Brooks Range Dall Sheep/ Grizzly Combo Rifle Selection

[mtwarden]

I might be getting pretty close to booking a Dall hunt and it seems a no brainer to pick up a grizzly license. I was fretting a bit as I was going to bring a .308 or .30-06 for sheep and thought I might be under gunned for grizzly. This thread has alleviated that concern; most likely 165 Accubonds

 

[Cspraggins]

I have a Kimber Montana 270 wsm that is a tack driver with 150 grain partitions at 3200 FPS. Gun sits just over 7lbs with scope and rings. I am heading for Dall and grizzly in 2023, and my guide said that is perfect medicine for the hunt.

I have a 7 mag, 300 wsm, and a 300 weatherby in the safe that were under consideration, but they are all pushing 9lbs as south Texas sendero rifles. Rather than tweaking those to shave weight, I plan to take the 270 and put the bullets where they count, god willing.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

For the Brooks range, I’d just take my normal sheep rifle, a Kimber Montana 308. A 150 or 168g ttsx behind a nice charge of H4895 would do the trick.

 

[jhm2023]

My go to rifle for everything in the Brooks for the past 9 years has been a Tikka superlite 7 rem mag shooting 140gt ttsx and a Cooper backcountry 7 rem mag with 145gr lrx. My wife always carries a Fieldcraft in 6.5 loaded with 127gr lrx. I've hunted with friends that have been successful in the Brooks with 25-06, 7mm-08 and 30-06 as well. I reluctantly sold my 7 mag to buy a Fierce CT edge in 28 Nosler and plan to load 155gr Hammer hunters. I didn't go to the 28 because I ever felt under gunned by any means. I only did it because I have a problem and get bored with guns and like trying new guns and working up new stuff on the loading bench. Plus I really like the Fierce edge rifles.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[InteriorAKPopsicle]

I want to get to the Brooks. I’ll be bringing my 280AI... but that is a 2022 hunt for sure. Even with no draws my 2021 hunts are done as I have no vacation time and am already committed to go with my hunt partner from last year on a Caribou.

 

[mtwarden]

I might be getting pretty close to booking a Dall hunt and it seems a no brainer to pick up a grizzly license. I was fretting a bit as I was going to bring a .308 or .30-06 for sheep and thought I might be under gunned for grizzly. This thread has alleviated that concern; most likely 165 Accubonds

I think I've decided to take an 06 and go with 180 Accubonds over the 165's.

 

[trapperJ]

I think I've decided to take an 06 and go with 180 Accubonds over the 165's.

Hard to beat a 180 in the '06 but I wouldn't be scared of the 165 Accubond. My girlfriend has used them for moose and they performed great. In my experience moose are much tougher on bullets than grizz.

 

[6mm Remington]

Hard to beat a 180 in the '06 but I wouldn't be scared of the 165 Accubond. My girlfriend has used them for moose and they performed great. In my experience moose are much tougher on bullets than grizz.

If your rifle already has a 165 gr. Accubond load that shoots very well I too would just leave it as you are good to go! I would have no qualms about going after a grizzly bear in that country. I used a 140 gr. Accubond in my 280AI for my 2019 grizzly bear. The 165 gr. is the only bullet I've shot in two 30-06 rifles. I shoot either the Partition or the Accubond. Both shoot great using the exact same load.

 

[mtwarden]

Hard to beat a 180 in the '06 but I wouldn't be scared of the 165 Accubond. My girlfriend has used them for moose and they performed great. In my experience moose are much tougher on bullets than grizz.

If your rifle already has a 165 gr. Accubond load that shoots very well I too would just leave it as you are good to go! I would have no qualms about going after a grizzly bear in that country. I used a 140 gr. Accubond in my 280AI for my 2019 grizzly bear. The 165 gr. is the only bullet I've shot in two 30-06 rifles. I shoot either the Partition or the Accubond. Both shoot great using the exact same load.

thanks Gents, more to ruminate on- of course at this juncture I've got two years to get it squared away

 

[6mm Remington]

My bear with my Guide Mike Lettis in the picture. One shot at 158 yards. 140 gr. Accubond!



280AI using IMR7828SSC. 3180 fps over the chronograph.

