338 Magnums and grizzlies

[Long Time Long Ranger]

My old computer will not show me the screen for uploading pictures on the forum. Have them on photobucket now. When I click start new thread all it shows me is a place to type my message. The prompt for uploading pictures etc does not show.

 

[TheHardWay]

You can just copy and paste the photobucket address link from your internet browser's address bar

 

[Dancin' Crosshairs]

I'm guessing this has to do with different bullets, powders, primers, and possibly barrel lengths.

...and PRESSURE!

 

[Sourdough]

I've carried .338 Win Mags for years here in Alaska (since 1985). My partner carried a .375 H&H, I had better range and accuracy then he did. He would only shoot the 300gr bullets, I shot 225 gr Nosler Partitions. Anything I shot went down just as fast as anything he shot. I have shot Moose and Caribou from 20 to 500 yards with the .338Win Mag.

Three years ago I went to a .338/378 Weatherby Accumark shooting a 225gr Nosler Accubond, at over 3200fps.

Two years ago I shot a Moose at 780 yards, with the Weatherby. A nice one shot kill, took out both lungs and the heart.

Last year I shot a Grizzly off a gut pile at 620 yards, with a 22deg down angle. First shot hit the lungs and went out the far side. Bear turned to run, second shot hit the spine and rolled the Bear. Bear rolled behind a bush, all I could see was the bear standing on it's front legs and head looking around. I put a third shot through the neck with an instant drop. It took two and a half hours for us to get down off the hill and across the swamp to get to the bear.

This summer we worked our range on out to 1200 yards. So we are ready for anything out to that. Then I ended up in the Hospital and missed Hunting season.

 

[Speedo]

My wife put this one down with 2 180 gr. rounds from her .300 saum.

Gus

 

[TheHardWay]

Whats the deal with the legs to the left of the bear? Moose legs? Baiting?

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Exit wound of 185 Barnes TTSX from a 338 winchester at 200 yards. Bullet went in at last rib on the other side and angled up through the bear taking out everything inside it. Just a mush inside. Then this huge exit hole through shoulder bone. Bear dropped straight down at the hit and maybe kicked a couple times. 338's do well on bears. I shot a much larger bear a few years back at a quarter mile with a 340 weatherby and 250 SGK's. Same result, Bear went straight down and died quick.

 

[cavtrooper94]

I carry a 338 Win Mag here in AK as my all around Big Game rifle. My 225 grain Accubond load would work just fine on a Grizz I'm sure. However if I were going specifically for Brown Bear, I would prefer to have a 375 H&H in my hand.

 

[aauya]

ive been up here hunting browns for many years and i always feel confident
shooting my 375 H&H loaded with a 300gr A-Frame,, last one i got was in may
across the inlet in trading bay 435yds out only took one to ancor him nice, 8' blondie

load data
300gr swift A-Frame
82gr H4350
215M
2675 fps

 

[bman73]

havn't seen it used on a griz but my hunting partner shoots a 338 win and I used it once on black bear. 1 shot and it dropped right where it stood, both shoulder blades blown out and all his insides trying to get outside. Have seen my buddy take more than a couple of moose with it and as long as you get a good shot placement they don't go far either. We hunt in grizzly country and neither of us are worried about not having enough gun between his 338 and my 358 Norma. Either one of them are more than enough with good shot placement

 

[Mesarifle]

My long-ago background was as a bear biologist. I started out working with polar bears, then went on to study grizz and lots of black bears in B.C., the Yukon, the NWT and finally Alaska. As well as time in Churchill, Manitoba ("The Polar Bear Capitol of the World!" or so it says...).

I initially carried a .44 mag S&W sidearm for personal protection , but with standard factory 240gr loads that proved to be a bust. For rifles, first I carried a .308, and many of the Provincial boys carried 30-06s and even .303s (this was, after all, in Canada!). One, a senior biologist, only carried a 6" bbl'd Ruger revolver in .357 Mag. An optimist I suppose...

(Now, I lug a .454 Casull around, but ONLY if I have to... Lord, talk about recoil!)

Eventually however, in about 1976 I ordered and bought a brand-new semi-custom Weatherby (left-handed) in .340WM. (BTW, that cost me... wayyhhhtttt foritttt.... $472 in Canada! "Please sir, can I have some more?").

An awesome choice to be sure, and ballistically nearly identical to the .338 Lapua. Shot 3 rounds of Norma factory ammo into 3/4" @ 100 yds too! Only had to use it once on a wounded polar bear, which I potted from a nice safe helicopter, but the effects, from about 40 feet above him, were truly amazing: It was pretty much like someone had pulled out all four of his legs at the same time, and he was down. Then I shot him again, just for security.

(PS: Mesarifle's Rule: NEVER shoot a bear just once!).

