamber first ),and sure wouldn't want that to happen while Bear hunting.
You certainly could get by with the .300 WSM, just as many people have gotten by with the .30/'06 or even the .270 Win. for ALL Alaskan game, provided good bullets are used. Nothing less than a Nosler Partition qualifiees for Alaskan game, IMO!!
However, if I were given the choice between having a .338 in my hands vs a .300 WSM, I'd opt for the .338!
I actually carried a .375 H&H most of the time when actually HUNTING bears! Unfortunately, every time I got a SHOT at one, it was when I was actually hunting deer on offshore islands in Prince William Sound, and was carrying a Mannlicher-Schoenauer 270 carbine loaded with 150-grain Nosler Partition bullets! It killed the bears. Had to shoot one of them twice, however!!
In reality, most Alaska game are hunted and killed with .300's and .338's. These two and the .30-06 outnumber the .375 H&H by a wide margin (something like 6 to 1 or higher). A .338WM with 250-grain to 300 grain bullets is an excellent bear gun, and with 275-grain A-Frame to 300-grain Woodleigh, it comes up there to the .375H&H's territory. Where the .375 H&H may be much better is when 300-grain and heavier bullets are used.
In my opinion, if a .338WM is not enough gun for Alaska hunting, the next obvious step up would be one of the .416's with perhaps 400-grain bullets. Now we are talking about serious bear guns.
Posts: 2448 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 25 May 2002
MLG: My concerted opinion, for what it's worth, is that the minimum chambering for the big Alaskan bears is a .338 Win. Mag. I don't ever consider any .300 Eargensplittenloudenboomer. My reasoning is simply that I think they lack heavy enough bullets to provide reliable penetration (momentum) in a dicey situation. Only those who have been close to these animals "on the hoof" can know how impressive they are.
I'm aware there are those who will disagree with me but that is their right. Bear in Fairbanks
Posts: 1544 | Location: Fairbanks, Ak., USA | Registered: 16 March 2002
I have been well pleased with my M70 stainless CRF sythetic .375 for use in Alaska. The .338 is a good compromise, but I think it's a little light for brown bear. A lot of locals use the .338 for bear with good results and like it, but I always thought that sooner or later they are going to get themselves in a jam and wished they had the .375. The first time you walk up on a dead 9' brown bear they look like a Volkswagen and the .458 the guide is carrying doesn't look as foolish as it did before.I think using any 30 caliber on bear is just asking for trouble.The weather is almost always filthy and have seen several wood/blue guns just ruined,trashed.
The jams I've seen with push feed rifles were a result of not bringing the bolt all the way back, therefore the spent case didn't eject. I had this happen once while hunting, and a couple of times at the range. I freely admit that in all of those cases, the jams were "operater error" induced jams. However, a CRF rifle won't allow a cartridge up until the other is ejected. Just something to think about now, rather than after your first shot at a Grizzly
That being said, my first Grizzly didn't know that I was using a 300 Weatherby chambered in a Remington 700 Classic
No one has even mentioned the 358 Norma Magnum. Wouldn't that be an extremely good choice for this application? (Ok, the original question mentioned 300 and 338, but some of you guys went "off topic" too)
Posts: 209 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 30 October 2003
I would agree with Ray/AK and say that the .338wm is a great choice. I would personally recommend the heaviest caliber that you shoot very well for the big bears. I personally feel the various .30s are on the light side for the big bears although many have been taken with the lighter calibers. I personally prefer any of the .375s.
For me, maybe a Stainless/Synthetic Model 70 maybe the way to go. I have never owned a 375H&H, sounds like probably the most suitable. I have a model 70 in 416RMag which I have had customised and should be picking up in a week or so but I don,t think I,ll be dragging that through the rain and bad weather! I have spent a few dollars on it and its going to look good - (will post a picture on this site when I get it.)
What are the model 70 stainless like out the box? I know the stocks can be improved and I guess the same applies as to my 416 - that is a work over of the floor plate, spring steel extractor etc etc. From memory the open sights are a bit ordinary as well.
Posts: 789 | Location: Australia | Registered: 24 May 2002
I would say, any of the upper-middle bores (say .323 and up) with heavy-for-caliber bullets (220 in 8mm, 250 in .338 and .358, 286 in .366, 300 in .375) based on a .30-06 or .458 case should be plenty for bears. Offhand, I can think of 20 or so rounds probably better suited to bear hunting within that range than the .300WSM. .338 and .358 magnums are the cats ass, I'm also partial to the 8mm Remington Magnum for long range punishment. Worked for me anyways, but I hunt smaller black bear, and I'm not in Alaska.
), that the 338 is the best cartridge for Alaska hunting. Moose are big, but not hard to kill, just hard to convince their dead. Bears are big and tough, and can be hard to kill, so for me the 338 gets the nod. A 210 Nosler will shoot flat enough for all of your hunting needs, but I prefer 250 grain Noslers myself.
),and sure wouldn't want that to happen while Bear hunting.
