Going to the Yukon: do I have enough gun?

Lived up there for a few years. If I was to pick one gun it would be a stainless bolt action in a 30 cal cartridge 30-06/300 etc. It is more important that you can shoot the gun, than having magnum power. That being said if you can shoot a 338 well then go for it! Buy the way there is a well stocked gun shop in Whitehorse that has the same prices as the big stores and there is no sales tax in the yukon.

Go see Sean at Hougens sportslodge and he will take care of you.

Enjoy the Yukon, it is an outdoorsmans paradise. I would go back in a heartbeat.

cheers,
 
I agree that your .308 is good enough. Hell, I grew up watching my old man make consistent one shot kills on moose with a .38-55.

Unless you really WANT another rifle, spend a few bucks on ammo and practice a whole bunch. A better shot trumps a bigger rifle any day.
 
MTM said:
Don't sell your 08 for on 06, but if you want a new gun go 338 or 375. Stainless Mod. 70 Classic with the barrel cut to 22-23" and you're done.
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I have one here in stainless (375Mag), looks unfired, if anyone is interested.

I'd go 21-22". No more.

.
 
I've been twice. Took a 375 both times. Partitions and TSX.

With good bullets, any 270/7mag/30-06 or larger would be fine. Good bullets!

.
 
30-06 is not a step up from .308. If you want a step up you should consider 300/338 class. Switching to 30-06 is money not well spent.

You will be Okay with your .308 like many have suggested. However, make sure you use premium bullets like Partition or TSX.
 
.308 will do fine. Don't listen to the magnum naysayers. However, if you WANT to buy a new gun, well, that's different.
Having looked at the magnums, I am not sure that, if faced with the chance, I would buy one anyway. I have a .243Win, a .308, several .303's, a 7.62x54R, a couple of .303AI's, several SKS's, and a couple of .30-06's. I am good for whatever I want. Only thing I could ever see me buying in the near future is a Win94 in a .30-30 (just for nostalgia since my Dad has always had one). Or another SKS...
If you want to freak everyone out, get a P-14 re-chambered to .303AI and watch eyes pop when you let loose. They can be loaded up pretty close to 300 H&H levels, right up with the hot .30-06 stuff.
As has been said, spend your money on more ammo to practice, better glass, more scouting. Enjoy! (little bit of envy here, would like to go back, but wife says no).
 
I've killed more big game here in the Yukon with a short barrelled Rem 600 in .308 win than with all my other centerfire's combined. I never felt outgunned, and I never wounded anything with that rifle. I typically used factory premium ammo pushing 180gr Partitions.

I use it much less now, but that's merely because of an EE addiction that makes me go out with a different rifle every time.

A .308 with good quality ammunition will kill anything you want. If you want to hunt Bison, check the regs, you'll need to push a 180gr bullet fast enough to get you 2800 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle (2650 fps). No real big deal with handloads.
 
I agree with the "go bigger not faster" theory, and moving anywhere, even down the street is a great excuse for buying a new gun. I'd go .35 Whelen, .375 H&H, or the king of them all, the 45/70, depending on your situation in regard to reloading your ammo.
 
I'd keep the .308 and spend your money on optics and good bullets, if you reload than you more than likely have something that works for you but if you do not reload than i would buy a couple boxes of diffrent premium ammo and head to the range for some fun and see what your gun likes best, theres nothing wrong with the gun you have and you know your gun, good optics, good bullets along with making a good shot will be all you need! have fun and post some pics of the game you take!
 
Thanks for the tips. I wasn't going to sell the .308 but sounds like it will do the trick readily enough. I'll try to figure out if it likes any heavier loads (currently shoot 150s).

I can stop in Hougen's and buy something too. I tried to have a look see when I was there for an interview but misunderstood where it was ( I though sportslodge was the same as the Valhalla pure). It would be a bolt in stainless with a bigger bullet.

I just worry because I started hunting a few years ago and had a .243: lost my first deer...since then I've want a bit more "smackdown" than the minimum.
 
Svejk said:
Thanks for the tips. I wasn't going to sell the .308 but sounds like it will do the trick readily enough. I'll try to figure out if it likes any heavier loads (currently shoot 150s).

I can stop in Hougen's and buy something too. I tried to have a look see when I was there for an interview but misunderstood where it was ( I though sportslodge was the same as the Valhalla pure). It would be a bolt in stainless with a bigger bullet.

I just worry because I started hunting a few years ago and had a .243: lost my first deer...since then I've want a bit more "smackdown" than the minimum.
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Might want to work on your shot placement,as the 243 and the 308 use the

same cartridge(just a bigger boolet)! Bob
 
bobbyjack said:
Might want to work on your shot placement,as the 243 and the 308 use the

same cartridge(just a bigger boolet)! Bob
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Bigger boolet retains more down range energy creating more shock and trauma go compare the energy at 300yrds .243 100gr boolet vs .308 180gr boolit

report back on your findings
 
Depends What You Are Planning

If planning to hunt, a 30-06 with 165 grainer is fine. If a big bruin starts to stalk, have some 220's handy.

If you are going to be fishing, say at Dalton Post, a Marlin 45-70 with 6 rounds will get your butt out of trouble, but ya really, really have to be silly to get into trouble in the first place.

I hunted without any difficulty with my BLR81 in 30-06. Now it's a BAR in 30-06.
 
Most hunters know that a 308 is probably sufficient for most game in Canada... The only two exceptions might be Grizley and Bison. The 308 could probably do the job but if I thought a little more gun was the route to travel on... I would consider a 325 WSM with between 200 and 220 grainers. If I found a 220 load that worked well in the 325 I would probably go that route.
 
Highwind said:
Most hunters know that a 308 is probably sufficient for most game in Canada... The only two exceptions might be Grizley and Bison. The 308 could probably do the job but if I thought a little more gun was the route to travel on... I would consider a 325 WSM with between 200 and 220 grainers. If I found a 220 load that worked well in the 325 I would probably go that route.
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This is one of those things that makes my head hurt. How does the choice of a 200 gr bullet from a 8mm outclass a 200 gr bullet form a .30 caliber rifle? Given equal impact velocity, the mass is the same, momentum is the same, the potential expanded frontal area is the same, so isn't it reasonable to then assume the wound volume would be similar? I've had this debate with other experienced hunters, who have chosen larger bores but lighter weight for caliber bullets, so maybe I'm just missing something . . . but I doubt it.
 
Kinda like choosing a woman ........blond.......redhead............brunette? They all look the same standing on their head wearing dresses.And all get the job done.............Harold
 
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