While reading the thread for .340 Weatherby it occurred to me that a lot of guys up there would go bigger than a .338WM but some do not want the magnum size action that goes with most. I would have thought a cartridge like the .376 Steyr that fits in a standard length action would have been ideal for up there but that doesn't seem to be the case. Any comments?

The 376 Steyr is not yet available in a wide variety of rifles.

N E 450 No2, Myself, I like the steyr Pro Hunter in 20" barrel but I just assumed that most people would build a rifle for that cartridge.

The 9.3x64 would be an ideal calibre. Std length mauser action. Slick feeding non belted case.Power of the 375 H&H. Some excellent bullets from nosler,barnes and swift in weights of 250,286 and 300 grs.

Savage 49494 ----- I took a .340 Wby to Alaska my last trip for Moose. I got a great Moose with a 250 Grain Nosler Partition Gold loaded at 2900 fps, and had nothing but praise for the rifle and chamabering. I then got the opportunity to buy a long action rifle in .358 STA with a gorgeous red walnut stock at a "can't pass up bargain" on Gunsamerica from a dealer, originaly from the Winchester custom shop. I bought it, then found another STA at a bargain, put an H.S. precision stock on it, (it had a custom thumbhole that was handsome but knocked my knuckles blue with each shot), scoped it the same as the Winchester and now have a terrific pair of Alaska rifles. Consider a 270 grain North Fork at 2950 to 3000 fps, and a 250 North Fork or Swift A-Frame or Nosler Partition or Barnes X, at 3100 fps. ------ Now I am ready to go back this year to Bear country, not for Bear but loaded that way. Good luck in your quest and good shooting.

[ 06-29-2003, 01:01: Message edited by: phurley ]

While reading the thread for .340 Weatherby it occurred to me that a lot of guys up there would go bigger than a .338WM but some do not want the magnum size action that goes with most.

Savage 49494: Perhaps the hunters in this forum would go bigger than .338WM, but in Alaska the most popular cartridges are the .30-06, .300WM, and .338WM. All other cartridges lag far behind, including the great .375H&H. The reason may be that most hunters up here are not hunting bears only. Most hunters are hunting moose, caribou, deer, elk, bison, sheep, etc., and the occasional bear that happens to come by while hunting other species.

Also, ammo for those cartridges are readily available in any store in town, and the price is not bad at all. If you can reload for whatever cartridge you want to use, then it should not be a problem, because you can order the reloading components from the "Lower-48" if these are not found in the stores here.

You are very right about the dominance of 30 Cal up there, followed by 338. I don't think the locals are so intimidated by the bear threat. If you multiply the odds against seeing, one, encountering one, having it act aggressive, having it charge and having it actually attack, you are down to a slim margin of occurance. Even after that, a skilled and unintimidated hunter with 220 gr RN '06 loads will win the fight 9 out of 10 times.

So, the guy with a 458 Win can win 9.9 out of 10 times...Alaska is a wild place with unforgiving nature...carry an '06 and enjoy it...

"Even after that, a skilled and unintimidated hunter with 220 gr RN '06 loads will win the fight 9 out of 10 times. "

I have been chased by grizzly/Brown bears twice. Once from a blackbear killsite, and once by a sow with cubs. To my knowledge there is no such thing as a "nonintimidated hunter" during a charge. I do agree with your conclusion. The first time I was using a 270 and frankly the caliber did not matter, it was shoot or dont shoot. I shot into the air, my buddy shot into the ground right in front of the sow, and she ran off.

The second time my guide was unarmed, and the bear must have just bluff charged because he lived and ran away from a bear quite a bit faster than he was. Unfortunately, the bear ran away from the guide and straight at me, unsuspecting and unseeing in the predawn dark. Ijust heard my guide saying "Jamie Holy S**t get your gun!" then I heard an obviously very large animal run past me into the willows.

I was not nonintimidated, even with a 338 in my hands.

There is some great reasons to use a comfortable shooting and reasonable recoiling rifle in a dangerous game situation: you likely will not get to select your shooting position or your stance or prepare for the shot. It will be quick, it will be awkward, and it will be over before you know it, thought time stands still.

