Best rifle for big game in Alaska?

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redmax51

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375 h&h works great in africa will do great up there all that you need

My choice too since I've got one and shoot it well.Anything 30.06 and above with heavy, well constructed bullets will be fine if you do your job.Get plenty of practice before you go.Just remember when you're staring at a pissed off brown bear that has maybe decided to make you his next meal or that bull moose just plain has a bad attitude,you CAN"T have "too much" gun.That said,as a non-resident hunting in Alaska,you're required to have a guide who will most likely have a 338 or bigger. Steve
 

sharkbait

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Why wouldn't the .308 be okay for hunting big game?

I was on Kodiak island in the fall of 1990 and a Kodiak came thru the back door of a womans house, she went out the front and over to the neighbors. Several neighbors put 17 rounds of .223 and .308 in the bear before it went down (from close range). A single well placed .308 will put down a Kodiak but the .308 does not do enough damage if not thru the heart or brain. In a stress situation a poorly placed shot with a .338 WinMag will still do the job. Just get a good muzzle brake.
 

sabot_round

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I've lived and hunted in Alaska. My weapon of choice was the .338 Win Mag and I've never had any issues dropping a moose or bear on the spot. As stated before, practice makes perfect. Also, ensure that you re-zero your rifle once in Alaska. The altitude makes a difference there.
 

criticalbass

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The .375 H&H will do it all, and you will be able to find ammo for it anywhere in the world you might need it. Recoil is surprisingly friendly. Recoil energy is pretty high, but recoil duration (which controls felt recoil) seems to be longer than some of the smaller calibers. Ballistics are pretty close to 30-06 trajectories with about twice the weight unless you start trying to shoot at long ranges.

You can find these guns in the seven pound range, but nine or so is much more common and of course kicks less. My Whitworth weighs ten, but balances very nicely and isn't as hard to carry as one would think.

If you are just looking for bear defense, consider a very reliable 12 ga shotgun with Barnes slugs. Those will penetrate 48 inches of ballistic gel, and should stop a big brown bear handily.

All those folks who suggest little guns for Alaska are going from a "best case" assumption. Ask yourself what you want to be carrying on a bad day when everything goes to $h!+. And yes, the natives use little guns. They live there, know all the ambush points, are usually good shots, often hunt in groups, and occasionally get eaten.

They used to love .270s. A friend of mine killed a charging polar bear with one, but she freely admitted that it wasn't nearly enough gun. She was killing caribou for her dogs, and the bear decided she was lunch. She got off one shot and dodged the bear. It ran another 90 yards before it realized it was dead. She had hit it in an eye and it went into the brain. She always wore a necklace with one one of the claws after that.

I have spent some time in Alaska, but it was always work with no time to hunt or fish. Do educate yourself and get training (not the same things) on how to stay alive and well. Guns are the least of it. The weather and terrain can kill the uninformed, and does it often. CB
 

sharkbait

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The .375 H&H will do it all, and you will be able to find ammo for it anywhere in the world you might need it. Recoil is surprisingly friendly. Recoil energy is pretty high, but recoil duration (which controls felt recoil) seems to be longer than some of the smaller calibers. Ballistics are pretty close to 30-06 trajectories with about twice the weight unless you start trying to shoot at long ranges.

You can find these guns in the seven pound range, but nine or so is much more common and of course kicks less. My Whitworth weighs ten, but balances very nicely and isn't as hard to carry as one would think.

If you are just looking for bear defense, consider a very reliable 12 ga shotgun with Barnes slugs. Those will penetrate 48 inches of ballistic gel, and should stop a big brown bear handily.

All those folks who suggest little guns for Alaska are going from a "best case" assumption. Ask yourself what you want to be carrying on a bad day when everything goes to $h!+. And yes, the natives use little guns. They live there, know all the ambush points, are usually good shots, often hunt in groups, and occasionally get eaten.

They used to love .270s. A friend of mine killed a charging polar bear with one, but she freely admitted that it wasn't nearly enough gun. She was killing caribou for her dogs, and the bear decided she was lunch. She got off one shot and dodged the bear. It ran another 90 yards before it realized it was dead. She had hit it in an eye and it went into the brain. She always wore a necklace with one one of the claws after that.

I have spent some time in Alaska, but it was always work with no time to hunt or fish. Do educate yourself and get training (not the same things) on how to stay alive and well. Guns are the least of it. The weather and terrain can kill the uninformed, and does it often. CB

Very good advice.
 

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