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I guess there are different areas to hunt in Alaska for brown bears where some may be shot a close range and some at long but what distance would the average shot be taken in good bear country. And could a ruger M77 in .416 Rigby be used? | ||
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The 416 is a great candidate for alaskan brown bear. Most shots on big bears are probably taken within 150 yards. | |||
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Tanoose I'd say "Hell Yeah!" Ross Seyfried took a 416 Rigby with him for a Brownie hunt a while back and he used a 350 gr bullet load for his thumper and monster bear. Lo do they call to me, They bid me take my place among them in the Halls of Valhalla, Where the brave may live forever. | |||
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Experienced and wise guides would prefer shots that are taken by their clients within 150 yards, simply because it's the guide who has to track an injured bear through the brush, and it's he the most likely to be charged by it. Long shots are risky. | |||
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Ideally no closer than 50 yards or farther than 150 yards. DB Bill aka Bill George | |||
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Tanoose A guide is going try and keep his clients' shots way inside 200 yd. if possible so 416 Rigby is a good caliber choice. The thing with brown bear hunting is you may have to do a lot of walking and it may rain every day. So stainless/synthetic 338 or bigger would probably be a better choice than the Ruger Rigby. Regards, Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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i took my first coastal bownie at 50 yds after a 1/4 mile stalk. getting close helps assure clean kills. it was dead on its feet, ran 35 yds, fortunately not at us. cannot believe how fast he was. took my 2nd coastal brwonie at 20 yds after it popped out of the woods just in fron of us. we had been stalking toward him when he ducked into the cover beyond the "beach" we were working. it too was dead on its fet, but ran about 40 yds uphill into the heavy forrest alongside Hoona Sound. i used a 338 win mag; if you can handle a 416, it is often the backup weapon of choice for guides........................................ | |||
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most guides will try to have their clients shoot between 50 and 150 yds. as most clients shooting ability is taxed under stress at greater distances on dangerous game. a .416 is a fine choice. i would use 400 gr. bullets. stainless steel and composite stock are the order of the day. i took my b.b. at 230 yds... Cold Zero | |||
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I like .375 a little better than .416. Typically feeds a little better and is plenty on bears. I shot mine at 30 yds. I wouldn't buy another gun, if .416 is closest you have, I would shoot that. Hell, it's a damn good choice too. Just really make sure the thing is feeding damn good with the bullets you are GOING TO USE. It could be a real life saver!  | |||
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416 Ribgy with a 350 grain TSX is what I will be shooting next week in search of a big brownie. Weight is also a concern when you have to carry the gun all day. Certainly stainless and synthetic guns are lighter and more tolerant to the rain, but a laminated stock is alright also. My barrel is blue (CZ only offers blue) so I will have to watch it. Put a home made raincap of some sort over the end of the barrel to keep it dry when walking with the gun and the barrel pointing up into the sky. As far as distance, while my gun is zeroed for 200, It would have to be a huge bear for me to want to reach our beyond 200. I am hopeful of a 100-150 yard shot. Regardless how good a shot your are and obviously the better you are the smaller the variables are, but there are variables that play into any shot and the longer the shot, the more the variables will ultimately affect point of impact. Some variables are out of your control and these are the ones you have to be concerned with. Keep 150 and under and your chances are much better. I would not argue that the 338 will kill a brownie, but most guides I've encountered want the 375 H&H as the minimum. My guide next week did NOT want either of us bringing anything less than a 375 H&H and he was very emphatic about that. You got the perfect gun for your hunt. Good Luck | |||
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chazgreen, Not being picky, just trying to help, but that's "Hoonah" with an "h" on the end. Did that jungle get think enough for ya?  Brian | |||
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...you mean "THICK" with a "C" in the middle?  ____________________________________________ Did I mention, "I REALLY LIKE GUNS"? "...I don't care what you decide or how much you pay for it..." Former FFL Dealer NAHC Life Member NRA Endowment/Life Member Remington Society of America Member Hunter in Training | |||
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thanks for catching my typo.........that was on the boardwalk, by the way........ | |||
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I like to get hunters up close, somewhere in the 30 to 75 yard range with 30 to 50 yds being ideal. Any thing over 175 yards is off limits with me-throw in a stiff 30+ knot wind and you can shrink that down to under a hundred. That said, my friend who I guide for doesn't really care about distance-he's had hunters take'em at well over 200 yards-guess it's what kind of risk (as far as the hunter blowing the shot and/or wounding a great beast) your willing to accept. You will find much variance among bear guides and hunters when discussing this topic as, again, it's a personal issue and also every situation is unique. Use common sense-Ron | |||