I would prefer a medium bore I can shoot from offhand, hip, or from port arms, and take several shots, than a wrist breaker that flies from my hands if I need an awkward shot. But my intimidation experience is only twice, so maybe more learned people have different views.

Well, at the risk of suggesting what my namesake clearly suggests I would suggest, I suggest the 9.3x62. Bring your own ammo - the hardware store will look at you like your from the moon if you request some 286 gr. Oryx. Even sounds a bit like Martian...

One perk: Lots of rounds will fit in your magazine - something I suspect I would find comforting during a game of tag with ma grizzly, especially if I had be courteous enough to sacrifice my first few rounds to raw fear and "warning" shots. I am reminded of a time when I was a kid and 5 pheasants flushed from underfoot - seems to me that my 3-shot magazine was empty by the time I got a bead on even one of them.

Great round - been proven for nearly a century on the biggest badies out there. Great penetration, big holes, and it's even "relatively" shootable. Thought, don't let all those big bore guys who always coo about its "plesant recoil and muzzle blast" fool you - yeah, pleasant compared to a 460. My own weighs in at about 8.5 pounds empty - stiff loads will treat you no better than a 338 WM.

my single shot 9.3 weighs in at 6 pounds even, with the scope. good thing its a single shot cause there would not be much fun in a quick following shot!!

Of course it is only for backpack hunts. though its not bad to shoot light plinkers like makarov bullets with!!

You are a much braver man than I. I shot a 6 pound 280 once, once. I'm gonna have to fetch a clean pair of briefs if I spend a moment more thinking about a 6lb 9.3 - I think I'd drop the gun and take my chances with not-so-gentle Ben using my sharpest fingernail and a handful of dirt.

Hey: were you born on Sep 3, 1962?

It just sounds bad cause its a soft recoiling 9.3X74R, not the hammering 9.3X62 or 64!! It does get your attention, and compared to a double of same caliber but 9 pounds with scope, they are different beasts entirely.

I did not buy it for target shooting, and my favorite barrel to put on it is a 7X65R that shoots about 5% (read not much) softer than a 280.

What it does is fit into a backpack, and almost carries itself for a week in the back country.

Just wish I could find something worth shooting with it.

I hear you on the lightweight packing rifle. Weight is the most important variable in any number of circumstances.

I had the hots for a 7x64 (the rimless 7x65 more or less) for quite some time - but when it came time to lay my cards I went with the x57. I'm not a fan of recoil (as you can probably tell) - I hunt with a 250-3000 or a modestly loaded 6.5x57 as often as I possibly can. My sole "big bore" is my 9.3 (which I guess is not technically a big bore) - I just find it to be a delightful compromise between the 35 Whelen and the 375 HH. And with the introduction of Nosler's two 9.3mm bullets, it has since become my favorite supra-7mm caliber round - bar none. I even sold my 338-06, my 358, and I am trying to sell my 35 Whelen and my 8x57. I figure if my 284 can't do it, I probably want A LOT more gun, and the 9.3 is just that (at least to me).

Born closer to 9-3-74.

I'm still trying to remember one store where I've seen any 9.3x62 ammo available. Come to think of it, I haven't. Like Ray said: the 30-06, 300 Win. Mag. and the 338 Win. Mag. are by far the most popular up here. It just seems some cartridges never catch on up here in the popularity scale with most residents it seems.

I had intentions of buying a 9.3x62 not long ago, but lack of finding ammo and buying a 338 Winnie and a 375 H&H changed those ideas.

After using my 9,3x74R double for @ 4 years I have to agree with the 9,3 crowd. My Chapuis double only weighs 7.25 lbs [without scope] and is a joy to carry. A double is a primo choice for a hunting rifle.

The 338 goes into a standard action and it is arguably the best all around caliber for up there. I love the 340, but the action is longer ( and heavier) and you can pick up 338 Win ammo anywhere. jorge

I reckon (and I have no experience with bears what so ever, but I can dream cant I ) that the 9.3x62 would be good Alaskan round if you had plenty of ammo for it, and if you roll your own well you would. CZ's Full stock carbine in 9.3x62 would be just the ticket I reckon.

