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[Alaskan100]

I am new to Moose Hunting in Alaska. I am looking at picking up a rifle. I have been considering one of two rifles. Ruger 30-06 Springfield (Weight is 7 lbs., barrel length is 22") or a Ruger 300 win. Mag. (Weight is 7.25 lbs. barrel length is 24") I am trying to avoid any specialized gunsmithing (muzzle break, magnaporting etc.) I am also trying to avoid a large amount of recoil.
Both rifles are within my price range. The hunting that rifle will be used for is Moose, Caribou and possibly Black Bear. I have a .44 mag for "close encounters" of the Brown bear variety. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[lv2hunt]

My recoomendation would be the 30.06. It has noticable less recoil than the .300 mag.
If distance is a factor(300 or more yard shots) the .300 mag. will carry its energy needed for larger game. The 30.06 is a very versitile caliber. If you are going to be in brown bear country you might consider a .338 or larger. Good hunting. I dream to hunt in Alaska someday.

[bullmoose77]

My recommendation to you is shop around and find a .338 Winchester magnum that's already got a muzzle brake on it. I think you'll find that alot of the ones for sale do, and if they don't the cost is well worth it. I recently fired my friend's .338 set up like this and the recoil wasn't bad at all.

It sounds like you're already aware of the fact that bear and moose go hand in hand here in Alaska, and in my opinion it's not wise to be in the woods here with a weapon that doesn't utilize a magnum cartridge. I've seen what a 250 gr. Nosler Partition bullet (.338 caliber) does to a full grown bull moose, and if I ever encounter a brown bear with bad intentions that's what I want in my hands.

As for the .44 you're packing: That's great for back-up, and if you don't mind getting chewed on first.

Forget about the 30.06 because it's simply not enough gun in bear country. We're talking moose and brown bear here, not whitetail deer in West Texas.

[ This Message was edited by: bullmoose77 on 2003-10-24 05:30 ]

[mtcop71]

I agree with Bullmoose77. I have recently moved here to Alaska nad have been hunting for Caribou. While hunting for Caribou we stalked and shot a Grizzly. It took 2 shots from my 300 Win Mag and 3 shots froma 300 Ultra Mag, to bring it down and it was only 7Ft. All shot placements were great.. Itwas definately enought gun for Caribou. I have already been planning a fly in trip for Moose this next Sep and I will be hunting with a .378 Weatherby Mag. You definately want to stay away from the 30.06. why? You want that Bull to drop right awawy or within 20-30 yds. especially if water is close by. It will tend to head straight for the rivers or ponds if wounded and trying to get a 1500lb Bull Moose out of thigh high water is a whole new ball game.

[cdhunt]

amen 71.good choice on the 378 wby. that should woomp plenty good, at least get um to the point where they won't talk back.

[jasonm0341]

I have used a .308 (7.62mm) for mostly deer and bear. I have seen a few moose taken with the same caliber. Then again, I live in Maine and there are not very many Griz, over here (as long as you dont count my wife in the morning anyway) <Ouch that one is going to hurt!!>

[180pilot]

With three trips above the Arctic Circle,.... my rifle got bigger every trip. I watched a small Paddle Bull soak up a 180 Nosler from a .300 Win Mag at 100 yds. and only turned to look back at me before plunging into a river and swimming across it. A rear quartering shot, which I would never take again. That little bullet probably stopped somewhere in a gut full of green stuff. It took two more rounds to drop him on the OTHER side of the river. Fortunately we had an inflatable boat to go get it with.

