300 Win Mag ok for Bear?

[TX1911fan]

I have a friend who hunts bear in Alaska almost every year. He wants to take me, so I'm going to research rifles. I really like the Remington 700. My friend recommended 300 Weatherby but I'm wondering if 300 Win Mag would work ok. Or, would other calibers work too? He says that they now stalk bear for shots inside 200 yards, usually inside 150 yards, so what caliber do you guys think would work. The 700 XCR comes in:

7mm Rem Mag
7mm Rem Ultra Mag
30-06
300 WSM
300 Win Mag
300 Rem Ultra Mag
338 Rem Ultra Mag
338 Win Mag
375 H&H Mag
375 Rem Ultra Mag

I'd like to have this be a useful rifle for other types of hunting too, such as deer, elk, etc. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Plink]

I think I'd be tempted to go with one of the .338s. Since I dispise the new breed of magnums, my choice would be the .338 Win Mag. It's a good, versatile choice.

I'm sure the .300 would work fine. I just like to live by the old saying "bring enough gun".

 

[Outlaws]

The 300 Win Mag will kill anything on this continent. Its bullet selection you want to worry about.

 

[HorseSoldier]

When I was a kid in Alaska, a lot of folks seemed to like 30-06 for bear, so I'd think 300 Win Mag should do the job with the right load with very little fuss.

 

[Alphazulu6]

Hello! The .300 Win Mag. your considering is the large firearm of choice where I grew up and still hunt in Montana. I own one and can personally attest to the raw power and devestating effects it produces. The .300 Win Mag physical ballistics are superior to almost every caliber you had listed.
Because of ammunition costs I hunt with my .308 or .30-06 as elk are the biggest animal I get tags for (and I dont hunt on arctic/tundra/african continents). For that all-round antelope, white-tail, elk, moose, or bear larger rifle the 300 Win Mag is my first choice! Safe hunting!

 

[Leanwolf]

I second the motion on what AlphaZulu6 said.

Plus, it's very difficult to go into any gun store or shop anywhere, and not find .300 Win. Mag. ammo for sale.

L.W.

 

[hounddog]

The 300 win mag will be fine. I would go with the 300 rum at present personally. Ammo little cheaper, and someone out there has come up with power level loads or something gimmicky like that. The RUM also seems to handle 200grain+ bullets better. No calliber on that list would be bad to carry bear hunting. Just that you are looking at other types of game as well. If you reload, not a big deal. You can tailor your own loads. If not, look at what ammo is out there.

 

[esmith]

I was watching people hunt with a weatherby magnum which is a little less than rem. mag i believe. It blew a chunk of flesh bigger than a softball out of the shoulder of a buck. Id say it'd work fine on bear.

 

[TX1911fan]

Looking at ballistic tables, the 300RUM looks better than the 300 Weatherby Mag. I may go for that.

Having read more, it seems like I would really only get a lot more recoil in the RUM for not much more ballistics over the Win Mag. There is just too much information out there. I'm going to have to sit on this a bit.

 

[koja48]

From 30 go 6 on up, select the one with which you are most COMFORTABLE & CONSISTENTLY ACCURATE!. All have sufficient power, assuming proper (heavy/robust) bullet selection, but here's the bottom line: if you can't place the round where you want it to go, you may find yourself & your friend/guide in an "uncomfortable" situation at best. A wounded/poorly hit grizz doesn't really care what caliber with which he was shot . . . he's just a) suffering, and b) righteously pissed.

 

[jaholder1971]

.300 Win Mag will work with the right bullet. We're talking above 180 grains, not 180 and above. If in doubt get a .338 Win Mag.

 

[Cosmoline]

It should be fine, but get the right bullet and load for it. I suspect part of the .300 WM's bad rep in this state comes from people using general medium size game bullets on bear. A 200 grain bullet with a lot of penetration potential should be used. The .338 WM is more popular in part because standard loadings are beefier.