Hi Guys, I am new on here and would really appreciate some first hand knowledge on what I need for grizzly/brown bear. I would like to use this caliber because it has somewhat manageable recoil. I have a real aversion to heavy magnum levels of recoil. I was involved in an auto accident that broke a couple of bones in my back and now I don't tolerate large amounts of recoil very well. thanks

My friend hunted for brown bear in Alaska twice and harvested a bear on each trip with a 300 Weatherby mag.
I am sure a 338 is more than enough. Proper shot placement is always the key no matter the round.

Thanks ctm1, I thought it might but I just needed to hear from someone who knew. I have never had the chance to go after the big bears and was a little hesitant  due to this being a necked up .308. Thanks for helping the FNG.

I would say its a little bit small for griz.

ok, even with 210gr. noslers? What if I kept the range close like under200yds? I figure living in Montana you have a favorite bear gun that has mag in the name. Do you know of any other options that aren't mags? Everything I have found starts with a .300 win mag and goes up from there. Maybe I will have to lower my sights a little and find a very big black bear Either way thanks for the input.

The Alaska Fish and Game recommends the 30-06 with good bullets for hunting brown bear, as a lot of people end up buying big bore magnums and suck at shooting them. It is better to be proficient with a less powerful caliber than be shitty with a big gun. A 30-06 will kill anything in North America.

Edit: I looked at the ballistics of the .338 Federal and it seems to outperform the 30-06 on a lot of factory loads. I would probably use a 30-06 over the .338 Fed, but I would load hot handloads for it. If you are using factory ammo, I think you will be good.

I did the same ballistics check you did and I figure your opting for the 30.06 has a lot to do with ammo availability and larger bullet selection. My choosing the .338 fed is because nobody chambers a AR in .30.06. I own a DPMS AP4 LR308 and absolutely love it. The panther shoots 1/2"to 3/4" groups right out of the box and has been flawless in operation. I have the opportunity to get a lr338 panther which seems to be as potent as an.30 06 to about 300yds. The buffer system also takes up a lot of felt recoil and it has a recoil compensator. This just may be the only way I can hunt the big bears. I really appreciate you input on this and I am going to buy the lr338 panther. I will let you know how it worked if I get a shot.

something else to look into that my help handle the recoil is a recoil reducer, a mercury unit or an edwards.

The 338 Federal is nothing more than a 338 X 308 it's been around forever and is a great medium range cartridge particularly for the recoil sensitive. It will preform comparable to the 358 Win which is an Alaskan favorite. Your chances of finding a 10 ft. + Brown Bear/Griz in the lower 48 are slim and none. Don't over think it, it's more than adequate.

You might look into the .35 Whelen.........

Or 9.3x62.

Wait.... the .358 Win is a favorite? Earlier this year I bought a Browning BLR chambered in that cartridge just because it seemed like a very cool (and under-appreciated) cartridge, plus the fact that the BLR is a magazine-fed lever action.)  Good to know that I'm not the only person on the planet who likes it.



Would there be an issue with having a .338 barrel re-chambered to .358 Win for use in an AR-10?  Because then I would buy an AR-10.





 

JES will rebore a rifle barrel for about $250.00.  I am not sure if a rebore will clean up the rifling enough though from .338 to .358.  What's wrong with using your BLR for your hunt?

The 338Fed in a 22" barrel is close to factory loaded 7mm Rem Mag -- going from memory.

Using Barnes TTSX or Swift Aframe bullets, I wouldn't think twice.

Keys to success:

A rifle/cartridge combination that you like and can shoot well.  Shot placement is paramount.
Terminal ballistics: use a premium bullet that will hold up and penetrate well.

Stopping power, or whatever you choose to call that, is made of three things:  knowledge of anatomy-know exactly where to shoot from any angle to reach the vital organs; marksmanship-be able to deliver the shot precisely; bullet performance-penetrate in as straight a line as possible to the vital organs.  Note that two of the three have nothing to do with the gun or the cartridge.  

Select a load that you are comfortable with and practice, practice, practice.  You will do alright.

338 federal is plenty for Grizzly.  My vote would be get a 375 Ruger but 30-06 and 300 win mag if you want a little more range will do the job all day long if you do your part.  With a proper bullet you will never have a problem killing a Grizzly if you do your part.

I have an Armalite 338 fed.  Have killed 4 moose with this gun, 210 Nos Parts, none walked off.   My nephew killed a sow grizz with my 308 Scar last month; posted picts.  We have killed numerous blk bear with my 6.8 stag.  I'd kill a bear with whatever I had with me.  If I was doing an expensive guided grizz hunt for a big bear, I'd take my 338 win mag; it's purpose.   By the same token, more grizz have been shot with 30-30s than any other caliber.

I personally like hunting with that 308 Scar. Reason is I have the mag with 10-15 rounds for when I miss that bear running through the trees at 250 yards.  I get lucky with more rounds.

A big thanks to all for your help and input on this plan of mine. Zhurh has convinced me totally with the sow killed with a .308. I went ahead and bought the DPMS .338 federal. I just got done sighting it in and I must say it holds very good groups(3/4to1.5"). I intend to try it out on a black bear hunt later this year. I have always believed the .308 would get the job done but I wanted heavier bullets for a little insurance. I jumped on 2 auctions for 210gr. noslers which Zhurh had great success with. Gander mount. had the new 200gr solid coppers but they were $45.00 for 20rds.  I don't have any experience with these but they look very impressive on paper. I have heard of fouling and cleaning problems with the coppers so I think I will try a box and see how they do in my rifle. Zhurh, where did you post the pics of the grizz?

