bullfrog
Well-Known Member
I would recommend the 375 H&H for its long tapered case that feeds very well. I tried the 375 Ruger and that rifle went down the road after it jammed.
Dangerous Game Rifle Recommendations?
- Thread starter One Hole
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Interestingly, one of the greatest attributes of the double is the fitting which gives instant sight alignment and recovery upon firing. If you have the time you can get two aimed shots in under one second. Not much different from a well fitted sxs bird gun. The bullet, at close range goes right where your eyes are looking. The straight stock and barrel orientation recovers instantly. With a low pressure big bore round like a .400 Jeffrey, 470, 450H&H, etc, felt recoil is akin to a 20 ga. shotgun. Having said this, I know a PH that specializes in lion hunting by tracking which means that the shooting is generally at very close range. He swears by his 458 Wesley Richards Mauser and has successfully stopped countless charges over a 30+ year period. But, it is the only rifle or shotgun that he has fired over this entire period. He is lightning fast with that bolt, and amazingly accurate. A lion can cover 100 yards from a dead stop in 3.5 seconds and comes in very low with a non linear path. Most of his charges were stopped from a kneeling position in order to get level. When I first spoke to him about a lion hunt he told me that the first thing we would do is shoot. If I couldn't put 4 shots in a coffee can in 5 seconds or less at 50 ft I would not be prepared to hunt lions with him! I could do it but I had to have my old H&H Dominion tightened because I loosened it from all the practice. It did do the job on a lion at close quarters though. This was an experience that took place over 20 years ago and will remain vivid to my dying day!
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
years back I always carried a .444 loaded with 300 grain solid nosed bullets at near max loads. Recoil was serious, but still not unmanageable (similar to a 3.5" slug gun). While in Montana a guide was mauled by a grizzly while carrying a .444. Used 240 or 265 grain bullets. I switched to the .450. Much more recoil!! Still I regained my confidence. I'm now working on a 400 grain load using the Speer bullet, and trust me the pain is something else. A 350 grain bullet in whatever caliber should consider minimum, but that 300 grain bullet was built like a tank. Still your not looking at anything over 75 yards, and really under fifty is about right. Accuracy is not the real issue, but a swift handling rifle. Bolt guns don't cut it! Otherwise something like a .358 Norma mag is all you need.
gary
fmajor
Well-Known Member
that. is. awesome.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
To elaborate on this, for dangerous game hunting where most if not all shots are planed I would prefer something like a 416 or larger.
But for a charging Alaskan brown bear, Planed shots are not possible and to late so I would recommend something that has a lot of close range stopping power with Iron sites and fast handling
also something that could be reloaded on the run and without much thought.
A leaver or a pump has all of these features and enough accuracy for the distance it would be used.
They are not all that heavy, especially if you can find a shorter version (Scout rifle)and they are very robust.
I have owned many leaver guns and they are/can be very powerful. I still prefer bolt action rifles for there accuracy, but the lever guns served me well and if I lived in remote Alaska I would surely own
and carry one (Probably a 444 or 450 marlin because of the power they wield.
J E CUSTOM
The tried and trusted 375 H&H would be a great choice. You'd also have the ability to buy ammo overseas with more common calibers. If you aren't worried about that, I've always thought the 470 Capstick was a pretty cool dangerous game round.
Trickymissfit
Well-Known Member
I have seen several .444 Marlins shoot five shot groups in the MOA area. Brother has one that will actually go in the .90" area using 275 grain Barnes bullets. I shoot just under 1.25" groups with the 265 grain Hornaday bullet. The 300 grain bullet is closer to 1.38". Shooting off hand is not all that much larger in group size with practice. The .450 Marlin might be ever so slight tighter in group size, but after a few rounds you start to flinch. Factory 350 grain bullets seem to come in at the 1.38" mark.
I sorta feel the kill zone is roughly a four inch circle in the center of a bear's chest. At 75 feet it's huge, but your also wetting all over yourself<g>! If you have not hit him at forty feet, your probably toast. Sounds easy, but it ain't. He's moving at about twenty miles per hour towards you. With a typical bolt you might panic, and short bolt the round (happens). You only have to do it once, and don't worry there won't be a second chance. I can take the .444 with 300 grain bullets, and spit out four extremely quickly.
gary
engineer40
Well-Known Member
I was doing some research recently for my Dad on a cartridge to replace shooting 12 gauge slugs.
