.tg .tg-xhut { The .338 Winchester Magnum is among the popular choices for large bearsboth my Alaskan guides carried a rifle so chamberedand I see the wisdom of using bullets of 250 grains. Mag. Sometimesunder some circumstanceshunting is hard to explain. Things might be different on the bench. font-size: 18px; Contributor Mike Roux takes his audience through a few factors that contribute to a successful hunt. So, which one comes out on top in a head-to-head matchup? These close to one-ton beasts are often shot at ranges beyond those recommended for other dangerous game animals due to the open terrain common to coastal Alaska and Kodiak Island. .45-70 GovernmentFirst adopted by the U.S. military in 1873, the .45-70 Government has been one of the longest-standing big-game cartridges of all time. All calculations were based on the heaviest Nosler AccuBond bullet available in factory-loaded ammunition for each caliber, unless otherwise noted. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the grizzly or brown bear, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the grizzly or brown bear in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots the list goes on. 5. Heres a look at the eight best charge-stopping bear cartridges ever made. padding: 10px 5px; We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet. In this case, the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear is approximately 595 lbs. Ive killed a couple of bears with the .375 H&H and Id certainly put it at the top of my list, though for reasons as much sentimental as practical. During my week at Afognak Wilderness Lodge, I had plenty of time to talk about all kinds of stuff like that with guide Luke Randall. A-Frame bullets. One point for every 10 yards MPBR beyond 200 yards and one point deducted for every 10 yards less. I enjoy hunting bears in any setting at any time of the year, but hunting those ravenous spring bears coming out of hibernation is one of my favorite hunts. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo. By that yardstick it is hard to fault a .300 Win. and large game (1500 ft-lbs), and the minimum velocity most hunting bullets require for reliable expansion (1800 fps). The less recoil, the more accurate the shooter, and hence, the more effective the cartridge. You can also avoid using a muzzle-brake by selecting a cartridge that you can shoot comfortably and enjoy shooting enough to practice with frequently. Mag. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. The '06 has been the big-game king forever. Caliber. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. in 1962. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 12-Gauge SlugAccording to Nelson, the 12-gauge slug gun is by far one of the most popular choices for bear protection in the Alaskan bush. If youre sensitive, a 300 Win. Federal Premium 338 Winchester Magnum 225gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw Rifle Ammo - 20 Rounds. It was Winchesters second belted magnum based on the 375 &H case of 1912. For black bears, in country where there is no grizzly presence, the popular deer and elk cartridges will certainly work very well; a .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield loaded with a 165- or 180-grain spitzer bullet will handle black bears. Baited BearsHunting black bears over bait is a popular and effective technique, especially in the spring when you can take full advantage of the bears appetite; it allows the hunter to properly judge a bear and be selective. Specialized long-range bullets were not used as they are unnecessary for most hunting situations. (You are going to practice with it, arent you?) Weatherby responded with its full magnum-length 340 Wby. Mag.'s 2.5-inch case and 86-grain capacity. For handloaders, the 300-grain Swift A-Frame is the way to go. Bottles & 12-oz. Find a full line of 338 Winchester Magnum ammo from all major brands at the best prices. The .340 is Roy Weatherbys answer to the .338 Win. Elvis was young and Marilyn Monroe was THE Hollywood sex symbol when the 338 Win. SAAMI specifications for 338 Win. of energy. 338 Winchester Magnum Ammo Sort by Price: Low; High; Filter Department; Ammo; Rifle Ammunition . Get that. As Nelson points out, the first shot may end the charge but doesnt always kill the bear, which means its handy to have a rifle that can make the longer follow-up shot. Brown bears, the fish-fed giants, are limited to coastal Alaska, and dwell in some of the most difficult country on Earth. If you want factory ammo, try the Federal loaded with 300-grain Trophy Bonded bullets. In 2000, a friend of mine shot a brown bear that squared 11 feet plus, and must have weighed over 1,200 pounds. The .338 Win. 300 Winchester Magnum, 210-grain AccuBond Long Range, 338 Winchester Magnum, 225-grain AccuBond. of energy. shoots flat, hits hard, and fits in standard length actions. load in the same weight rifle will come back with 24.3 foot-pounds at 13.2 fps. AccuBond (.720 BC/.375 SD) at 2650 fps. Youre probably a lot better off with an 06 that doesnt cause you to wet yourself than with a .495 Thunderf**ker that does. In rifles weighing 9-pounds, the 225-grain 338 Win. The 338 Winchester Magnum followed in 1958. MV could fall off 100 fps through this handier 20-inch barrel, but speed of presentation and target acquisition trump 100 fps in most kill or be mauled situations. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. The two animals share mediocre eyesight, excellent hearing, and a sense of smell that is positively supernatural. The weather is usually mild, and it always feels great to grab a favorite rifle after the long winter. For most hunters, the upper limit of recoil is the .30-06 or 7mm Remington Magnum. Is the .338 Winchester Magnum a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for grizzly or brown bear hunting? If there is any possibility a hunter might make a shot at less than 100 yards, a tough, controlled expansion bullet is required to avoid the bullet disintegrating when it hits a large animal at close range. A great many bolt-action rifles do not feed worth a barrel of Old Hog Sh*t, and you want to find out in advance if yours is among them. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. Therefore, a cartridge with less recoil than another, but with similar terminal performance, is better for the simple fact a missed shot, no matter how powerful, is useless. Never, ever, shoot a large-caliber bear just once. His outfitting crew has scored a 100 percent success rate on brown bears for rifle hunters for years. They provide more performance than most hunters will ever need. Lets dive right in. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Developed for military snipers to bridge the gap between .300 Winchester Magnum and .50 BMG, at first glance, the .338 Lapua seems to define over kill in a hunting cartridge. These rounds do have one mission they are ideal for, though: Alaskan brown bears. What we need to know without fluff mucking up the targets. Besides, bullet B.C.s change with velocity. AccuBond at 2941 fps. MPBR for a 10 inch kill box illustrates the concept. is an accurate cartridge, shown by this group fired with Swift 225-gr. The ammo comes loaded with bullets ranging from 260 grains, which is suitable for ground squirrels, to 300 grains, which is the only weight I would consider. .tg .tg-sklq { Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. AccuBond at 3060 fps. What about the other assumptions? You could carry it all day. but our BEAR HAMMER ammunition will get the most out of your .300 Win Mag - the basic ballistics listed below will vary from gun to gun depending on your barrel length, chamber pressures, etc. All the others mentioned here will continue to get the job done as well. Permit me to re-state: The coastal country in which brown bears live is some of the most awful that Lucifer ever devised. Both BC and sectional density (SD) are noted for each bullet tested. David E. Petzal The .338 Winchester Magnum derived much from work done by ballistics pioneer, Elmer Keith, among others. When most people think of grizzly cartridges, something on the order of a .338 Win. Considered by many to be the most versatile North American big-game cartridge, the .338 Win. October 10, 2014. When it comes to recognizing and responding to a bear attack, few people have as much experience as Alaskas Steve Nelson, a former research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey whos spent the last 41 years teaching bear defense courses in the Last Frontier. Reload. over a 300 Win. of energy at 1550 fps, which is more than double that of the 10mm and four times more energy than the 9mm. In some cases, there was either no AccuBond load available for a particular cartridge or the only one available was lighter than those for other rounds. The second newest cartridge in this test, the .338 RUM has been around since 2002. An increasingly larger and more aggressive grizzly population in northern Rockies elk forests suggests bear defense is a concern in places other than Alaska. owner needs to consider the recoil issue carefully. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Mag. 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