Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Caribou rifle

If I'm shooting sub moa with a 7mm Rem Mag, shaving maybe another 1/4" off with a .243 or a 6.5 Needmoor isn't going to help me kill anything. But I can't speak for everybody. Like I said my case is unusual. I was started on a .30-06 and 180 Remington Green Box right from the beginning. When I shoot a light rifle I always feel like something is missing. Much like a flat chested woman.

DC 590

I only hunted them one time. Didn't get one. I carried a 348 Winchester, M71.

My brother-in-law (who lives in Alaska) used an Iron-Sighted Winchester M70 30-06 with 220 grain bullets every year and said in 30 years he's never had a shot over 200 yards. That's what he uses on moose, black bears, grizzly's wolves and caribou. He moved there in 1974 and it's the only rifle he owns, and the only one he's ever owned. yet he never seems to have much problem filling the freezer.

When I hunted them I hit them between the herds moving I guess, and we had only 3 days to hunt.

Of the 5 of us on that 3 day hunt, none of us got one and we only saw one herd on the 3rd day out at about 2 miles just about 90 minutes before it got dark. Rifles carried were one 348 Winchester with peep sight, one 30-06 with irons, 0ne 308 with a 2.5X scope, One 270 with a 3X-9X scope and one 7MM Mag with a 3X-9x scope. No shots fired at all.

My brother in law told me that my peep-sighted M71 was 100% ok and I believe him. But you have to find them no matter what you carry. I didn't

I apologize for being a meanie.

The Creed with 143's will do fine. My .260 with 140 factory Corelokts did on the several I shot with it to out beyond 300 yards Best caribou gun I ever had was a RU77V in .25-06 using 120gr Speer hand-loads.

Lately I've used a M98 in '06 with 27 inch heavy barrel to good effect to almost 500 yards, starting with factory Corelokts in 150 gr, and progressing into the Hornady Superperformance line (also 150). Not something I'd pack up a sheep mountain, but no prob using an ATV or snowmobile.

As said, caribou die pretty easy, based on the 75 or so I've taken. Can't recall any that I have shot that didn't die within a few yards, except two, that ran 75 yards or so, then ran back to near where they were hit to fall. I did see an unaware cow shot several decades ago that bolted at the shot and ran nearly 200 yards, and her with a lung blown out the far side... Weird, and exceptional.

Yes, the 6.5 Creed has plenty of the "right stuff" for caribou, even a big bull shot through the lungs is dead bull. My wife and I will be hunting caribou for a few days starting tomorrow and we are using the 6.5 Creed and 127 grain Barnes LRX bullets. If we bump a griz I will use it on the griz also. I will have my .338 Winny along, but it is a back up rifle on this trip.

Every year many caribou are killed with the .243 Win. and the .223 Rem. The Mini 14 and AR platform are popular caribou choices in rural Alaska.

Headstamps and rifles don't very often kill things. Bullets do, though. All you "Get a Magnum" guys ever have wives or children that you goaded with that same horseshit, or were the size of your testicles sufficient in those times to simply hand them the rifle that would be honestly enough? I promise: EVERYONE shoots small cartridges better in sporting-weight rifles.

We see guys like you every year who have "little fear of recoil". Invariably, these are the guys who screw up shots and make a guide's life a living hell.

That is not limited to Montana...

Ohhh the times........

The "magnum" thing means nothing. For example, a .458 Lott shoots big testicles, but does not have a "magnum" on the head-stamp. Yes, the OP can use any of the numerous small cartridges to hunt caribou, because these animals aren't very large (from 300-400 pounds, which leaves about 100 pounds of meat). All kinds of small cartridges have been used for decades to kill caribou in Alaska. But it's true that there is a good chance to have bears (black and grizzly) where the caribou are.

By the way, the caribou hunting season in the Interior of Alaska has been quite nice. Lots of people got their caribou. For some reason I don't like to hunt nor eat caribou meat, but love moose meat. The moose season starts in a little over a week from now.

Hilarious that you think a 7mm mag is a mighty kicker. It might sound and look scary but it's really just a loud 30-06. And a Man that can't shoot a 30-06 ain't much of a man.

Your insecurities are showing.

Ray, "magnum" is a category label, not a name. Since you mention the Lott, it is a step UP from a named Magnum. So if you can't figure out what category it's in, you shouldn't be carrying one. And no one needs a damn magnum to chase away the dreaded bears that are rarely seen, either.

I own a 45-70 too. It's my main hunting gun. In light of recent revelations from "experts" on here I'm beginning to doubt if I can still hit anything with it? It's good that you know me so well because I always thought I could handle this stuff. I never would've even known that I'd end up wounding everything in Montana. Good thing I've steered clear.

My 35 Whelen is back from JES. I'm hitting the range today but now I'm worried I won't be able to get it sighted in. Since somebody who doesn't know me from Adam has pegged me as a recoil wimp. Maybe I'll just steer clear of Montana with it?

Yeah - and WITH your $$$$ too.


Jerry

Your comment is quite telling - a part of your masculine identity is tied to larger rifles. Your difficulties in accepting lighter kickers in the thread following your medical diagnosis to stay away from hard kickers, as well as this one, makes sense now. It also makes sense that you take it as a personal attack when folks bring up factual evidence to counter your emotional hang ups. That's ok, plenty of other men think that having the fastest car or wife with the biggest fake boobs makes them more of a man, so you're not alone in the world.

You may be happy to know I just got back from some range time with the .243 Win. I'm not tied to big guns necessarily as I like the full spectrum. But I actually don't like the .30 plus caliber magnums at all. I recently got a deal on a 300 Magnum that I couldn't pass on and it quickly reminded me why I have sold others in the past. I don't find the 7mm Mag disagreeable however.

Mike, if I had a business that benefitted from non residents I’d be careful about criticizing or
insulting them. References both/either help or hurt.

Jerry