You need to ask yourself "WHAT WOULD DAVEY CROCKETT DO?"

I hunted Brown Bear in 1996, I used a 375 H&H with a 300 gr bullet 4 shots at about 125 yrds and Backed up by a 338 at 4 shots . Unless your are very lucky to put the bear on the ground with one shot Bigger is Better ,but the bullet must be placed where is is supposed to go in the vitals.
My buddy shot his at 110 paces 9' 3" 4 rounds from an 06 backed up buy 4 Lightfield slugs out of a TarHunt slug Gun. The bear is pictured on the Web site for Tarhunt.
I will do it again but with a 416 Rem mag with a 400 gr bullet.

sounds like accuracy, not potency is your problem.

Have you killed any mature griz or brown bears with a 30-30?

No.
I ran into an indian fellow once in an old chevy 4x4 with hidesand an"OLD" Marlin with worn bluing and beatenwoodin his backglass.
I brought up the rifle and how I was worried about my '06 being "weak".
He said "that rifle waspassed down to me."Hecontinued on about how just about everyone in his family killed their first Brownwith itand even told of going into the Grizzly Lair with a couple 30-30s. In the Lair!!!
I saw several other 30-30s in service too.
The 30-30 would not be my first choice but it would be my minimum.

Any griz should be a min. of 338 win mag which will work just fine.. Black bears some of the smaller calibers suggested would be perfect.. But a griz I'd say 338 or 375 would be ideal.

In fact a lot of guides require min. 338... check it out before you book your hunt.

hmm i still think that anyone who is foolish to head out with a 30-30 or less deserves to be bear bait.
If some good old boy moutain man can do it, then good for him.

Can't answer from experience since I've never killed a brown bear. But if I had the coin to book a hunt in AK, I'd stoke my Ruger No 1B .338 WIN MAG with 225 grain Barnes Triple Shock bullets, sight it indead on for 100 yds, practice once a week at the range in several shooting positions, and buy extra life insurance to give to my kids in case I shoot poorly!

If money were no object, I'd have a .50-110 a.k.a. .50 Alsakan built and take that on my hunt. The I'd have a lifesize mount done and while the taxidermist is taking his time, I'd have my game room rebuilt with 12ft ceilings so I could fit that bugger in there!

good plan, i think i'll order all that at the same time.

375. or 308