 

[6mm Remington]

I might be getting pretty close to booking a Dall hunt and it seems a no brainer to pick up a grizzly license. I was fretting a bit as I was going to bring a .308 or .30-06 for sheep and thought I might be under gunned for grizzly. This thread has alleviated that concern; most likely 165 Accubonds

I shoot the 165 gr. Accubond in my 30-06 with IMR4350 57.4 grs. It shoots great and I would have no qualms about using it on the hunt you are describing. It's at 2940 fps. out of my Ruger 1B with the 26" barrel.

 

[mtwarden]

Thanks- not hand loading anymore, but I've got several boxes of both Nosler loaded 165 and 180 Accubonds- going to see which one the rifle likes more

 

[NilsBackstrom]

I got a kimber montana 300 wsm. Father in law runs a kimber mountain ascent in 300 wsm. Both of us shoot Barnes ttsx 168 grain.

 

[7mm-08]

I personally Guide for Dalls, grizzly and caribou in the North Eastern Brooks Range. I also hunt personally every year as well. 40 days a year I avg in the Mtns during the 43 day sheep season.

I would 100 percent default to a lighter overall weight rifle than a heavy weight rifle shooting a hard kicking “flat shooting” rifle.

If I was on a grizzly hunt ONLY that changes my parameters. But a Dall/grizzlies combo.....6.5 Ceeedmore or better shooting Barnes/Parttions/Accubonds type bullets would be my minimum and would not feel ungergunned what so ever.

I’ve guided 44 successful Dall sheep hunts with 14 those of my own. 18 of those of those 44 successful have had grizzlies tags filled as well. A 300wm was the largest ever used! A 30/06/270/280 was the avg and the smallest was a 243. ALL were 1-3 shots with very little tracking involved.

The Brooks is a wide open country hunt. Your “field of fire” is large allowing follow up shots easily. Brush for these bears to get to is not like southern portions of AK. Not saying it’s not there but it is not the norm.

My personal favorite is a 270 shooting 129gr Barnes 129gr LRX and a close second a 7-08 ai shooting 145 gr Barnes LRX. ALL out of lightweight mid 6 pound rifles scope included.

The “far” shooting is out of the norm. Avg of the last 10 rams taken is under 250 yds. Bears 190 yards average.

Now THAT is a lot of experience!

 

[7mm-08]

I think I've decided to take an 06 and go with 180 Accubonds over the 165's.

Your guide will hug you when you show up for the hunt. Several Alaska guides have told me in plain English that they get nervous when guys show up with .300 Winchester magnums (and larger) because most folks don't shoot them very proficiently.

 

[Ishisube]

Your guide will hug you when you show up for the hunt. Several Alaska guides have told me in plain English that they get nervous when guys show up with .300 Winchester magnums (and larger) because most folks don't shoot them very proficiently.

The .338 used to have a very good following in Alaska and I'd be surprised it that's not still the case. Point taken though, you definitely care about how well the people around you can handle their arms.

 

[jofes]

I used a 6.5 CM shooting factory 143 eld-x for my sheep, caribou and g bear. Worked on all of em.

 

[7mm-08]

The .338 used to have a very good following in Alaska and I'd be surprised it that's not still the case. Point taken though, you definitely care about how well the people around you can handle their arms.

I absolutely endorse (and envy) men and women who can proficiently shoot cartridges like the .338. No doubt, they pack a heck of a punch, which would be a real confidence builder if one were hunting grizzly and brown bears. I'm so recoil sensitive that when I walk by a .338 that's laying on a shooting bench with the action open, I flinch. Nonetheless, I sometimes shoot my 6.5 Creedmoor marginally well.

 

[Ishisube]

I absolutely endorse (and envy) men and women who can proficiently shoot cartridges like the .338. No doubt, they pack a heck of a punch, which would be a real confidence builder if one were hunting grizzly and brown bears.

One reason why a lot of Alaskans carry larger rifles is that we've seen huge bear tracks when out just looking for moose too many times!

 

[cbeard64]

I am an average sized (maybe even on the small side). My most common mountain rifle is a Sako Finnlight .300 WSM. I have an identical rifle in .270 Win. I carry the .270 if I don’t have a grizzly tag because it’s a 1/4 lb lighter and about 2” shorter. If I have a grizzly tag I carry the .300.

I confess I don’t get all the angst about recoil of the .300s. The recoil of my .300 is only slightly more noticeable than the .270. I can’t imagine any grown man having an issue with shooting a .300.