I would strongly advise against taking shots out beyond 300 yards, as a wounded beareven a black bearcan be a formidable foe. AccuBond at 3060 fps. .454 Casull Developed by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer in 1957, the .454 Casull is a dangerous game hunters dream come true. For brown bears, a premium softpoint is the sound choice; I like the Nosler Partition, Swift A-Frame, Barnes TSX, Woodleigh Weldcore, Hornady DGX Bonded and Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. While 225-grain projectiles have become the more popular in recent years, the 250- and 300-grain bullets are ideal for large animals such as elk, moose, and the big bearsif one can tolerate the recoil. Thank you, sir! Specialized long-range bullets were not used as they are unnecessary for most hunting situations. If you handload, get 200-grain Swift A-Frames. This old-timer shoots nice, heavy bullets, albeit at modest velocity, and its recoil will not remove your head. Nelson continues to teach a bear defense course in Alaska, instructing geologists and representatives from other government agencies how to operate a wide variety of firearms platforms in a bear defense situation. Be ready. Brown bears, the fish-fed giants, are limited to coastal Alaska, and dwell in some of the most difficult country on Earth. .tg .tg-xhut { 1 or Browning BAR, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the good old .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester or .280 Remington. If you want to try a 300-yarder at one of these animals, your guide will offer to take you to the airfield and refund your money. This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. You must log in or register to reply here. I like a good old Nosler Partition, North Fork semi-spitzer, Speer Grand Slam and Barnes TSX; each can handle the biggest black bears that have ever walked. The second newest cartridge in this test, the .338 RUM has been around since 2002. Muzzle breaks are a cheat; they produce excessive back blast and flash which both deafens and blinds (in low light) a shooter. and large game (1500 ft-lbs), and the minimum velocity most hunting bullets require for reliable expansion (1800 fps). Not surprising when you stop to consider this proprietary powerhouse has a case length of 2.905 inches and a 125-grain (water) capacity when compared with the .338 Win. Permit me to re-state: The coastal country in which brown bears live is some of the most awful that Lucifer ever devised. bullets and have less recoil. Jack OConnor killed a number of big bears with a .30-06 (more than with the .270, despite what some people say) and found it up to the task. And bullet materials and construction alter impact performance significantly. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting grizzly or brown bear to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option. If youre sensitive, a 300 Win. The 338 Winchester Magnum is a popular big game hunting cartridge, and has even been described as the ultimate elk cartridge. In 2000, a friend of mine shot a brown bear that squared 11 feet plus, and must have weighed over 1,200 pounds. Rough translation: the heavier bullet penetrates farther than the light one regardless there being more energy in the light one. Nelson says after about 20 shots, his wrist starts to swell and he can no longer shoot. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. For many of us, it means the thunderous gobble of tom turkeys, but for me, I look forward to the spring bear season. Mag. may be the better option then the 300 Win. Hsm Ammunition Hsm Ammo .338 Win Mag 215gr. As Nelson has seen in bear defense training, many shooters have cycling issues with the 10mm due to the limp-wrist syndrome, something that isnt an issue with a revolver and is the last thing you want to happen during a bear charge. Elvis was young and Marilyn Monroe was THE Hollywood sex symbol when the 338 Win. Magnums standard length means it can be easily and inexpensively chambered in mass- produced bolt-action rifles and even autoloaders (Browning BAR.) Mag. font-size: 18px; .45-70 GovernmentFirst adopted by the U.S. military in 1873, the .45-70 Government has been one of the longest-standing big-game cartridges of all time. Yes, momentum is the poor step child of ballistics. In terms of firearm selection, Nelson said its really about delivering a few well-placed shots on target in a short timeframe. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. If that bothers elk, moose, bears or eland, they sure haven't told anyone. The Weatherby Mark V is the only production rifle which chambers the .338-378 Weatherby Magnum. In rifles weighing 9-pounds, the 225-grain 338 Win. for a balance of flat trajectory, maximum muzzle energy, highest bullet SD, and best momentum. .338 diameter bullets are unique. Straight down. }. overflow: hidden; The weather is usually mild, and it always feels great to grab a favorite rifle after the long winter. I had a Whelen that weighed under 8 pounds with scope, and while its kick was stern, you could shoot it, and it was no problem at all to carry. At that distance, a shooter has roughly four seconds to make a charge-stopping shot, which requires a steady hand under intense pressure. Reload. Mag. Things might be different on the bench. No, the .308 Winchester is UNDERKILL for grizzly or brown bear hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement. The author analyzed six .338 caliber magnum cartridges (.338 Winchester Magnum, .340 Weatherby, .338-378 Weatherby, .338 Remington Ultra Mag., 33 Nosler, and .338 Lapua) for trajectory, effective range, and recoil with modern ballistic software available free online from shooterscalculator.com. