Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles The one ideal "Alaskan rifle"

Saw on another thread the "What 3 rifles would a fellow want for hunting in Alaska?"

Of course Alaska and northern Canada are regions where "game" frequently tries to hunt the hunter and "bite back."

But with the diverse variety of game in the 49th State - from blacktails to caribou to mtn goats to grizzlies to Brownies to Polar Bears and Musk Oxen .....

What would an "ideal" [single] Alaskan rifle look like?

Of course I'm curious about the best-balanced round for that state and its gaminals, and would likely choose a scoped boltgun for myself to fit that role, but what would Alaskans (and Canadians) and others in the know, choose?

I could see myself picking a M70 Classic in .338WM or .358 Norma, topped with a 1.5X5X or 2X7X Leupold.

Less than a year ago, it seems that a missing hunter was found after a few months in Alaska, who had had a 'bear encounter.'

The hunter was armed with only a .270Win probably loooking for caribou or similar, and a dead brown bear's remains were found near his. It appeared he mortally wounded the brownie before it killed him.

Comments?

Here ya go:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/firearms/FAProdView?model=7179&return=Y

That would work, if you dump that stupid Hogue stock for a Hawkeye synthetic or a McMillan.

I could make a case for the stainless/synthetic Hawkeye .338 RCM, too. But the .375 Ruger cartridge is amazingly flexible, and can be loaded from .358 Win levels to .375 H&H+ levels, and seems to show good accuracy all the way. Or at least mine does.

Dennis

StubbleDuck,

Since I am a skerdy cat, I want a .375 Weatherby Mark V with a 24" light barrel in a Weatherby type stock. Of course it would have a brake like Holand's and a big Decelerator. A Bushnell 6500 2 1/2-16X40 mounted in Burris Signature rings would top it off. Any brand of trigger would be fine as long as it was crisp and consistant at 25 ounces. The whole package with ammo and sling should be about 8 1/2 pounds.



The load would be either the 265 G.S.Custom or the 270 grain Barnes. The load I now shoot from a 28" barrel is 3,055 feet per second for the G.S.Custom and 3,000 fps for the Barnes. The balistic coeficient for these bullets allows it to match the trajectory of a 180 grain .30-06 at the lower velocity. This easily allows 400 yard shots if needed while generating lots of bone breaking thump if something wants to bite me.

Mine is pretty much that, a M70 classic stainless 358 Norma with 23" tube. Wisner extractor, Legend stock and a 1.75-6X32 matte VX-III. It's 8 1/4 pounds all up.

Nothing about it I'd change...

I should have specified that one's "ideal rifle" might be any custom design, and even any custom cartridge - or wildcat!

Ya'll generally picked up on those idiocyncrasies.

I appreciate that many in a land of 'big bears' wants a huge round, and I know the .375's are popular in Alaska. And heard of many guides who carry a .375 - H&H or otherwise as a backup for clients who might not shoot straight at 'Brownie.'

Besides choosing a .338WM or .358Norma Mag on a Winchester Classic action, if I was in a really wet climate I'd be foolish not to chose a stainless action with similar bbl, at least 21 to 24in, a synthetic stock of course (kevlar or fiberglas) and steel mounts to go with the Leupy scope. Bullets might be ltwt to 'heavier' Partitions, A-Frames or similar, etc. I could see developing at least 2 go-to loads, but probably no more than 3.

I suppose there are levergun fans who'd promote their favorite .45-70 or .450Mar or similar, which is fine.

Hopefully Ruger has indeed "hatched" some viable shortie-mag rounds with their newbie .375, .338 and .300. I never gave Remchesster a serious consideration during their compact round sweepstakes, but Ruger looks like they have some real winners.

Maybe after putting together the ideal piece, I would also add a .30/06 for lighter chores and "because," but sure wouldn't carry that weapon in big bear country!

A blaser R93 tracker pro in 9.3x62. Short light and handy with plenty of thump. I would top it with a swaro 1x6 Z6. The blasers finish is near rust proof and can be broken down for cleaning and travel. I took mine out today and punched some holes in paper, You could cover them with a dime at 100. 286 norma alaska's at about 2350 sure packs a whop!

It looks somthing like this:

http://www.blaser.de/R-93-Professional-Tracking.590.0.html?&L=1

Ed

I suppose I could buy something like that if I only had one rifle... .

Dennis

Any S/S Sako chambered for 300 Win mag would be fine with me.Topped by a loopy of course.

4 me, it'd be pretty darn tempting to make this easy and get a Montana in 300 or 325 and rock on. Now if only they made it in 338 WSM...we're never happy are we?

Add Talley's, an Unlce Mikes Mtn sling, and a 6x36 or a 2-8 Leo with LR dotz in it and go forth and fill up an ark!