If it is one gun in griz country it for me will be .375 H&H, a proven round that feeds and headspaces well, has a great variety of bullets found in every store up there. It has the a trajectory with a 300 Grain Bullet that's within 2 inches of drop as compared with a 30-06 has with a 180 Gr. Recoil....you will never remember it in the field, but on the range, do all you can to reduce it or you will flinch. Bullet placement is still number one. No caliber can make up for a bad shot but bullet brand, type and weight are very important. Take a look at the Thornily Stopping Power or Taylor Knock Out Power tables at : http://beartoothbullets.com/rescources/index.htm

A game warden that had just stepped out of his Piper Super Cub was admiring my custom .375 Mauser one day South of Fairbanks. He commented, " That's what I used to carry when I first came up here,...now I carry .458 Win. Mag".....:o

[fuzzybear]

180pilot wrote: With three trips above the Arctic Circle,.... my rifle got bigger every trip.
*
*
A game warden that had just stepped out of his Piper Super Cub was admiring my custom .375 Mauser one day South of Fairbanks. He commented, " That's what I used to carry when I first came up here,...now I carry .458 Win. Mag".....:o

I would say that explains it very well.

[auton]

The 338 Win with 225 AB or TSX is my favorite round here in AK.

But my 30-06 still outnumber my 338 Win.

[akpls]

The Ruger 77 in stainless/synthetic seems to pretty common in AK. Mine particularly likes the 225 gr. Swift A-Frames.

[auton]

Up here in the interior the 30-06 is very popular with good 180 gr Nosler Part make a dandy moose gun. The 300 Win is also excellent with the same bullet.

My most used gun is a Win 70 SS in 338 Win Mag with 225gr Nosler Accubond handloads and a Rem 760 Carbine 30-06.

[albert johnson]

the gun i use99% of the time is a rem 700syn stock stainless hvy fluted barrel
in .308 shooting 150 grn. fed. classics. it mows every thing down,98% 1 shot,the other 2% was my sons first two caribou,which were at 300-325 yds. walking and he lead them,so he hit them too far forward,they both dropped on the spot but had to finish them off when we walked up to them.
i have used a 30.06 on moose caribou and grizzly,all one shot kills. i just like the .308 better,it is the most accurate gun i have ever owned,it shoots almost in the same hole at 100yds,all holes connect,but not one small hole,oh well good enough for me.
i havent ever shot a brown bear and have no need to,but if i did i wouldnt hesitate in using the same round.i really think that an accurate shot is the most important thing,a monster caliber tends to make a bad shot out of a person and doesnt make up for a bad shot.
the talk of some calibers not penitrating is garbage,bad shots i bet,on moose the 150grn. always is under the skin on the opposite side,on caribou over 300yds its the same thing ,under 300 it usually goes through all the way.perfect caliber and bullet i think.i know a guy around here that only uses a 25.06.i know eskimoes who hunt moose and polar bear with a .223,they use a 30.06 for beluga whales.accuracy is the important thing.

[Jim Z.]

Use enough gun. If you like Rugers, and I do. Take a look at the new .375 Ruger. It would be a great rifle for your application. I have a .30-06, .375 Ruger and a .375 H/H. The Ruger would fit well, in my Opinion.

Just my $.02

Good Luck.

:cool:

[Cold North]

Most of what is said in this post was already said in another post: Calibers for moose...but the original question included something about wanting a caliber that doesn't kick a whole bunch. Either the .30-06 or the .300 Win Mag will work fine, with the .30-06 kicking less. Yea, the .378 will kill anything, but the average moose hunter in grizz country will not be carrying anything that big., at least no one that I know! Brownies on the coast are a lot bigger and demand more gun just because. Yea, grizz above the Brooks and grizz in the interior are mean, but I know of no one who has been eaten after shooting one with a .30-06 or.300 Win Mag. a few times. The handgun thing is last defense and most calibers will work in that special situation, but there are never any promises made about the results of your encounter. Last week a female brownie with 3 cubs charged a fisherman and took 3 .44 rounds to the head and gut. She survived only to be taken out later by Wildlife enforcement because of her injuries. They got some will to live and can take some punishment. For every story you hear about someone needing a very huge gun to put a moose or bear down, there is two more stories out there about someone doing the same thing with a .270 or .30-06. in one shot....all situational. What ever you use, make sure your aim is true...that will always matter more. .300(in all forms), .338, .375's, .325, 8mm, are all very good choices also, if you like bigger guns.