A Serious Question

[MagnumManiac]

@lancetkenyon
I could choose my 25-06, it's a fully worked over Ruger M77 MKII, blued/wood stock, fully bedded, pillars with 2lb Timney trigger, but at 10lbs unloaded it is a burden to carry and optics are as old as the rifle.
Still capable, just not modern enough. Shoots 1/4-3/8MoA all the time, and is perfect from a solid stable rest. Still quite capable from sitting, no recoil, swings well and with it's 4-12x40 scope it's doable to 500, 600 may be a bit of a stretch…

Cheers.

 

[quandary]

I would like to add that mean radius is a significantly more meaningful measure when thinking about shooting at game. For example I just finished load development for the Barnes 160LRX in my 7PRC at the 100 yard distance. Long range comes next. In any event my 8 shot verification group was .61 MOA (I do not think over a bigger group it would be better than 1). But more importantly the the MR was .23. To me that is a significantly more meaningful number. Using the 600 yard example above that would put me in a mean radius, read cone of fire, of a 1.2" radius circle around my point of aim. That is a dead animal.

 

[Teri Anne]

Well, to each their own, however, I was referencing both Grizzly and Alaskan Brown Bears. Griz and Brownies have been and continue to be killed by 9mm, 357, 44 Mag, 10 MM and the big bore pistols on what appears to be a regular basis under less than optimum conditions like "Being rushed by a mad MaMa or ****ed off boar." While hunting the hunter relies on well-placed shots, at reasonable ranges, with bullets entering the chest cavity and disrupting the heart and lungs just like any other big game animal.

I am not sure whether it was Field and Stream or Outdoor Life. Several years ago there was an account of a hunter being guided on a bear hunt on Kodiak Island. During the planning stage the guide asked the client what rifle he would be using. The client replied, 243. Cutting to the chase, the client did in fact take a nice Brown Bear with his 243 with one well placed shot. If I remember correctly, about 100 yards. Now I am sure that the guide had him backed up with at least a 338 mag or larger rifle, but the fact remains that life is fragile. Interrupt the normal functioning, especially of the heart and lungs and it dies a rapid death.

Now putting all of this in perspective, I have a 6.8 Western and with 170 gr bullets, i believe it would be a reasonable rifle to hunt big bears with. Conversely, I also have a 338 Win Mag. If you were to ask me, which one I would take on a big bear hunt what do you think my answer would be?

I know a few of you didn't believe my comment about the Alaska Guide letting a hunter use a 243 to hunt a Brown Bear. I came across this passage from a Ron Spoomer Outdoors interview with an Alaska Bear Guide. The guide asked the same questions as the guide who allowed the 243 on a hunt. Here is the e from the interview with the guide about what rifle to use.



Not a 243, but I believe it is the same guide.