Gentlemen.
I am going to Sibiria in august to hunt Brown bear, but not quite sure what gun to bring.
The bears are 7-8 feet, 250-400 kg.
Schould I bring my 30-06 with a 200 grain Nosler Partion. or my very heavy 375 H&H.
I would prefer my 30-06, but is that enough?

hi rodam

your 30-06 should be enough to kill it, but proberly a bit light to stop it in its tracks, what is so heavy about your 375 H&H ?

best

peter

You should bring the gun you feel most comfortable with, and the one you can shoot fastest with the most accuracy. The 30-06 with 200 grain bullets is enough gun, but the 375 would be a better choice if you can shoot it just as fast and just as accurate.

M

A friend shot his with a 303 and the old 215 grain bullet at 2,150fps. Dropped it dead in its tracks. Aim at the white cross on its chest. (This is natural coloration and not painted on for hunters BTW).

A made to measure caliber would be the 9,3x62 (or 9,3x74R).

If you don't like packing your .375 the 30-06 will work but you will be surprised how hard a bear is to put down.

If you choose the 06 be prepared for follow up shots but that holds true for the .375 also.

I advise my bear hunters to consider a .300 Win mag to be minimum but I have had a few guys show up with a 30-06 and I carried a 30-06 one spring as a backup rifle. I finished a large bear off with a 200 gr. bullet from my 30-06 after he had been hit with a .300 Weatherby several times.

How will you hunt - high seats or stalking? Anyway - .30 o'6 would do - shoot straigh with tough bullets - however .375 H&H was (amongst other things) made just for the stuff you are going after and is perfect for the job (after 9.3's that is ) - never mind the weight - once you will face the bear it will weight just right...my 2c.

Thanks for the input guys, you have given me something to think about

The speer reloading manuals stress that in their view the smallest calibre that should be considered for brown bear is the 8mm rem mag. Their statement re 30-06 is that it is in their view too small but has been used on many brown bears with varying degrees of success.

One of my swedish friends shot a reasonable 200kg class brown bear with one shot from a 308 and 180gr norma oryx.

My own view is that it's a long way to travel and too precious an opportunity to have to overly pick your shot but that if you can truly place shots better with your 30-06 then that is preferable.

I'm positive a 30-06 would work, but I would be carrying the 375 if that was the biggest gun I had.

quote:

Originally posted by Akshooter:
If you don't like packing your .375 the 30-06 will work but you will be surprised how hard a bear is to put down.

If you choose the 06 be prepared for follow up shots but that holds true for the .375 also.

I advise my bear hunters to consider a .300 Win mag to be minimum but I have had a few guys show up with a 30-06 and I carried a 30-06 one spring as a backup rifle. I finished a large bear off with a 200 gr. bullet from my 30-06 after he had been hit with a .300 Weatherby several times.

I agree 100% with this and with mouse93. I've had similar experineces with 300WM, 308 Norma Mag and 300WeatMag. Every time a bear needed 3-4 shots in vitals with A-Frame or TSX to put him down. Bears were 280-350kg. Even though I've had good experience with 30-06 with tough bullets, 9.3 or 375 would be a bear rifle.
You'll spend money and time to have a great time so do everything you can to make it successful too. 30-06 is enough but 375 is ideal.

Good luck and happy New Year to all of you

On my first hunt in Western Siberia I had a 340 Wby with me, my friend a 300 Win.Mag. We did not have success but saw female bear etc. Next time we decided to go to Kamchatka island. When we unpacked at the airport both of us brought the 375 because we thought a bear needed it. We both took bears with excellent performance from the 375 H6H (Swift A Frame). Looking at the hunters we met it was 9 out of 10 with 375, Number 10 had a 300 Win. I like the 30-06 but the 375 is in my opinion a very close to perfect solution.

Let me share one expiriance I have had during my 30 years guiding bear hunters.