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. AccuBond at 2600 fps. Ursine disputes are not always settled in three shots. load will recoil with about 30.2 foot-pounds of free recoil energy at a velocity of 14.7 fps. Sale price: $79.97. Ive used my old Ruger 77 in .308 Winchester for baited bears with good success, and for other hunts have taken along a 6.5-284 Norma, .275 Rigby, .300 Winchester Magnum, and even a .375 H&H Magnum, and for each of them I prefer bullets on the heavier side of the spectrum, relying on sectional density (SD) rather than velocity. John B. Well after poor performance on a brown bear at 100+/- yards, tracking it into an alder patch and having to finish her with a 375 Ruger mag. We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .338 Winchester Magnum is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear - and to this question, the response again is yes, the .338 Winchester Magnum is A GOOD CHOICE for grizzly or brown bear hunting. Winter is finally drawing to a close, and spring brings with it new life, and most importantly, a new hunting season. Is the .338 Winchester Magnum a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for grizzly or brown bear hunting? Were talking about a very specialized type of hunting. If a person cannot tolerate a particular cartridges un-braked recoil, they need a different cartridge which they can manage without subterfuge. Grizzly Or Brown Bear. load in the same weight rifle will come back with 24.3 foot-pounds at 13.2 fps. .tg td { Of course 340 Weatherby Magnum sales never caught up to the Winchester because fewer rifles could be chambered for it (cartridge length complications) and because Weatherby cartridges were proprietary, thus hard to find and expensive. These close to one-ton beasts are often shot at ranges beyond those recommended for other dangerous game animals due to the open terrain common to coastal Alaska and Kodiak Island. I attribute this to the compromise that hunters who travel a lot reach to find that one do it all round that is big enough for heavy game and will shoot flat for longer shots they might encounter. I certainly wouldnt expect it in factory loads. Today, a lot more guys head north on bear hunts with souped-up .30-caliber magnums of some sort. As Nelson points out, the first shot may end the charge but doesnt always kill the bear, which means its handy to have a rifle that can make the longer follow-up shot. background-color: #efefef; Ive used a .260 Remington on elk and a .338 Federal on moose, neither of which are particularly large, and Ive also used a .450 Marlin on caribou and have shot a whole petting zoo worth of crittersincluding the tiny duikerwith my .416 Rigby. For me the answer would come down to the heaviest game I wanted to hunt and whether I thought I needed a bear defender. They provide more performance than most hunters will ever need. bullets will penetrate like the proverbial runaway freight train. Mag. Question: Why would Recoil even be considered in a .338 caliber? At 2,400 fps its putting out just 3,838 f-p energy, but the bullets Sectional Density of .375 suggests its the kind of slug thats got the momentum to just keep on trucking. } To maximize ballistic performance in any 338 Winchester Magnum, youll want to wield a 24-inch barrel. They possess both high ballistic coefficients (aerodynamic efficiency), high sectional densities which allows them to penetrate deep into large, heavy animals, and considerable weight which also promotes penetration and energy transfer. 8. Recoil has a direct effect on most shooter's accuracy--the more recoil, as a general rule, the less accurate the shooter. 250 gr. Read on for his take on this Thai-inspired fusion dish. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. .338 Win Mag is one of the most popular medium-bore cartridges in North America and can be used with many different rifle models. A well-fed grizzly boar will scale around 600 pounds, with the really big ones reaching 800. Published Oct 28, 2019 8:30 PM EDT, Anyone who says the .30-06 is not effective on brown bears or grizzlies either has never used one or is unwittingly commenting on their marksmanship. An Alaskan Bear Guide. The .375, because of its considerable case taper and gentle shoulder angle, can be made to feed like greased asparagus in a properly set up rifle. from the muzzle. Its also been incredibly popular among Alaskan hunters and guides, especially in lever-actions like Marlins 1895 Guide Gun, which is compact, fairly lightweight and highly maneuverable in close quarters. border-color: #656565; All of which you hit dead on. The second important assumption is slightly-suboptimal to optimal shot placement. word-break: normal; Semi-automatic and striker-fired, the P320-XTEN is extremely accurate, easy to shoot even with powerful 10mm loads and holds 15-plus-one rounds. But every potential 338 Win. besides a bigger caliber is useless if you dont hit where your aiming, do your part and come home with a nice trophy. Approach it from an angle where it cant see you. This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. Wanted to hunt and whether I thought I needed a bear defender.338 RUM has been around 2002! Elk cartridge head north on bear hunts with souped-up.30-caliber magnums of sort. Log in or register to reply here were not used as they are unnecessary for most bullets... The heaviest game I wanted to hunt and whether I thought I needed bear... 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