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New Alaska Rifle Tips?
- Thread starter Dutch Jennings
- Start date
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I m kinda in the same boat as the op. Hope to be moving to Alaska in the next couple of years and I am a lefty too. Pretty much narrowed my choices down to the 35 whelen,338/06, and 375h&h. I plan on trying the whelen first. 500 might be stretching it but it's pretty rare that I can't get to within 400 yards of something. You could get your 06 rebored to 338 or 35, but I would keep it for general hunting and add a bigger bore for when your in areas more prone to having bear problems. The 3-9 conquest used to sell for 400 back in the day-- but the ones I 've seen lately are much higher now.
Dutch Jennings
Well-Known Member
Never actually thought of building one so that's an idea. I've built some ARs, which went well and was fun, but they are modular and fairly easy to do if you order the right components to begin with. Building my own bolt gun might be a bridge too far as I'm not exactly a machinist or gunsmith. Maybe if I had somebody nearby who knew what they were doing advising me (looking over my shoulder!) it could be a feasible project.didnt see you were a lefty!!! welcome to the group!!I too found it a "pita" to find a decent rifle.....so I just built one. found a few actions you can start with, barrel of your choice (I like my Brux barrels) and a decent stock...
http://www.gaprecision.net/templar-action.html
http://northlandshooterssupply.com/actions/remington/
home page for Brux
https://www.bruxbarrels.com/
bugholes has a few barrels on hand in 338 if thats your choice of cal.
http://www.bugholes.com/category-s/1885.htm
https://www.hsprecision.com/shop2/r...0-left-hand-bdl-varmint-contour-stock-psv069/
Dutch Jennings
Well-Known Member
If you really like sticking your neck out you could be the first...I'll just sit back and watch LOL
Dutch Jennings
Well-Known Member
Still researching and waiting to see if I actually am offered the job up there and get "da wife" on board with the move to AK. If that doesn't happen then my trusty old '06 can get me through any hunts I plan in the near future.
While searching for something else today, I came across this from the Alaska Fish & Game website. I thought it was appropriate for this discussion:
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.firearms
Excerpt is as follows...
Big Magnums Not Needed
The rifle you bring hunting should be one with which you are comfortable. Because of the presence of brown and grizzly bears, many hunters have been convinced that a .300, .338, .375, or .416 magnum is needed for personal protection and to take large Alaska game. This is simply not true. The recoil and noise of these large cartridges is unpleasant at best and plainly painful to many shooters. It is very difficult to concentrate on shot placement when your brain and body remembers the unpleasant recoil and noise which occurs when you pull the trigger on one of the big magnums.
The two most common complaints of professional Alaska guides are hunters who are not in good physical condition and hunters who cannot accurately shoot their rifles. Because these hunters do not practice enough they cannot shoot accurately enough. They miss their best chance at taking their dream animal or worse yet, they wound and lose an animal. Most experienced guides prefer that a hunter come to camp with a .270 or .30-06 rifle they can shoot well rather than a shiny new magnum that has been fired just enough to get sighted-in. If you are going to hunt brown bear on the Alaska Peninsula or Kodiak Island, a .30-06 loaded with 200- or 220-grain Nosler® or similar premium bullet will do the job with good shot placement. Only consider using a .300, .338 or larger magnum if you can shoot it as well as you can the .30-06.
It is very popular now to purchase large magnum rifles equipped with a muzzle brake. Most muzzle brakes are very effective at reducing recoil. A .375 magnum with a muzzle brake recoils much like a .30-06. Before convincing yourself that you should use a muzzle-braked rifle, consider its disadvantages. A muzzle-brake increases the muzzle blast and noise to levels that quickly damage the ear. Even when just sighting in or practicing, everyone near you at the range will find the blast and noise bothersome. Anyone near the muzzle brake when the rifle is fired may suffer hearing loss or physical damage to the ear. An increasing number of guides will not allow a hunter to use a muzzle brake because of the danger of hearing loss.
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.firearms
Excerpt is as follows...
Big Magnums Not Needed
The rifle you bring hunting should be one with which you are comfortable. Because of the presence of brown and grizzly bears, many hunters have been convinced that a .300, .338, .375, or .416 magnum is needed for personal protection and to take large Alaska game. This is simply not true. The recoil and noise of these large cartridges is unpleasant at best and plainly painful to many shooters. It is very difficult to concentrate on shot placement when your brain and body remembers the unpleasant recoil and noise which occurs when you pull the trigger on one of the big magnums.
The two most common complaints of professional Alaska guides are hunters who are not in good physical condition and hunters who cannot accurately shoot their rifles. Because these hunters do not practice enough they cannot shoot accurately enough. They miss their best chance at taking their dream animal or worse yet, they wound and lose an animal. Most experienced guides prefer that a hunter come to camp with a .270 or .30-06 rifle they can shoot well rather than a shiny new magnum that has been fired just enough to get sighted-in. If you are going to hunt brown bear on the Alaska Peninsula or Kodiak Island, a .30-06 loaded with 200- or 220-grain Nosler® or similar premium bullet will do the job with good shot placement. Only consider using a .300, .338 or larger magnum if you can shoot it as well as you can the .30-06.
