Alaskan Guide Rifle

[David Emerson]

I still have that rifle. I am saving to go with Rob Dunham for buffalo. The barrel is only .750 at the muzzle. I am going to call Carson and have him make me a 6 contour at .825. That will help.

7 contour I mean

 

[David Emerson]

Another thought. Woodleigh makes a 350 protected point in 375. Your gun would push it in that 26 range. Be good for up close and nasty.

 

[remingtonman]

Ok guys. I got some good news. The boss wants me to start guiding Brown Bear hunts in our area on the Alaskan Peninsula. Starting this May!! I couldn't be more excited and willing to learn this endeavor. The big bears have always fascinated me.
I have my 375 RBH that I've been using up in the Alaska arctic to guide with. I had to use a 1 type fits all bullet because of the dynamics involved with multiple species and distances involved if I had to dispatch a wounded animal. So I was using the 281 grain Hammer hunter. I now have a 338 RBH coming to fill that roll. Now the 375 becomes a dedicated Brown Bear guide rifle. I'll be pulling the 3x15 nightforce off it and transferring it to the 338 RBH. I have a 2x10 nightforce to put on the 375 now.
I am thinking the 299 sledge hammer for the 375 is the top choice for its new duties. But I'm wondering if I should have a 305 claw hammer ready in the pipe for those times a charge may take place in the searching for a wounded Bear in the thick alders if and when it happens.
What say you guys?
I've made my mind up as you can tell but I'm interested in hearing your input on this

just curious have you had any brown bears charge yet? What was the outcome? I've never hunted them but enjoy hearing the adventure of others

 

[RH300UM]

just curious have you had any brown bears charge yet? What was the outcome? I've never hunted them but enjoy hearing the adventure of others

No on the browns yes on arctic grizzly which all where bluff charges.

 

[RH300UM]

RH300UM,

Salivating at the idea of supplying a guide service. We build 375 WSM and 458 WSM that would make great guide guns. 18" Barrels. Bolt, Lever, AR Variant. Suppressor/No Suppressor.

375 WSM ballistics are very similar to 375 Ruger usually exceed 375 H&H.

458 WSM usually exceeds factory offers of 458 WIN MAG. Bother very versatile, light bullets, heavy bullets, solids, and subsonics. Now I do not recommend using a 725gr Subsonic as a backup to Brown Bear. HAHAHA.

Check out our website and calibers. We are offering a full refund to the first person who uses it on Brown or Grizzly and gets it on video. So hey, it may end up being free. A bunch of companies also make ammo besides us but the even better part, we show you how to make it yourself. Choices are almost endless.

Check us out. 375 WSM info will be up soon. Let us know if you have any questions.

https://vasilentarsenal.com/458-wsm

V/r,

Richie

"Send It, Quietly"

A polite no thanks.
The custom rifle I have now was given to me by a very good and respected rifle builder. This is my second guide rifle he has built me.

 

[RH300UM]

 

[RH300UM]

Fair enough. Simple statements read a lot easier than ones that are over the top. Not sure if I should take offense or not.

No offense was intended.

 

[hawg chaser]

I guess the main concern is to protect a client and yourself with this rifle . I have no experience with big bears so my advice is worth every dime your paying for it. However you may want to check out the Remington 7600 carbine in 35 Whelen. With a 250 grain Nosler Partition your getting about 3000 lbs of energy and four rounds of ammo . It is a compact rifle and easy to carry but the most important factor is that it gives you fast follow up shots and puts a lot of bone crushing power in a fast handling carbine. It's also a clip fed rifle so reloading is as easy as putting in another clip!

If you decide to go the Remington 7600 carbine 35 whelen route, grice gun shop in clearfield, pa has a special run of them right now. They have synthetic stocks and are available with cercoat(spelling?) metal. No matter what you choose I would seriously consider staying with iron sights. When things are close and fast in heavy cover, optics of any kind are more of a liability than an advantage in my experience.

