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What is the best brown bear calibre? Is the 375 h&h the best? If so what bullet is best? Thank you for your replys. Regards. hjl | ||
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I think a 458 is still the best answer, especially where an encounter may be measured in feet. I would be inclined to consider a 500AHR in a stainless action and 20" barrel, with a synthetic stock and an express rear sight...standing set at 25yards. A one environment rifle. Rich | |||
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IMHO..... If I were to shoot a brownie on my terms, I'd pick either .340 or .375 Wby., .358 STA or .375 H&H. If I were to shoot a brownie on his terms, .416 Rem. or .458 Win. Since you're never guaranteed it's gonna end up being on your terms....I'd go with the second list. Might throw the .375's in there with heavy bullets. Founder....the OTPG | |||
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I'd go anywhere from 338winny to 375H&H (including most of the 35's). If you piss off a brownie and dont deliver a CNS shot, your still screwed no matter the caliber, if he comes after you. Big holes bleed more but it wont bleed out fast enough before it grabbed you (depending on the distance) Since you would have a guide, hes there to stop it (if hes worth his salt), if he isnt, shoot him (the guide) in the leg and run like hell. Now if you just want to get a really cool rifle, I'd go with the Lott. A lesson in irony The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing this year the greatest amount of free Meals and Food Stamps ever, to 46 million people. Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us... "Please Do Not Feed the Animals." Their stated reason for the policy is because "The animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves." Thus ends today's lesson in irony. | |||
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The 338 Win Mag or the 338-06 would both have to be strong contenders for that game. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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9,3x62. Enough said. Bent Fossdal Reiso 5685 Uggdal Norway | |||
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Anything in the 416 and 458 group would be a great choice. I met a guy in hunting camp that was using a 300 Win Mag, and had used that caliber successfully on brownies in the past. Of course, he had a guide with him. You may also want to consider whether you are going in te spring or fall. In the spring, the bears are stretched out and you tend to be presented with longer shots. In the fall,the bears are in their pre-winter feeding frenzy and tend to congregate. Fall hunts can get up close and personal. SCI Life Member DSC Life Member | |||
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Hi, Can you please tell me what a 500 ar is. Regards hjl | |||
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The 500 AR is a work in progress by jeffeosso. Here is another creation. 550 | |||
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A extremely popular combination in Kodiak, which is where I lived for quite a while, was the Marlin 1895's, chambered for the 45/70 or 450 Marlin. Personally if I knew I was going to be wandering into bear country I'd carry my Ruger MK11 .458 Win Mag. Either that or a 155mm Howitzer might effectively stop a brownie. "Molotov Cocktails don't leave fingerprints" -Dr. Ski | |||
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three best are 375, 375, and 375, bigger if close and/or wounded. | |||
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>>>>>>>>>>375H&H<<<<<<<<in a CRF rifle, or a double rifle chambered for anything from 450/400 to 577NE ....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1 DRSS Charter member "If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982 Hands of Old Elmer Keith  | |||
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The biggest gun you shoot well, shot well  The more important question is, do you know the bears anatomy well enough to properly place your shot, and do you know your bullets performance well enough to predict how it will perform based on the shot you are presented. As much as I like the medium and big bores, I'm honest enough to admit that their advantages only come into play in a small percentage of shots. Run a good .308 through the heart and death will be just as fast as with a 416. Now, if the shot is heavly quartering away, and you place it a wee bit too far back, would the larger wound channel of a 416 be of a benefit vs an -06? Absolutely. If you shoot a 416 as well as a .308, then by all means take the 416. But after a long week long hunt will you shoot a 9# 416 as well as a 7# .308, maybe, maybe not. __________________________________________________ The AR series of rounds, ridding the world of 7mm rem mags, one gun at a time. | |||
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500 A-Square.  | |||
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If things go right a .338 win mag. If things go wrong 500 a2 if you just have to use a bolt action.! The perfect rifle for this is of course my little CZ O/U double in 458 Lott! 8.5 lb of perfection! Eotech holographic sight as well as excellent open sights! Fast, deadly accurate( even out to 100 yrds), smack down power and infinite reliability!-Rob Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers to do incredibly stupid things- AH (1941)- Harry Reid (aka Smeagle) 2012 Nothing Up my sleeves but never without a plan and never ever without a surprise! | |||
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Paul, I agree when I lived in Alaska I killed Bears with a 338 Winn and A 475 Linebaugh revolver and they both worked extremely well. Dustin Linebaugh just killed one with a 475 and 420 grain bullets loaded to only 1100 fps. I worked with a guide out of Fairbanks that often used a 30-06 for back up. He told me that he had used everything from an 06 up to a 458 winn. and that the 06 worked just fine with 200 to 220 grain bullets. _____________________________________________________ A 9mm may expand to a larger diameter, but a 45 ain't going to shrink Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. - Winston Churchill | |||
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I've never killed a brown bear but seems like a 458 loaded with 400gr SPs would be good medicine. Something manageable that one could have alot of confidence in. Of course shot placement is always paramount. NRA Life Member, Band of Bubbas Charter Member, PGCA, DRSS. Shoot & hunt with vintage classics. | |||
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I would think that the end use of the rifle and by whom may not only make a difference in cartridge choice but also overall rifle configuration. Used as insurance by a professional as a last ditch rifle if things go bad in close quarters; a larger cartridge in the .458 class in a short handy rifle w/ open sights and/or a very low power scope may be the ticket. An all-purpose rifle used for big game to include brown bear could practically be anything from a 30-06 on up depending on the situation. If I were alone w/out support and intentionally placing myself in a close quarter hunting situation w/ a brown bear, I'd feel a bit more comfortable w/ a 338WM over and '06, a bit more comfortable w/ a 375H&H over a 338WM, etc., etc. GVA | |||