Two hunters who have hunted with me several times back in the late 80s and early 90s were good frinds and almost allways hunted togather. One of the fellows was very recoil sensitive and when he couldent use his .243 on big game then he would use his heavy rifle a 30-06. I guess that shows just how recoil sensetive he really was.

One spring they both came on a brown bear hunt. They both had a 30-06. The other gentlemans name was Ira and he explained that he was concerned that his friend would feel like his rifle was inadequate if he did'nt carry a 30-06 himself. Otherwise he told me he would have brought a .375.

Ira and I shot a bear in a creek bottom about 150 yars below us. He fired all five rounds from his 30-06 each one hitting the bear solidly and the bear dropped with each shot and got back up again.

Once his rifle was empty he looked at me and said now what do I do, Reload your rifle I said and turned back to see what the bear was doing. Just then the bear was standing up and I put one in him from my .338.

Ira shot again and again emptied his rifle. Again he said now what. Reload again I said and caught the bear standing. When it was finally over the count was 14 rounds of 30-06 and 3 shots from my .338.

This was the most extream case of bear tenacity I ever saw but I'll never forget when we flew back to the main camp from the spike camp where we took the bear, the first thing that Ira said to his friend as he got out of my plane was "a 30-06 is not a bear rifle"

That fall the two returned and this time Ira had his .375, although he had his bear and was only hunting caribou.

His friend had his heavy rifle (30-06) and he shot the biggest bear of my career 10'7". That one requiered a little help from my .338 also and I do make a point of holding off as long as possible before I help the client out.

Thanks for all the input guys. Yesterday I ordred a new barrel to my Sauer 202 in 9,3x62, that should do.
Once again thanks, I got the message

9,3x62 almost do what 375H/H do with less recoil.

Matts a 9,2x62 fan

quote:

Originally posted by Rodam:
Thanks for all the input guys. Yesterday I ordred a new barrel to my Sauer 202 in 9,3x62, that should do.
Once again thanks, I got the message

Excellent choice! Now the issue is which bullet to use From my point of view it takes a good argument to be using anything other than a 286gr partition, I have used the 250gr Swift A frame but it's poor BC means it offers little over the 286gr except less recoil.

My choice will be 250 or 286 gr. partition. I don't like the A-frame. I think that they are too hard and don't open up enough. I nearly allways use partition o bigger game

R,

In my 9.3x62 I switched straight over (when my stash was depleted) from the 250 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips to the 250 gr. Nosler Accubonds. Same load, same accuracy and same sterling perfomance.

I've not tried the Partitions in either the 9.3x62 or 9.3x74R as the Accubonds (9.3x62) and the Hornady 286 gr. SP's (9.3x74R) have performed well enough not to switch a winning team in the middle of a race.

Good Luck & Have Fun!

9,3x62 will again prove to be excellent. I would stick to 250 grain,distances can be somewhat long, NOP is fine.

250's are ok - but they gasp for velocity ~ 2500fps to operate at their best - IMO.

Just a reminder:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...=726105558#726105558

My favourite would still be ole 293gr TUG/UNI at ~ 2400fps.

9.3x74r will do good job

One thing that I've noticed about hunting reports from Russia is that the guides don't typically carry large bore rifles; unlike in Alaska, you appear to be on your own if things go South.

It's possible that my perception is wrong, of course.

I have resisted cutting in.

I can only speak from my own experience.

I shot 02 brownies during the opening week in August.

I can say that owning an rifle in Western Siberia is a priviledge.

The commonest caliber I would say is 7.62 x 39
not surprisingly followed by 6.5 x 55 since Finland is just across the border.

Most guides of which I have met over 20 of them during lubrication parties in the evenings carry a short barrel shotgun with home made slugs.

I shot both my brownies with a 416 rigby double rigby.

I dont think it was OTT. Pelt damage was mininal in both cases 400 grains of Barnes

First one was 120 yards broadside running and second was 05 yeards also running but towards me.

