New Rifle for Grizzly/moose

If it was me I'd get a CZ 550 SAFARI MAGNUM in .375 H&H, not a Ruger.
http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=23

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i have both 338 and 375 h=h just sold a stainless clasic to mtm ,great gun but no use for me right now,maybe in the future i will buy again,i would get a 375 h=h beacause the frontal area is larger than 338,the 338 does penetrate as well as a 375 but when chips are down the 375 feeds more reliably in adverse conditions has to do with the taper of the shell,and after the large bares up close and personal even the 375 would have me wondering what i was doing,personal experiance,have been bluff charged on the west coast, needless to say i burned my underwear in the fire . the friend i went with liked to do things up close and personal,he used a 458 win chopped down to a 20 inch bore with 510 gr woodleigh soft points,i was back up with the 375 many cudos to the guys that hunt these animals i think my testicals shrunk after that experiance,the sako is nice but prefer the ruger or win controlled feed.your choice .
 
So, what you guys are saying, its not the size of the bore that counts , but how, and where you shoot your load? :eek::p Where have we heard this before! LOL.:D


Yes important but i think we are just having a friendly pissing match here LOL!!!

Buit in all seriously i would use the 338 and a min caliber hunting big bears , but it will work... evry very well, I like the big bores my self, and for stoppers you see a few suggesting and using the 450 marlin! and it would be effective!

No matter what i said earlier I can not argue sectional density or the ballistics of the 375s over the 338 wm.. and i would be the first to admitt you can not have enough gun if your life is on the line....

LOL! but i would still take a 338 LOL!!
 
I dont know anything about Sako's other than what I've read and they've never sounded like a bad rifle. I do like the controlled round feed but i've never had a problem with my Winchester with push feed. As for Caliber I own two 338's and never had a problem putting down an animal. And if you hit them good with a good bullet they'll be one shot kills. But i've never been walking and met a grizz up close. Lots of times in my truck where lots of times I had walked. I've never felt uncomfortable walking by myself in these areas with the 338. And I wouldnt even consider hunting with a 375 diameter bullet over the 338. But Ive been bitten by the bigger bore the better bug. So Im going to sell a 338(oh that hurts) and buy a 375 ruger. So I suggest you pick one caliber now and buy the other later(lol). If you hunt often in a grizzly populated areas. And your often in dense cover where shots are close and can only have one rifle for hunting moose and grizzly. Get a 375, if not get the 338, and use a good bullet with either caliber.
 
Anybody know what are the max loads/bullets for the .338 and .375H&H (or .375Ruger, for that matter)? My Hornady book only shows a 300gr slug for the H&H , but I've seen quotes from others suggesting bigger.

I'm assuming a bolt gun here.
 
You guys are absolutley AMAZING..I DO appreciate all the advice...

I have guided for grizz and been in on 20 grizz kills over the years for clients and other friends..and for myself numerous times..been run at by a mountain grizz..he was harvested with a .350 rem mag...I have used .270...7mm ..30-06..300 win...338 win mag..,,and Im STILL here.........

Steven
 
You guys are absolutley AMAZING..I DO appreciate all the advice...

I have guided for grizz and been in on 20 grizz kills over the years for clients and other friends..and for myself numerous times..been run at by a mountain grizz..he was harvested with a .350 rem mag...I have used .270...7mm ..30-06..300 win...338 win mag..,,and Im STILL here.........

Steven

Impossible, you didn't have a .375, so you can't be here.:rolleyes::p

You want the Sako, buy the Sako. Can't blame ya.;)
 
So the .375 rugar is to the .375H&H mag ,what the .308 Win is to the 30-06?

Shorter action not much else?


Is this correct?

Bob:)

Check out the cartridge picture I put up, you can see the differences in case design.

It has a slightly higher velocity than the H&H, so a 308/30-06 comparison isn't very accurate:)
 
You guys are absolutley AMAZING..I DO appreciate all the advice...

