Let’s have some fun - best guess as to model and chambering (!) - I don’t have the answer. Picture was posted up in AK forum. Give reasoning. If you know for sure - or know who it is - let it run a bit …

Looks like the south end of kodiak island. Bill Pinnell and Morris Talifson old guide area

Looks like a Featherweight

Man, that’s a cool picture!

That’s a helluva iconic sorta picture.

Looks like a 1952-1953 308 fwt: Wild azzed guess on the cartridge, but definitely an early fwt. Picture was taken in 1957 and the rifle looks like it's been hunted a couple/few years. Could be a 1955 30-06 too. My best guess on cartridge. My reasoning: the date of the picture, the front sight hood is missing and it's a low comb. Definitely an early featherweight though..

The guy is in the Kodiak national wildlife refuge. Nice bear too!!! Don't know who it is though. That's a great picture. Probably a professional photograph for back in those days. Wonder if it was in field and stream or some other magazine?

AK, when you find out, let us know.

That's cock. Way cock.

The photo was taking by Will Troyer who managed kodiak national wildlife refuge at the time. We will probably never know who the person is USFW just calls it “ happy bear hunter” far as caliber I’m going with 30-06 with whatever “premium” 180gr ammo they had back in 57.

I'd vote 220's..

Anyone think it’s a 358?

Wonder what those odds would be!

It's very possible. Catalogued from 1955-1957. I was thinking more along the lines of 308 and 30-06 though. Back in those days, the 30-06 was considered a "big" cartridge. Especially when loaded with 220's.

If you find out, let us know.

Don’t imagine I will unless someone knows who the hunter is. Will Troyer passed and I haven’t had any PM’s. I’d love to know myself; the picture is so iconic.

I’m going with 06 because even as a territory in 1958, 06 ammo was plentiful, doubt much 358 Winchester ammo floating around up here at the time.

The picture is really cool. Thanks for sharing man.

Quick story that somewhat relates. I have an older Marine Raider buddy from WWII who is 99 or maybe a 100 this year. He was sorta like a Grandfather to my first company and Detachment One. He was always at special occasions we held and always the special guest. Rode rubber boats into Makin and some other Jap held ground before mainstream Marines hit the beach.. Anyhow after WWII he went to school, became a biologist. He purchased a M70 270 Winchester and then moved to Alaska and stayed there for 30-40 years. Anyhow, we had alot in common as Marines but man, he had some awesome accounts of running over the Alaska landscape with his 270. I have some hardcopy pictures I'll get out one of these days see if I can get them posted up. He had some large bear, moose, caribou, etc he took while he lived there. At the time when I met him I was a young SSgt and I remember saying "Chuck, you used a 270 for everything".. He responded he never had any trouble taking animals and loved that old rifle. Haven't heard from him since our last Raider reunion last year, but man, the stories he told me from 2003 till about 2016 everytime we'd see one another were amazing, not to be outdone with what he did as a Raider but very cool nonetheless.

It's an old fw for sure, pre war maybe? But that dude is on another level. Open sights and a giant man eater strapped to his back...I bet it's an 06. I wouldn't think 300 h&h due to barrel length. That pic screams America. Bad azz.

Agreed, one can do just about everything with a 270

Yote, you need to get a book called "The rifleman's rifle", written by Roger Rule.

I think it was a 30-06 Featherweight based on barrel contour and length. It also appears to possibly
have a recoil pad of some make-unless my eyes are tricking me. I have an 06 Featherweight and it looks identical.
Many bear and moose have been shot very dead with the 30-06 in Alaska. It still remains popular
along with the 270. Featherweights originated in the 1950s, Super Grades but no magnum calibers AFAIK.

It's a factory aluminum butt plate. Low comb stock. Second picture clearly shows it as a FWT barrel contour. No way to guess the barrel length in the picture. But assume it is a factory 22" with factory front sight. The only fwt it could be would me made from 1952-1957. In 1952-1954, the only fwt available was the 308 winchester. Like I said, the rifle appears to have been used for a couple years. This is noted by the missing front sight hood. Although, some guys removed them before a hunt. Most guys I know left them on, until brush or the like ripped them off. BTDT. In 1955 winchester brought out the 243, 270, 30-06, 358win, fwt's.

As for "magnums": Of course there were magnums back then. 375H&H, 300H&H, and 458wm to name a few. However, that is clearly a fwt barrel contour. Hence not any kind of magnum. The 264 win mag came out in 1962. The 338wm in 1959. The 300wm was introduced the last year of the pre 64. The only one of those magnums that had the fwt barrel contour was the 264, but came out much later than the picture from 1957.

If I could see the bolt ovid better, that would tell me if the rifle was made before 1954 and narrow down the cartridge it housed. Solid and it would be a 308 Winchester, made in 1952 or 1953.

Not many people would have messed with an original rifle like that, but just used it. That's why I believe it is all factory, as it also appears that way in the 2 pictures.

There were also guys handloading their own ammo back then. AK brought up the 358 winchester. That was rare, even back then. So my guess is not. Even though the 358 would be a dandy Alaskan cartridge. It's more than likely a 30-06.

I believe Hal Waugh used a 358 FWT for some of his guiding on Kodiak.

That not being Hal in the picture though I’d put my money on it being an 06. Cool old pic.

That’s me from last year’s hunt. I was wondering where the pic was. Rifle is a 6.5 Creempuff.
I’ve gained 80 lbs and some gray hair since then…

Oh bull puckey.

Your eyes ain’t good enough to use a peep! 🤣

That’s neat. Did not know that.

As BSA said, if you could see the bolt knob, you could potentially narrow it down further. From what we can see in the two pictures, we are narrowed down to 270, 308, 30 06, and 358. Clearly, the production odds favor the 06 as Kid said - but the 358 would just be so darn cool.

Man I love those vintage pictures, just flat cool! Men were men back then ya know.
I’d guess 30-06.

I have always been a sucker for stories like that and have paid a premium for rifles that had a story behind them.

Early low comb featherweight. I'd lay money on it being a 30-06 with a 220 grain load.

That is a cool pic.

Like most of the rest of you, I’d wager a .30-06 Featherweight.

Super cool picture!

I reckon book makers would rather cover an ‘06 bet than others.

I think that’s where I’d place my money.

DF

Really cool photo!
He possibly was in the military and was well acquainted with the old .30'06 so, that's my thought. I've known WWII vets who would accept nothing less than a .30'06.

Iv got a old yellow box of Winchester 30-06 220s that were my grandfather's has his name in ink on them. He had bought them for a Moose hunt, never got a shot.

Chuck is still around and headed the Alaskan DNR. He also carried a Model 1917 converted to 375H&H. You are correct, Scotty great stories and a great guy.