Alaska hunt...

[Philip Glass]

Hi fellows!
Thanks for the answers!!!
The matter is, here, iin my country, sole people uses the 300 win mag and
they squint at the 308win which uses the same bullet but at a slower speed as if it isn't as effective at normal hunting range.
I see that beans are cooked everywhere! But that many trust (as also happens here) in the skill with the rifle and the comfort of use more than in the power of the shot
I use some times all the calibers named in this post, i love the 338win... but, my rifle and shot, ARE the 308win...

so far, it has shown me that what doesn't die with a 308 shot, doesn't exist, at least in medium game
Obviously, for bigger game, bigger rifle...

.300 Win would do fine for most everything.

 

[Philip Glass]

I have a full bag AK trip on the books and am trying to decide between 7mm Mag and .300Win. It will be primarily sheep, moose, & caribou with a chance for griz.

 

[akrifleman]

Well I’d never combat fish, but I agree with you. I tried carrying a 12 ga but I found myself laying it down a lot. It was just in the way.

The reality is that a .44 is unlikely to stop a determined charge. You will probably be sticking it in his ear while he’s chewing on you. Still better than pepper spray IMO.

Well, I favor the .475 Linebaugh. Still never know with a bear. There was that guide on the Kenai that killed one with a 9mm, and I've seen where they've taken a full diet of slugs and were still upset. I'd still rather be gnawed upon and alive, than something too heavy to carry all day whilst trying to accomplish something while in the bush.

 

[akrifleman]

I have a full bag AK trip on the books and am trying to decide between 7mm Mag and .300Win. It will be primarily sheep, moose, & caribou with a chance for griz.

The minute you said sheep, the conversation changes. Most sheep hunts are fly in, and 50lbs is your limit. Then, you gotta carry that gear up the mountain. I'd worry more about glass quality, rifle weight, and bullet quality. The cartridge has to be the least important and most overthought part of it all. But, nobody would fault a 300 Win Mag with high BCs for sheep/caribou, and heavies for bears. I'd guess 300WM, 30-06, and 375s have got to be the most common thing up here.

 

[Ryan]

I have a full bag AK trip on the books and am trying to decide between 7mm Mag and .300Win. It will be primarily sheep, moose, & caribou with a chance for griz.

Which one do you prefer. All of the species mentioned have safely dropped to both cartridges. The only possible advantage of one over the other would be the heavier bullet 300 WM for grizzly. Run the question past your guide(s).

 

[Ryan]

I think the indigenous folks have killed more with 5.56 with Mini14s and 7.62x54R in Mosins using ball ammo.

Killed or wounded? I've heard of a few horror stories of AR's and AKs not doing the job very well. But 30-06 is still probably one of the most common cartridge stocked in stores, be it the cities and towns on the road system to villages off of it.

 

[R eight]

The minute you said sheep, the conversation changes. Most sheep hunts are fly in, and 50lbs is your limit. Then, you gotta carry that gear up the mountain. I'd worry more about glass quality, rifle weight, and bullet quality. The cartridge has to be the least important and most overthought part of it all. But, nobody would fault a 300 Win Mag with high BCs for sheep/caribou, and heavies for bears. I'd guess 300WM, 30-06, and 375s have got to be the most common thing up here.

Yes, cartridge selection is the least important part. I reckon most people overthink things when it comes to selecting gear for Alaska. I know I did for my first Alaskan trip. I had tages for Dall, moose, brown bear, bg caribou and wolf. Considered 300 Win, 375 H&H, 30/06. Thought about magazine capacity ( thought an extra round in the magazine might be useful ) thought about rifle weight, bullet weight and type. Ammunition availability in country. And, surprise, surprise even asked the guide/ outfitters..,,.who said “300 win goes well….if you can shoot it? )

In the end I chose the always correct choice, the 30/06. Blaser R8 professional, no bi-pod fitted. Went with the tried and proven 180 Nosler partitions loaded in Federal Supreme factory ammunition. ordered 400 rounds, fired off about 300 in practice, from field positions. Knew where she shot out to 500 yards, with the scope…zeiss 1.5 to 6. Had a back up Aimpoint H1 which I’d shot out to 300 yards and the iron sights were zeroed for 200 yards and tried from 25 yards to 200 yards.
Anyway, thing is I probably could have taken my Sako 85 Finlight in 308, with a 4x Kahles and premium bullets and achieved the same result.
I reckon we need to pay more attention to fitness, marksmanship and boots than we do to cartridge selection.

