Q: I am trying to decide which calibre rifle to buy for a trip to Alaska to be followed later by an African safari.
What do you consider the most versatile all-rounder for use on big game, including deer at long range, moose and grizzly bear, as well as plains game up to the size of eland? Would a .300 Win Mag be a good choice?
I’d like a bolt-action rifle with a handy 20-inch barrel, but don’t you always recommend a 24-inch barrel for most cartridges, including magnums?
Vincent Gregory
A: There’s really no such thing as an all-around rifle; it’s simply a matter of horses for courses. The most important thing to consider is which cartridge is best suited for the largest game to be hunted.
I’d prefer the .338 Win Mag over the .300 Win Mag for Alaskan moose and grizzly bear, particularly if you confront one in the alders at close range.
I’d feel a lot safer with a .338 loaded with a stout 250gn bullet, despite the fact I hunted all Alaskan game with the 225gn Barnes bullet, which got the job done in fine style.
An added bonus: when the .338 is loaded with a lighter bullet, it shoots surprisingly flat at long range. For caribou and Dall sheep in open country, the Nosler 200gn E-Tip is a good choice.
When loaded with bullets weighing 200-210 grains, there is not much difference in recoil between the .300 and .338 magnums.
The .338 has a relatively high expansion ratio and doesn’t lose a great deal of velocity when its barrel is docked to 20 inches (51cm), but a rifle with a 24-inch (61cm) barrel is better balanced.
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