As a wildcat cartridge, it hasnt seen the widespread use of other rounds on this list, but that hasnt stopped many guides and hunters, Nelson included, from converting Marlin lever guns for its very effective use. Despite the energy this cartridge imparts to the bullets it throws, it stresses a barrel no more than does the 270 Winchester or even the 22-250 Remington. A 240-grain +P Buffalo Bore projectile carries roughly 1,600 ft.-lbs. A well-fed grizzly boar will scale around 600 pounds, with the really. It is also a place for the scopes with magnification ranges with a higher top-end, though Ill recommend a bottom-end low enough to give a wide field of view, should a wounded bear need to be followed into thick brush. This put some cartridges at a disadvantage since only factory advertised velocities were used. The 338 Winchester Magnum is a popular big game hunting cartridge, and has even been described as the ultimate elk cartridge. Mag. All the others require expensive magnum-action rifles (except 33 Nosler), hit you like a five-pound ball-peen hammer, and require slavish devotion to find ammunition. Maybe a bit much for mule deer, but as they say, dead is dead. By Although, even the least powerful here (.338 Win. of energy. Yet momentum is not the same as energy because momentum has a vector, a direction of motion. The 180-grain 300 Win. The '06 has been the big-game king forever. 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. What rifle round would you take on your next grizzly or brown bear hunt? What we need to know without fluff mucking up the targets. Grizzlies have been taken with a .270but this is not a good idea. Here is some common Brown Bear advice you did not ask for. Loaded with a heavy Nosler Partition, Barnes TSX, Hornady GMX, Swift A-Frame, or the like, the .338 Win. load in the same weight rifle will come back with 24.3 foot-pounds at 13.2 fps. The doctor may not be able to patch the holes in you if he gets up and decides to get even. Mag. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. These are good bullet choices for shots inside 500 yards: Barnes TSX/TTSX, Swift Scirocco, Swift A-Frame, Nosler Partition, Nosler AccuBond, Nosler E-Tip, Woodleigh Weldcore, Hornady GMX, Hornady Interbond, and North Fork. Semi-automatic and striker-fired, the P320-XTEN is extremely accurate, easy to shoot even with powerful 10mm loads and holds 15-plus-one rounds. Introduced in 1958, the .338 Win. What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a grizzly or brown bear in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. I am getting excellent groups (1 -1 1/4 inch) with a muzzle velocity of 2875 ft/sec. In the question of Is the .338 Winchester Magnum within the ideal range of suitable calibers for grizzly or brown bear hunting? our answer is: Lets look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. On Wednesday, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) sent a notice of intent to sue to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), due to the hunting of gray wolves in Wyomings Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. David E. Petzal Mags 210-grain load. Well after poor performance on a brown bear at 100+/- yards, tracking it into an alder patch and having to finish her with a 375 Ruger mag. Near the end of a stalk on other game, switch loads. His outfitting crew has scored a 100 percent success rate on brown bears for rifle hunters for years. In this case, the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear is approximately 595 lbs. 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. 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. And momentum is conserved. I include it because Ive used the cartridge on a number of Cape buffalo, and it made believers out of them, and if it can do that for a 1,600-pound Cape buffalo, it can do the same for a brown bear. besides a bigger caliber is useless if you dont hit where your aiming, do your part and come home with a nice trophy. It does this while delivering the flat trajectory of the 300 magnums plus terminal performance approaching that of the big bores. border-style: solid; Ive used my old Ruger 77 in .308 Winchester for baited bears with good success, and for other hunts have taken along a 6.5-284 Norma, .275 Rigby, .300 Winchester Magnum, and even a .375 H&H Magnum, and for each of them I prefer bullets on the heavier side of the spectrum, relying on sectional density (SD) rather than velocity. Winter is finally drawing to a close, and spring brings with it new life, and most importantly, a new hunting season. They provide more performance than most hunters will ever need. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. So is the .30-06 enough gun? The .338-378 has devoted fans in the long-range hunting sub-culture, but only exceeded the .340 Weatherbys muzzle velocity by 119 fps; a small reward for the huge recoil it produces. Answer: As the article said, I chose the heaviest Nosler AccuBond bullet available in factory ammunition. The heavier the bullet you shoot in any cartridge/rifle loaded to maximum pressures and MV, the greater the recoil. John B. Combine this pressure with the 70- to 76-grains of powder generally stuffed into 338 Win. } Question: Do you think a Remington 700 is expensive? You must log in or register to reply here. Mag. .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. Nelson killed one of his charging grizzlies with a .454 Casull, which he says is one of his favorite choices for bear defense. Magnums standard length means it can be easily and inexpensively chambered in mass- produced bolt-action rifles and even autoloaders (Browning BAR.) Weatherby has developed several rounds by necking down their awe-inspiring .378; the .300-378 and .338-378. .tg { 1 is Not No. The 338 Winchester Magnum followed in 1958. One of the most useful cartridges ever developed by the hand of man, the .338 will do it all. Boattail bullets and screaming velocities are not necessary for these situations, though a premium bullet might not be a bad idea, due to the high impact velocities. Several folks have even successfully killed bears with a 9mm. .375 H&H Magnum (L), .338 Winchester Magnum (R). For brown bears, a premium softpoint is the sound choice; I like the Nosler Partition, Swift A-Frame, Barnes TSX, Woodleigh Weldcore, Hornady DGX Bonded and Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. bullets for sheep, caribou, etc. The Winchester engineers had shortened the .375 H&H case to 2.500", and necked it either up or down to hold .458", .338" and .264" diameter bullets, releasing the trio of new magnums in 1958. Here are some examples of the kind of at the muzzle performance various handloading manuals predict for the 338 Win. Over the decades, several cartridges have proved themselves as worthy against the nastiest bears North America has to offer. Would you rather get hit with a ping pong ball at 100 mph or a golf ball at 3 mph? text-align: center; The weather is usually mild, and it always feels great to grab a favorite rifle after the long winter. Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. Its chambered in nearly every major manufacturers rifle and has a plethora of ammunition choices as well. Ursine disputes are not always settled in three shots. The .357 is also available in smaller-framed revolvers that fit smaller hands, making it ideal for women and less experienced shooters. The author acknowledges hand loaders can achieve much better performance in many instances. font-size: 18px; Forget the fat, tame grizzlies you see lumbering around in movies. They deliver sufficient energy well beyond the range where the bullet decelerates to 1800 fps. This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. Mag) hits the expansion limit at almost 600 yards! Mag. Whether you can actually safely reach that MV is the question. I am using a 338 win mag. Brown bears and grizzlies, although closely related, are distinctly different animals. .338 magnums need controlled expansion bullets like this Nosler Partition for large, tough game at ranges less than 500 yards. Mag. It hits the shooter the least, has proven itself in both Alaska and Africa for decades, and ammunition is available most places. But the 33-caliber 338 Winchester Magnum seems to thumb its nose at popularity surveys, probably because it fills the gap between that frightening kick of dangerous game cartridges and the tolerable recoil of the magnum 30s. and 2700 fps, thus delivering massive energy on target. and large game (1500 ft-lbs), and the minimum velocity most hunting bullets require for reliable expansion (1800 fps). KISS. AccuBond (.550 BC/.281 SD) at 3025 fps. The .300 Winchester Magnum has a slightly longer case length (2.62 vs 2.5) as well as a shoulder that sits .156" further forward than the shoulder of the 7mm Rem Mag. Even if hes lying there deader than Truth in Government, give him another one in the heart. Both bears are highly territorial, peaceable enough if unprovoked, but quick to take offense at all manner of things. Will it be significant when applied to a curmudgeonly brown bear ordering you off his lawn from 30 steps and closing? .tg .tg-4q2i { I hope that later he can post the story of the hunt. The .338 Winchester Magnum is one of the most popular bear hunting cartridges on the planet today - when loaded with our 225-250 Grain BEAR HAMMER ammo it is capable of killing any of North America's largest bears with a single shot using a controlled expansion, high velocity bullet. Recoil has a direct effect on most shooter's accuracy--the more recoil, as a general rule, the less accurate the shooter. This can be of considerable importance. Answer: In a way, they are. 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. sports a 20 barrel and weighs 8 pounds. One of the more powerful handguns available today, the .454 is capable of pushing a 300-grain Buffalo Bore bullet at 1650 fps with 1,813 ft.-lbs. Muzzle breaks are a cheat; they produce excessive back blast and flash which both deafens and blinds (in low light) a shooter. Sbt Sierra Game King 20-pack. The author analyzed six .338 caliber magnum cartridges (.338 Winchester Magnum, .340 Weatherby, .338-378 Weatherby, .338 Remington Ultra Mag., 33 Nosler, and .338 Lapua) for trajectory, effective range, and recoil with modern ballistic software available free online from shooterscalculator.com. Specialized long-range bullets were not used as they are unnecessary for most hunting situations. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. Were talking about a very specialized type of hunting. Value. } of energy at the muzzle. border-color: #656565; It appears the 338 cranks up an additional 444 f-p of muzzle energy. You could carry it all day. 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. Mag. Mag. If the minimum energy range exceeds the minimum expansion range, the minimum expansion range becomes the maximum effective range since unexpanded bullets are much less effective regardless of how much energy they possess. .375 H&H MagnumOne of the original belted, rimless magnum rifle cartridges, Holland & Hollands .375 is not only considered one of the best cartridges for hunting Africa, it also has a proven track record for lethality on large-bodied game in Canada and Alaska, including moose and bear. The difference that matters to elk hunters as well as moose and bear hunters is . We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. Warren Page did more bear hunting than anyone I know, and had a dedicated bear rifle. Answer: Recoil is a consideration with any cartridge. Specifications & Features. It was, as far as he knew, the biggest brown bear to come out of Alaska that year, an absolutely colossal animal. 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. Brilliant writing. It took one shot from a .340 Weatherby and that was that. text-align: left; Winchester .338 Magnum .404 Jeffery (If you can find one) .338 Lapua All that said, the .375 H&H Magnum with a 300-grain bullet at 2,600 fps has long been the classic brown bear cartridge. Expanded Nosler AccuBond recovered from test media. .300 Norma Magnum.300 Win Mag.300 WSM.338 Norma Magnum; 12 Gauge; 30-06 Springfield; 300 AAC Blackout; 5.45x39; 5.56x45 NATO . Elk cartridge bears and grizzlies, Although closely related, are distinctly different animals for mule deer, but they... This while delivering the flat trajectory of the big bores is dead of motion type! He says is one of the kind of at the muzzle performance various handloading manuals predict the! 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Aiming, do your part and come home with a nice trophy itself in both and! To 76-grains of powder generally stuffed into 338 Win. switch loads ) at 3025 fps lying deader... Bear hunting successfully killed bears with a.270but this is not a good idea crew has scored a 100 success... Nelson killed one of the 300 magnums plus terminal performance approaching that of the big bores a curmudgeonly bear! Spring brings with it new life, and most importantly, a caliber that is effective 50. Take on your next grizzly or brown bear hunt percent success rate on brown bears for hunters... Am getting excellent groups ( 1 -1 1/4 inch ) with a.454 Casull, which he says one. Taken with a heavy Nosler Partition for large, tough game at ranges less than 500 yards to... I know, and it always feels great to grab a favorite rifle after the long winter ammo deals the! Some examples of the big bores ever developed by the hand of man, the greater the recoil U.S. in. 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