 

[akrifleman]

Killed or wounded? I've heard of a few horror stories of AR's and AKs not doing the job very well. But 30-06 is still probably one of the most common cartridge stocked in stores, be it the cities and towns on the road system to villages off of it.

I suspect the truth is in the middle. The horror stories tend to be repeatedly retold to confirm our beliefs, and get repeated much more often than when a 300 something or 375 doesn't work like magic. I always hear derogatory stories of guys putting a dozen rounds of crap into stuff, but I far more often see it with the routine lot of stuff that is always supposed to work (and always blamed on something else). A 7.62x54R with a steel FMJ is the same garbage as a 30-06 with a steel FMJ. Put a Partition on either, and they both work.

Even if we suppose the 30-06 is on more shelves (pre-covid), so what? I'm not flying into Nunivak, Kodiak, Galena, etc, etc without my ammo hoping and praying there is something on the shelf I've yet to see if my gun likes it (or has a bullet worth using). Nothing magic about any of them. Living in a village is a another story for a host of reasons.

Yes, cartridge selection is the least important part. I reckon most people overthink things when it comes to selecting gear for Alaska. I know I did for my first Alaskan trip. I had tages for Dall, moose, brown bear, bg caribou and wolf. Considered 300 Win, 375 H&H, 30/06. Thought about magazine capacity ( thought an extra round in the magazine might be useful ) thought about rifle weight, bullet weight and type. Ammunition availability in country. And, surprise, surprise even asked the guide/ outfitters..,,.who said “300 win goes well….if you can shoot it? )

In the end I chose the always correct choice, the 30/06. Blaser R8 professional, no bi-pod fitted. Went with the tried and proven 180 Nosler partitions loaded in Federal Supreme factory ammunition. ordered 400 rounds, fired off about 300 in practice, from field positions. Knew where she shot out to 500 yards, with the scope…zeiss 1.5 to 6. Had a back up Aimpoint H1 which I’d shot out to 300 yards and the iron sights were zeroed for 200 yards and tried from 25 yards to 200 yards.
Anyway, thing is I probably could have taken my Sako 85 Finlight in 308, with a 4x Kahles and premium bullets and achieved the same result.
I reckon we need to pay more attention to fitness, marksmanship and boots than we do to cartridge selection.

That's what I'm driving at. You like an '06? Fine. What difference does it make if your clothes are inadequate, your fitness lacks, you haven't thought out your food plans, or your not seeing game because your glass is poor, your scope is broken, or your marksmanship is getting rusty. That's the stuff to invest in. Alaska is the most preparation, body, and gear challenging place I've run into.

I've not had luck with 30-06 or 300WM, but nothing to do with the cartridge. Both rifles had little issues that were not worth investing in fixing. Our 308s and 375s have worked flawlessly, despite two being push feed and only one being CRF. I take them, because they always work. Yes, I have my pet favorite cartridges, I've just learned they were not nearly as important as I once thought them to be (within a little common sense). I realize Frank Glaser stopped a griz charge with a 220 Swift. Probably not my choice (or his), but it was what he had.

 

[Ryan]

@akrifleman I agree. Use what works for you. As for my comment on what is always found on the shelves, it was to state what the locals use. The store isn't going to keep what no one uses. I see the basics of 308, 30-06, 300WM everywhere. And every manufacturer makes a rifle in them. So Remington 700s to Savages and Ruger Americans are probably the most common rifles I see more than Mini-14s, SKS, AKs and Mosin Nagants. And you're right with those, it's as much the FMJ ammo being used in them. That and the assumption a semi-auto makes uo for poor marksmanship.

 

[1dirthawker]

I have a full bag AK trip on the books and am trying to decide between 7mm Mag and .300Win. It will be primarily sheep, moose, & caribou with a chance for griz.

Hi Phillip,

my suggestion would be, use the 300 win with 200 gr bullets. be just fine for everything. a 300 win does its best work with 200 gr bullets. a 7mm will kill em all too, but a moose is about eland sized, and there is no crime in shooting a caribou or sheep with a heavier bullet, just know the drops out to as far as you feel comfortable. (i suspect 400 yards is more than enough).

