I'm working on a hunt with a an Outfitter in the future and I was wondering if there was some good advice on what and what not to do and if my .300 Win mag with 180TSX will be up to the task?

I know a lot of guys like the .338's and up for that stuff and I am hunting Coastal Brown's for sure. The Outfitter told me his minemum for clients is a '06 with big controlled expansion bullets but I'd like to know some real-world opinions.

I would appreciate and help. Thanks

magnum 61;

i would go with a heavier bullet. 200 gr. or a 220 gr.

personally, i took my b. and c. b.b. with n.p. and i use them for everything to ggod result. other good bullets to look at swift a frame, various barnes', north fork, i would avoid the trophy bonded b.c.

good luck.

Magnum61

Next time you have a little chat with your guide ask him his opinion on Woodleigh 200gr PP SN in your .300 Win.

Woodleigh

*** CLOSE AND FAST ***

You mentioned Real-World opinions , -- so I'll make an up-front disclosure . --- I have NO experience with Brown Bears , short of having been within 50 yds . of Grizzlys a few times , and watching them . And a few dozen times up close with Black bears . --- Never Hunted either .

But , my son moved up to Alaska , and Bear attacks started to escalate in the 70's ; -- so We've been studying up on this fascinating subject for three of four years now .

Our take is that any Brown Hunter has to consider the close-in charge . -- The fact that your guide will function as a back-up shooter , is not a guarantee that you won't need stopping-power .

Brown Bears sometimes attack the last man on the trail , and sometimes attack from the sides . Sometimes you'll have the stopping shot and the Guide won't .

A large percent of real-attacks are close in , with seconds to resolution .

Unless you CHOOSE to ignore the possibility of a wounded bear , surprising a Sow with cubs , or a bear sitting on a carcass , ( not to mention predatory attacks by Black Bears ) , --- you have to choose your cartridge with consideration on Stopping Power .

And it is wise to remember that camp food-smells , downed game , fish smells , and sometimes gunshots , -- draw Brown Bears in like a magnet , from all over the area .

I've been accused of being an alarmist on bear attacks , and , it's fully true that the odds of being hurt or killed by any bear , ever , is remote .

--- But I truely believe that the real odds are way above the published stats. because of the very legislation that protects the bears . ( I hear tell that lots of locals in Bear range don't want to go through the hastle of reporting bear attacks on a protected species , -- especially when they bust the bear ) .

So our findings are that you should Brown hunt with the most powerful cartridge that you can shoot well , and if that's .375 H&H and up , you're very fortunate .

My overall choice would be the .416 Mag . -- although we think the .458 Win. with 500 Gr. bonded softpoints is optimum .

Lots of luck on your hunt , -- should be a great experience in life .

------------- MMCOUGAR .

Magnum 61

Particularly if you are very confident with your 300 please do you use it. I think a 338 or 375 of some sort is a little better but bullet placement is more important than caliber. I'll bet your outfitter will be much happier to see you show up with a 300 you are intimately familair with than a brand new shiny cannon. As for bullets the TSX is developing quite a reputation and will give incredible penetration. Personally I think I would try the 200gr Nosler Partition as it will give more than adequate penetration but the tissue destruction will be amazing causing a little quicker death.

Mark

Mag 61 Your rifle and bullet combo is fine. Practise shooting from different positions and plan on killing your bear with 1 shot and it will be done. good luck

Magnum61 ----- I killed a 91/2 ft. Brown Bear with a .300 Winny using 200 grain Nosler Partitions. That encounter with multiple Bears after a single shot kill on my Bear and past experience in big Bear country has convinced me that you should hunt with the rifle that you instinctively handle, and can practice with it enough to accomplish that. The next time I went I used a .340 Wby and 250 grain Nosler Partition Gold bullets, the next time after that I used a .358 STA with 270 grain North Fork bullets. A top notch outfitter with many years experience hunting the big Bears on Kodiak island, that I Moose hunted with highly reccomended at least a .338 Win and he preferred Nosler Partition bullets when in big Bear country. Yes, your guide may have a large backup rifle, but what if he gets incapacitated in some way at crunch time. You need to go into big Bear country as if you are doing the job alone and are equipped to do so, and by all means practice enough to become instinctive with the use of your rifle. If you cannot do that with something bigger, take the .300 with heavy bullets and be ready for the worst situation possible. Most hunts are easy affairs with the hunter placing the perfect shot in the shoulder , the Bear falling and a finishing shot delivered. Your hunt may be very ordinary, but what if it isn't and Mr. Murphy raises his ugly head. Get ready for the worst, and hope for the best. Good shooting.

Have never killed an alaskan brown but did kill a 9' Alberta grizzly in 2000. Shot him with a 338 WinMag at 60 yards,actually shot him three times at 60 yards although the last one was on the ground. When the moment arrives a big,fat round will be a soothing factor in an adrenalized moment.Shoot something big and fat like a 375 or a 416.You wont hear the shot and you wont feel the kick believe me. I had a 338 in my hands but would have felt better with a 438. (poetic licence;I know theres no such thing)

Believe it or not, most bears in Alaska are killed with rifles from the .30-06 to the .330WM, at least by Alaska hunters.

Most hunters up here use 180 grainers with their .300's, but I would think that a 200 to 220-grain bullet would be better, since it provides a greater punch at closer range. I doubt the guide will allow you to shoot past 200 yards. In fact, 75 to maybe 150 yards is more likely.

Ray:

I'm sure it all depends on 'which 180', but, knowing a whole lot of elk have been killed with 180gr Core Lokts, I loaded and used them for years in my '06. And did the same with my .300Win until having one blow up on the surface of a rib shot cow at 200yds.

The hit was perfect, if 5" high. But, it hit a rib, blew a hole 2"x8" and didn't even enter the near lung. That's the last Core Lokt I'll ever use after these left over are shot at paper. At 200yds I'd fully expect any 180 to fully penetrate and wouldn't surprise me any if the exit hole was caliber size. But, to blow up on ribs???? NFW! Then to have Rem. not even respond to my calls, letters, or e/mails pretty well assures me they don't want any of my business.

I've gone to Sierra's BTSP 200gr. But, have not had the opportunity to shoot anything with it. I only hunt down here in CO and for elk, possibly deer and have only seen one wild bear in my life and it was running hard away at 300yds one summer while three of us were on horseback. We chased it intending to get it treed with the dogs, then killing it as the rancher had lost some calves to a bear recently. We never did see the bear again and the dogs didn't either. Just cow dogs though, not hunters.

PhilS: Man, you must not have any nerve fiber at all to let bbears get that close. Do you ever have any reaction with your nerve's, body after these charges are over???

Do you get the shakes, piss your pants etc? IF not, that proves you don't have any nerve fibers. I wish you well in never getting chewed, or worse. I'd have left the country after the first time! And not much seems to bother me until it's long over. I've been lucky as the a/ho's that have threatened to whip my ass never seemed to have the balls to get started. I don't bluff, I'm damned serious and a fight is not a game to me as 6 have learned while looking back from hosp. beds. But, I'm mild and not agressive either as I sure don't enjoy healing up broken hands.

I've spent the last two nights reading these fascinating bear stories. I've sure missed 'life' it seems.

I also know about ruptured disks and such. Just had L3 fused 5 months ago, and L2,4,&5 dug out and cleaned up to enlarge the spaces, disks trimmed etc. I'm still having a hell of a time walking and when doing anything I'm laid up with pains for days. My personal advice is to: "take care of your back, this ain't fun!"

George