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.

 

[Dbevans]

Brown bears are easy to kill. 6.5cm at 550 yards. Shot 2 last year at 300 yards and 370 with 300wm and 270. Couldn’t tell the difference. We have a 20 inch 300wm as our main bear/moose gun but I’m probably getting a 6.5prc to replace it.

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[IrkedCitizen]

Neither of those cartridges would be my choice. No sense in using obscure cartridges.

I would choose 300prc or a 6mm of some kind.

This ammunition will kill everything on this planet.

Berger Match Grade 300 PRC Ammo 215 Grain Hybrid Target Jacketed

Berger Ammunition provides the most demanding hunter, competitive shooter and Mil/LE warfighter a precision-built performance product that is unequaled...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[thinhorn_AK]

308

 

[jbaav]

308

I'm no expert but 308 came to my mind as well for the range stated and it works well in shorter barrels.

 

[Slickhill]

If you want a big bore the plain old 375 H&H works pretty fine in short barrels. I had no problems getting 2500 from 300s out of the 20” PacNor on mine. Ammo is probably more available for it in AK than anywhere else on earth if you have to source a box in an emergency.
270gr spitzers more or less mimic trajectory of 180gr 30/06 loads out to 400-500yds.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you want a big bore the plain old 375 H&H works pretty fine in short barrels. I had no problems getting 2500 from 300s out of the 20” PacNor on mine. Ammo is probably more available for it in AK than anywhere else on earth if you have to source a box in an emergency.
270gr spitzers more or less mimic trajectory of 180gr 30/06 loads out to 400-500yds.

I have a short barreled 308 and a shorter 375hh (and shortened 30-06 and 6.5cm), the 308 is great in SE rain forests.

 

[yeti14]

SEAK here. 308 is what I use.

 

[as.ks.ak]

SEAK here too. I’ve killed both flavors of bear with 30 caliber rifles up to the trusty 45-70. Mostly with my 30-06 & 168 gr TTSX, though.

The .338 win mag kills them quite dead as well. It loves the 250 gr corelokts.. and that’s proven to be more than capable on sheep, goats, and bears.

As long as you understand the performance downrange of whatever load you choose, hit the boiler room and it won’t matter.


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[Seak_angler]

.308 for the win. Send it