Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Second rifle choice

Me. One. Since going from the 30-30 to the 338-06...

Beware the man with one gun.

The two most common over that past five? Ruger M77 30-06 and 358 Norma. But also Win M70 (Classic) in 6.5X55 and 375 H&H.

308 win has been my 'go to' for quite a while.

I might change that....because I can.

375AI, 8x57JR, 300WM, 30-06, 7x57, 7-08, 270, 25-06, 243, 6mm, 223,... those are the ones that come to mind...

Just a 375 ruger for me. I really want another rifle, but when it comes time to pull that trigger I can't imagine a time to take a rifle out there that I wouldn't want that 375. Curse that thing.

.416 RM, .358 Norma, .35 Whelen, .358 Winchester, .340 WM, .338 WM, .300 WM, 7mm STW, 6.5x55, 25/06, .223, & .221 Fireball jump to mind, though I'm undoubtedly forgetting a couple.

Hi Art!

It seems that you have a number of options and a decision to make.


Or not.

Hi Mike...

It turns out it was the RL22 that was 'used'. I have H4831.

IMO your 30-06 is fine for hunting everything in Alaska.

If me I'd add a carryaround DG stopping rifle with iron sights.

That 45/70 several have mentioned would be a starting point.

I'd also look at a bolt action 458 win, or if $,$$$.$$ allowed, a double rifle.

I'd bring what you have, then hunt a few years while deciding.

If an 06 with heavy bullets won't stop the fight, then likely a bigger round probably won't make much if any difference.

Then you likely have had time to find out for you whats missing.

BTW don't forget on sheep/goat type stuff, you can zero in wiht sheep ammo and carry HEAVY bullets in the gun for bear... the zero at close range should be more than close enough... and generally sheep/goats you have time to open the bolt and change a round or two...

From most used to least used:
280AI
7WSM (more or less replaced by the above)
223 Rem
338 RUM

In S.E Alaska my primary rifle was a push feed M70 458. Even with 500 gr softs you can make 200 + yard shots. That being said I don't think the 300, 338, or 375 changes anything catagoricaly. I've had a long time association with the 375 but also like the 338. Usually as soon as someone mentions they want a 338, people start trying to talk them out of it saying that they don't "need" it or that it doesn't shoot as flat as a 300. I quite simply own a 338 because I no longer own a 300. Like many cartridge choices you are on one side of the fence or the other and neither choice is wrong. If you are not a hand loader you might invest in reloading instead of buying a new rifle. You will just limit your choices and get further behind.

338 not as flat as a 300... I've got a guide buddy that laughs when thats said, after he saw me hit a bou twice with a 338 a fairly LONG ways off.

30-06 and 375 h+h rounds can be bought pretty much everywhere here if that matters.

have killed the most game with my 7mag


have carried more and finished off more critters with my .338


have killed last two moose with a 7mm-08


the rifle that always seems to be around no matter what I'm doing is .45/70 but damn have broken my second stock on mine.


if it's not near me when I'm snowmachining, boating, goofing off then a .30-.30 is.


when it was time to buy my oldest boy a rifle, he got a .30-06

cause after years of hunting and shooting, it's just a damned fine caliber that will do about anything.

I'd say with either a .223, .243 or 7mm-08

an 06

and a .375 H&H or maybe the Ruger round


all your bases would be pretty well covered.


if you have an 06 I'd skip a .338 and go to a .375

but that's just my take on it.


good to listen to others, but when you're parting with your cash you only have you to make happy, thank god for that.

375s are great. I have a 375 wby in an M70 and couldn't be happier with it. The 30-06 is also one of my favorites but this is where I loose sight of the want for a 300 over the 338 when having a 30-06.

All depends on bullet weight, but in general the slimmer .30-caliber bullets shoot flatter. That said, a 180-grain NOS bullet shot out of the .300WM at the standard factory velocities, hits the 500-yard mark just under 2" above a 180-grain NOS bullet (same bullet design and weight) launched out of a .338WM that has been sighted to the same POI as the .300. The reason for that is because the .338-caliber ammo is loaded around 200-300 fps faster.

Federal offered such .338WM load for pronghorn hunting, but lightweight bullets aren't very popular with .338 hunters. The 225-grain TTSX is my favorite for Alaska hunting.

The .375 H&H is more popular in the coastal areas, by Anchorage and Kodiak for example, but not so much toward the interior with moose and caribou hunters. In fact, the .30-06, .300WM, and .338WM outnumber all other hunting cartridges in Alaska.