My idea of a bear stopper for a guide starts with the 416 Remington and goes up from there...even if a 30-06 usually gets the job done..but up close and personal on a adrenaline filled animal that size, I want a big bore..

That data is probably correct, but up here in Alaska most bears are killed (hunted or in self defense) with average rifles, usually from the .30-06 to the .338WM. The most popular cartridges in Alaska are the .30-06, .300WM, and .338WM, but for the past three or four years the .338 has killed a great number of bears, most at close range during a charge, and a few while hunting.



The most recent cases of bears killed with the .338 (the ones I remember):



-The Airman from Eielson: This one was killed last winter, and the story kept on growing and growing in the Internet. It was a huge bear, but not a 12-footer like some people were saying. I believe it was a little over 10'.



-About a year ago a moose hunter went out looking for moose on a very windy day, and a brown charged him at close range. As he was toppled by the bear, he managed to fire a shot, and the noise scared the bear, at which point it ran a few yards, then turned towards the hunter. He started getting up from the ground as the bear charged again and didn't have time to aim his .338, but he managed to fire his rifle killing the bear almost a point blank.



-A few years ago a bow hunter was walking on a game trail looking for a brown bear. His guide was several paces behind when he saw a brown shape on the ground a few yards away. The shape was a bedded bear, so he started moving back quietly, but the bear awake and charged. He dropped the bow, and grabbed his already loaded .338WM that was hanging from his shoulder, and fired it one time without being able to aim, then dropped on the grown in the fetal position awaiting a mauling. However, a couple of seconds later the bear had not reached him, so he lifted his head to look for it, and saw it dead a few feet away. By pure luck, the 250 grainer had broken the bear's neck.



If I was going to ONLY hunt brown bears, I would not use but at least one of the .416's or larger. I am with Ray on this one.

3030, if you've not seen it and just for grins, do a search for John Noveske, or, JN Rifle Works, or, 458WSM. John posted some good stuff on this in the Big Bore column here a few months back and it's quite a gun but for a special reason and application. Looks like a butt thumping round, too. If you've not seen it before, it's worth a look. I think he may be also working up a .416 WSM and a .375WSM but haven't seen him post anything lately.

Dungbeetle