Favorite rifles are like favored gal friends. They all have something unique that makes them special.
Winchesters seem to be the favored few: An early pre-64 in 375, which really followed two wildcats: a 35 Whelen and a 338-06:
both of these re-bored,re-rifled and re-chambered original
early Model 70s-one with a Super Grade stock-not orig with rifle. There is very little in N. America that cannot be handled with the last two cartridges.
Then there is a nice SS 1885 HW in 45-60, which works well on
coyotes. Then there are a raft of early pre-war Model 71s
two of which are in 450 Alaskan/Fuller. They are indisputable
in bear country-better than either a 45-70 or 45-90.
Then there are some smokeless 33 WCF 1886 rifles, which are a joy to carry and hunt with. Ben Lilly carried one throughout NM-AZ-CO and decimated the last grizzly bears in those states with that one rifle. He also used a 1894 in 30 WCF, but felt it did not stand up to a 33 WCF-agree with him there. Still have a supply of 200 gr Hornady FPs-using 4198.
The beauty of lever actions in bear country is speed and reliability.
All rifles MUST have iron sights-anything else may be dangerous on a brown bear or even moose hunt in Alaska.
The last moose killed not 10 miles from my homestead plot in AK was taken with a M71 in 348 Ackley Improved with a 270 GR Hawk bullet. One shot resulting in 7 hrs skinning and hauling meat.
Like seen in recent bad news from WY-ALWAYS carry a working
large handgun like a 44-45 revolver-when around or returning to a elk-moose kill for meat-if not a fast handling lever rifle. Grizzlies get real protective
of appropriated gut piles and meat caches.
Ruark and Keith were right: Use enough gun.
HRM
Lt Col-
MACVSOG-5th SFG(ABN)
Khe Sanh (71-72)
NRA-Life SFA-Life
Last edited by 1916XE; 09/30/18 11:29 AM.
