Alaska rifle - Short Barrel Caliber

[tilltheend]

Looking at a new lightweight, short barrel build. Have a cabin in AK, mostly chasing moose in the jet boat, tundra fly in caribou, blacktails when we head down to Kodiak. The question I have is in comparing muzzle velocity on 2 cartridges the 338RPM 185 gr 18" 2860FPS and a 7BC 190 gr 16" 2770FPS Both have "similar" muzzle velocities, I assume 18" on the 7BC would be faster by a bit. The ballistics charts I've seen have them within a .5" drop at 300yards and 2" at 400. I assume the 7BC carries more speed and energy downrange due to diameter, but with brown bears in the backyard "there is no replacement for displacement" comes to mind. Not set on these calibers, Weatherby went all in on the short barrel 338 a few years back and has some info on their site, and 7BC came out as the short barrel answer, but what advantage does it really have in this scenario? I can build both sub 6lbs MKV TI 338 RPM comes in closer to 5.3 lbs, I reload so ammo cost is not a huge deal, short overall length for the super fun AK brush is a priority. Also, this is hunting rifle, not a bench rest punching paper rifle, with conditions 500 is max,probably closer to 3-400 in real life. Common sense says to build a 300WM in 20", be able to buy ammo at the hardware store.... Thanks!

 

[Sako76]

I’m going on a fly-in moose hunt in Alaska this year. I will probably take my Ruger Alaskan in 375 Ruger shooting 250 grain Barnes TTSX at 2650 fps. If you want a flatter shooting bullet, you can drop down to the 235 grain bullet. Look up the ballistics on Double Tap Ammo’s website, their bullets are going faster!

Ruger is making a Lipsey run of stainless/laminated 9.3x62 and 35 Whelen rifles. I would take a hard look at the 9.3x62, I have a Gen 1 African in this caliber and it shoots cloverleafs with 250 grain Nosler Accubonds.