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i have a sako 416 rem and have backed up alot of big bear www.alaska-d-l-outfitters.com | |||
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I have seen and or shot them with a 338 a 375 H&H and a 416...there is a decided and noticeable difference when hit with the 416. It takes the wind out of their sails. 400 g. woodleighs were being used in the 416. | |||
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416 Taylor's don't count Adam Seriously though, the various 416's work great and I prefer shot under 100 yards and 30 to 40 yards is about perfect. Excet under very unusual circumstances we don't shoot anything over 125 to 150 yards. 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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I killed my Brownie at 214 yards with a .340 WTHBY shooting 240gr North Forks.Took him quartering away and flattened him like a pancake. I practiced religiously out to 300 yards and shot from all positions. Knowing your gun and round is what is important. You can only do that with putting rounds down the bore. You'll know then what you and your gun are capable of. | |||
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Hey Phil, That one was actually a Rigby...but i am sure the bear had no idea. I need to get in touch with you...i am trying to reach Taj. by the way...that Taylor is almost done. aahhh, can hardly wait. | |||
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The weather in SE can be brutal.I have a RSM in 458 LOTT that would be ideal but I would prefer my M70 338 stainless for bad weather.I would hate to destroy my rifle altho it would be ideal with 400 grain Barnes TSXs with 2.5x36 VXIII. It's always so quiet when the goldfish die.(Bror Blixen) DRSS Merkel 470 NE | |||
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Al, You'll need to post photos when your Taylor is done. It is one beautiful rifle. I PMed you with Taj's e-mail address. 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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Mark6.5x55 and I just got back from SE Alaska. we hunted May 7-17. We cam home early cause we tagged out early. We must have been placed we actually had very little rain. I honestly don't remember getting rained on while actually hunting except for light intermittent drizzle. Both of our shots were inside of 75 yds. I used a 376 steyr w/270 TSXs and Marked used a 35 Whelen with 225 TSXs. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Yes, the Ruger M-77 Magnum in .416 could certainly be used for Brown Bear. I would perfer a lighter gun chambered in .338 Win. Mag./.340 Wby. Mag. Loaded with 250 gr. Nosler Partition. Here you would have plenty of power for the close shot in the alders, or that longer shot if the oppertunity presents itself. The above choise is what Gus Lamoureux, and myself would call a "Bear Buster". | |||
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Phil, You ask and you shall recieve.  It is not assembled yet. Just back from engraving. more pics over in gunsmithing. | |||
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How close for Bear?......average distance with a rifle is probably below 100 yards, same as most any other animals. The country in which they are hunted should make no difference. Everyone should get as close as they can get. 416 is a great choice if you shoot it well. I have shot 6 brown bears and 11 black. The closest brown was at approx. 7 yards thats closer than i like to be. I shot a black bear closer still, it was in the tree with me! It was curious about what i was and i was bow hunting with a 50 pound longbow and cedar shafts. I was over bait. The bear came up the tree as i watched over the left side of the stand. I remember thinking this...I AM DAMN HAPPY HE IS ON THE LEFT and DAMN HIS CLAWS ARE LOUD ON THE BARK. With my bow in my left hand and an arrow knocked I drew back when his nose was getting WAY TOO CLOSE and let loose at what was probably a foot or two from the bottom of the stand. The arrow entered under his lefteye and traveled down his neck cutting his artery. He let out a very loud bawl and growl. He did not let go of the tree as fast as i had hoped. That is when i thought i was screwed. He did let go after perhaps three or four seconds......seemed like a LOT LONGER. I managed to knock another arrow and sling it at him a few yards from the base of the tree. I missed. He stopped about ten yards from the base of the tree. I shot again hitting him accross the lungs. That set him off in a fury i won't forget anytime soon. He started attacking the arrows sticking out of him spinning around and eventually slowing down. I managaed to put a third and last arrow in him and this one sent him back to the tree...my tree. I had another arrow knocked but thankfully he had lost enough blood that he could not climb the tree. He squared about 6'4" and weighed around 350-370 pounds with a 19 5/8" skull. His age was estimated by a biologist at 16 years old. Crusty ole bugger and a great memory that makes you remember you are alive and a predator yourself. I love my Avatar Too Fellas. | |||
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Oya forgot..... AFreeman, nice gun! I love my Avatar Too Fellas. | |||
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Wow Adam, that sure is going to look spectacular with a coat of rustoleum. what color are you choosing? 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, I was thinking of Krylon. They have this engine coat that is in various shades, not just Chevy orange anymore. That should be tough stuff. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Alaska Hunting Forum What distance for the big bears?
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