BEARS IN ALASKA

[Jac Spring]

Yeah, like a .50 BMG Barret autoloader!

 

[rabjr]

You maybe interested in this,
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/204823/[/url] :grin:

 

[Hamourkiller]

This link is to the Nor' West co in Alaska [url] http://www.norwestcompany.com/[/url] and they should be able to put you intouch with people who have shot these critters before. Also I would imagine they will be able to tell you about what is available up north and what is not.

You could also check with Powder inc[url] http://www.powderinc.com/[/url] I am sure they will have info on shipping powder up north. (Is it possible?)

My free advice is (worth what you pay for it)

Use round ball cast of tin/lead mixture, just enough tin to harden the ball for penetration. Wheel weights or lino type mixed 50/50 with pure lead will work.

Have a hooked breach rifle purpose made for alaska. I would take 3 barrels, .62 rifle, 12 or 10 gage rifle and smooth bore to match largest rifle bore.

The .62 rifle would handle all of your normal critter shooting and if loaded stout enough could handle Mr. Bear if the ball was hard enough. The 12 gage rifle would be dedicated for moose and bears. The 12 gage smoth bore would have rifle sights and would be so very versatile up there.

My smokeless rifle would be a top notch .375H&H with quality express sights, a quality quick disconnect scope mount system along with a Leupold 1.5 x 5 Varix lll.

Remember Big animals require BIG bullets and stout nerves.

I hope these ideas help and be safe what ever you do.

Enjoy your adventure up north.

 

[hawkeye1755]

OK, you are looking for the right gun.
Here is it.The WALL GUN.The Wall Gun Mike Brooks made.38lbs. 60" 4 bore barrel and 300gr.-400gr. bp
Link
Take a look at the pic from Roy.
When the grizzly didn't kill, that gun would :grin:
:hatsoff:

 

[d.thomson]

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :thumbsup: :applause:

 

[BANNOCK]

OK guys this is really helping RoadRat checked out the sight not familar with anything but a PRB thats all I ever needed but never bear hunted before and know this is a whole different thing. Want to stay as P/C as possible but not stupid. If a guy used Ultimate 1 semispritzer and I suppose there is no patching required with this in 600gr solid what powder charge? 3f or 2f? Is this projectile ok to use in a barrel designed with a roundball twist? Also someone around home here mentioned a CVA powerbelt dont know anything about this either also asked a friend about borrowing his 454 Casual [think I spelled that right] after all these scary posts!!!

 

[brubincam]

looks like my mother in law at the supper table

 

[mart]

I applaud your spirit of adventure but I would advise a larger diameter RB. As to the availability of blackpowder in the Anchorage area you should have no problem. I usually get mine at the Birchwood range, about 20 miles north of Los Anchorage. In town I would check Sportsman's Warehouse, Great Northern Guns, or Mountain View Sports.

If you are borrowing a 454 Casull, I would dedicate a fair amount of time to learning how to shoot a handgun with that level of recoil. In all honesty, I would let the guide worry about the bears. If you are not used to the handgun and carrying it frequently on your body, you will, like many other hunters, resident and non-resident alike, end up leaving that extra weight in the tent after the second day. Even the mighty Casull is puny next to the authority of your guide's 375.

While I would like to see you use a bigger diameter ball, realize that lots of bears get killed every year that just roll over and expire at the shot. We tend to only hear about the exciting, hard to put down bears that get up several times and take an incredible pounding. The former is intended not to minimize the possibility of the latter, just to illustrate that most big game kills are less eventful than those hair raising stories we all love to hear.

Good luck. These are my opinions for what they are worth.

Mart

 

[paulvallandigham]

A good .45-70 lever action rifle with bullets weighing 430 grains or so, loaded to 1400fps, is all you need for any bear. You don't need a magnum rifle , and you probably won't shoot one well with all the extra recoil they deliver.

