Alaska caliber (338 or 30 cal)?

Bigwilly556

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I'm starting to plan my dream Alaskan hunt. The menu will include will include brown bear (of some type) and moose. Several guides I've been interviewing really prefer or even require 338 and above. Some understand shooting a large magnum is not for everyone and will accommodate 30-06 and up as they'd rather you feel comfortable and accurate than blasting away with a magnum.

I have never owned a big bore magnum before nor shot one. I've killed all sorts of critters with my 45-70 marlin with 405s at 1800 fps+. I'm not necessarily recoil sensitive but rather not get the crap kicked out of myself when practicing. This will also be a double duty long range elk gun for when in the lower 48.

Requirements.
Non belted, bdl compatible, a 22 inch maybe 24 inch barrel, #10 +/- and not a complete barrel burner.

I'm looking at the following calibers:
338 rum
338 norma
300 prc
30-06

Calibers I already own:
6.5 prc
308 win
45-70

Any experience and advice would be appreciated.
 

hodgeman

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It seems the medium and big bores are falling out of favor. In the 20+ years I've hunted AK, I'm seeing fewer and fewer .338s and up out in the field.

I know a ton of resident hunters, myself included, who hunt everything with a 300 of some flavor. For every guy I know still packing a .338 or .375...I know 10+ who are toting a 300WM.
 
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I'm starting to plan my dream Alaskan hunt. The menu will include will include brown bear (of some type) and moose. Several guides I've been interviewing really prefer or even require 338 and above. Some understand shooting a large magnum is not for everyone and will accommodate 30-06 and up as they'd rather you feel comfortable and accurate than blasting away with a magnum.

I have never owned a big bore magnum before nor shot one. I've killed all sorts of critters with my 45-70 marlin with 405s at 1800 fps+. I'm not necessarily recoil sensitive but rather not get the crap kicked out of myself when practicing. This will also be a double duty long range elk gun for when in the lower 48.

Requirements.
Non belted, bdl compatible, a 22 inch maybe 24 inch barrel, #10 +/- and not a complete barrel burner.

I'm looking at the following calibers:
338 rum
338 norma
300 prc
30-06

Calibers I already own:
6.5 prc
308 win
45-70

Any experience and advice would be appreciated.
If you don't like recoil but want a magnum to shoot accurately I'd suggest getting something like a 300 prc, 30 Nos, or 33 Nos with a 20" barrel and a suppressor
If you don't handload the 300 prc suppressed is what I'd use.
The suppressor is really a game changer with magnums, especially if shooting fast in thick stuff
 

Steve O

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Most brown bear guide don’t want you to shoot over 100 yards. I bet most would love to take a guy who is very familiar with the 45-70. That would do the job WELL on anything in Alaska, especially bears. Brown Bear specific ideal is .375 H&H or Ruger. All around 300 Mag of any kind or 30-06 will do just fine.
 
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Bigwilly556

Bigwilly556

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Most brown bear guide don’t want you to shoot over 100 yards. I bet most would love to take a guy who is very familiar with the 45-70. That would do the job WELL on anything in Alaska, especially bears. Brown Bear specific ideal is .375 H&H or Ruger. All around 300 Mag of any kind or 30-06 will do just fine.
I'd love to use my 45-70 but the guide's haven't been to receptive to the idea this far. Interviewing guides is at the early stages though.
 
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Bigwilly556

Bigwilly556

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If you don't like recoil but want a magnum to shoot accurately I'd suggest getting something like a 300 prc, 30 Nos, or 33 Nos with a 20" barrel and a suppressor
If you don't handload the 300 prc suppressed is what I'd use.
The suppressor is really a game changer with magnums, especially if shooting fast in thick stuff
I have an ultra 5 gen 2 in jail as we speak for my 16.5 308. I do handload so that's not an issue. 300 prc is definitely at the top of my list.
 
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I have an ultra 5 gen 2 in jail as we speak for my 16.5 308. I do handload so that's not an issue. 300 prc is definitely at the top of my list.
I shoot a 7 SAUM because it does everything I need it to. . . seems like it ought to be enough for moose and brown bear.

However, my buddy runs a 300 PRC. With a can the recoil on a 8-9 pound gun is easy to handle (nothing compared to a 45-70). If a 230 grain bullet going 2850 isn't enough juice to kill your quarry . . . I don't know if you really want to hunt it.
 

kjw

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Considering the use also for elk, I’d go 338 RUM. Do your research and put a good break on it. I have a terminator t3 on my 338 LM and I can shoot it as many times as I want. Minimal recoil.
 
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I have a terminator t3 on my 338 LM and I can shoot it as many times as I want. Minimal recoil.
Yeah but maximum concussion/blast.
I quit hunting with brakes a few years ago and would never go back.
There's nothing wrong with a 338, but once you hit .30 you're at the point of diminishing returns.
 
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If you are hunting Grizz or small brownies I wouldn’t worry about it. They are thin skinned. Moose are not that tough either


Now if you are going for a 10’ bear on Kodiak or the Peninsula then bigger is better! A 375 would be the ticket.

What’s your max range with the 45-70? That’s a thumper up close!


For a future elk rifle the 300 PRC will work 99% of the time. The 338 rum or edge would really let you reach out there and touch them though, but will burn excessive powder etc. I would say those are for the dedicated shooter types competing 1000+ yards.

I don’t see the need for a 30-06 with your current rifles. So a 30 cal magnum makes the most sense to me…
 

Jimss

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I have a 300 WSM that I use for everything. Mtn goats are known to be tough to put on the ground and every one I've shot has only taken 1 bullet! I use my 300 WSM for everything from pronghorn to elk sized game...no problem. It may be a little light for brown bear?
 
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If I was buying today, I would take a hard look at the 300 PRC. You could load it down when you wanted to.

Since I set up my large heavy rifle many years ago, I went with (and still use) the 338 Win Mag. My set up is with a 225 grain AB at 2900 fps. Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x42 FDD.
 
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Pass on the 30-06 as it’s incrementally better than your 308. Others are a bit overkill and may have limited functionality on other hunts.

I’d do the 300 PRC.

But go with what you can shoot well and not what your ego says to (this last part is generic and not directed at a specific individual). Just seen enough guys bring guns they’re scared to death of and it looks like they’re being electrocuted come shot time.
 

Shraggs

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For those critters have you considered a 35 whelen, 350 Remington mag or 358 win?

All thumb like your 4570 but with substantially longer range.
 
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