# Need a rifle for grizzly's and big black bear



## Cowboy (Dec 20, 2005)

I have a chance to go to Alaska and hunt griz and blacks. I'm leaning towards going with the .338 win mag but they are kinda hard to find. Would a .300 ultra mag be heavy enough for griz or should I keep looking for a .338?


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Yes a .300 Ultra would be enough to put down a Grizzly. So would a .300 Win Mag(not WSM), or even a .30-06 if you stick to 220 grain bullets.

A .338 would body slam a grizzly but you can and probably should settle for the Ultra.


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

If you think shots will be under 200 yrds. then the 450 Marlin would work nicely. Big bullets open big holes that bleed out quickly. Of course when you're hunting something that can eat you it's always good to over gun a bit, LOL. I think something on the order of the 338 Win Mag or even the new .325 WSM would be a good way to go. Can't have too much gun for something with fangs and claws. Also, if you have the extra cash you might want to pick up a pistol in a decent caliber as a back up, just in case. The Ruger Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger would be my first choice loaded with hard cast bullets that'll penetrate well. Luckey dawg, have fun in Alaska. :beer:


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Yeah, I always wanted to go to Alaska too, although i wanted to hunt moose. I figured that was the only way that I could ever justify the purchase of a .375 H&H, always wanted one of those, could probably pass it off as bear medicine!

Well I guess that sort of went against what I said in my first post. Rethinking my advice, I have decided that you should probably go with the .338 or .300 Ultra, carrying a .30-06 or .300 Win Mag, when you have something bigger is foolish when hunting bear.

The .450 would also work good, it is suppost to almost duplicate .458 Win Mag peformance.


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

I guess going to alaska bear hunting would be my perfect excuse to go to the local gunsmith and get a .338 Lapua magnum made on a Montana Action.


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

Actually, the 450 Marlin is like a hot loaded 45-70, it's just that because of the case design it'll hold up to these loads a lot better then the old black powder case of the 45-70. There's a good artical in the June 2001 copy of "Guns Magazine". They are suppose to kick a bit but I can't see it being any worst then getting your arm chewed off by a Griz,LOL.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

I go with the .325 WSM


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I would use what every to are comfortable in shooting accurately. If the .300 ultra is what you can shoot....use it. But if you are using this as an excuse to buy a new toy.....well go with what your heart wants. Because more game has been killed with a 30-06 than anything else. You could use a .270 (if the law allows it.) to take a grizz is you place the bullet where it needs to be. I would recomend using a good bullet like a fail safe or bonded bear claw. Use a heavy grain like 200 or more and shot it. Good luck and hope to see some pics.

Chuck


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## coyote hunter (Dec 21, 2005)

use a 200 win mag or a 45/70


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## Danimal (Sep 9, 2005)

Rem 7400,

You mentioned being able to justify a .375 H&H if you went to Alaska.....

My dad taught me,....if you have a want and a means to pay for it,....no justification needed!!!!! (now the Mrs. may think otherwise, but she does the same think with her hobbies......)

Now as for bear,... I'd have to agree with Capstick....."use enough gun." The biggest that you can shoot comfortably.


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## MarineCorps (Dec 25, 2005)

I know this goes against every piece of advice i have given on this forum(go with the smallest caliber possible) Things are very much different when you are coming in contact with a Grizzly!

Get a .338 and at least a .45 as a sidearm. I would take a .50 desert eagle
personally!

Bringing a friend along with a 10 ga. wouldnt be a bad idea either (just in case the Bear wants to come a little closer.


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## Cowboy (Dec 20, 2005)

Thank you for all your advice. I found the gun i'm gonna marry yesterday. Browning Stainless Stalker II .338 win mag with BOSS and muzzle break. I can get a deal on it if I buy it today. As for my side arm I have a .45 colt. My buddy that is going with is gonna be carrying a 7mm, I believe a .480 and probably a .40. Also my sister who is going to be our guide and pilot will be carrying a 12ga. riot gun with 3in. mag slugs.

Sound like were loaded for bear.

I'll put some pics on when I get home the end of May.