Later, when I was dealing with more blacks and the occasional grizz, I switched to a new Marlin 1895, with my own conservative but potent 45-70 handloads: the 350 gr Hornady Flat Point in front of some 3031 for a measured V of 1950 fps @ the muzzle. That ABSOLUTELY took care of over 25 black and one grizz bear, definitively. That was at least 25 yrs ago, and now you can get those LeverEvolution 325gr (@ about 2300 fps! Wow) rounds, or some CorBons or Belt Mountain loads, all of which will ABSOLUTELY stop any bear, and even a Cape Buffalo, in their tracks. Probably even reverse their direction, cleanly skin them out and tan and then fold the hide, all with one simple trigger pull!

No need to go for big, expensive bear guns with those stainless-steel ported Marlins around (BTW, there was nothing wrong with the Weatherby; it was just too nice looking a fine rifle to be dragging it into and out of trucks and helos! Roy Wby. would have been most upset! Oh, and it does kick like a demented mule without any sort of M-Brake on it! Ouch! And cover your ears as well!).

Jist me two-bitz worth! Happy bear hunting, but always check your "6"! Oh, and don't forget Mesa's bear shootin' rule neither!

 

[TheHardWay]

Probably even reverse their direction, cleanly skin them out and tan and then fold the hide, all with one simple trigger pull!

Now that's funny right there

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I agree with the 340 wby. It was my long range rifle for several years. Shot a griz in BC at a quarter mile and dropped him in his tracks. Shot him again using your rule. he never got back up.

 

[Trickymissfit]

My long-ago background was as a bear biologist. I started out working with polar bears, then went on to study grizz and lots of black bears in B.C., the Yukon, the NWT and finally Alaska. As well as time in Churchill, Manitoba ("The Polar Bear Capitol of the World!" or so it says...).

I initially carried a .44 mag S&W sidearm for personal protection , but with standard factory 240gr loads that proved to be a bust. For rifles, first I carried a .308, and many of the Provincial boys carried 30-06s and even .303s (this was, after all, in Canada!). One, a senior biologist, only carried a 6" bbl'd Ruger revolver in .357 Mag. An optimist I suppose...

(Now, I lug a .454 Casull around, but ONLY if I have to... Lord, talk about recoil!)

Eventually however, in about 1976 I ordered and bought a brand-new semi-custom Weatherby (left-handed) in .340WM. (BTW, that cost me... wayyhhhtttt foritttt.... $472 in Canada! "Please sir, can I have some more?").

An awesome choice to be sure, and ballistically nearly identical to the .338 Lapua. Shot 3 rounds of Norma factory ammo into 3/4" @ 100 yds too! Only had to use it once on a wounded polar bear, which I potted from a nice safe helicopter, but the effects, from about 40 feet above him, were truly amazing: It was pretty much like someone had pulled out all four of his legs at the same time, and he was down. Then I shot him again, just for security.

(PS: Mesarifle's Rule: NEVER shoot a bear just once!).

Later, when I was dealing with more blacks and the occasional grizz, I switched to a new Marlin 1895, with my own conservative but potent 45-70 handloads: the 350 gr Hornady Flat Point in front of some 3031 for a measured V of 1950 fps @ the muzzle. That ABSOLUTELY took care of over 25 black and one grizz bear, definitively. That was at least 25 yrs ago, and now you can get those LeverEvolution 325gr (@ about 2300 fps! Wow) rounds, or some CorBons or Belt Mountain loads, all of which will ABSOLUTELY stop any bear, and even a Cape Buffalo, in their tracks. Probably even reverse their direction, cleanly skin them out and tan and then fold the hide, all with one simple trigger pull!

No need to go for big, expensive bear guns with those stainless-steel ported Marlins around (BTW, there was nothing wrong with the Weatherby; it was just too nice looking a fine rifle to be dragging it into and out of trucks and helos! Roy Wby. would have been most upset! Oh, and it does kick like a demented mule without any sort of M-Brake on it! Ouch! And cover your ears as well!).

Jist me two-bitz worth! Happy bear hunting, but always check your "6"! Oh, and don't forget Mesa's bear shootin' rule neither!

I used to pack a .444 Marlin with 330 grain bullets on fishing trips in bear country. I liked the gun and the 330 grain bullet just like my dentest did! But a guide was using one and got mauled by a big grizzley (I later found out the guide was using factory 240 grain loads!). I made the switch to a ported 450 Marlin Guide Gun. Now my dentest really likes that gun! But I have all the confidence in the world with it. Trying to build a load with the Speer 400 grain bullet. Last time out I was hitting 1925 fps, and it was close to a max load. I'm only good for about five shots off the bench, so it's kind of a slow process! And the blast clears out my end of the shooting range in a rapid fashion!
gary