Virginia7,

I appreciate your fine humor. Actually I had never heard of Elmer Keith or Jack O'Connor until I got to this web site a couple years ago. Had to go "look them up" O'Connor was the better looking guy of the two (used a 416 Rigby in Africa too); Keith looked a bit dorky, but provided an interesting set of stories himself. Regarding the choice of rifles for the Alaskan Brown bear....

I'd probably use either one of the aforementioned rifles. IMHO, a key item is when one gets around to hunting dangerous game that can "bite back" is that your DGR needs to be big enough so not even the smallest question remains in your mind as to whether it is enough [I'd say this is perceived differently between "walking amongst them" at "showtime" versus sitting at home by the fireside computer 3,000 miles away] AND it needs to be an "old friend" that you've taken plenty of game with under a variety of circumstances so that you know its capabilities at both the "gut level" and at a "mental level". [:@][:@] I'm working on getting to know those two real well --- hence, using them on elk, for which they seem to be quite satisfactory.

One of those elk was at 30 yards and an off hand "snap shot" as an elk herd stampeded our positions this year and the other instance (actually two cows in rapid succession -- don't worry, I have two licenses almost every year) was at 210 yards with one elk (standing) taken with me standing and bracing off of an aspen tree, while the other one was from the same position but with the second elk running, -- one shot each -- they laid within 30 yards of each other.

The only other "interloper" on the Brown Bear thing might be that I'm toying with the idea of getting a CZ in 458 Lott (just for giggles) but I'd have to see how well it impressed me for 200-300 yard shooting, which with 450 gr Barnes X, it should be quite capable of doing. The other two rifles (375 & 416) are really on the inside track though. On the other hand, if the guide informed me that it was going to be very strenuous hiking [:'(][:'(] and every ounce counted, then I might go with an ultra light 338WinMag that I let my boys use --- a waspy little thing to shoot at non-living targets, but a joy to carry and fine to shoot at live game.

I've thought about this Brown Bear thing a lot; Moose and Caribou are intriguing too, but obviously are not DG. Hunting them would expand ones realm of experience and provide one a chance to get to know one's "old friends" even better.
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Regarding the hat question..... nope, even though I grew up on a ranch as a kid I never did like cowboy hats much --- I was more a baseball cap kind of guy. [Exception being rain, BeaverJack was sure right on that one, and I do have an old Stetson I wear when the odds of rain are high when I head out the wall tent door --- life is better when the rain stays out of your face and runs down your back instead of down your neck.] I didn't care much for cowboy boots either, as I liked lace up Red Wing work boots with steel toes ["magnum" foot wear ). Ranching/farming is a good way to get hurt or turned into an old man ahead of your time if you're not REAL careful; however, it is a damn fine heritage to grow up in though, and sure instills a good work ethic and a "cowboy up" mental toughness that I find so painfully missing among so many "out there" today. [>:]

Probably gave you more than you expected.

EKM

Welcome to the forum, Onninpoika! I would venture to say that drillings are not so popular in the USA for a variety of reasons. They are no doubt quite costly, which is a major problem. They are not very common, either; I have never seen one for sale in our local gun stores. It's not that we all love the same type of rifle either; most of us like to hunt with bolt actions, but many also enjoy lever actions, pump action rifles, semi-automatic rifles and even single shot rifles.

If there were more drillings available, more people might use them, we just seldom see them. Are they very common in Europe?

Hey Colorado, why did you skip over the 10 guage???????????? :&gt


Onninpoika,

Like i said in my other post, i do use my drillings for hunting. I've hunterd with mine all over Alaska, and some of Canada and some other states here. It has put huge amounts of meat in my freezer, and these days it's my favorite deer hunting rifle. Look for a picture of "this seasons" deer on monday, as that's the day firearms season opens here. I'll probable shoot a small buck this year for for my freezer on monday morning.

Here's a pict. of one of the two bucks i shot last year.

Drilling Man

Hi ColoradoElk
I think you have a piece of best german handgraft. I didn't get why you don't use a class with it. If you dont have a scope for it you can get one easly from e-bay german. www.ebay.de. There are usually some of then for sale. You should check that it is with clasp. Sorry I don't know english word for it. But I mean that it sholld have those clasps that you can use to attach the scope to your drilling's mount attack holes. German words that you need are:
Zielfernrohr = rifle scope
Zeiss = The thing you are looking for

You have a splendid gun that needs same kind of scope and you will have graet times in the woods.

A little late (Opening day for Minnesota was Nov 6th) but I used my Rem 710 .270 this year as I have for the previous two years. I also brought my Winchester Model 94 .30-30 along but didn't use it this year. That rifle has been in the family for a few generations and still puts meat on the table. I've also taken my stainless Ruger Mini-30 into the field for some bad weather hunts. Mostly though that gun is for plinking bowling pins at the range.

I'm using a Marlin MR 7 Bolt Action in 270 Winchester with a Bushnell Scopechief. This is one of the most accurate rifles I have ever owned. Man, I wish they hadn't stopped making those rifles.

Clint

I use a .50cal BMG for squirrels heck they dont make a gun big enough for deer LOL just kidding!I use the new Mossberg 100ATR in .270win with a cheap Tasco 4-9x40 World class and I love it scope and all.

Ruger M-77 7mm Rem. Mag with Nikon Buckmaster 3x9x40