Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338 fed & bear?

I was just reading some Brown Bear hunting stories from Alaska and have always thought it would be one of the most exciting, adrenaline pumping hunts to go on. Then i started thinking of what rifle i'd bring and since i sold my 338 win mag M70 EW the closest thing i have to it is my 338 fed Montana. Just for schits & giggles, would you guys feel under gunned with a 338 fed going after grizzly?Personally I think it'd be enough gun, with the right load. I've seen what it does to deer with a 185 TSX and even though deer and grizzly are like comparing an F150 and Peterbilt, the Fed hits HARD! If i were ever lucky, or rich enough, to go on a Brownie hunt i'd most likely buy a new rifle in something more powerful, one because i'd want to make sure i had plenty of gun, and two it'd be an excuse to add another rifle to the collection! Would you guys feel "safe" using a 338 Federal on a big Brown Bear?

Cory

Would I feel safe if YOU took the 338Fed against Brownie? Yes!

It sure wouldn't stop me from going if that was all I had (not that I know jack about bear hunting).

LOL! I bet you would!

I would say yes to the 338 Federal on griz but no on big coastal brownies. I would consider the 338 Win mag to be the starting point.

I'd have no reluctance hunting the biggest brown bears with the .338 Federal--in fact that is what my wife hunts with and we are always in brown bear country...........

I think if i was a solid 50-100 yards away i'd honestly feel safe shooting any bear with the Fed. A good double lung should put one down easy. Its going with me for the 2013 blackie season but again that's no comparison to a brown.

Every time I saw one of those up close I always felt that whatever I was carrying was FAR too small.

Just observing one from afar made me want something with a lanyard close by.

Have read articles were it has already purposefully been done more than once. OK twice that I know of. Yes I would with a 210 Barnes at around 100 yards max, but then again I would have the comfort of a caddy along. I think one could pull it off fine, but what do I know being a Pa boy. Only thing I do know is they are a short term cure for my ADD.

If so I'd be feeding it this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/79...trophy-copper-tipped-boat-tail-box-of-20
or this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/65...ral-210-grain-nosler-partition-box-of-20

The .338 works on PA black bears. In theory out to 250yrds on a brown should be no problem. Somebody said earlier that whatever they had in their hands seemed to small, I'd have to agree. I absolutly love the Federal but would add another gun to my safe in preperation for a brown bear hunt.

Wow the 200gr trophy copper is CHEAP! Im ordering 4 boxes right now. Thanks for the link!

I put a new scope on my 338 fed last week (VX-3 1.75-6x32) and im going to re-sight it in on the 15th. Considering that the next animal ill hunt with this rifle will be MN black bear, which load do y'all think i should use? I have a box of Double Tap 160gr TTSX, Federal Premium 185gr TSX, Federal Fusion 200gr, and now i just ordered Federal Premium Trophy Copper 200gr. Im leaning towards the 185 TSX or Trophy Copper 200gr myself.

I've used both the 185 tsx and the 200gr fusion for bear. Both worked as advertised. If that trophy copper was grouping well I'd probably try it though.

while it would not be my first choice I certainly would not feel like I was at a huge disadvantage using a properly loaded 338 fed either.
a 210 nosler or a 225 hornady bullet would be adequate if you can shoot accurately , but I think Id be a bit more inclined to grab my 375 H&H sako carbine loaded with 300 grain noslers, if that hunt was on my calendar

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/43...375-diameter-300-grain-spitzer-box-of-50

Although I've never shot anything bigger than a 338 WM, i honestly feel i could shoot my 338 fed better than a 375 that recoils a heck of alot more. Im not sensitive to recoil (so far) but i do know my m70 EW in 338 WM was about the most recoil i want to deal with. Maybe the new M70 safari or Alaskan that weighs 9-10 pounds unscoped might not be all that bad though?

Just for schits & giggles, would you guys feel under gunned with a 338 fed going after grizzly?

Yes I would be schitting!
No I wouldn't be giggling!

Shod

With premium bullets absolutely not. Plenty of Grizzly's have been taken with less cartridges.

I've killed a couple of good sized black bears with my Sako 338 Fed using Nosler Partitions. It anchors them.

Try and shoot a friend's 375H&H, you might be surprised on the recoil. I know I was, much less than I was expecting. More of a big push then sharp recoil.