Phil Shoemaker for one- a bear guide from Wasila-who guides the Brooks Range and the Interior. He and his other
guides use old and newer 1895 Winchesters, 1895 Marlins and Model 71s.
He is not a young guide anymore, however and values his client's hides.
That being said, he also has a custom Mauser in 505 Gibbs or he re-chambered it to 500 Jeffrey. The recoil is substantial
but a solid hit requires no backup shot.
I always thought Phil mainly guided for brown bears in the Alaskan Pensinula rather than he smaller grizzlies from the Brooks and Interior. Maybe he moved his guiding operation as of late to focus on Brooks Range and interior grizzlies these days and coastal brown bears got boring?
Anyways Phil being a gun nut has used a good many rifles and cartridges over the years but I guess he uses his 30-06 or his 458 win or his guides using 375 rugers and such only use those when they aren’t being “serious”. When serious time comes they bust out the lever guns??