My 9.3 should be here in 2-3 weeks I got a lux but I wish I had got a Full Stock, it would be my "in bear country rifle"

I've lived here most of my life and when I could only afford one rifle, I used my 338 WM for everything. From deer in the Prince William Sound to Sheep in the Alaska Range to Moose on the Koyukuk to Brownies in the alder and devils club jungles. It is flat shooting, great bullets, plenty of power, etc... Great Alaskan cartridge.

I think that's sort of the reason why Winchester named the 338 Win. Mag. "The Alaskan".

I,m with Bearstalker and some of the others. The 338 win is the Northern 30-06... almost everyone has one.
I have a semi custom 375 Ultra that is begging to be bloodied.

Torture to some but fun to me!

In my experience everyone changes their shorts after an up close confrontation with a grizzly in the willows! A small gun just doesn't inspire confidence in said situation. Sabot can keep his pea shooter. I will pack lots of underwear!

Jamie

If I didn't get a screaming deal on my two custom rifles, ala 700 for my mauser 358 Norma and 998 for my enfield 375 ICL, I would be toting a 338 WM or 340 WB without a second though, I do prefer the Norma to the WM or WB just because I like the slightly bigger diameter but I also wouldnt feel underguned with a WM, hell I know one oldtimer 59+ who has never hunted a day without his 308, he has taken every animal in AK buffalo included and bear several times and its all he's ever needed.

I've lived here most of my life and when I could only afford one rifle, I used my 338 WM for everything. From deer in the Prince William Sound to Sheep in the Alaska Range to Moose on the Koyukuk to Brownies in the alder and devils club jungles. It is flat shooting, great bullets, plenty of power, etc... Great Alaskan cartridge.

I agree with you, Yukon Jack. The great number of .33 bullet weights, from 160 grains all the way to 300, has made "The Alaskan" very popular, specially up here. If I was going to buy a bigger gun for Alaska hunting, the only one that would come to mind would be the .416 (any .416). But so far I haven't had the need for a big game hunting rifle other than a .338WM I bought in the early '90's. The more I hunt with it, the happier I am with this rifle.

In Kotzebue, three depatment stores and a gun shop, all sell standard cartridges more then any other... 243, 25-06, 270, 308, 30-06, 8Mauser, etc. The 338 and 375 mags are stocked as well, even levergun rounds. ~~~Suluuq

I remember being in Anchorage in 1988 in August and stopped into a Kmart and also the local Fred Meyer just to see what cartridges that Alaskans buy. It was just beginning the rifle selling season, so the stores were stocking up for the fall season. I knew that they would be stocking what people were going to purchase.

It was pretty simple and I am sure my memory was not far off on the numbers. Of the guns they had on the shelf and ready to go out the door, 40 in 338, 20 in 300 WinMag, 20 in 30/06, 10 in 30/30
20 in 45/70, 10 in 444 Marlin, then a couple each in the standard, 308-270-243-7 Mag crowd.

The dominance in the 338, 300 Mag, 30/06 and the 45/70 calibers painted a good picture of what people iin Alaska bought. All the people I met up there for the 8 weeks I spent touring the state in my Toyota 4runner, were practical people.
They did not seem to be many collectors, all that I talked to about firearms used them. A firearm had an every day place in life to them as a hammer did. Most Alaskans were a fun loving crowd but they sure did not screw around when it came to dealing with mother nature, be it a bear, moose or a snow storm.

Alaska is a beautiful place, but the best part about it is the people in my experience.

Those guys that live in Alaska, get their experience by shooting game, not reading advertisement hype and gun magazines..they know there is no need for any caliber larger than a 338 Win. and in fact, by the very fact it is slower than a 338 WBy or whizbanger, it is a better round..velocity plays funny tricks on bullets on occasions...

The 338 was very slow comming to the forefront, in fact it almost failed, but as folks used it it slowly has become a very popular round and more so as time goes on...I suspect the rest will fall by the wayside sooner or later as more folks figure out that all you get is more blast and recoil for the same performance on game.

As for the 30-06, with a 200 or 220 gr. Nosler or Woodleigh it needs no excuses, it has been killing everything on the earth for centuries, and will continue to do so regardless or what some armchair officiendos may claim....

Some guides use the 375 and larger for stopping rifles, but the 338 is still the no. 1 Alaskan guide gun according to Phil Shoemaker whom I book hunts for and the reason is because they can shoot it..Even guides have to deal with recoil...