What cal for large north american game?

[efw]

The problem with both the 7x57 & the Springfield is that if you have one in your cabinet and are looking for a "good reason" (as if a REAL loony NEEDS one!) to pick up a new rifle they'll be hard pressed.

The key to running these rifles on anything on earth (remember Hemingway nailed a cape buf w/ the ole '06!) is to, as Dirty Harry suggested, know your limitations. The big advantage of these cartridges over others is that they're a freakin' hoot to shoot and don't beat you to a pulp so you can become intimately familiar with your limitations without detached retinas or orthopaedic bills that eat up your huntin' money!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Thanks for that Paul, I guess growing up listening to my father's and grandfather's hunting stories has instilled in me an insatiable appetite for all hunting stories of yore. They to me are as precious as any heirloom. I am grateful for the shout out you have given the 7x57, it truly is a grand old cartridge though doesnt get the respect it deserves. Same is getting to be the case with my favorite round, the .30 caliber Goverment Model of 1906 or 30-06 as we all say. I have a handfull of those old Peters Cartridge Co. cases that are headstamped 30-G-1906, and have seen one rifle that was stamped the same on the barrel. The gundom as we have known it is changing. Magnumitis as I call it is a widespread pandemic. Dont get me wrong I own and have owned several magnums and they are fine weapons. But somedays you just long to leave behind all of the hype and laser rangefinders and bdc reticles and stainless, synthetic and grab the old smokepole. You know the one which if it has any scope is a simple 3x9x40 or better yet an old Weaver or Lyman 4x. It bears the scars of many a hunt gone by. Of all the times grampa rested its forend on a rock to drop a mule deer down in the wash below. The bluing on the barrel and action are nearly gone from all of the horseback hunts Dad took it on into the high country after elk. The elk I lived off of every year growing and taking for granted. And now its mine, used to kill my first few deer and several deer and an elk since then. The wood needs refinished and the bore isnt as sharp as it used to be. But its a no frills hunting rifle which God willing will last another 3 or 4 generations before it gets retired. That my friends means more to me than any other possession I have, because in a way it was the journals never written and the pictures never snapped all captured in black and white and tatooed invisibly to the uniformed eye but clear as day to me and mine yep, that rifle is the history of my family and this great nation.

Dale V. aka the Filmjunkie 4 ever

 

[DrMike]

Great reminder, Dale. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Guy Miner]

Dale, you might like my old .30-06, Model of 1917. Sporterized by Dad after he returned from WWII. He used it for hunting and NRA target shooting and let me start shooting it back in the 1960's. I really liked that rifle, even as a kid. For a long time it was my "big" rifle. About ten years ago I updated it with a new fiberglass Bell & Carlson stock as well as a Timney trigger and stuck a 6x Leupold on it.

Last fall my son took a good looking bear with it, here in Washington. He's taken a real liking to the old rifle. I've often thought that I could have used it for all my "big game" hunting over the years.

But it has been fun messing with all the more specialized rifles too.

Guy

 

[Oldtrader3]

Yeah I love that Phil Shoemaker quote that the rifleman who laments the effectivness of the old Springfield on the largest of game either hasn't tried it or is commenting on his own marksmanship. That isn't exact, but that is the gist.

I like the 9,3x74, 9,3x62, or 35 Whelen for old-school gravitas, the 338-06 for utility, and the ole H&H its pure power. Of course up in Alaska the 338 WM is about as common as the Springfield is here, so ammo is not hard to find.

Any rifleman who can look at that 9,3x74 and not feel strangely warm inside should take up golf. It's just sexy as heck as far as I'm concerned...

Using a .366 caliber, 270 gr bullet at 2400 is not quite the same as using a Springfield but I agree that the 9.3mm caliber would certainly be appropriate in that application. My shooting skills are just fine. I just have trouble seeing myself as bear scat and certainly can not outrun one at my age.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Yeah of course, the original idea of this thread was a bear rifle for sure and while I feel like I could do it with my 30-06 or several of my other middle-bore rifles in my battery, given my first choice I would like at least a 338 throwing a 250grain slug. Because even though I was a track star in highschool, I am certain I still cannot out run a grizzly.

 

[Desert Fox]

Oh yeah! this guy did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcEzaDvftDk

 

[bullet]

Oh yeah! this guy did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcEzaDvftDk

Give me a brake, I don't think I need to comment on this video at the moment, and you can't convince me for one moment that the "yaah-who" had good shot placement and I need to let this one go, I feel I am going to say some thing in a moment that just might get my post deleted. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[bullet]

I have always wanted to hunt moose and brown bear. Somehow I will find a way to do it in the not to distant future. I have a 30-06 that I think can do anything but most people would call me crazy if I showed up to hunt brown bears with it :roll: . So If you were to persuade me to buy a bigger gun, what caliber would you recommend and why?

For power enough to do the job well and recoil that most can handle I would use a 300Win Mag and a 180gr Partition, North Fork or A-Frame.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I wish that I had not watched that sorry performance of "hunters".

 

[SJB358]

I have always wanted to hunt moose and brown bear. Somehow I will find a way to do it in the not to distant future. I have a 30-06 that I think can do anything but most people would call me crazy if I showed up to hunt brown bears with it :roll: . So If you were to persuade me to buy a bigger gun, what caliber would you recommend and why?

For power enough to do the job well and recoil that most can handle I would use a 300Win Mag and a 180gr Partition, North Fork or A-Frame.

While I love the 300WM a bunch, I just can't think of a better all arounder than the 338WM. It just lends itself for lighter game and heavier game, all with reasonably priced factory ammo and the recoil can easily be handled by just about any healthy man.

