Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Let’s build a Big Bear Rifle...

Like all others,he simply shopped and got. Few reloaded then,despite the "claims" otherwise.




I've a coupla rifles from THE Days...which are "suspect".....................

Those that have 375s in Edge fill stocks any issues? McMillan at first said 300 mag was max for an edge fill stock. If the action area is solid carbon & resin I can't imagine this failing although graphite seems more brittle than glass or I could have seen graphite that was not fully wetted, out not sure which.

Hal Waugh went through three wood stocks on his 375 Weatherby on I believe a Mauser action. Part of this could be the weather on Kodiak and amount of time on the water.
Andy Runyon liked a 40 something rifle and a softer bullet. Both of these guides have shot at least as many Bear as Phil has.

I am in the no bear camp but carried a 7 mag., 444 Marlin, a 12 gauge riot gun with Brenneke slugs and 00 buckshot, a 45 colt Ruger Bisley and a 44 mag. while guiding fishermen, Now I would go with a 375 or a 45/70 guide gun if given the choice.

No hankering for a big bear, but I did happen upon a rifle for if I ever do get a hankering...

Dang, very cool rifle.. Dig the 358 Norma.

I spent a few days in the bear woods, my go to rifles are ;

450 GNR - 420 gr or 460 gr Cast Performance - Marlin 1895
416 Taylor - 350 or 400gr Barnes - Ruger 77 MK II
405 Winchester - 360 Gr Northfork or 400 gr Woodleigh - Winchester 1895
375 H & H - 300 gr NP - BRNO 602
35 Whelen - 280 gr A-Frame Mauser 98, Remintgon Classic or Winchester 1895

Turns out I've got what I'd use for both:

Client/DIY rifle: 325 WSM from Montana Rifle. Loaded with 220gr Weldcores at 2850 ft/s. I chose the MRC over Winchester because of the simple trigger. It checks all the boxes - sufficient cartridge, reliable feed and robust extraction/ejection, acceptable accuracy.

Guide/stopping rifle: Browning M71 in .50-110 with a 500gr Weldcore soft followed by solids

yes i own alot of big bore rifles and probably would use either one of 338 win mags or 375 H&H`S , but really just a simple 30-06 with 180 0r 200 grain soft points would work just fine on a big bear. i have shot enough black bears with my bow with hand sharpened broadheads to know how to kill any bear except maybe polar bears they fight back ,i would want a 375 H&H or bigger then,even Fred Bear had trouble with polar bears with a bow.

I guess I'd just stick with my 338-06.

I built a 375 H&H on a SS 700. 20" barrel, McMillan Classic. Had the barreled action ceracoated. Were I doing that again, it would probably get BlackT instead of ceracoat.

I've not killed a bear with it. Killed a couple caribou and a moose.

I ran a SWFA 1-4 on it until that [bleep] the bed. Wears a 6x42 Leupold now.

I much prefer Black T over Ceracoating.

Yeah... I learned that a little too late.

Your SS [bleep] the bed? Do tell. First case of that I have heard of. I have the same scope on a .308, it has been tops so far. Got one of their 3x9’s on another rifle, it has been good too. Curious to hear what happened with yours.

Get you a 470 Evans double and be done with it!!

I have several suitable candidates but if I won a trip tomorrow, I'd likely carry this one:

Mark X .376 Steyr - 20 1/2" " McGowen - B&C Medalist - Robar NP3 - NECG sights -- Leupold 2-7x VXR - Warne QD mounts

Guys I’m SO late to this party but I’ve read it ALL to get up to date.
I’ve never hunted bears and probably never will hunt Alaska, however fantasizing
is FUN and let’s us “ Dream On”.

I have a 30-06, 300 WM, & 8 mm RM. Any one will get the job done BUT you can’t get any better recommendation than from someone with a lifetime of experience.




For myself, preparing for any situation in Alaska Big Bear territory, I’d opt for a
CRF, 375 HH, 22” bll., SS, Composite stock.

A friend let me play with his 375 HH some years ago and I was pleasantly surprised how
manageable the recoil was. I have shot one enuff to have confidence in my ability to use it
& keep my composure ***as far as the Rifle is concerned*** !

Someone in another thread per recoil said something along this line ? " when the bear charged I fired/shot 3 Xs and the recoil was about 5 OUNCES" ?

Lacking Mr. Phil’s experience, I’d just FEEL better with a 375 more than an 06.

Thanks for an enjoyable thread and letting me fantasize.

Jerry

I'll play. A 22" M70 CF chambered in 9.3x62. Slap it in a McMillan FWT stock scoped with a 1.5-5X Leupy. Talley LWTs for the rings/mts. Come and get it, Yogi! 😃

I have wanted a .470NE from Searcy For a while. But totally not a logical buy.

This would be my huckleberry, if I was gonna follow 458Win around for bears....😎

After the first trip into an alder patch with an unhappy bear in residence a 22" barrel starts looking like a javelin. Puts you in the mind to remove slings and anything else that might hangup on the way to the desired vectors.

I was pondering that very thing after I posted above. What length do you think is ideal for big bruins? 20"? Less?