Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Your Pick .375 Ruger, .375 H&H, .338 Win Mag, .416 Ruger For A Big Game Rifle?

Are you limiting it to those four and just one rifle? If so, here's my take. I've had or have a 375 H&H, 375 Ruger, 375 Mashburn, and my 416 was a Remington; my .338s included both the Winchester and the 340 B. I've not taken a brown bear but have been around them enough to have at least a fair idea of what I'd be comfortable carrying for them (and I was comfortable with the 340 and 250-gr Nos Parts).

With the first three in question, the platform would be the most important to me as all are capable for your noted goals. I don't think you'd need the 416; or at least, it'd be my fourth choice as an all-rounder. As to the 338s I've had, including the 340, I find them just as disruptive on the shoulder generally speaking as the 375s mentioned. Plus, now with the 260-gr AB and the 250-gr TTSX 375s you give up nothing in trajectory to the 338s.

For me then, it'd be one of the 375s, unless of course, as mentioned you come upon the 338 platform that snuggles up to you just right.

But then, other than these four, there are the 9.3x62, the 30/06 with 200-gr Nos Part's, and then some others..

As to the 338, 275-gr Speer, I could probably find ten other 338 bullets that will out-penetrate it.

I could make that 11

Phil, you have made similar comments about the Leupold 2.5 Ultralight many times and have convinced me to give one a try.

What reticle are you using?

When the 2.5 Ultralight is compared to some of the other low power options from Leupold, it's field of view is smaller. Have you ever felt the FOV was too small. I suspect you haven't had any problems with this or you wouldn't still be using them!

Again, thank you for sharing your practical knowledge and wisdom.

Merry Christmas.

Scott

Scott, you are correct that the little Leupold compact has a narrower FOV but if the rifle fits I have never found it a hinderence. In fact, when I now use scopes with larger eyepieces they seem cumbersome.

IME that 2.5X Leupold has what I think is HUGE eye relief...at any rate for me the damned thing is long way from your face and acts more like an iron site in that regard.

If your rifle comes anywhere close to fitting your face it is very fast for target acquisition,and even heavy recoil is not gonna land the scope in your face.

Alaska most likely a 06 and a good bullet.But if I wanted to be slapped with recoil the 358 STA would be the one doing it.

9.3 x 62 is going be the best choice for 90% of folks. With modern ammunition, its a 400 yard cartridge. Recoils like the 338 win mag, but with big bullets is more capable. Probably killed more buffalo than any other cartridge.

I have shot black bear and caribou
with the 35 Whelen using 225 grain Nosler Partition. I would be comfortable using it on Alaskan moose and with brown bear I would be hunting with a guide and would probably dig out my 275 grain
Barnes Originals.

I roll my own and have 350+ pieces of brass and access to another 300.
I run the .375 hornady 270 grain soft points of which I have 250+ and the 270 round nose which I have about 150.
Im running 2550 MV with 62 gr imr4895 out of a 20" 9# scored rifle with reserve irons.
best group so far has been 1.1" at 200.
I have 3 spare magazines.
If the rifle is featured in hunting shows or if the caliber is popular means fk all to me.

phil a ? , in the pic of your daughter, her rifle has what looks like a short rod sticking out of the forend of the stock. yours has what looks like a laser under the br. is hers for a bipod or a really small laser? thanks in advance. can you post a pic of some of your biggest skulls from past few years? that one with your 458 is cool.

Golly!
that skull makes that rifle look dinky...

I have 2 35 Whelens 7600 Pump Rifle and a LH 35 Whelen IMP, 9.3 X 62, 338 RCM, & a 375 Ruger.

So have a lot of choices I usually take the Ruger LH 35 Whelen Imp. because I am used to it and it kills well. If I was to go after big coastal Br Bear either the 9.3 X 62 or the 375 Ruger would be the choice.

Prefer the 375 Ruger to the 375 H&H better case for reloading IMHO. Plus finally an affordable LH Control feed SS rifle.

Of the calibers listed, I'd go for the 338 Win Mag. It is a predictable round and easy to shoot accurately. However, as some have already mentioned, my choice would be the proven 9.3x62 Mauser. If you reload, it is an easy caliber to work with and my CZ 550 American is very accurate,

338 is the caliber I use most. I have 375's, 416 Rigby and a 458 Lott, but the 338 wm has harvested more game than the others combined.

On most of our working rifles that we use guiding during moose and bear season I have mounted a small section of picitinny rail in the front of the forend so we can attach Surefire lights at night. they sure make things more comfortable when sorting out noises outside the tent and when walking at night they are better than a headlight.

thanks makes for good skulking.

Any would work naturally. A .338,.358, .375 of whatever ilk is going to be more adept at "all around" type of work Than the larger bores. I have a .338 Win. and a .375 H&H. And even though I am a handloader I am pretty sure "in the event" you had an ammo problem you can find flavors of either caliber all over the world. Perhaps the Ruger rounds will have that availibility in the future, who knows.

So if I had to choose, since I have a .338 and .375 and they both are pretty similiar in size and weight I will pick the .375. It just works and is still a benchmark.

I love the confidence and no BS performance I get from my 416 Ruger Alaskan. Short, lightweight, fast handling and what I shoot, dies. 400gr Hornady RN and 350gr Barnes TTSX are monster projectiles in the 416 Ruger.

I had a Sako AV action set up with a 24" Shilen tube, laminated stock, Warne rings and a 2-7x Leupold put together before I went north in 1986, it was chambered in 338 Win. Mag.

Today, I'd get a lighter stock for it but other than that I'd change nothing.

I used 225 Hornady and 210 Nosler's for caribou and deer; 250 Partitions for Moose and bears.