300 wsm or 338 wsm

jc_online · #1 03-19-2006, 05:45 PM

A friend has been taking me out hunting and im real injoying it. He wants to take me on a bear hunting trip in Canada. So I have been looking at rifles. The guy at the gun shop recomended a Remington 700 with a 300 wsm but I was reading on another sight that you shuld have nothing less than 338 wsm. Now I dont know whut to get. Can any one help me with this problem and may be recomend a reasonly priced gun. Thank You.

fabsroman · #2 03-20-2006, 12:48 AM

First big question is what type of bear do you plan on hunting and what type of bears will be in the area? If the answer is only black bear, you will be fine with the .300. I think a .30-06 would work just fine on black bears. If the answer to either question includes the word grizzly in it, I think I would go with the .338 in a Remington Ultra Magnum at the minimum and possibly think about getting something in .375 or .416 Rigby. Of course, the .375 and .416 Rigby aren't available in a lot of entry level rifles. A .338 Lapua might not be a bad cartridge, but I don't know of any entry level rifles chambered in it.

Remington offers the Model 700 XCR in .375 H&H and .375 Ultra Magnum, but the MSRP is around $980. Usually you can get the rifle for a decent amount below MSRP.

Evan03 · #3 03-20-2006, 07:42 AM

i think the 325wsm would be a good choice. its new and theres quite a bit of facotry ammo available.

i also wonder how larger black bears up there can get. ive seen a couple black bears takn that dang near reach 7 foot with heads the size of my chest and feet that are huge. these arent your average every day idaho black bears but theyre are some monsters out there.

M.T. Pockets · #4 03-20-2006, 08:53 AM

The guy recommending nothing less than a .338 WSM must know something that I don't. Winchester decided on .325 over .338 cal. to fill this slot.

Anyway. On bears I would have to agree that if all else is equal (shooting ability, bullet selection...) bigger is better.

I would gladly hunt black bears anywhere with anything from a .308 on up with the right load. By right load I mean heavy for caliber, controlled expansion. I wouldn't worry about speed or trajectory near as much as choosing a tough, heavy bullet.

If I was hunting black bears and could choose any rifle I wanted, I think I'd take a .358 Win. or maybe a .35 Whelen with 250 grain Nosler partitions. Just because I think it would be a fun round to hunt them with and I know they'd do a great job.

fabsroman · #5 03-20-2006, 10:58 AM

It was late last night and I forgot to add this. The last thing you want going through your mind as a grizzly is charging is "Boy, I wish I had brought a bigger gun." With that said, you need to big a gun that you can handle the recoil on. I shoot a .300 Win Mag a lot, but have never shot anything larger than that. At first, I couldn't handle the recoil of the .300 Win Mag because the rifle was way too light. I added some weight and modifications to it and now it is a joy to shoot.

Regarding bullets, I would probably go with something like the Barnes X bullet which is a solid copper bullet with good expansion, cutting ability, and bone breaking ability. Bullet selection is a big thing for most game.

jc_online · #6 03-21-2006, 12:20 AM

Im unshur if ther will be Grizzlys wher we are going but I know now that regardless Im gong to have to go with a biger gun. Thank all of you for you input. It al ways good to get help from those more experience than you. You have all been so helpful.

I wish all of you good safe hunting

Jack · #7 03-21-2006, 12:42 AM

The key question is Blacks? or Grizzlys?
Most black bears are killed with deer rifles or slug shotguns.
Personally, if I were to go on a black bear hunt, like at IceQueens

I'd take a rifle I use for whitetails, and not worry about it.
I would use a bit stronger bullet than I might for whitetails, tho. Like a Nosler Partition, Winchester Fail Safe, or Barnes X.
I hope IceQueen sees this thread and answers- she's seen more black bears killed than any of us, I think.

rem 700 · #8 03-21-2006, 10:51 AM

Blacks would be easily downed with a more popular caliber such as 30-06, but when it comes to grizzly take at least a 338 magnum; I'd get a 375 HH mag for grizzly because of ammunition availability, price and pure size.

L. Cooper · #9 03-21-2006, 02:59 PM

While one key question is what type of bear, but the other equally important question is just how much shooting have you done with any of the calibers being suggested. I think it is very unwise to suggest anyone who had no experience with heavy rifles should start out with a .338 of any kind, let alone a .375 H&H.

What shooting have you done, jc? What experience do you have with various calibers and rifle types? Find out what bears actually live in the country you will hunt.

If black bears are the animal in question, anything bigger than .30-06 is completely unnecessary.

jc_online · #10 03-21-2006, 03:49 PM

L. Cooper made some very good pints. I am sill abit of a novice when it comes to this. I have only been shoting for a cuple of years. I have used hand guns, shot guns, and some smaller rifles. the truth of the mater is my hunting trip is still some time off and I'm looking to get is much info as I can so that I can make a smart decision when it comes for me to make the purchase. I also plan on geting a lot of range time in before I go, so I am familiar with the gun. Thank you all for you help.

fabsroman · #11 03-21-2006, 05:14 PM

I agree with L. Cooper. If you are thinking about going grizzly hunting, and haven't had much experience with hunting (i.e., pressure shots) or with large caliber rifles, you are looking to be grizzly food.

If you have never fired one of the larger caliber rifles and you are going from something like a .22 centerfire to a .375 H&H, you might decide never to fire anything larger than a .22 centerfire after you pull the trigger on the .375.

I would advise you to work your way up to these bigger hunts. Buy an everyday rifle and hunt where you live for a while. Get some experience, and then go on an exotic hunt. It would be foolish for a first time hunter, or novice hunter, to go after cape buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, or grizzly, because those hunts can easily end in our death, especially the African Safaris. While thrilling at the moment, I think you would think differently as a grizzly is mauling you. This isn't to scare you off from these types of hunts, but just some advice to be cautious.

Kind of like a novice fisherman heading 40 miles out to sea to do some fishing. He is just asking for trouble.