I have guided for grizz and been in on 20 grizz kills over the years for clients and other friends..and for myself numerous times..been run at by a mountain grizz..he was harvested with a .350 rem mag...I have used .270...7mm ..30-06..300 win...338 win mag..,,and Im STILL here.........

Steven

Something to consider, particularly if you are guiding is that there is a big difference between killing a bear in a hunting situation than there is in killing a bear in a defensive situation. When hunting, often the bear is killed without warning. In a defensive shooting situation the bear has a mission, and that mission is to kill you. The range will be close, the action will be fast, and the marksmanship may not be precise. From a guides perspective, the hunting scenario can quickly change to a defensive scenario. Hundreds of grizzlies have been killed with .30-06's, and that's what I have for my wife to pack around because it's what she shoots well, although I'm damn tempted to rebarrel that rifle to 9.3X62 or to a .375/06.

But when you have the responsibility to protect your clients, and when you are in the willows looking for a wounded bear, a little extra isn't a bad thing. Around here more and more, folks are moving up to medium or big bores for that edge. I've owned owned a .350 magnum and I've used a .338 to some extent, and either one is a capable bear gun, but the .375 has a bit more, and is still useful as an all around hunting rifle.
 
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O.K. didn't want to bring this up but if you want a serious Moose/Bear gun go to the .416 Rem. 350 TSXs at 2650 fps for gerneral hunting and 400s at 2450+ for under 200 yd. bear bashing. That TSX load is surpiseingly flat and fine for 300+ yd shots on Moose. My Mod.70 is super accurate and fairly easy to shoot.
 
Steven

Upon looking at the newer Sako 85's, I think you could do alot worse...

They are CRF rifles (unlike older PF Sakos) and they have a 22" barrel, pretty good for easier handling.

Only thing I think makes them less than perfect is that they use a detachable magazine, there are no iron sights, the barrel is not 20" long, and they are chambered in 338 Winchester Magnum:p
 
GATE...lamo....now THATs funny...man Clarke..talented..good looking..ya must be Ive seen the photos of the ladies...great cook....AND funny..that complete package...

The NEW detatchable magazine is double action requiringpressing in and a second manover..somewhat less likely it will pop out whan least desired..not sure about 20 inch barrel...good for fast manovering however??too short for long range and complete burning of powder for max.ballistics?

Irorn sites ARE a option on some???

Steven
 
G.

The NEW detatchable magazine is double action requiringpressing in and a second manover..somewhat less likely it will pop out whan least desired

Questions to ask about the detachable magazine:

Can you top up your magazine without removing the magazine? On some detach magazines you acan't

How durable is the magazine?

Are you the type that forgets things?:p

..not sure about 20 inch barrel...good for fast manovering however??too short for long range and complete burning of powder for max.ballistics?

Complete burning of powder takes place in the first few inches of barrel, so no issues with that.

You will lose some velocity in a shorter barrel. 25fps per inch is a decent rule of thumb. It won't make any difference in how well it hits or kills at longer ranges, though.

Irorn sites ARE a option on some???

I didn't see them on the Sako site, but it's possible. They can be added later of course.

The Sako sure is a good rifle, I jut think that the 375 Ruger Alaskan is an ideal grizzly/big moose rifle...Power of a 375 H&H, trajectory of a 30-06. Hard to beat that!;)

You really should try them both out, pick the one you liek the best..:)
 
Just picked up my Sako 85. Some comments:

The box mag can be loaded from the top. You reallly, really have to want to remove the mag. You push the box inwards, then push the tab rearward towards the buttstock. It comes out smoothly.

My barrel on the 300 Win is 24 3/8 inches. i believe all the class V long actions are the same.

IIRC the limited edition models in 75 had irons, but not the 85. I agree it would be good on the 375.

How's the weight on the Ruger? The Sako 85 is just shy of 8 lbs, and mine is just over 9 with 3.5-10x44, optilocks but no sling/swivels ( The sako ones are JUNK)
 
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