I have two sons and I do work for clients periodically in SE Alaska. At a recent family dinner, my youngest son (Jr. in college) said he wanted to hunt and shoot something really big! We then talked about a fishing and hunting trip to SE Alaska. My other son, his older brother, age 24, said he would enjoy that as well.
OK, I have a recently purchased (used) Winchester 338 Magnum (Win Model 70), a 30-06 (Win Model 70 Featherweight), a nice sporterized Arisaka Model 99 in 7.7x58, and a stock MN 1891/30 stock bolt action (plus 30-30, SKS, various shotguns, etc.)
I do a lot of handloading. I have purchased some Nosler Partitian 210 grain .338 bullets, some Hornaday .250 grain spire point Interlock .338 bullets, some Woodleigh 220 grain .308 bullet for the 30-06, and some 215 gain .312 bullets for the 7.7x58 & 7.62x54R.
My goal this spring is to develop heavy heavy 7.7x58 Ariskas 215 grain bullet loads, some heavy 7.62x54R MN 215 grain bullet loads, some 30-06 220 grain bullet heavy loads, and some solid .338 Winchester Magnum loads in 210 and 250 grain bullets.
If you needed three rifles to take to Alaska for moose and/or bear on a guided hunt, and you had my choices, what would you take with you...........? Considering the cost of the guide, would you just purchase a 300 Win mag or 8mm Rem Mag to add to the choices or just go with what you have?
I have seen the Alaska Dept of Fish & Wildlife website that indicates that guides two prime complaints are out-of-shape hunters and hunters who have big magnum firearms that they can't accurately shoot. That Alaska website recommends that a 30-06 or .308 you can accurately shoot is beter than the .338 Win Mag or .375 H&H that has too much recoil for you.
I have to admit that my .338 Win Mag with .210 grain Nosler Particians in Remington factory ammo, is toward the upper end of what I am comfortable shooting and that is with my Past super Magnum recoil pad. 20 rounds at the range and my shoulder is sore, but no flinch.
I am 56 and have been shooting since I was 12, but have to admit the .338 is toward the upper end of what I can handle. I am able to put 5 shots at 100 yards in a circle that is about 1.5 inches. I am working on trying to get this smaller than 1 inch. Once I do that, I will move on to 200 yard and then 300 yard shots.
I am not sure my 21 and 24 year old sons could handle a .338 Win Mag's recoil. I suspect that the 30-06 or 7.7x58 or 7.62x54R with heavy 215 to 220 grain bullets is about all they can handle.
My thought is my .338 Win Mag, my 30-06 with 220 grain Woodleigh bullets and a heavy handload, my 7.7x58 Japanese Ariska Model 7.7 that was sporterized. The 7.7 is pretty close to 30-06 in handloads. The Woodleigh bullets are legendary as to deep penetration.
