Opinions on Best Big Bore Rifle

270AB said:
Karamojo Bell is looking down at you, shaking his head in utter disbelief and scorn.
In all seriousness I do chuckle at those who mandate the big bores as absolute necessities for African cats when 2 and 3x the size and equal or much more so dangerous coastal and arctic bears are routinely taken with simple 30 and 338 cal rifles. Not to mention the average hunters increased proficiency when using one. I strongly believe the old adage of placing the bullet properly being far more important than the size of the bore, weight/diameter of the bullet, etc.
Click to expand...
Stopping and elephant that is intent on killing you is an entirely different undertaking than killing an elephant that is unaware of your presence.

You're not wrong about the African cats. There really isn't any need to shoot something overly large at what amounts to a thinly skinned and relatively easily killed animal.
 
270AB said:
Karamojo Bell is looking down at you, shaking his head in utter disbelief and scorn.
In all seriousness I do chuckle at those who mandate the big bores as absolute necessities for African cats when 2 and 3x the size and equal or much more so dangerous coastal and arctic bears are routinely taken with simple 30 and 338 cal rifles. Not to mention the average hunters increased proficiency when using one. I strongly believe the old adage of placing the bullet properly being far more important than the size of the bore, weight/diameter of the bullet, etc.
Click to expand...

There was a video on YouTube some time ago about a guide turning a brown bear charge with a .404 Jeffery. The client had shot a different bear and this one charged up the river bank.

There is a difference in shooting a calm, relaxed animal vs one that is wounded or charging. And of course your point is spot on about bullet placement, except that some folks are proficient enough with the bigger stuff to properly place a bigger bullet.

I doubt many brown bear guides carry a .30-06 to back up their clients. IIRC Phil Shoemaker used a .458 WM as backup. There is a reason for that.
 
Horses for courses. Just because something can work, doesn't mean its an ideal match for a situation: old WDM was and is the exception to the rule.
If I'm hunting bear from a ground stand in the evening I want a hole on both sides of the bear that will wreck innards and produce a blood trail, not a shot that will (more slowly) kill but allow it to run without leaving a trace into good ol' Canadian jungley-bush. Been there, and still feel nauseated by it years later (and yes, it was hit well and properly- roar, bite the impact site, rolled and then ran).

A 450/400, 9.3x62, or 458 WM are what I'm leaning on, even if I could bring out a 6.5X54MS to admire while waiting to see if something decides to show itself.

A big bore is a rifle that you KNOW is enough!
 
1899 said:
There was a video on YouTube some time ago about a guide turning a brown bear charge with a .404 Jeffery. The client had shot a different bear and this one charged up the river bank.

There is a difference in shooting a calm, relaxed animal vs one that is wounded or charging. And of course your point is spot on about bullet placement, except that some folks are proficient enough with the bigger stuff to properly place a bigger bullet.

I doubt many brown bear guides carry a .30-06 to back up their clients. IIRC Phil Shoemaker used a .458 WM as backup. There is a reason for that.
Click to expand...
He has also used a 30-06 as a backup and has stopped wounded brown bear with one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DGY
1899 said:
There was a video on YouTube some time ago about a guide turning a brown bear charge with a .404 Jeffery. The client had shot a different bear and this one charged up the river bank.

There is a difference in shooting a calm, relaxed animal vs one that is wounded or charging. And of course your point is spot on about bullet placement, except that some folks are proficient enough with the bigger stuff to properly place a bigger bullet.

I doubt many brown bear guides carry a .30-06 to back up their clients. IIRC Phil Shoemaker used a .458 WM as backup. There is a reason for that.
Click to expand...
Actually for years Phil carried a 30-06 cause he could t find any partitions for his other gun and he thought that he was better with a 30-06 with 200gn partition than anything else with poorly made bullets.
To this day the record costal brown bear was killed with a 30-06!
 
As for cats, not your house cat, a adult lion or lioness is very much as or more dangerous than any bears on this planet, way faster, way more agile, a lot more predatory even more than the polar bear. As for weight a male lion can weight up to 600lbs, male grizzly up to 700lbs so really little difference when you think the lion as more speed. Polar bear can be a lot heavier at up to 1300lbs, but really not as common and not a species hunted that much if that make any differences!
For me I feel more confortable in grizzly country than in big cats country 😂
 
pathfinder76 said:
He has also used a 30-06 as a backup and has stopped wounded brown bear with one.
Click to expand...

DGY said:
Actually for years Phil carried a 30-06 cause he could t find any partitions for his other gun and he thought that he was better with a 30-06 with 200gn partition than anything else with poorly made bullets.
To this day the record costal brown bear was killed with a 30-06!
Click to expand...
I remember the whale carcass tests he did where those 220’s performed very well. But I also remember he had a beat up .458 he used for backup. Or maybe I’m not remembering correctly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DGY
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom