Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska perfect alaska/moose rifle

I have been invited to Fairbanks area a year from September for moose. I have never been up there, so looking for the perfect rifle to take, which I have quite a few. please give me recommendation's both for moose and for any other critters that might lurk and want to eat me for lunch or something. Try to keep the entire package at $1500 or less if you can. I will load my own, am thinking of a 338-06, but don't want to be stymied in stores if for some reason my ammo does not show up. looking for help !

thanks

What do you have already? Unless you just want to buy a new gun, which is never a bad idea, you probably have one that will work just fine.

30-06 has probably slayed more moose in Alaska than any other caiber.

oh, I have plenty of guns that will work, I have no doubt about that, but yes, I am going to get another and I am looking to hear the ideal from those who hunt in Alaska. I am thinking 300 mag and up, not so much for moose but if a happy bear wandered into my space . I don't know a thing about that part of the world, so not sure what I might run into.

Are you planning just moose or both moose and grizz/brown bear? You do know that you will need a guide or hunt with a resident next of kin for grizz/brown bear, sheep or goat correct?

Hunting with a resident. only moose is planned, my concern is IF there are bear around, I want something bigger than I might other wise use

Win M70 SS Classic. '06 or .338 WM. .338-06 will get 'er done, but I'd roll w/ the Whelen if you're spinning on a new tube . . .

Use your 06'.

I would go with a .338 Win. You can load it down to .338-06+P if you like and, as a factory round, it gets around the "what if my ammo doesn't show up" problem you raised. And a premium bullet in the 200-225 grain class is all you would need and would give you a plenty flat trajectory if the range ends up being on the long side.

Several worthwhile threads presently going on this topic; might be worth a read. Also tons in the archives if you do a search.
What rifle do you shoot best/which are you most comfortable with?
Or perhaps I should ask what gun is it that you want that you wish for us to help justify for you?? Because we are really good at that ;-)
And btw, short answer to your question is ‘06...in whatever flavor trips your trigger.

If you're set on getting another rifle, get a multi tasking rifle. Maybe something that you could use on the dark continent. AK state fish cops use a .375 H&H - think that ought to work for ANYTHING you encountered in AK

we are in agreement so far on the action, still not sure the caliber

I am partial to Winchester model 70's. have quite a few from 243 up to an including a 300 win mag. Used to have both 338 and 375 to round out the collection but never shot them so I ended up selling quite a while ago. all of my current rifles , Winchesters that is, are wood stocks. I am quite certain I want stainless and glass stock, just can't get comfortable with the caliber. im still not hearing from all you guys if I will encounter bears in the greater Fairbanks area. not a little black bear, but a big bear or something that might not like me being there? I know anything from 270 up will kill a moose ok, its that dang bear that is bothering me. I like the idea of 300 Winchester because I can shoot it well and shot in competition for 15 years. I also like 338 for its versatility as mentioned by UTAH708 above, that would indeed solve any issues with ammo availability as I am sure its available all over the place in Alaska. I realize I am probably overthinking this, but you know....its a great excuse for a new gun !

+1.
I will bet the '06 has killed more bears too.

Whatever I had handy... 06 sure wouldn't bother me. I send ammo ahead, bring extra each year etc... 338-06 rebore of a used 700 in 06. But for years used a 30-30 in grizz country and never felt like I'd have an issue if it arose...

Beyond that, whatever YOU want means more than most really IMHO.

I'd smack one(moose) with whatever was at hand.. 10mm, 44, 500, MZ, bow, 223 etc.... 458 win mag. 50 bmg. Whatever I might have handy at the time.
except for a 270. LOL

As usual, most new hunters to Alaska over-think this cartridge and bear issue!

Durability, reliability and fit and function come first.

Nothing wrong with wood stocks done right.

If you don't already have a 375 H&H, well this is the perfect excuse, I mean reason to get one.

Then again a featherweight 7-08 or .308 is probably closer to ideal because a heavy rifle is just as fun trudging through a swamp as up a mountain, and moose will die when they are good and ready when hit with anything from your generic deer round up to an "elephant gun". No need for long range guns either, every extra yard you take the shot is 10 times that distance back and forth asking yourself why you took the long shot.

A double barrel in case there are 2 moose.

If it were me-
Stainless
Bolt action
Synthetic stock
30-06 second/third choice 300 or 338 mag
Good bonded type bullet 180 in the 30 cals or 200-225 in a 338
Good quality 3-9x scope
I hunted them nort of Fairbanks last fall, with bow and arrow, no shots taken
Could have shot one with a rifle
Have fun

.220 Swift worked for Frank Glaser! He probably filled a few train cars with dead critters from his. Tough sonofabitch though and the game probably just gave up when they knew he was chasing them. Haha!