Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Alaska caliber

Planning a diy moose hunt in Alaska. What caliber do you feel is adequate when in brown bear country. Have a 7mm Rem Mag 175 Partitions2900fps that I favor and 30-06 180 Accubonds2800. Is a 300 of some kind with 200s3000ish much better? Any advice is appreciated.

Man, I’d not fear much with a 7 Rem and 175 PTs myself.

Doesn’t matter really. You able to get one out yourself? Ever had a moose on the ground?

I have not. I'll have my brother with me and we grew up on farms around beef cattle. I feel confident we can take care of the field work properly. I do think of how far out from camp do I want to kill one considering the pack work. Being close to water with an inflatable seems like a nice idea lol

For deep penetration, I'd probably opt for a 200gr partition in the 30-06 vs. the 180 accubomb. No need for a 300 magnum, unless you are just looking for a reason to buy a new rifle. I used to run my 300wm's at 2900 fps with 200's and that was a devastating combination, especially on your shoulder. Then I got a 338wm and the 300wm went by the way side. That's how I'd roll, if not running a 200 in the 30-06.

Thank you. I do have some 200gr Partitions. Also like the idea of a new rifle lol. I'm not a fan of.muzzle brakes and decided if I do go with a 300, it will have a brake. I draw the line at the 30-06, 7 Rem Mag level for recoil.

There’s more than ample evidence that the big 7 is perfectly capable of killing anything on this continent with ease. If you like your 7mm better than your 30-06? Take that and worry not. Vice versa works too, whatever’s said about one can be said about the other, except for long range trajectory. The big 7 has an edge there.

With todays powders you can darn near turn an 06 into a 300

Your 7 Mag is ideal.

Yup. That load will penetrate like John C. Holmes. If it's the setup that you favor, you're likely to put it in the right place.


FWIW, I'm planning a sheep hunt to a drainage that's purported to have the highest concentration of interior grizzlies in NA. I'll be taking a 7x57 with 160 NP's.


Send pics of your successful hunt!

FC

I liked that short barreled 338wm Lampers was using on a moose/caribou float. I think it was 18” barrel and 225 TTSX. They put the hurt on stuff and seemed like an ideal rifle for a fly in hunt

I’ve shot several with a 30-06 loaded with 180g accubonds. I’ve shot a few with a 375HH loaded with 260g accubonds. I’d I were goi g to shoot a 30 caliber, 200g partition or AB, I’d prefer to do it out of a 300 win mag but that’s just my personal preference based on several years of successful moose hunts both of my own and with friends. Last year I was on 3 moose hunts.

I’ll add that in my experience, I don’t see many 7mm rem mags here in AK. I know some guys use them but I can’t remember the last time I saw one.

I can't think of a more useful handy rifle/cal than a .338RCM. If ya gotta head into the alder's quick release scope gets ditched. A 225gr AB is gonna smash Caribou to 500 easy. And will down a moose no problem. JMO based on guys that have been there and done that conversations.

A Model 70 Winchester 30-06 with a 200-220 gr NP could easily save your life. 5 in the belly and 1 in the chamber would feel really good in a bad circumstance. Man I'd hate to have to reload when schitt is hittin the fan.

I like the .300s best. Had several .338's, for my needs the .300 was far better. But if range is not a problem the 06 with 200s or more range the 7mm RM would be fine.. Bob Hagel shot most of Alaska's big game with a 7mm mag. Not a Remington but similar. To me the 338s kicked more than the .300s and offered less.

Perhaps be more concerned with the rifle itself and not the chambering. Lots of 7mms are real fence posts, most of them really.

30-06

I have never seen a 7mm m. that a fence post more than any other rifle. Sheesh.

Me packing a 116# hind quarter to the river/camp/jetboat. 1/4 mile hump (400 yds) on a brushed trail. I'd not want much longer.

I shot this one with a .264 Win Mag and 140 partition from a spruce tree. Pard and I were both toting pistols for the packout - 460 S&W and 44 Rem Mag. Toting a rifle while packing is a b!tch.

7mm + 175 partitions will get 'er done.

Both will get the job done - which rifle do you shoot best, have the best results - that would be the one.

