Best caliber for big bears

N

northslope

Guest
What do you guys or would you guys shoot big bears. What is your caliber of choice. And what bullets would you shoot. I was thinking 338 Ultra with heavy accubonds, like 250-300 grainers. Or would you go with a 375 ruger.
 
I like the 375 H&H using Federal Premium 250 grain Trophy Bonded Bearclaws. I can handle the recoil much better than a 338 and am able to spend more time at the range with it.

As was mentioned, the 300 calibers will work fine, as long as you can put the bullet where it needs to be.

I will admit, I feel better with a bigger caliber when the Brownies are pushing 9-10 ft versus a Brooks range interior Grizz at 6-7 feet.

Use the biggest caliber you can shoot well.

Good luck,
Garion33
 
I bought a .375 Ruger for my AK brown bear trip.
Ended up carrying my 300 win mag. Just couldnt get in
enough range time with the .375.
After I got there and saw an honest 9 footer @ 400 yards I
felt under gunned.
In the end I could have carried a sling shot. Only saw 2 bears and never got closer than that 400 yards.
Never fired a shot.
Life's weird that way.
Enjoy!!!!

* I would consider that .338 a good starting point.
 
I use a .338 up north for grizzlies with 210 or 250gr partitions and a .375 on the penninsula with 300gr trophy bonded bullets. Longest shot I've ever had to make was 280. Any of the more powerful 30 cal cartridges will work fine, but like others said, make sure you can shoot it. Bullet placement is critical and big bears.

Colorado Lion Hunt:

Mineshaft Lion Hunt:
http://trophyroom.com/video/lls8ViwJcT
 
I've taken a Kodiak Brown Bear myself with a trusty Winchester .375 H&H and a 300 grain trophy bonded bear claw. Worked great, one carefully placed shot at 200 yards.

Now I carry a custom .375 Rem Ultra Mag shooting custom ammo, 260 grain with a ballistic turret scope so I can shoot a followup 400-600 if I absolutely had to.

- Austin A Atkinson
www.AAAOutdoors.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-25-12 AT 10:43AM (MST)[p]You can't go wrong with a .338 win mag or .375 H&H, as long as you can shoot them well. Heck, for a guided hunter, a .300 win mag or one of the other .300 mags would work fine too.

Personally, I shoot a .338 for nearly everything, including a nice bear I took on Kodiak, using a 250 grain nosler partition.

I do not think I'd shoot Accubonds for big grizzlies, as you suggested your considering. I'd stick with something like a nosler partition, swift A-frame, trophy bonded bearclaw or barnes ttsx. The accubond is a great bullet, but I don't think it'd be a best choice for big bears. Unless you're shooting at a wounded bear, you won't be shooting over real long distances, so I'd go fairly heavy for caliber, you can never go wrong with that when hunting dangerous game.
 
I used a .280 with 150 grain nosler partitions. But I wasn't hunting for bear and I shot him at 20 yards from my tent with him facing directly at me but one bullet center chest and he was dead instantly. Then I walked 10 yards from my tent and threw up.
 

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