 

[Philip Glass]

Which one do you prefer. All of the species mentioned have safely dropped to both cartridges. The only possible advantage of one over the other would be the heavier bullet 300 WM for grizzly. Run the question past your guide(s).

I am leaning toward the .300 but like my lightweight 7mm. I have some time to decide.

 

[akrifleman]

I am leaning toward the .300 but like my lightweight 7mm. I have some time to decide.

Something to ponder:

7mm Rem. Mag. vs. 300 Win. Mag. — Ron Spomer Outdoors

A war’s been raging since 1963. That’s the year Winchester brought to market its now famous 300 Winchester Magnum. That introduction was, I’m guessing, retaliation against Remington’s 1962 release of its equally famous 7mm Remington Magnum. Each cartridge is today the most popular magnum in its cali

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

 

[Philip Glass]

Something to ponder:

7mm Rem. Mag. vs. 300 Win. Mag. — Ron Spomer Outdoors

A war’s been raging since 1963. That’s the year Winchester brought to market its now famous 300 Winchester Magnum. That introduction was, I’m guessing, retaliation against Remington’s 1962 release of its equally famous 7mm Remington Magnum. Each cartridge is today the most popular magnum in its cali

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

Thanks

 

[colorado]

An all around, all weather .338 will cover you for just about everything.
If your looking at a big bear hunt you might step up up to a .375. Or a light weight sheep hunt maybe step down to a .270 or .284.

I shot my brown bear with a 375. I didn't feel overgunned

 

[WAB]

It sounds like Phillip is hunting in the interior. The interior griz is much smaller. I think either of the rifles he listed would be fine, although I would lean to the .300. On the coast I grab a .375 or .325.

 

[Alaska]

Hello people! My question is what rifle and caliber do those who hunt in Alaska use or prefer to use? It's a doubt I have... Thank you

I live in Alaska Interior !
300 Win and 180gr Accubond very popular
338 Win Mag and 225gr Accubond very popular
Sometimes you will see me also with my 30-06 and 180gr Fail Safe or 175 LRX.
For Hangun Glock 20 and Underwood 220gr Hardcast .

 

[Jfet]

I really wish ya’ll would stop talking about the human component it plays no role Since we are going to bring up fitness try this out to see where you are at.

Enjoy!

 

[aknome]

All this talk of handguns and for 38 years I never carried one in Alaska. Where did I go wrong?
I've had my pucker moments with bears and and rifle always feels better than any handgun. I've seen grizzly bears shot with a 250 Savage. I used a 338 myself for bears, but most of the time I was packing a 30-06. I've shot moose from 10 feet to 450 yards with that 06. And musk ox, fall sheep, and caribou with the same gun. My son shot his moose and musk ox with a 257 Roberts. Friends daughter used a 243. My winter snow machine gun for caribou and wolves was an AR in 223. I have plenty of choices in the gun safe;17 Rem., 223, 243, 257 Roberts, 25-07, 280 Rem.,30-06, 300 WSM, 338 Win Mag, 375 H&H to name a few.

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

All this talk of handguns and for 38 years I never carried one in Alaska. Where did I go wrong?
I've had my pucker moments with bears and and rifle always feels better than any handgun. I've seen grizzly bears shot with a 250 Savage. I used a 338 myself for bears, but most of the time I was packing a 30-06. I've shot moose from 10 feet to 450 yards with that 06. And musk ox, fall sheep, and caribou with the same gun. My son shot his moose and musk ox with a 257 Roberts. Friends daughter used a 243. My winter snow machine gun for caribou and wolves was an AR in 223. I have plenty of choices in the gun safe;17 Rem., 223, 243, 257 Roberts, 25-07, 280 Rem.,30-06, 300 WSM, 338 Win Mag, 375 H&H to name a few.

Aknome... you NEED a .308 win hahahaha

 

[AES]

In my opinion, 300WM is not enough gun if you intend to shoot a “full bag” in AK. Great caliber but when you factor in Coastal Browns + Grizz and the potential to have a long shot on other game, bigger is better. 300 PRC, 33 Nosler or 338WM (or similar) would be a better choice.