If you are going to use that .54 and a round ball, then by all means use a 1:20 mis of time to lead to cast the balls. As to the powerpoints, check the bebsites for bullets, and CVA in particular. there are several different makes of short conicals for ML rifles with RB twists in them that will definitely improve the performance of your gun on bear sized targets. Check the links under member resources, on the index page at the top. Peruse the general mail order house catelogues, like TOTW, Dixie, Log Cabin, Cains, etc. for conicals. Buffalo Bullets comes to mind as a company that makes the kind of conicals you need.

 

[RC]

ah go for hotleaded! :thumbsup: I'll be right behind ya! well not RIGHT behind ya,, a ways back like N.Y. ! boy what an adventure! i'm envious...now,, we'll see how it turns out! good luck! RC :hatsoff:

 

[Sharp Shooter]

What gun do you own? What twist? I would suggest a 400+ grain conical. Sounds fun!!!

 

[Slamfire]

Having absolutely no experience with those bears, I'll only ask are they armor plated? :bow:

 

[roadrat79]

My inclination is that they will not work, at least that well in the slow twist barrel , but I would give precision rifle a phone call and talk it over with them letting them know what your rifle is and see if it will work...they do extensive testing.... as far as the hunt is concerned I guess I wouldn’t worry if your guide is fine with you using a bp gun, he is the one standing behind you with the backup, even though I know you would rather he didn’t need to use it. Just use the best load you have and shoot strait. I know our outfitter has been really good about answering all of our pestering questions so don’t hesitate to ask yours after all your paying for it. I also must agree with Mart about learning how to shoot the 454 if you decide to take it up. it bucks a little :haha: the 454 that my pop picked up for the trip (as a bear deterrent) will fire standard colt 45 shells which are nicer and cheaper to use to get acquainted with the gun. When are ya headed up?
Best of luck
RoadRat :v

 

[davy]

How about one of them Kodiak .72 cal double barrels, and even then i would want a GOOD guide with a big backup gun.

How about one of them African double rifle elephant killers instead? :hmm: :surrender:

Davy

 

[Sharp Shooter]

a bess would be cool. Or one of them 7ga or 8ga muzzleloaders.

 

[shmrck1]

Ron,
Your friends name is'nt "Goldylocks"
is it?:rotf:
snake-eyes:hmm:

 

[BANNOCK]

ok guys Im back would like to have a bigger gun but thats not in the budget if I didnt think this gun {54} was capable of killing a grizz I wont use it out of respect for the bear thats why Im doing this research two projectiles that fellows on here and friends around home have mentioned are powerbelts up to 444gr and ultimate 1 semispritzer up to 600gr Im giving up on the roundball idea in favour of a conical 3f? 2f? how much of each Ive heard that 3f can build to much pressure with these two projectiles still concerned about the slower roundball twist too not sure but 600gr seems alot out of a 54 there has to be a trade off where your not able to load hot enough to push a projectile of that size right now Im leaning towards the 444gr powerbelt damb I just hate putting something that has plastic on it down my old flinter but what can you do

 

[jethro224]

I have never shot a bear, but I would think a .54 ball is perfectly capable of killing anything on the planet. Mostly depending on how accurately the shooter can place the ball.
How fast the bear expires is a different question and would depend on many variables.
Whatever projectile and/or whatever caliber you choose. You only get one chance to put the first round where it needs to go. Make it count. And hope he runs the other way.

 

[shmrck1]

Hotleaded,
Good luck on your hunt! Pics and
story on your return, please.
snake-eyes:hatsoff:

 

[mbritt]

I would want to use a very large bore gun if hunting grizzly bear with PRB. Large bore double rifles have always been popular for hunting very dagerous game because you have a quick second shot. I would love to someday hunt an Alaskan brown bear with a flint double rifle like the one shown in "The Mantons" book. A beautiful fourteen gauge made by John Manton in 1797. People used to hunt lions and tigers with guns like that. But that's waaaay beyond my budjet. I think a Pedersoli Kodiak Double Rifle would work okay.