I came across some really interesting cartridges I had never looked at before. Most notably, last year a new cartridge was released called the 45 Raptor. It is actually a 460S&W Mag without the rim.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45_Raptor
It is a shorter case than the 45-70, but it operates at a much higher camber pressure, 65,000psi. And from what I could tell, more muzzle energy.
The cartridge was designed to work in AR10 platforms. There might be some hesitation to using a semi-auto for dangerous game. But in my mind, I would be just as nervous to use a double barrel rifle with only 2 shots. (Although that is a very sexy rifle and I would love to have one).
I have shot at least 400 rounds of reloaded ammo out of an AR platform and it has never had a misfire, failure to feed, or jam.
DPMS has a version of their AR10 G2 that is in the 7lb range.
They are currently selling 16 inch barrels for these which sounds about perfect for what you would need.
Gas operated semi autos also recoil less and allow you to stay on target better.
I have many more bolt actions than semi autos. I am definitely not an AR fan boy. But just thinking of your criteria, that 45 Raptor in a DPMS G2 and 16 inch barrel with muzzle brake may be a good fit.
One last thing; I do remember reading one time that over half of the fishing guides in Alaska carry 12 gauges loaded with slugs to protect against bears. I thought that was interesting. I'm assuming they are loaded with something like a Brenneke.
I came across some really interesting cartridges I had never looked at before. Most notably, last year a new cartridge was released called the 45 Raptor. It is actually a 460S&W Mag without the rim.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45_Raptor
It is a shorter case than the 45-70, but it operates at a much higher camber pressure, 65,000psi. And from what I could tell, more muzzle energy.
The cartridge was designed to work in AR10 platforms. There might be some hesitation to using a semi-auto for dangerous game. But in my mind, I would be just as nervous to use a double barrel rifle with only 2 shots. (Although that is a very sexy rifle and I would love to have one).
I have shot at least 400 rounds of reloaded ammo out of an AR platform and it has never had a misfire, failure to feed, or jam.
DPMS has a version of their AR10 G2 that is in the 7lb range.
They are currently selling 16 inch barrels for these which sounds about perfect for what you would need.
Gas operated semi autos also recoil less and allow you to stay on target better.
I have many more bolt actions than semi autos. I am definitely not an AR fan boy. But just thinking of your criteria, that 45 Raptor in a DPMS G2 and 16 inch barrel with muzzle brake may be a good fit.
One last thing; I do remember reading one time that over half of the fishing guides in Alaska carry 12 gauges loaded with slugs to protect against bears. I thought that was interesting. I'm assuming they are loaded with something like a Brenneke.
On a trip to Alaska in 2013 I asked our fishing guide what his defensive weapon of choice was and he said without a doubt a 12 gauge pump with a slug. He explained that this was a very devastating round up close. He convinced me. He said it would be like getting hit with a lug nut.
If I were to frequent the bush in AK, I would carry a short barreled 12 gauge. Jmo
If I were to frequent the bush in AK, I would carry a short barreled 12 gauge. Jmo
Again, thank you all for your replies.
I would absolutely love a custom, big bore double if someone made one in stainless, around 7lbs, with a muzzle break and under $10k. In coastal Alaska I have seen full stainless guns develop surface rust in one day. This is a rifle to sling over the shoulder while fishing or take along on while packing meat or keep in camp to deal with problem bears, moose...
Based on you inputs I have pretty much shifted my focus from .375s to .416+s but I keep coming back to the "single well placed shot". As far as a bear or moose charging this most likely the head or spine. So why not a big .30 with a solid bullet? In case that first shot doesn't do it why not a semi-auto. There are full stainless AR10s in 300 WinMag, 338 Win...
I would absolutely love a custom, big bore double if someone made one in stainless, around 7lbs, with a muzzle break and under $10k. In coastal Alaska I have seen full stainless guns develop surface rust in one day. This is a rifle to sling over the shoulder while fishing or take along on while packing meat or keep in camp to deal with problem bears, moose...
Based on you inputs I have pretty much shifted my focus from .375s to .416+s but I keep coming back to the "single well placed shot". As far as a bear or moose charging this most likely the head or spine. So why not a big .30 with a solid bullet? In case that first shot doesn't do it why not a semi-auto. There are full stainless AR10s in 300 WinMag, 338 Win...