I think  I posted it in the 308 variant thread.

//www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_121/622247_Nephew_Got_Lucky_with_the_308_SCAR__Grizzly_Bear.html

WOW! Zhurh,,I read the entire thread and all I can say is WOW. I am green with envy and would love to be in your position. Old age keeps me in warmer climes and your daily grind is my dream . I have been in love with the AR platform since 1969 when the USMC handed me one in sunny Vietnam. I have heard all the complaints about the mouse gun but it served me well and kept me alive. I went with the .338 fed because I could get it in a AR. I also hunt with AR's exclusively and I wish more people did. Adopting this fine rifle to hunting will help ensure our right to keep and bear them. Please keep the pics coming and share the adventure, thanks

they shoot griz with 30-06's

of course it will.

I know this is a little late, but I think your .338 Fed will be fine.  We have black bears killed every year that go 600 lbs.  The neighboring bait site shot his bear the second night of season with a .308 (I had the bear on camera all summer but he didn't hit mine the first night :( ).  Anyway, that bear made it like 30 yards.  That bear officially weighed 605.  I don't know what it scored yet, but it was an awesome bear.  

I don't know a lot about grizzlies, but from what I've read, a 600 pounder would be a good bear.

show up with a 30-06 with premium ammo and make a great kill shot and the bear will never feel it.

I have an Indian buddy driving up in mid April, soon as our road opens to hunt grizzly.  My friend killed grizz with 30-30 when he was young back in his home village of Nulato; wants his 10 year old to kill one. The grizzly bear start coming out in April, very hungry, our blk bear don't get active until mid May. It's 18 below in the shining sun this morn, so you can see it stays cool until light hours get longer. Soon as grizzly bear start to come out of hibernation, we often get back in on the summits with snowmachines and look for tracks. Honestly, not many locals even go out looking for bear, just shoot everyone they see as pests when they do see them; mostly out truck windows.  We need less bear & wolves in Alaska, they really hammer our moose and caribou populations.

THat 338 fed is way enough gun, and you have the magazine, that's what I find just excellent.  I load 210 nosler partitions just like what you buy at gun shop.  NOw if that Armalite wasn't so dang heavy to lug around.

I personally think the .338 Fed. would be ample for grizz or even coastal brown bear hutting.

I dropped this guy instantly with a 300gr NP out of my .375 Wby moving at about 2,530fps at impact (at 100yds; 2,756 avg. MV):



The bullet blew up the insides of the bear and exited.

The .338 Fed. supposedly will shoot a 210 NP at maybe around 150fps slower.   I figure that it will be a little less violent and might penetrate a little less, but will penetrate enough and do something fairly similar.  I tend to go in a little over-gunned, but the .338 Fed. ought to do fine.

You should be ok. Use quality bullets and take a good shot.

.22LR will work if you do your part and be surgical with shot placement!!

Ive taken a few grizzly...honestly most any rifle will do it..but from experience, if you are light on rifle..make that first shot count even more so then you normally would. Try not to hit shoulder's, instead try to sneak the bullet right in behind that shoulder so it can expend all its energy where it matters. My son shot a nice spring female grizzly this spring with his LR-308, using Barnes TSX bullets. it worked but not as good as I expected it too...now with all that said..I normally hunt with a 300RUM, and even with as much faith as I have in it's stopping power, when you are up close with a big, pissed bear..it seems awful small sometimes...

A 338 is "sufficient" for Grizzly Bear or any other game in NA.  I would also suggest you or your guide carry  a really good pump action 12ga shotgun loaded with 3 inch magnum slugs.   If a bear comes for you (a Griz will actually hunt you), you want something that will put it on the ground and do it now.  The 338 will not do that.  A 338 will not stop a charging Griz unless your lucky enough to get a head shot that penetrates.  Ok now you got the head shot done, bear still comes.  Your like WTF? I shot him in the head!  

Here is why.  A bear charges with his head down and really really fast.  Short distances, fast as a race horse.  Now, the angle they carry there head is the problem.  Quite a few bear have been killed with scars on the top of the head and skull.  I personally know of one that took 2 shots to the head with a 44 mag pistol and kept coming.  Guide put him down with the 12 ga.  Now you ask, huh?   The gigantic super heavy slug from the 12 ga will knock him down.  May be not kill him instantly, but will put him on the ground giving you way more than enough time to finish him off.  Just hit him anywhere on a line between drawn between his shoulders across his head.  Any slug in that area will knock him down.

Also, if your guide takes you after a Grizzly and he is not carrying a shotgun, demand he carry a 12 ga 3 inch mag with slugs.  If he wont, fire him.   Better yet, find a guide that you can out run.  You dont have to out run the bear, just the guide

Been there, done that.

sound advice, I am hoping my shooting skills will preclude the event you described. I will definitely be asking about a 12 ga slug gun before we ever leave the camp. A charging grizz is not my idea of a good time. Thanks for your input, this is exactly the help I am looking for. The .22 lr perfect placement comment was not so much.

The dpms g2 will be under 8 pounds

Grizzly absolutely. Brown bear yes but don't get a gun that small unless you have a compelling reason not to get a bigger one.