Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Appropriate calibres for Grizzlies and/or Coastal Brown Bears

Use enough gun... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Eyesore, that is a great pic!

Your signature would make me chuckle if it wasn't so true...kinda left me feeling a bit ill.

I will add that the Ruger M77 MK II (the stainless one) is very popular in Alaska, and it's all stainless. that's what i have been using here for the past ten years.

That's an article that I don't agree with. I read it long ago, and the data was collected from one guided who took notes of the bears killed with different calibers. The reason why I don't agree with it is because there are too many assumptions in regards to hunters. The most popular cartridges "with Alaska hunters" are the .30-06, .300WM, and .338WM, and every once in a while the pictures of bears killed by Alaska hunters are posted in the local papers. A great number of these bears, including the record bear killed by an Airman from Eielson AFB a year or so ago, dropped to the .338WM loaded with 250-grain bullets. There have been several large bears killed with the .338WM recently, including the one killed by a biologist during a charge a month ago. Last year there was another bear killed during a charge by a moose hunter; this guy was using a .338WM with 250-grain bullets. A couple of years ago a bow hunter killed another large bear during a charge; he dropped the bow and grabbed his .338WM and killed it with a lucky shot (didn't have time to aim his rifle, but broke the bear's neck). A guy from Anchorage in the late '80's killed three grizzly bears he got too close to when they were feeding on a moose carcass. This guy killed the three bears, the last one at point blank through the head. The fourth bear ran.

The story may be true in relation to hunters coming to Alaska from the lower-48, but not to Alaska hunters. In fact, the three cartridges I mentioned above, not necessarily in the order listed, outnumber all other cartridges by quite a large margin, and these are the ones Alaska hunters use the most as "all purpose" cartridges. Now, guys from the lower-48 may use all sorts of cartridges, including the ones mentioned in the article, and it's true that quite a lot of these hunters may in fact NOT bring to Alaska old firearms they re comfortable with, but new ones, while .375 H&H hunters may be very familiar with the rifles they take all over the world.

My point is that for those who plan to hunt Alaska bears, the best idea is for them to ask the guide (not the outfitter) what gun they should bring. More than likely the guide will tell them to bring the gun they are most proficient with, with the best and most appropriate ammo/bullet combination for the task, and cartridges from the .30-06 as big as they can handle.

Here is the story about the biologist who shot and killed a large bear recently. Please note that you may have to register to read the story, but the registration is free (I never give then the correct information, but that's me):

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/062605/loc_20050626010.shtml

I've a 300 Wby Mark V and a Model 70 300 WSM. The Mark V is a heavier rifle than the Model 70. Given that, the 300 Wby recoil is quicker and a bit harder, but not to me a huge difference. You should probably try them. The 338 is slower recoil than the 300 Wby, harder than the 300 WM. Given good gun fit, anyone who can shoot one of them can shoot either of the others. Of the three the 300 Wby gives you a longer reach; not much use on big bears, but good for other things.

The 300 Wby does give the impression of exploding in your hands, so quick is its recoil. Neither of the WMs is like that; the 338 with a 250 gr bullet is going to recoil harder than the 300 WM with a 220, about 15%.

I think being of a light build is an advantage when it comes to recoil, as long as you hold the rifle tight against your shoulder. Your shoulder will tend to accelerate along with the rifle, my shoulder doesn't move easily so the collision is harder. Osa Johnson, a waif of a thing, backed up her photographer husband Martin with an elephant rifle, she had no problem. Her upper body just moved with the recoil.

Appreciate you sharing your experience but FYI…. this post was from 19 years ago.

I like reading old threads like this one.

Just checked - Geeman still around. Say, Gee, how did the bear hunt go? What did you end up going with - rifle/cartridge/bulletwise? Did you get a bear? Spin us a yarn, please.
(Or, pray, link us a post back from way back, if you already told.)

Enjoyed reading this too! While I have hunting experience with black bear, the only expirience with grizzly bear was out in the Scapegoat Mountain area, in Montana, years ago. And that expierience was finding a set of fresh tracks in the snow. All I can say is that the size of those tracks made my 7mm Rem Mag cartridge look pretty insignificant!