 

[Greyfox]

If it was me and had to have a dedicated big bear stopper I would probably have a 458 or 416 of sorts. I mean the 338's and 375's have been proven time and time again and you have more experience dealing with big fuzzy Volkswagens than me but like I said if it were me and needed a dedicated peninsula big rig it would be a 22" 458 or 416 shooting A-frames that will travel from nose to tail! I mean there's a reason most PH's use 505 gibbs and big 416 or 458

I concur with this. Worst case, the shot(s) will be at +1000 pounds of adrenaline charged fur, teeth and claws at spitting distance. I haven't hunted the big bears, but some decades ago, with African Lion and Cape Buffalo at spitting distance, I observed a meaningful difference in stopping power between a .375 and the big bores(ie 458). This 480 gr Woodleigh SP from my 450NE penetrated from stem to stern and was recovered under the hind quarters hide with +90% weight retention. The lethally hit Lion was at 21 paces paces with a enough juice left in him after a lethal shot to do some serious damage. The Woodleigh did its job killing instantly. "Maybe" my 375 would have produced the same result. I can't speak from experience with the big bears, but from everything I've heard, when hit they are at the very least as formidable if not more-so in disposition, with over twice the mass of a a Lion. I have been contemplating a big bear hunt. As a guided hunter, I would likely consider the 375 for ballistic flexibility. I think I would prefer my guide have something bigger should things go wrong. If I'm mistaken in my viewpoints, I'm anxious to be educated.

 

[David Emerson]

I agree. Size matters. When I lived there I built a 416 weatherby just before Ed introduced it. I didn,t like the 378. The 460 kills you too. So I split the difference. used a 17 enfield worked over and a 25 inch Lilja. 2750 with Jack Carters old trophy bonded 400 grain. That rifle hit so much harder than a 375. People snickered at me for building such a beast. I can tell you from experience a big bear up close and you can hear them but not see them is an inspiring experience. At that moment you wonder what you are doing there and not having a bazooka or rpg in your hands. On the other hand Pinnel and Talifson used standard 375 and killed more bears in their life than anyone. They said the 375 might not kill them outright up close but they would turn them and give you time for another shot. I prefer the bigger rifle. Laying in bed with 400 stitches or dead and cold is not my idea of fun.

 

[memtb]

Greyfox and David Emerson, I agree with your comments near 100%. The following was my answer, posted on a different website, to virtually the same question! memtb


This is just my 2cents, for what it's worth. If you are guiding, you are "not" the hunter, you guide and then offer "back-up" when/if things go bad. In my estimation, going bad will be a "up close and personal" situation. While the cartridges you mentioned are great hunting cartridges......there are better "stopping" cartridges. Personally, I'd look at .416's up through the .458's as " stopping cartridges"!

 

[David Emerson]

Greyfox and David Emerson, I agree with your comments near 100%. The following was my answer, posted on a different website, to virtually the same question! memtb


This is just my 2cents, for what it's worth. If you are guiding, you are "not" the hunter, you guide and then offer "back-up" when/if things go bad. In my estimation, going bad will be a "up close and personal" situation. While the cartridges you mentioned are great hunting cartridges......there are better "stopping" cartridges. Personally, I'd look at .416's up through the .458's as " stopping cartridges"!

Why I suggested to the young man a 1x6 scope. Oh well. You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make them drink.

 

[David Emerson]

Greyfox and David Emerson, I agree with your comments near 100%. The following was my answer, posted on a different website, to virtually the same question! memtb


This is just my 2cents, for what it's worth. If you are guiding, you are "not" the hunter, you guide and then offer "back-up" when/if things go bad. In my estimation, going bad will be a "up close and personal" situation. While the cartridges you mentioned are great hunting cartridges......there are better "stopping" cartridges. Personally, I'd look at .416's up through the .458's as " stopping cartridges"!

Just ask Ed Stevenson. He once had a bear stepping on his chest in a stream.That was the end of the 375 for him.

 

[memtb]

David, I'm pretty old school, and I grew up with Elmer Keith as one of my gun writer heroes. Elmer supposedly was once asked what he considered the perfect cartridge, he answer was something like this......"something that would throw a campstove at 3000 fps". I follow that philosophy, a little bit. My only hunting rifle is a .375 cal., moving 270's at 3K or 250's at 3130. It's worked for me for almost 30 years. But, if I want a "stopping" rifle.....I'll go for more cubic inches! Note my signature line! memtb