Would I have done it different -

I dont think so

I would say my second choice would be 9.3 x 62.

Speaking to local hunters they will always put an insurance shot in using their 7.62 x 39 but there was no need with the rigby.

I realy think what ever you go with gun fit is crucial

Be prepared to shoot at very short notice like a disturbed woodcock

I hope sharing this experience will help

If I was going that far and spending a pile of money, I would make sure that my bullets would be the best I could have.

Nosler Partition are great big game bullets, but I have seen them almost desintegrate on heavy shoulder bone on moose.
Only the rear part went ino the vitals and it took a while before the moose was down and out.

If i was hunting something that bite and stomp, my bullets would be heavy for caliber and of a stout design.
Swift A-frame would most likely be my first choice, Woodleigh second.

Any follow up shots should reach the vitals from a lousy angle if the first shot isn´t perfect.
I doubt a Nosler PT, light for caliber is the right answer to such a situation.
I would be sertain that my bullets was up to such a task, especially if my guide is carrying a shotgun or a 7,62x39 caliber rifle as londonhunter mention.

my father took kodiak bear with merkel double rifle 9.3x4r,one shot ,bear went only 10 feet

I've shot a large number of moose here in Norway with my 9,3*62 and 286 Woodleigh RN's - Works every time!
Last year I shot 8 animals in Namibia(Okahandja) wiht my 9,3*64 Brenneke M98 and the same bullet. Even worked well in close range on Blue Wildebeest. I go with the Woodleigh's

M

quote:

Originally posted by lickilovac:
my father took kodiak bear with merkel double rifle 9.3x4r,one shot ,bear went only 10 feet

Hi how is the season there in Ontario this year ?

I heard there is plenty of snow up near North Bay

Care to PM me for discussion ?

My vote for .375 (9.3x62 and 9.3x74 are good enough too).

I don't understand the love affair with the Partition. It's still a cup and core... In 9.3 I am very fond of the Norma Oryx but I might just start shooting TSXs now that Federal loads them. The Oryx is bonded.

In .375 Norma Oryx is very good too.

Just been speaking to my russian friends about Brown bear hunting for the coming season and they ask if I will bring the same caliber as last year.

One comment my friend said really drives it home for me. I showed him this thread and what has been discussed here and he laughed.

He said in poor english and I quote

"Any caliber a hunter can shoot well is good enough for Russian Brown bear but when they start hunting you back that's when you wish you have brought something a little bigger."

The other thing to remember is that the majority of of paid client hunting brown bears in Russia will be doing so from a tree stand over a feeding area. One is rarely in real danger even if the bear is really pissed off with your first shot. So the danger is you loosing your trophy rather than life or death situation. On the other hand the local hunters is out there for dinner and close encounters are not uncommon. Thats when the what you are holding in your hand counts. We should praise the courage of the local hunters when they walk around with a 50 years old 7.62 x 39 that might not feed.

Dont forget that local hunters have 10 round magazine and they shoot until its empty. I dont like such way of hunting. Also they have huge experience in bear hunting.

So, for new bear hunter I still recommend 9.3 and bigger.

I agree Roman they shoot until it is empty if it feeds .............

9.3 and bigger just in case you are being hunted

quote:

Originally posted by londonhunter:

9.3 and bigger just in case you are being hunted

If you hunt bear from blind, you can use even .223. But in case of chasing wounded bear or hunting by stalking, you will better have something more powerful

Agreed

Roman did you have a drink before the hunt or afterwards ?

Of course after

if you are not bothered by the weight of your 375H&H then use it . if you can buy a nice 9,3x62 husqvarna m98 which are very cheap and easy to find in sweden and are often very good and relaiable shooting irons, then buy one for your trip.
you can never know what the bears are up to and over there you can not relay on your hunting guid with 7,62x39 ! 3006 is fine for the games that you can eat and 375 is better for the game that want to eat you