What the ADF&G need to do and should have done many years ago

Is remove the guide requirement for non-resident brown/grizzly bear hunting

This way Alaska will have more hunters interested in coming here to help reduce the infestation that has been a curse on the spring moose calves every year

In what sane world do guides and ADF&G get to dictate that the only way a US Citizen can hunt brown/grizzly bear in Alaska is IF the hunter pays some guide $20 thousand dollars first ?

That is absolute extortion of the highest degree and I can't believe people have been letting it happen for so long

This needs to change

Since this post is being revived, and I am sitting at our lodge on the Alaska peninsula awaiting the weather to clear so I can set out the last camp before bear hunting clients show up on the 8th, I have a little more to add.
This year I have been given the opportunity to hunt with Big Nan, the 1947 vintage M70 Winchester that belonged to Hal Waugh, Alaska’s first Master guide. Hal had it rebarreled by Weatherby in 1949 to their 375 Wby and spoke glowingly of its killing power on bears.

Yeah, me too. I just noticed the new guy only had one post…. He seems like an ok guy and just wanted to let him know he may not get a response from the OP.

A few other additions to add to the discussion.
With all the modern bullets, especially like the TSX and other mono metal designs, a hunter can often have the advantages of using a lighter weight bullet at a higher velocity without worrying about penetration.
The late writer Finn Aagaard noted that the 400 gr Barnes X bullets penetrated as deeply, and opened as wide, as most 500 gr bullets. When Barnes was still offering them I used them in my 458 and found them excellent.
My daughter Tia shoots 300 gr TSX bullets in her 416 Remington and has used them successfully while guiding clients on big bears and moose, plus she has used them on Dall sheep at 300 yards and Cape buffalo at 60 yards .

Phil,
I'm curious. I remember reading your daughter was a fan or the 375 Ruger. What prompted the change to the .416 Remington?

Phil’s mention of hale Waugh’s 375 weath. brought back some fond memories for me
Sometime in the late70’s I had a pre 64 model 70 1954 in 375 that some previous owner had rechmberedcto the 375 weath. Barrel shortened to 22” and magnaported.
What a sweet handling, accurate, and hard hitting package that was!!!
Killed only one smallish brown bear it but several moose and a caribou or two.
Did not have access to a chronograph in those days so only knew what the manuals told me as too velocities and asI remember they only improved on the original chambering by around 100-150 fps. Loaded with my favorite 300 gr north fork bullet and case full(and then some) of 4350 I felt very confident wandering the wild lands of Alaska.
It did recoil more than I liked and eventually sold it to Alaskan guide(how has sinced passed on) wonder who the lucky sole is that owns it now? He has a winner.
Think Phil will like Hales as well

Although I've been to Alaska twice, I will never hunt brown bears based on the comments above, simply unaffordable. My good friend recently did, got a bear, set him back about $25k all-in, he has no regrets but did not mind spending the money.

I suppose if a NR like me had a solid crew of like minded NRs to join, you could give it a go but I can see how things might go sideways quickly. My observation of hunting in AK is that it takes a lot of gear (transportation) and logistics of caring for meat/hides in the back country. Not really feasible for most NRs.

That’s what I was counting on when I had mine built in ‘89/‘90. Sadly, it’s never been tested! ☹️ memtb

So Phil, does that.mean your clients this spring can shoot their own or you can rent them big Nan for a small fee of a couple grand? Lol that might keep it In Stocks for a year or two. Mb

Last time I saw Big Nan, it was in the case at David Sr’s shop. Beerhuntr and I stopped by.

Hope you get to give it a little exercise, Phil!

I have never let a non family member even shoot Big Nan. The fact that Phil is carrying it this year is a clue to what I think of the man. I hope he is not put in a position where he has to find out if Hal was correct but if it happens I think the old girl will do just fine. I need to get a picture of Old-Ugly and Big Nan together framed. What a pair to draw to!