Just got back from a trip to Montana. Not hunting or even much fishing really, but the stories that the locals seemed to enjoy telling me (from the East coast) about bears were alternately amusing and frightening.
So naturally I followed that up by reading "Night of the Grizzlies" which, for those of you who don't know, is about the twin maulings/deaths in Glacier National Park in the late 60s.
I read in the book that several rangers were carrying .300 H&H Magnums and another was using a "modified" .30-06.
Now I don't expect that I'll go bear hunting any time soon (and if I do it will be for black bear). But, for the sake of argument, what would any of you recommend as being a good rifle/caliber for hunting larger North American game (i.e. - elk, bear, moose) and that would double as "protection" against a grizzly?
The .300 Winchester magnum, .338 Winchester magnum, .340 Weatherby magnum or other (by this, I mean what specific rifle and then also which caliber).
Also, I'm quite unfamilier with what a "modified" .30-06 might even be...is this a rifle that can perhaps accommodate a longer/magnum cartridge, much like a shotgun can take either a 2 3/4" or 3" shell?
Thanks,
mlb3427
