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Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 344
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 344 |
Trail Boss is your friend for endless offhand practice up to 100 yds. Countless ways just practice
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 21
New Member
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New Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 21 |
Hoping to do a coastal brown bear hunt in the next two years and need to get a rifle ready. What caliber should I be looking at to keep the guide happy? TIA For me personally I will go for a .308 Caliber, very solid.
Open society is the answer to justice and equality.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,608 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,608 Likes: 1 |
My Winchester 95 in caliber .405 is the slickest feeding rifle I have ever owned. It even feeds upside down when fed slowly, (don't ask how I know). Even the great Winchester 71 and some of my bolt guns fail at that test. Would this ever matter? Probably not but I trust the 95 as the closest thing to controlled round feeding in a lever gun. With 300 grain Woodleighs it also kills stuff pretty well. If going for a lever I'd feel very comfortable with the 95.
I'd marginally rather have a 30-06 with 220 Partitions than a 7 Mag with 175's but those would be the minimum choices for me. I am not a bear hunter but I do hang out in the wilderness in the Yukon and my favourite 25-06 caribou rifle starts to feel pretty small when a bear comes by to check out the gut pile. Looking at the disposition paired with the bone and muscle mass I'd think a designated bear rifle would start at 9.3x62 and go up from there. North, yah the 95 is a reliable, bizarre looking rifle! When I soft cycle a rifle, sometimes I'll get a jam with other guns, not the 95. This year's hunt was a unique situation: Sparring back n forth with a big bull moose, throwing out challenge grunts, he wouldn't clear brush for clear shot. Finally, he rushed out to open spot. He was very close, and moved real quick. I soft cycled round into chamber, so as not to make any noise. Done deal. Never cleaned the rifle the whole trip. Real gritty and rusty. Never missed a beat.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,620 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,620 Likes: 1 |
Thoughts on an open sighted Marlin 45/70 with hard cast, heavy bullets?
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2 |
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=150Jorgel, I’m sure this load and others on this page would work fine. However, you change up the scenario you are working toward a bit as opposed to a 375 with a good low-range scope. Having been around the big bears, I’d think you want to be well within 100 yds. Think a very liberal bow-hunting scenario as to range. And that’s after I see you put five into a tea saucer at 75 yds back at camp. Or at a hundred. With those irons. 😉 It’d be an interesting way to do it.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,620 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 42,620 Likes: 1 |
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=150Jorgel, I’m sure this load and others on this page would work fine. However, you change up the scenario you are working toward a bit as opposed to a 375 with a good low-range scope. Having been around the big bears, I’d think you want to be well within 100 yds. Think a very liberal bow-hunting scenario as to range. And that’s after I see you put five into a tea saucer at 75 yds back at camp. Or at a hundred. With those irons. 😉 It’d be an interesting way to do it. I was just asking, as I know a lot of folks use that caliber up there. Would not be my personal choice. as to putting three into a tea cup at 100 with irons, easy peasy...
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,464 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,464 Likes: 7 |
Factory ammo is getting thin. Pretty soon it’s going to be “whatever you can get”.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2 |
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=150Jorgel, I’m sure this load and others on this page would work fine. However, you change up the scenario you are working toward a bit as opposed to a 375 with a good low-range scope. Having been around the big bears, I’d think you want to be well within 100 yds. Think a very liberal bow-hunting scenario as to range. And that’s after I see you put five into a tea saucer at 75 yds back at camp. Or at a hundred. With those irons. 😉 It’d be an interesting way to do it. I was just asking, as I know a lot of folks use that caliber up there. Would not be my personal choice. as to putting three into a tea cup at 100 with irons, easy peasy... Touching off any of those referenced loads in a Marlin ‘95 though — that or going to a dentist might be a toss-up. 🙂
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 134
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 134 |
“Just show up with a 6.5 Creedmoor and your guide will be happy“
I agree with that, FMJ for Africa style penetration
Explain to the guide that you can continually shoot thru the same hole at 80y to get deep deep penetration
Alaska Fish & Game suggests 30-06 w heavy bullets
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 58
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 58 |
there is no one here or in Alaska thats going to argue with a .416 Ruger you can hit the bullseye with.That, or id take my 9.3x62mm Mauser. Thats just what i would think, as long as my guide didn't have a better suggestion.
Last edited by Blackpowder8bore; 12/18/21.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,590
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,590 |
there is no one here or in Alaska thats going to argue with a .416 Ruger you can hit the bullseye with.That, or id take my 9.3x62mm Mauser. Thats just what i would think, as long as my guide didn't have a better suggestion. Would it be a better suggestion of just a different one. For my way of thinking that 9.3x62 would be more than adequate if you shoot it well.
Never take life to seriously, after all ,no one gets out of it alive.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,590
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,590 |
there is no one here or in Alaska thats going to argue with a .416 Ruger you can hit the bullseye with.That, or id take my 9.3x62mm Mauser. Thats just what i would think, as long as my guide didn't have a better suggestion. Would it be a better suggestion of just a different one. For my way of thinking that 9.3x62 would be more than adequate if you shoot it well.
Never take life to seriously, after all ,no one gets out of it alive.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,154
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,154 |
Personally, I like a .300 Mag or 338 Mag. Doesn't really matter which one and a low power scope. That being said, while moose hunting, I ran across some Alaskan natives that had killed a bear and they were using a 375 Brown (wildcat?) and a 375 H&H. They had their rifles scoped with Fixed Sixteen Power Target Dot scopes. Maybe they know something I don't, but that wouldn't have been my choice.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost....
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,790 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,790 Likes: 1 |
What is wrong with people always wanting the minimum caliber for game..
Molon Labe
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 8,911 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 8,911 Likes: 2 |
What is wrong with people always wanting the minimum caliber for game.. Woosies or they got maxed out cc's and can't buy a new gun.
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,153 Likes: 13
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,153 Likes: 13 |
Brown bear hunts cost a LOT these days, especially when a plane flight is added to the price. Why wouldn't somebody be interested in whether one of the rifles they already have would work?
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,488
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,488 |
Brown bear hunts cost a LOT these days, especially when a plane flight is added to the price. Why wouldn't somebody be interested in whether one of the rifles they already have would work? Yuppers.
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,488
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,488 |
On an expensive, guided coastal brown bear hunt, and want to make the guide happy? Bring a medium bore you can shoot well. Because of ammo availability, I’d lean toward the .375 H&H or Ruger. It’s what I used on my grizzly this spring. Can you handle a .338 Win Mag? Bring it. Next would be .35 Whelen or 30-06 (which is my all purpose rifle). My evolving thoughts on the best cartridge for Alaska May be turning to the .35 Whelen. Your guide would probably be disappointed with the 30-06. You need a solid scope, perhaps with detachable mounts, and back up iron sights - just like my Model 70, 1.75-6 Leupold, Talley mounts, and pop-up peep rear sight w/fiber optic front sight. The ammo was Hornady 250 gr. GMX. One shot at 125 yds. Beautiful bear! Nicely done. Regards, Guy
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,570
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,570 |
After over 40 years of doing this, I will say the quickest kills I have witnessed over the year were from propel shooting rifles they were comfortable and competent with, and a 270 or 7 mag, . 308 or a 30-06 loaded with premium bullets is as deadly as any hunter needs. If you have something larger you like take it, but only if you are comfortable with it.
Some sanity. Thanks Phil
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,571 Likes: 17
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,571 Likes: 17 |
What is wrong with people always wanting the minimum caliber for game.. Nothing.
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