It is very popular now to purchase large magnum rifles equipped with a muzzle brake. Most muzzle brakes are very effective at reducing recoil. A .375 magnum with a muzzle brake recoils much like a .30-06. Before convincing yourself that you should use a muzzle-braked rifle, consider its disadvantages. A muzzle-brake increases the muzzle blast and noise to levels that quickly damage the ear. Even when just sighting in or practicing, everyone near you at the range will find the blast and noise bothersome. Anyone near the muzzle brake when the rifle is fired may suffer hearing loss or physical damage to the ear. An increasing number of guides will not allow a hunter to use a muzzle brake because of the danger of hearing loss.
Dutch Jennings
Well-Known Member
Wow, very helpful to know this info from Alaska Fish & Game dept. One reason I was looking at getting a bigger rifle was to also get one in stainless with a synthetic/composite stock that was weather proof. My 30-06 is a blued finish with a nice wood stock, which I've been able to preserve surprisingly well over the years, so I didn't want to ruin it in all the rainy weather up there. Just one more part of the equation, thanks much for sharing!
alcesgigas
Well-Known Member
Double digits for moose, caribou, bear, & deer. All with 270 and 140 (and earlier with 150) GN Barnes. Two brown bears shot with 375; one in a cabin the other back yard visitor raiding my cache. The latter I had to resort to shooting from the roof peak to get a safe angle to shoot. I hunt everything with my 270; I clean up problems with my 375.
Here's my .02c worth. I ain't been grizzly hunting, although I would like go, however unless an unknown relative leaves me a great inheritance, that isn't going to happen. I have four friends who live in town, all four have been hunting Alaska grizzly bear for decades. These guys are well known and respected as hunters; one is a registered Alaskan guide. Many years ago I asked one of them what they used for their bear hunting expeditions, I was told that they all used .300WinMags. I questioned if that was enough horse-power for grizzly and was assured that the WinMag was more than adequate. About six-years ago one of the hunting party shot a grizzly, close range, it ran off into the alders. The hunter/s waited for around ninety-minutes and went to look for the grizzly. While tracking the animal, it came charging out of the alders at a very close range, the hunter shot the grizzly, and tried to throw another round in the rifle, only to find the rifle had jammed; the Browning extractor failed. The bear was on the hunter, mauled him, nearly killed him as it took days to get him out of the bush due to inclement weather. Long story short, they all now hunt with controlled feed, .338Win Mags.
https://turnto10.com/archive/rhode-island-man-mauled-by-bear-in-alaska
I hunt black bear with a 35 Whelen or .358 Winchester, I suspect that some will state that the Whelen is more than adequate for grizzly. I concur that it "probably" is enough for grizzly, but "for me" I would rather have a .338 WinMag, 375 Ruger, or even a .358 Norma mag for grizzly, or.........anything that can claw and chew me up when I am hundred/s of miles and hours away from a medical facility; if I'm lucky enough to make it. If i were to go on a hunt I would build a .358 Norma mag because I know that I can shoot one better than the .338WinMag due to recoil.
Your choices seem to be (1) Bud's Guns shop for the .375 Ruger or .338RemMag (2) find a left hand donor/rifle and have it rebored/rebarreled, (3) build a rifle from scratch (if you have the time and money) (4) if you are okay with single shot a Thompson Encore with in .375 ought to fill the bill. I believe that is you Google Mike Bellm he ought to be able to help you out with this choice. I believe that there is a cover story on the forum who used just that rifle for an Alaskan bear hunt; "Grizzly for Breakfast". Personally I would opt out of the Thompson unless it was my only option, I'd want more than one shot in my rifle.
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Dutch Jennings
Well-Known Member
My first shotgun was a single shot Ithaca 12ga (which I still have as my turkey gun) and I shot my first whitetail with it. But a bear is not something I'd go after with a single shot either, no way.
Dutch Jennings
Well-Known Member
If I ever go after a griz I'm pretty sure I'll have me a .375, probably the Ruger as they are one of the few that make them in left hand.
COBrad
Well-Known Member
I guided elk hunters for 38 years. Granted they were elk not grizzlies. Every year hunters would ask if they needed a magnum and I would ask if they were currently shooting one. Usually the answer was no so the advice was bring your deer rifle, the one you KNOW you shoot well. The vast majority of our missed or bad shots were made with magnums. All that power is worthless if you can't control it, and I mean right now, no deep breathing to prepare yourself, no getting all set up on the rest. We're not an average bunch of shooters on this sight, but IMO the majority of shooters can't reach the potential of a 308, much less a magnum anything. It's easy to talk big and imagine ourselves mastering the big guns, on the internet. Go buy one and start shooting it, regularly, from improvised field positions. Some will do well quickly, most will give them up unless willing to take the time and frequent practice to master their new thunder stick. Sometimes the best tool isn't the biggest. A man's gotta know his limits.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Montana M1999 in .375 Ruger with a decent muzzle brake and you'll have everything you'll ever need for large/dangerous game and they are a lot of fun to shoot.
I'm not that tough and the .375R worried me a bit until I actually put a few rounds down range with it and I quickly found I loved it. I've now owned four of them, still have two, and gave two to friends and family.
My Favorite is a custom Model 70, next is the M1999.
The only thing lighter I'd even consider is the .300 Rum and of course I shoot four of them as well.
Absent the big Brown Bears the 6.5's and 7's can certainly do the job but with big bears in the mix I'd vote for the bigger bullets and massive energy on impact.
Jeffrey Van Zandt
Well-Known Member
I take anything that Alaska Fish and game puts out with a grain of Salt
