Alaska

[Account Deleted]

Yah but for 10 ounces more you could have a Caprivi in a .416 or .458. Also adds a few inches.

 

[DonC]

Most guides use a 375...No scope.....the ones using a 458 are the ones who have had an up close and personnel experience with Bears and the scares to prove it. :;:huh

A rifle in a caliber that starts with a 4.

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I'm also very envious.

 

[SDMF]

Yah but for 10 ounces more you could have a Caprivi in a .416 or .458. Also adds a few inches.

Wood, blued, heavier, and longer are all things that make the rifle less desirable. The 375 is a LOT of rifle for not much more recoil than a heavy loaded 338 w/250's.

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

I had to do some packing/organizing but I'm back. I have looked into the .338 win mag and 375 h&h, SDMF's setup sounds really nice actually. I thought initially that all big game had to go through a guide but realized that it's just the three (brown bear, dall sheep and mountain goat) so I will be getting a non res. license right away instead of just the small game license. It's possible I can get my pilot license through where I work but a plane is $$$$$, don't know if i could pull that off. I think you hit it on the head DonC, I'm just anxious about it and it's hard to wait lol. I do know that the Nodak community here has a wealth of knowledge to be shared and I'll take every bit of it if I can. Thanks again, it's much appreciated.

 

[PrairieGhost]

It's interesting that the new Peterson's hunting just got here two days ago with an article on the top ten practical cartridges for North America. It's interesting that he rules out the very popular 308 Winchester. Although he admits it's a great cartridge there are cartridges that can do a better job. Number one on the list is the old 300 Win Mag. He also includes 6.5 X 284, 7mm Rem mag, 28 Nosler, 25-06, 280 Ackley imp, 338 Win mag, 270 Winchester, 30-06, and the 6.5 Creedmoor. He also gives reasons why the 338 is better than the 375HH on page 92. He quotes Boddington

"Although bore diameter (.338) is significant 0.037-inch smaller than the .375 HH Mag, the 338 win mag drives a 250 gr projectile at 2700 fps or better, which matches the velocity of the 260 gr bullet out of the bigger magnum, and with such a bullet, it offers better sectional density (0.313 vs 0.264). In fact, the 250 gr 338 projectile betters even the 300 gr .375 bullets, which boast an already - impressive sectional density of 0.305. In English that means that heavy 338 win mag bullets penetrate like the proverbial runaway freight train."

An Outdoor life survey of Alaskan guides found that the 338 was by far the preferred cartridge of Alaskan guides.

I'll make one more recommendation for you as long as you don't shoot over 700 yards. I'll try edit this post with a pic from my phone. It's a pic of the reticle of my Vortex Strike Eagle. It's a 1 to 6 power. The 1 to 4 power I didn't think gave enough magnification. I have a rail on my 300WSM with tactical rings. I can switch from a 4 to 16 power to my Strike Eagle and be within half an inch at 100 yards. If I set on a mountain ridge glassing I have the higher power scope, but in deep timber for bear I carry it with the Strike Eagle.
On one power shoot with both eyes open and it's as if there is no scope in your way. It just subtends the circle on your close range fast moving targets. I took this picture one day when I was shooting at a 665 yd target. I just now checked and at today's temperatures the lower tic is on at 711 yards. On the day this pic was taken I changed my power to 5.5 and aimed dead on with the lower tic. One of the good things about a second focal plane.

 

[FishReaper]

not long range, but bring your target within 150-200 yards and watch it drop. also short and fast for those oh shit moments

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Would that be a .45-70 Fish? I had one but it was a single shot and not a lever action.

 

[PrairieGhost]

I can't get the pic large enough to see the base, but it looks like the Marlin 450 magnum. That or the old 45/70 loaded to Marlin acceptable pressures is hard to beat in close quarters. I forget the guys name that converts these to 50 Alaskan. I have a single shot falling block highwall, and I load 405 gr to 2200 fps. Still, I wouldn't want a single shot in Alaska unless I also had a cannon on my hip. I have shot some of the big bores with red dot sights. The Burris Fastfire III would be very nice on a close quarters weapon. I shoot one on a 9mm handgun, and an AR15 along with a scope.

 

[FishReaper]

yep Marlin guide gun. Ive been looking at the Henry 45-70 but up North Id probably give Marlin the nod due to side loading gate for faster reloads and much shorter overall length would be handy.
Marlin can also handle very hot handloads with a heavy cast bullet ( or what ever bullet you like)

How did you like your single shot?

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

I liked it, I left it with open sights and I was still able to group them pretty well at 100 yards. Never pushed it beyond that because I really didn't see the point. The uses for the gun were kind of limited so I ended up selling it.

 

[SDMF]

That wouldn't piss me off in any of its factory chamberings.

 

[svnmag]

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/44mag.html- - - Updated - - -

The above ammo has been used successfully on the Big Five with an 18in bbl Guide Gun.

 

[NodakBuckeye]

An African swallow maybe, but not a European swallow, that's my point.

 

[huffranger]

Find an old guy to hunt with. Your strong back will earn you the help of someone that has BTDT. Its allot cheaper buying the right stuff once.

Anchorage is a shithole, drugs, gangs, bums, hookers.... Its not a great place to live IMHO

You will see soon enough.