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

If I were going into bear country/bear hunting I'd take a .338 Win. Mag as my primary rifle and a .480 Ruger Super Redhawk as my back up. Plus, I'd hire a guide that I could out run,LOL. :wink:


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## Scooter (Nov 4, 2005)

If I was on my way to Alaska for I would look no further than my rifle cabnet for bear medicine and it would be my tusty .338 RUM loaded with the new 250gr TSX from Barnes at about 3000fps or so! That would be the ticket right there!


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

> Sound like were loaded for bear.


Not quite, I'd stick a S&W snubbie in my boot just in case!

Yes you are loaded for bear, you had better research and put some tough bullets in that 7mm though, most are in the deer/elk category.


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## bgoldhunter (Apr 13, 2005)

I would go with a 338, or 375 H&H if you do plan on getting a hunt with coastal browns in a Winchester M70.


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## Alaskan Brown Bear Killer (Feb 22, 2005)

Personally I think the 338 is way over rated. 
I shot my first costal Brown Bear with a 30-06 with 220 gr core loc bullet (factory load) one shot, droped on the spot with a exit wound the size of a tennis ball. 
My buddy that was with me put 3 good shots in a big Brown Bear with his 338 and we never found the Bear.
The 30-06 is as low as I would go with confidence.
300 WM is good enough, I have a 45-70 guide gun that would be OK for under 200 yards.
Back ups: I perfer the 4" S&W 500 mag, or the 454 (these cals have serious Bone Buster capabilities). 
DON'T USE 44 MAGS, not enough bone busting capability.
That's just my 2 cents from someone that actully killed a few bears.

P.S. You really don't want to wound a Bear, that would be very BAD!!!! So make sure you take the time to make a very good shot with whatever gun you choose.

Good Luck :beer:


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## Cowboy (Dec 20, 2005)

Alaskan Brown Bear Killer, I would like to talk to you some more. It sounds like you could be helpful with some other decisions that we have left to make before we leave. My sister lives in Anchorage so thats where we'll be starting from. Any tips would be helpful.

Thanks


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

The 375 H&H is a great round. It can take any and all legal game anywhere. It may not be the most ideal choice for all shooting that a person does, but there is no choice out there that is the "ideal" close game getter, and the 500yd lazer strait sniper adn all that inbetween. But, the 375 does have a lot of close in smash, and will hold on to it's energy well enough that you likely will run out of hunting accuracy before you run out of enough energy to bring down your target. Also,if you wack a deer with one, you destroy less meat than with many of the more standard "deer rounds". I have taken a few deer with a handload of a 285gr cast bullet at 2300fps and since this bullet has a flat point it really makes an impact. And it will group into less than 2 inches at 150yds. It is great fun to shoot, and can be loaded up and down to suit your needs from plinking, to dangerous game. And legal for Africa if you ever get the chance. The 338 is not legal in many places for dangerous game. Good hunting.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

It sounds like you are loaded.....But in bear country you only need to be faster than 1 person.....and if you are not a .22 to the leg will slow them down....Kidding. A trip I took into alaska a few years back after caribou. I shot a caribou a couple of miles from camp and it was getting dark. So we started to pack it out....well my partner shot one on the way back to camp...So we dropped the packs and decided to return in the morning. Well we did and did not take our rifles. He just had his .44 mag with him. Well on our way to the packs he started to shoot at some partridge and was missing and all of a sudden he stopped. I asked why? He only had one shell left and left the ammo at the camp....I asked him what was the one shell left for.....TO shoot me in the leg so he could out run the grizz. :lol:


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## TN.Frank (Nov 12, 2005)

:laugh:


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## Alaskan Brown Bear Killer (Feb 22, 2005)

Cold Bay has some big Brown Bears, but personally I like Haines.
Haines in the last week of Sept or the first week of Oct is Awesome.
You can fish and hunt at the same time. They get their last run of Cohoes
at that time, Eagles everywhere and lots of Big Brown Bears.


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## Mattu (Jan 20, 2006)

I would look at a S&W 500. It has tremendous stopping power and has been used on elephant and cape buffalo with great success. It would also be lighter, or at least easier to carry, than a rifle. The 10 inch performance center version is the one I would go with. A 375H&H would be perfect too.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescour ... 75&v2=2690


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## bighands (Dec 12, 2005)

I'm with the rest of you guys that like the 375 H&H, I love that caliber in Model 70 Winchester! I don't think I'd feel very good about going after Griz in Alaska with something smaller than a .338, They get BIG up there!


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