Dakota,

You' ll like the 338WinMag. I have two of them. Lots of power without bad recoil (make sure the gun stock fits you and that your thumb is AWAY from your nose and you' ll be fine). If you get a chance, then take your " fav" 30-06 with you and go to a place like Cabelas, have them lay out 4,5,6,7 338' s for you. Compare them to your " fav" . Throw them up to your shoulder with your eyes closed. When you open your eyes are you looking right down the sites? Which feeeeels best? Have them take a fish scale to the trigger to measure trigger pull on your " fav" and then on the others. Some otherwise good rifles come new out of box with trigger pulls of 8-10 pounds when they should be 3 to 4 pounds - remember cold fingers could be a fact of life. Some triggers are easily adjustable and others require work by a gunsmith. If you are going for the spring hunt then I' m betting you don' t have much time to get ready.

Premium Ammo, 250 grain noslers or Bear Claw Trophy Bonded (Federal) - its expensive but do your final sight in with the stuff you' re going to kill with. If you clean the rifle before arriving to hunt take a " fowling" shot to recreate your sight-in conditions before you go hunting.

Scope: Assuming it will be a variable, make sure the " low" setting is no bigger than 2 or 3 so you can " find him in the scope" if things get up close and personal. African hunters Dangerous Game Rifles (DGR' s) if scoped at all are commonly 1.5 x 5 for this very reason. North American hunters as a whole would be loathe to go with less than a 2x7 (fine) -- 3x9 (okay). However, going for a 6x18 would be a very poor choice. Your guide isn' t going to let you take that long of a shot anyway. If your scope has a wide range of eye relief you will be able to install it with extra room between it and your brow (scope eye). On a 338 Win Mag use " loctite" on the mounting screws - they can shoot loose - bad. Go Leupold if you can.

Sight In: Magnums some times sour the honey moon at the benchrest during the sight in process -- worst place in the world to get beat up and develop a flinch. If you aren' t going to have the whole summer to ease into things, then CHEAT -- fold up an old padded gun case and put it between your shoulder and the butt until you get it sighted in. When you find your brownie don' t worry you won' t feel any recoil at all.

Rain: Alaska is notorious for being wet, wet, wet and muddy - consider synthetic stock (and maybe stainless?) and don' t forget the see through, flip up scope caps -- for $20 they are priceless. GOOD, QUIET rain gear (top and bottom) plus thin neoprene gloves (cheap) are handy if your hands are going too be wet anyway.

Love to see folks tackle something besides deer and move up to some major adventure -- good for you! Pack your mental toughness and go get ' em! Mrs. Dakota, thanks for your support -- good idea on the rifle!

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM