bigbulls

I wouldn't go hunt cape buffalo with a 300 magnum just like I wouldn't hunt brown bears with a .308. Just the same reason that a .375 H&H is the legal minimum in most of Africa the .338 should be a personal minimum for the large bears. Basically if you are going to hunt dangerous game then you need to step up to the plate and learn how to shoot a heavy recoiling gun or stick to non dangerous game.

The .308 will kill anything that walks this earth but there are reasons that larger cartridges were made.

If I were (I wouldn't) to hunt brown bears with a .308 I would use either trophy bonded bear claws, Barnes X bullet or Swift A-frames all in 180 grains.

Honestly if you have the money for a new rifle and if you can handle the recoil and shoot a heavy recoiling rifle accurately then I would step up to a .338 Winchester mag, .338 Remington ultra mag, .350 Remington mag, .375 H&H and other similar cartridges.

Rebel Hog

Tony Orlando and Dawn

If you know how to place your shot, and have the skill to do it.... sure. [:-]

Rebel Hog

Before you can empty your .308, he will have you forlunch and then die!

Tony Orlando and Dawn

I'll have to go along with the Alaskian Game Dept. on caliber recommendations.

Too many hunters have read all about "dangerous game" in the hunting rags or watched so many movies, they think you can't hunt Africa or Alaska with anything less than a 375 H&H or 458 magnum. If I were going on a hunt that I knew would have me facing charging grizzlies at 20 steps, sure I'd pack a .458, that's no where typical bear hunting conditions.

Rebel Hog

In Bear country when you shoot an elk or deer and the Bear relates that to as "The Dinner Bell", heis going to maul you to death for that animal. In the high country when you go with pack horses, you better have at least a .338. Grizz's love horsemeat! Most guides will not take you with less than a .338 up to the high country.

Rebel Hog

I took this small black (360+lbs) with a Winchester .30-30 "Carbine", but I will sure not use it on a Black the size in the post above!

AK Jeff

That may have some merit in the Rocky Mountain West where grizzlies haven't been fair game for over 30 years, but I sure don't believe it to be true in Alaska. Almost every grizzly I've ever seen has been high tailing it in the opposite direction. Up here they're liable to get hung on a wall and they know it. There's hundreds if not thousands of people that hunt blacktailed deer, mountain goats, and caribou [feral reindeer] on Kodiak Island every year. If the"dinner bell theory"were true every bear on that archipelago wouldget shot as DLP (defense of life and property), and it'd be a pretty well know phenomenon. I think it's more likely an occasional coincidence that can be traced back to a bear's inherent curiosity.

AK Jeff

bigbulls

Remember this bear that weighed in at about 1100 pounds and was shot with a .338 Win mag at ten yards head on.

Would you want to take on this bear with a .308 at ten yards?




I hope trouthunter doesn't mind me reposting this but his buddy that killed this brute had to shoot it five times with a .300 Win mag before it finally gave up the ghost.


You hear all the time that the .243 is too small a cartridge to hunt 200 pound whitetails but in this thread the .308 is an acceptable brown bear cartridge???????????? Am I missing something here?

You all can go hunt 1000+ pound predators with a .308 all you want but if I ever get the chance to hunt brown bears I will be toting my .338 RUM or possibly something even larger.

Remember there is a reason that larger cartridges were invented and these are the reasons.

sheabird

call me crazy but I've hunted bear with a bow hogs with bowie knife and shot almost every thing else with a 308. tricked savage " bolt action" but go hunt a brown with 20 yr old semi auto rem. is mmmm nut's !