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Amazeing! All the folks that think you need a cannon to hunt bears in Alaska!! I lived and hunted in Alaska for 25 years, and shot several bears there, includeing brown bears!

The guys recomending cannons are reading the B.S, in the magazines i guess, as i NEVER felt the need for a 375, or the bigger cals. for big bears!! I'd be perfectly happy with you 300 win mag, with a premium 200 grain bullet!! I shot my biggest brown bear with a 264 win mag, and one shot is all it took. BIG GUNS DON'T GET THEM ANY DEADER!!!!

Just use premium bullets, and learn to shoot the rifle you have well!! This is BY FAR more important than anything else!!

Drilling Man

Must have been a hell of a shot.

Hi again alaskamissionary,

I'm not sure if we did more to answer your question......or assist in confusing.....considering the variety of responses to your question. Which is fine....that is the point of this forum.....collecting differing opinions.

If it helps.....notice the comments from people actually living (past and/or present) in Alaska. Your .300 with a good bullet will do anything you need done! Big bore rifles are both common and relatively easier to obtain in Alaska....than most believe. The terrain and hunting conditions are extremely diverse in Alaska. You may well get there and find conditions that are conducive to a firearm(s) you never even gave consideration to before.

For instance....you have a .300 Win Mag. With a good premium 180 or 200 grain bullet that rifle will do nearly anything that can be done for a long range rifleman. It will also (especially with a premium 200) do most anything a "medium bore" could be expected to. And there have been a lot of recommendations for .375's, .416's, etc. These are fine calibers and certainly have their uses. But to a gun......most are large, heavy, and sometimes unwieldy.....and in the bigger magnum rifles heavy is good. But they are more cumbersome to carry. You might find that your .300 handles a preponderance of your hunting needs but you'd like something smaller, shorter, lighter, handier, but able to provide protection (more commonly a feeling of security than a real need) while in big bear country. And for instances as this there are few rifles better suited than Marlin's Stainless Steel Guide Gun chambered in .45-70 loaded with something like Buffalo Bore Bullets or Garrett's.

The point is.....it is hard to know the circumstances dictating needs or wants until you are there....and actually get a chance to look around! Affording you an opportunity to buy what you actually might put to best use!

Now, if you're like most of us......simply love nice firearms....will find a way to "afford them".....and don't mind donating the "extra clothing to goodwill to make room for another rifle"....then go ahead and buy another rifle down here. And buy the one you really need.....up there! Because a guy can't own too many rifles!

Best wishes on your upcoming trip!

Dave

I alway take two rifle on hunting trips. you never know when you or sombody in your party will breack a scope or something. The 300 win is great and a 30-06 for backup would be my choice. I have many friends up there and they swear by the 300 and many have the 375 H&H. either is easy to find ammo for. I will say that the most succesful hunter I know up there shoots a 270.......go figure.

45/70 Marlin guide gun would be a nice addition for any of the dangerous game up there, but I am biased. Big slow bullets with a large meplat usually do the trick. Jeff Copper is a fan of the 45/70 for dangerous game, especially in the Marlin offering.