The 30-06 is never the wrong choice

One of the packers on my goat hunt killed a nice brown bear with a 28 Nosler and 175 ELD-X a few days before I arrived. My guide and packer have killed numerous brown bears with a 30-06 and 180 Swift A-Frames. They showed me a few videos of their kills. I was impressed.

I’d personally be confident with either caliber for moose and the “what if?” situations. Mono metal or bonded would be my personal preference to cover any shot opportunities presented.

I had a Canadian outfitter tell me “you can kill a moose with a tennis shoe”

At the same time, a moose can soak up more lead than a ghetto rat in a swimming pool in Flint Michigan.

Agreed! Give me an 06 with a 175 LRX, 180 TTSX, 162 Absolute hammer, or a 180 Partition. All of North America and most of Africa.

Heck of a photo! Ya, pack-out can be tough. Got a cow elk in January. Fortunately I had two strong guys in their 30's with me. Moose... Someday I'd love to have that tag.

Guy

^^^^^^^^^+
What they said!
You can always rely on a good 30-06.

I have a soft spot these days for the 9.3x62.

For some perspective, my family lived in Alaska for many years and killed many moose and caribou. Grandpa used a custom 8x57 and Dad used its twin in 6.5x57. As long as you take high percentage shots and place your bullets correctly, you shouldn’t have an issue.

what action /brand are you planning to use ? that would be my concern over cartridge .

It would be a Remington 700.

Great picture of your pack out MuskegMan. Beautiful scenery in the background!

200g partition in a 30-06 over a compressed load of h4831sc or a decent load of RL17 will clock 2700fps and be plenty fir anything within 400 yards.

Bb

I believe both would be more than adequate on a moose hunt and also be capable of fending off interior grizzly or coastal browns in a pinch. Bottom line is a 338 Win Mag would give more comfort in taking moose and have greater probability as a first shot deterrent on bear yielding about 4,200 ft-lbs at the muzzle with 250 grain loads.

At 200 yards:

7mm Rem Mag with said bullet and speed listed yields 2,520 ft-lbs of thump.

30-06 with said bullet and speed listed gives 2,395 ft-lbs of thump.

The 338 Win Mag with 250 gr Partition at 2,750 fps yields 3,135 ft lbs of thump.

The 338 Win Mag has roughly the same energy at 200 yards as the other two have at the muzzle. If you have a desire or need to go bigger, I’d go 338 Win Mag. It would offer a better medium bore step up from a .30 Mag. You already have your 7mm Rem Mag and 30-06 in tow. Only one man’s opinion.

If I was in bear country

It’s also the hardest recoil rifle I own. OP not into it.
At the range I can shoot the 06 much longer than the 9.3
But in bear country, 9.3 is what I’d be packing as well.

Is your 9.3 especially light or perhaps have an ill fitting stock for you? Of the ones I own they seem to kick more than an '06, but certainly much less than a .300 win mag.

Then there was this article: "Guy found dead in the Canadian wilderness, wearing one tennis shoe"..

It’s newer rifle.
Sauer 100
Swapped out the hard recoil pad for a slip on limb saver. Helps but still gets your attention, my ruger #1 300 win kicks less. I also get copper fouling fairly quick. And no where the velocities some Other reloaders get. Something to do with the barrel?

My CZ550 9.3 was a puzzy cat. Recoil was only just a little bit more than my 30-06 rifles. No where near 300wm levels though.

I had a Ruger MMii laminated stock reshaped into a British stalker type with drop at the heel making irons very comfortable. A straight stock never fits me. Now recoil is mitigated. Very pleasant and lethal. I only load a 286 NP over 58.5 grains of RL 15 in a 24 inch No 3 SS Douglas barrel.

Maybe it's the load?

Like I said, a puzzy cat.

BSA. Is R15 meter about the same as varget. I hate extruded vs ball (spoiled by Ramshot)

30-06 180 gr TSX

I've got a couple of Sauer 100s. One is a 6.5 prc and I've heard the barrels on those in prc are slow too. I need to get mine to the range and see. I like the feel of the rifle but probably won't keep it if it's slow. Although I'll have to put about 100 rounds or so through it before I judge it because if had some barrels really speed up as they're broken in.

Bb