I think a heavier bullet in the 338 caliber and up of premium construction like Nosler Partitions, Barnes Triple Shock X, and most definately the Swift A Frame (my personal favorite of three) should do great. Another mild recoiling .35 caliber that has not been mentioned is the .35 Whelen. While it doesn't put out blistering speed like some other fancy magnums, it can still be loaded with a heavy .35 caliber bullet that will penetrate far. I like to think of it as the .308 of the bigger calibers. It doesn't put out blistering speed, but it is that same bullet shot out of bigger guns. I have always been one to use calibers on the small side I suppose, I would probably end up using a .338 Winchester magnum if I was going on that hunt. Shot placement and the ability to shoot acurately outweighs everything else in my book. Back in the day, people killed bears with muzzleloaders loaded with round balls.
Lazzeroni 8.59 Titan (.338) 225 grain factory load @ 3300 FPS and retaining 3785 pounds of energy @ 300 yards ought to get some kind of attention. Little on the pricey side but if I was going to get something special it might as well be nice.
A lot of these new calibers will bust your wallet as fast as your shoulder. What's worse is they may be unavailable in "the Boonies" and you'll be forced to buy 4 boxes at $100+ just to be safe. I took a .458 Win Mag (Ruger #1) to Africa and as long as you can deal with the recoil it'll knock trucks over. Very wide range of bullet weights and velocities and available everywhere. .378 Weatherby is nice too, but pricey. If you're looking for your "dream gun" before you buy, check out Searcy Rifles out of Barstow Ca. he has some real nice and "relatively cheap" double rifles with one of the strongest actions made. I think he also sells used rifles.
I'd go with a 45/70 loaded stout with a good bullet, I know a guy who took a brownie that squared 11 ft in ak, he used a 338 wm, during a conversation as he was describing his hunt, his face got pale and his only words were, a 338 ain't near big enough! I later heard the guide had to stop the charge!
RR
I think I've decided on a Ruger No.1 Tropical, or either the Ruger Safari Magnum chambered for the .458 Lott. I'd prefer the No.1, mostly because I've shot a Troical before in .375 H&H and I like the feel and blance - a lot! The Lott is more affordable to shoot, and I can use some of the bullets I already have for reloading at velocities not attainable in the 45/70. I'm not recoil sensitive, so I'm thinking it won't be a problem that I can't overcome and the power is there to end a confrontation with a big coastal brown quickly - without bloodshed, mine that is. Thanks to all for the comments, suggestions and advise. It was all helpful and much appreciated. Any comments on my choice will be more than welcome. Thanks!
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Feel the heart of the hunter - feel the thrill that will cleanse the soul.
I picked up a .375 Ruger in the Hawkeye African model recently. I like the rifle and the cartridge, but reloading brass is hard to come by. I sold my old .375 H&H a while back (big mistake) and wanted another one for Africa. I did not like the selection of crf rifles that are currently available, so I thought I'd give the little Ruger a try. The .375 Ruger is gaining popularity in Alaska quickly, however, there are a couple of choices in stainless crf .375 H&H that you may want to consider for Alaska.
A friend of mine liked my .416 Rem Mag (built on a Mauser magnum action), so he found a used No. 1 in the same chambering. He now has expressed some regrets about not buying a thumper with more than one shot available. He finally figured out why the used No. 1 was so inexpensive. It is a pretty rifle, but I believe that he would gladly sell it if he could find any takers.
I think the .375H&H is the ideal cartridge, but a multi-cartridge bolt action rifle is the ideal rifle, so of your 2 options, I'd get the .458 Lott
If that's the rifle I'm thinking of it comes in .375H&H too.
I second the talking to your guide/outfitter, there's a chance he'll be screaming at you not to have a single shot...if so that would answer that I think.
Thanks to all for the comments, suggestions and advise. It was all helpful and much appreciated. Any comments on my choice will be more than welcome. Thanks!