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Hi I thought a 500a2 would have too hard of bullets for brown bear. What bullet would you suggest for brown bear? Regards hjl | |||
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Just got back from a two week vacation in AK where I asked people what they used for hunting brown bears there. The first guy was the bell captain in the Hilton and he had a tag for Kodiak. I asked what he was shooting and he said his 308 Remington. Rather than ask (you only get so many questions) what Remington I commented that the cartridge was kind of small and asked if he was shooting a premium bullet. He did not understand my question and answered "one shot". I waved goodbye. Then at a large gunshop in Anchorage I told the two clerks that I was here to hunt brown bear but had not brought my guns. I asked what they suggested. They started handing over 458's, 338's and 375's and then asked what I liked. They had a stack of Savage Guide Guns there on sale in 375 HH in the aisle. But then I spent some time with a clerk there after things calmed down and we were talking guns, trapping etc. He had shot a brown bear in the head at 20 ft last year with his Ruger #1 in 45-70. Join the NRA | |||
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416 Rem | |||
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doesn't it make you wonder about Jack O'Connor and his fifty-plus head of brown, polar, and grizzly bears with a 270 Winchester? Rich PS: actually, I am more curious about waht his guide was packing. | |||
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Correct me if I am wrong but the residents can hunt anything in AK without a guide and one is required for others include sheep and other game as well. Don't think O'Connor used a 270 on everything. I would suspect, that if he shot a brown bear at all, that it was with a bigger gun. He may have taken grizz. however with his sheep gun. Big pistols are very popular in AK. It's the only state where Walmart sells them. By big I mean the 500 and 460 S&W etc. Join the NRA | |||
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I believe that non residents are required to employ a guide for Sheep, Goats and Grizzly or Brown Bear only. Residents or nonresidents (hunting with Mother, fater or brother, sister} may hunt any species without a guide _____________________________________________________ A 9mm may expand to a larger diameter, but a 45 ain't going to shrink Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. - Winston Churchill | |||
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THe Woodleigh 570 grain is a soft bullet intended for the 500 nitro. It may even be too soft for the 500 A2. Some testing would be appropriate before deciding whether it is necessary to step up to the 600 grain Woodleigh soft. | |||
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Hell, I would shoot a flat point 50 cal solid on any and everything and never look back........... I htink that it would work just fine..... _____________________________________________________ A 9mm may expand to a larger diameter, but a 45 ain't going to shrink Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. - Winston Churchill | |||
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Better use solids or X Bullets in a 500 A Square that way you will only get 0.510" diameter holes and complete pass through from any angle. Bears ain't elephants Dan. | |||
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THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE BEST BROWN BEAR CALIBER. A good bear hunter can make do with most any reasonable caliber. For most of the past seventy years the rifle of choice for the vast majority of Alaskan guides was the 30-06 and it still works as well today -actually even better with modern bullets - than ever. I have used one to kill half a dozen big bears - including serious up-close full-on charges. That said, I don't consider it the ultimate big bear caliber but it works. I don't have the exact number of bears my clients have killed over the past 25 years but it is somewhere between 100 and 150. In my experience the "ideal" calibers begin with the 338 Win, include the 358 Win, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62, 375H&H and up to the modern 45-70 loads. The various 416's and 458's are great as a stopper for guides who might be required to stop a charging, wounded bruin but are absolutely un-necessary for any qualified hunter after un-wounded bears. If you honestly can handle one well they are fine but 99%+ of every hunter I've seen carrying the biggest bores are unreasonably afraid of both their rifles and of bears , which is a deadly combination. That is why if you ask the vast majority of experienced big bear guides what caliber they recommend they will recommend something close to what I have. A gut shot bear with a 460 WBY is a lot more dangerous than one heart shot with a 30-06. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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Phil's got his S--T together on this one! 465H&H | |||
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I agree whole heartedly............ May I cross post your reply on another web site??????? The same question was raised on another site and I believe that this is the most precise and to the point answer that I have read........ _____________________________________________________ A 9mm may expand to a larger diameter, but a 45 ain't going to shrink Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. - Winston Churchill | |||
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Cross posting is fine with me. In fact you could cross out the word bear and make it fill in the blank for most dangerous game. Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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The "little" Sako 'Mannlicher' Carabine with 18,5in barrel chambered for .338WinMag or .375H&H. Great little 'Nachsuchewaffe' outfit for mushroom/berry picking trips.  | |||
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Trying to keep the muzzle flip to a minimum will be challenging! | |||
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Wouldn't it be simpler with a 376 Steyr? | |||
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I agree with Phil 100 %. What he has mentioned is for the average hunter but I think there is still room for the seasoned hunter with dangerous game experience. For this case I couldn't imagine a better caliber than the 416 Taylor shooting 350 grain Swift A-Frames at 2500 fps out of a 9.5 lb rifle. Take good care, Dave | |||
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Another reason why I respect your writing! Experiance! | |||
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This is what I would pick for all North American heavy game: Backpacker's delight | |||
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That's a nice rifle! Loaded with A-Frames, quite nice! | |||
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Simpler than what? It gives exactly the same as a 9,3x62 short of one in the magazine, and there is no .375 limit on the big browns. I think Phil's words about hunters fear for both guns and beast was well put and long overdue. Parallells to Africa are easy to draw. Bent Fossdal Reiso 5685 Uggdal Norway | |||
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Paolo9.5x73 wanted a 18.5 inch barreled 375H&H rifle. | |||
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