Alaska Cartridge Question

[chevyman181]

Hello All, I am interested to hear from from folks that guide, hunt in, or have hunted in AK. My wife and I thinking about taking a trip to AK in a few years, So I'm starting to think about equipment.

I'm a diehard 7mm guy. My personal opinion is the 7mag or 7wsm are the best calibers that's just my opinion. Through a series of events, my 7mag came back from Bergara as a 6.5prc... I've killed several deer with it and a gal we mentor killed her elk with it. It works great for deer I just think it's a little light for elk.. I know it's an unpopular opinion but like I said I'm a 7mm guy.

My question is, is a 7mag or wsm enough for AK, from everything I've read it is except for the big browns. I know guides have opinions but I think it's more on the big browns but I'm not 100% sure. I'm thinking of getting something bigger again for the every 3-4 years I elk hunt and wondering if I should go 33?

Thanks

 

[rjthehunter]

I'm sure a 7 mag would work just fine. But a .338 seems a lot more Alaskan to me!

 

[6mm Remington]

7mm Mag would serve you well. I killed my Arctic Grizzly 3 years ago with my 280 AI. My Outfitter had no problem with me using it on my grizzly bear.

 

[LuketheDog]

I was just up there and found this little guy on the shelf, go big or go home man...

 

[geewhiz]

I was just up there and found this little guy on the shelf, go big or go home man...


View attachment 245625View attachment 245626

Yeah man if you're not packing a 585 your a pathetic loser!

 

[Bambistew]

What are you planning on hunting?

If you're planning to hunt brown bears, I'd opt for bigger. If just ungulates and probable bear encounters, go for it with a 7mag.

To be honest, I have a safe full of rifles from 22 -375 cal. I pack a 308 or 280 for sheep/caribou and a 300-375 for moose/bears depending on how I'm feeling, but if bears only the 375 takes a walk with me every time.

I've never, in my almost 40 years of hunting, heard someone say they wish they would have shot an animal with a smaller caliber/cartridge. No such thing as, too dead. Is there really any difference between a 175gr bullet out of a 7mag vs a 180 out of a 300? No. Is there a difference when compared to a 250-300gr bullet? Sure seems like it to me. Can they both kill equally well, yep. Does one offer a little insurance over the other? I haven't seen anyone hunt cape buffalo with a 7mag, just say'n, but I'm sure many were killed with 7x57.

Lots of things work, its all about your perception of risk and experience. I know plenty of guys praise the 6.5CM and use it for elk. I've seen a few truckloads of elk shot, with all sorts of calibers. I certainly wouldn't on purpose chose a CM over something bigger. I have a 260 and shot a lot of deer with it, but have zero reason to use it on elk considering the other options. YMMV.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

One of my hunting partner uses a 7mm mag with Barnes TTSX on everything from sheep to grizzly bears.

 

[T.R.]

I don't hunt in Alaska but my USAF buddy retired to Palmer about 20 years ago. He hunts moose, caribou, dall sheep, and black bears with his Remington 30-06. 180 grain Core-lokt ammo for everything and has no problems. Your 7mm MAG will be fine. - TR

 

[buffybr]

I've hunted in Alaska three times. The first time was a DIY caribou hunt in 1980 and I used my .30 Gibb with 180 gr Partitions.

The second time was several years ago when I hunted Sitka Blacktail deer on Kodiak Island with my .308 Win and 150 gr Hornady Spire Point bullets.

And my last hunt there was two years ago when I hunted a Brown Bear in SW Alaska with my .375 RUM and 281 gr Hammer bullets.

Here at home in Montana I have killed elk with my 7 mm Rem Mag and was with a friend when he killed a B&C bull moose with one shot from his 7 mm RM.

If I was to hunt Alaska again for say, moose and grizzly bear, I would probably take my .300 Weatherby shooting 180 gr TTSX bullets. My second choice rifle for that hunt would probably wo work up a 175 gr TTSX load for my 7 mm RM and use that.

 

[deerhunter24]

A 7 mag would be ok But i use 300 RUM for alaska hunting trips

 

[BearFoot]

Lot of folks like the 7mm. Does very well. I started with 30-06, Killed bears, Bou, and Moose. Some dropped at first shot, others I had to blood track. Mrs Bearfoot bought me a 300 Win Mag after consulting with a buddy. I don't have to blood track anything much anymore.
Could be I'm getting better at shot placement.

 

[BAKPAKR]

A 7 mag would be ok But i use 300 RUM for alaska hunting trips

.

 

[T.R.]

Truthfully, I have never hunted in Alaska but took down two caribou and a bull moose in Saskatchewan. I hunted with my .308 shooting 180 grain Core-lokt ammo. - TR