Mike, I am not disagreeing with the 300WM, but for the same cost of rounds and just about the same recoil you can gain some bullet weight for the heavy beasties, although, I know you have worked with the big 220's and 240's a bunch too, so maybe I am out in left field again. Scotty :wink:

 

[Oldtrader3]

Me too, Scotty at the sort of ranges shown in that tape, I would want at least a .338 Win Mag with 250 grain bullets or even a .375 H&H with bullets of 270 grains or heavier. I watched a segment on The World of Beretta where they were hunting coastal bears with a varmit call. The hunter was using a .375 H&H and the bear came fast, out of the alders, at about 20 yards, at loping speed, seriously looking for a meal!

 

[SJB358]

Me too, Scotty at the sort of ranges shown in that tape, I would want at least a .338 Win Mag with 250 grain bullets or even a .375 H&H with bullets of 270 grains or heavier. I watched a segment on The World of Beretta where they were hunting coastal bears with a varmit call. The hunter was using a .375 H&H and the bear came fast, out of the alders, at about 20 yards, at loping speed, seriously looking for a meal!

Now that sounds like FUN Charlie! That is taking the hunt to the animal. Up close and personal! Scotty

 

[bullet]

I have always wanted to hunt moose and brown bear. Somehow I will find a way to do it in the not to distant future. I have a 30-06 that I think can do anything but most people would call me crazy if I showed up to hunt brown bears with it :roll: . So If you were to persuade me to buy a bigger gun, what caliber would you recommend and why?

For power enough to do the job well and recoil that most can handle I would use a 300Win Mag and a 180gr Partition, North Fork or A-Frame.

While I love the 300WM a bunch, I just can't think of a better all arounder than the 338WM. It just lends itself for lighter game and heavier game, all with reasonably priced factory ammo and the recoil can easily be handled by just about any healthy man.

Mike, I am not disagreeing with the 300WM, but for the same cost of rounds and just about the same recoil you can gain some bullet weight for the heavy beasties, although, I know you have worked with the big 220's and 240's a bunch too, so maybe I am out in left field again. Scotty :wink:

I think both are great, I do be believe the BC and SD does allow the 200 - 240's in the 300 Win to be a good big game round and there is no doubt that the 338 is one. Either one would do, but I do like the 300Win just a tad better and that is preference due to using both, but I have never used either on Brown Bear are taken a brown bear, but have taken some pretty impressive animals of large body size with both and some with some big teeth. I actually would like one of the 35's better than either one of these.

Now let me make one exception and after testing the 180gr North Fork at 3193fps with a penetration test I would have no problem choosing this load over everything above. One bad bullet indeed in my 300Win Mag at these velocities, plain and simple. This bullet might re-define my whole approach to big game.

 

[efw]

Me too, Scotty at the sort of ranges shown in that tape, I would want at least a .338 Win Mag with 250 grain bullets or even a .375 H&H with bullets of 270 grains or heavier. I watched a segment on The World of Beretta where they were hunting coastal bears with a varmit call. The hunter was using a .375 H&H and the bear came fast, out of the alders, at about 20 yards, at loping speed, seriously looking for a meal!

Now that sounds like FUN Charlie! That is taking the hunt to the animal. Up close and personal! Scotty

416 Rigby (and equally large smile) time thar!!

 

[SJB358]

Now let me make one exception and after testing the 180gr North Fork at 3193fps with a penetration test I would have no problem choosing this load over everything above. One bad bullet indeed in my 300Win Mag at these velocities, plain and simple. This bullet might re-define my whole approach to big game.

Mike, I know a bunch of us would just like to see that 180gr NF shot into something. I haven't seen anyone test them yet. I see their ads and presume it should be close, but it would be nice for one of us to do our duty and provide some home grown results! Scotty

 

[SJB358]

Me too, Scotty at the sort of ranges shown in that tape, I would want at least a .338 Win Mag with 250 grain bullets or even a .375 H&H with bullets of 270 grains or heavier. I watched a segment on The World of Beretta where they were hunting coastal bears with a varmit call. The hunter was using a .375 H&H and the bear came fast, out of the alders, at about 20 yards, at loping speed, seriously looking for a meal!

Now that sounds like FUN Charlie! That is taking the hunt to the animal. Up close and personal! Scotty

416 Rigby (and equally large smile) time thar!!

That would be a good excuse to get a 416RM in a M70 if I ever heard one. Scotty

 

[bullet]

Now let me make one exception and after testing the 180gr North Fork at 3193fps with a penetration test I would have no problem choosing this load over everything above. One bad bullet indeed in my 300Win Mag at these velocities, plain and simple. This bullet might re-define my whole approach to big game.

Mike, I know a bunch of us would just like to see that 180gr NF shot into something. I haven't seen anyone test them yet. I see their ads and presume it should be close, but it would be nice for one of us to do our duty and provide some home grown results! Scotty

I will post some results soon

 

[Oldtrader3]

Me too, Scotty at the sort of ranges shown in that tape, I would want at least a .338 Win Mag with 250 grain bullets or even a .375 H&H with bullets of 270 grains or heavier. I watched a segment on The World of Beretta where they were hunting coastal bears with a varmit call. The hunter was using a .375 H&H and the bear came fast, out of the alders, at about 20 yards, at loping speed, seriously looking for a meal!

Now that sounds like FUN Charlie! That is taking the hunt to the animal. Up close and personal! Scotty

It appeared that would be be the way to hunt big bears, make it a little more sporting and certainly exciting!

 

[onesonek]

I watched a segment on The World of Beretta where they were hunting coastal bears with a varmit call. The hunter was using a .375 H&H and the bear came fast, out of the alders, at about 20 yards, at loping speed, seriously looking for a meal!

Now that's where the .45-70 Marlin would be handy, loaded with heavy cast.