Dober

Lived there for about 2-1/2 years. If I was to ever go back with only 1 rifle it would undoubtedly be my .375 H&H. I have ran several different loads through it but I might get froggy & try something new like the Barnes 270 gr. TSX.

To start with, I must confess that I carry smaller calibers; 6.5, 7mm (short/non-mag cases) more than anything else. Of course in the North much of the year is not "bear season". However, if I had to choose a single rifle to have and use for everything there are traits it would have which would supersede caliber. First off it would be indestructable - stainless and ugly plastic for this tool. Secondly, I would consider carefully the size and weight. Size and balance matters the most. Along with that would be the action size. While I like what can be done with the shorter actions from a "weight and balance" angle, I don't appreciate the way some short actions interact with my clumsy fingers when the going gets hot, cold, or otherwise pressured. To err would be with the standard length action - with some exceptions allowed for specific shorter actions. I would not want any rifle that had questionable issues with major parts failures. Without putting a specific sample to the test for a worthy period of time and use, I would not accept a Remington. I suppose the same could be said for others as well. The single most likely choice for me if I was just going to order or buy one off the shelf would be a Ruger M77. They seem simple, rugged, and have a foolproof design. I like Winchesters as well or better in some ways - the older ones anyway- but their bolts were not as foolproof in design and depended on the "fitter" to get them right in manufacture.

For a one-size, all-around chambering it would be tough to beat a 30 caliber. The even bigger 33s would be okay too, but for ease of use, freedom form recoil issues - not only shooting well but avoiding marginally prepared for snap shots, or possible awkward shooting positions, the 30s would be better. And the '06 would be better in the latter department than the Win Mag in spite of its better range and power. The standard is also a handier size and weight than is the mag action. So I'd go Stainless/Synthetic (preferably old skeleton), Ruger M77 30-06. If the rifle that happened to be in the crashed plane was "only" the same thing in a 308 or even in the 300 Win Mag, that would be pretty much just as fine. But the '06 would be my first pick.

Tis funny how so many guys in the lower 48 believe you gotta have Cape Buffalo caliber rifles to hunt Alaska. I will tell you guys that the majority of Alaskans hunt with some variation of a 30 cal (30-06, 300 WM being the most common), theres a healthy following of 338WM owners and 375 H&H too. But I would bet money on the 30 cals being the highest number of regularly used calibers by avid Alaskan hunters. Obviously some guys use many smaller calibers too and are not hundered in any way. The ideal Alaskan Rifle is more an issue of build than anything else, and when it comes to hell for stout, I think the stainless Rugers are hard to beat. But I honestly believe that Alaska is one state where a guy cant own enough guns to cover all the different species of animals and topography one may hunt them in. And as to your last comment about the missing hunter that was found dead with a dead bear nearby, I dont recall that event at all, but I wil tell you that if ma nature wants you dead up here, theres no gun or caliber that will stop her!

BINGO!!!

Again this year I hunted elk and moose in country thick with grizzly. I carried my nice light 280AI with 150 TSX's, and left my heavier 358 Norma and 225TSX's at home to do so.

So it's not just an Alaska thing...

I can totally relate to that. I have a Ruger 338WM that I have put more money into than any other rifle I own and I have great confidenc in it but everytime I leave for the field I think in advance about which rifle I am gonna take and even when I think I am gonna take the 338 I always end up taking something lighter!..grin I was on Kodiak hunting goats and deer last Sept and I was gonna take my 338 just because of the bears and at the last minute I took my Kimber 300WSM instead. It was about 5 days later that I had a 9ft Brown do the dinner bell thing to me immediately after I shot a buck and man oh man was I wishing that I had my 338 WM in my hands, but it all ended with no fuss. At 60 yards though I was wishing like hell I had that Ruger in my hands. But I have long since forgotten the event and would probably take the same gun again.....I think!..grin

Nope...it's mostly a difference between the people who live in the country versus the people who visit, or want to visit.

Dennis

I'm also guessing that if you had thumped him with the Wizzum it would have meant a very bad day for brownie... .

Dennis

C'mon Dennis, thats a way too rational theory. You know them bears cant be killed right?...grin

I'm not sure how many of you guys have actually been face to face with a big grizz, but the few times that I have, my 7mm Rem Mag seemed mighty small in my hands (and I LOVE my 7Mag- by FAR my favorite all-around cartridge and rifle for NA). It's in those moments that I wished I was carrying that .375 (or even a .416) Ruger that I posted up at the top. I would use my 7Mag for hunting grizz from a distance in multiples of 100 yards, but if I'm face to face with one, I want something MUCH bigger. If I'm hunting in an area where there's a chance of such an encounter, I'm ok with using the .375 on deer or caribou.