Hello all...

[L J]

Finally got around to joining this community; didn't join previously because I don't yet have near-term plans for an Africa hunting trip and felt therefore unqualified. Then I saw that you have international section.

I've not done this before but it says give a little background even though mine is pretty limited, so...

General:
Hunted since moving to north america 2-3 years ago. Resident of Vancouver Island. Former military resulting in unfamiliarity and erroneous muscle memory with respect to bolt-action rifles. Also - aim to join Canadian service when eligible - any contacts, advice gratefully received.

Current activity:
Remote, long-distance overland trips (mostly solo), on foot, canoe or sometimes using my diy-converted 4x4 as base camp; in the north-country; Alaska, Yukon, BC, NWT, and aiming for other areas in future.

Species hunted, and aiming to hunt in near-term:
Blacktail deer only so far; they tasted great; and I keep a year's supply in the freezer.
Cougar attempted frequently (without dogs); have followed fresh tracks but as yet no shots. Will keep working at it.
Black bear; Once I have another freezer going, I will go for inland or spring black bear.
Elk and Moose; My Mrs. would love me to get one - when will be tag, logistics, and freezer dependent.

Would love to get a contact to hunt feral fallow deer on the channel islands if anyone has one?

Would like to hunt feral pig/invasive boar in BC, Alberta or Manitoba if anyone has any tips/contacts? (not guide services.) Maybe later this year.

Firearms:
Currently have a .308" s.a. for hunting.
Pump 12 swg for bear protection on long-distance walks and paddles; am looking to switch the 12 swg after brown bear encounters (no shooting but they were in circumstances where I was somewhat concerned whether the 12 swg would have been sufficient) on my most recent paddle. (Note; I carry bear spray to hand also. With spare.) Have thought somewhat about best replacement; will post to ask advice/feedback which would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
LJ

 

[cpr0312]

Hello and welcome LJ!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Welcome to AH.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Welcome to AH L J! Great intro, glad you found us and looking forward to your contribution.

 

[Shootist43]

Welcome aboard L J. All hunters are welcome here. Please explain 12 swg, I'm not familiar with that acronym. Where did you live prior to coming to North America? FYI not all hunting rifles are bolt action, there are a number of good semi-autos like the Remington 740, 742 & 7400 as well as offerings by Winchester and Browning. You need to check the regulations for the area in which you want to hunt as some places prohibit the use of semi-autos. I've only hunted in Africa twice. Both times in RSA where it was not permissible to "import" or use a semi-auto for hunting.

 

[Nyati]

Welcome to AH !

 

[nztimb]

Giday LJ and welcome to the A H forums

 

[Ridgewalker]

LJ, welcome! I too have backpacked and hunted alone for most of my younger years. There’s something special about being alone in the wilderness.

 

[L J]

Hello Shootist43, and thank-you for the welcome and the response. I very much appreciate the input.

Re my reference to 12 swg - it is my error. I meant 12-gauge (which I use with 3" Brenneke Black Magic Magnum slugs in the field, and use with Federal premium Truball slugs or smilar in training).

Prior to N.A. I grew up and lived and served in the UK, and a few other places.

In Canada and Alaska my possession and acquisition license (restricted and unrestricted) allows me to shoot semi-auto. That's what my .308" is. Even with the recent new Canadian ban, mine is still legal.

My muscle memory and drills are very predominantly built by a familiarity in the military with semi-auto shooting; life and time are short - and I want to maximize both - so instead of learning bolt-action and also force-forgetting years of prior (and hopefully soon re-enlisted) training - I chose semi-auto for my .308", and lean that way for the new rifle. Will change if and when necessary or sensible to do so.

I should've perhaps given more background, and hope the following does so; even though I now realise it's somewhat 'War and Peace' length and probably the most I've written since I worked in a civilian role. My apologies in advance and obviously pull the rip-chord before boredom addles the brain.


With regards to my new firearm I'm looking for something that:

...Has a larger calibre/higher energy on target; - Primarily as a result of its planned use as a snap-bear-defence, shotgun-replacement weapon on remote solo overland/paddling trips in the North-country; in addition to general hunting. I'm leaning to 9.3 x 62mm, or 0.338" Win Mag, or 0.35 Whelen. With 0.375" H&H, and 0.375" Ruger a possibility also.

...Has a fast action; - in my hands specifically. This is for the bear-defence requirement. Semi-auto or pump are much faster for me than bolt, and those actions are also more reliably worked by me, multiple times, at speed, under stress (key criteria). I have not tried lever.

...Is effective; - (humane, yet minimum meat waste) on deer, cougar, moose, elk, wild boar/feral pig, black bear, and perhaps one day brown-bear; out to 250-350m; using different and appropriate bullet and powder options.

...Can still be loaded with high, mid, and lower power cartridges for training; - For the new rifle I intend to load my own for cost savings and when I want to use something unavailable. So the criteria of wide-factory-ammunition-availability that I applied to my current .308" is a nice time-saving but much less relevant.

...Can as a result of meeting the above criteria be used for both of my main activities;- this fits with the muscle memory, training, maximise-practise, and keep it simple approach. I do better when I practice (practice, practice, practice) a lot. Using one rifle for both activities effectively doubles my practice time on it. [I'm conscious that it won't do birds, which my shotgun (18" barrel straight bore) can in a remote location emergency and with luck sometimes accomplish. I've thought of carrying and using .410" single shot for foraging, but am averse to adding kit.]

...Has the minimum recoil yet still achieves the above requirements. Something with a maximum recoil of not more than 10-20% more than my lightweight Benelli Nova shotgun firing the 3" Brenneke slugs will still be manageable for me, particularly if I can train with lighter loads. (I rarely if ever notice recoil in the field.)

...Ideally has a stainless steel action, receiver and barrel or at least has some highly protective coating. I'm used to frequently cleaning and oiling, but I'm also used to things 'speed-rusting' ; minimising both would be good - but the latter in particular - is a very high priority.

...Has a tough, durable, plastic, composite or non-oxidative alloy stock (if separate from receiver - and most civilian equipment appears to be). No wood.

...Can be used with fast Battue open sights, or a tough red-dot or other reflex site (if I can find a robust enough surplus unit ideally, and if I decide I'm o.k. relying on more batteries.) But can also be used with telescopic scopes in 1-6, and 3-12 power for hunting.

...Has a very reliable action.



It's interesting that you mention the Remington semi-autos. (In particular their last such rifle the 740 I think.) These can be purchased for very low prices it seems - which is a boon in something that I have to be comfortable with using as a 'field-tool', and being abused by the field. I was however somewhat concerned by the number of forum posts I found relating to stoppages; I'd love to hear more about them if you or someone you know has used them?

In semi-autos I have also researched Browning BAR Mk3 (composite stock and at least Cerakoted - if unfortunately not stainless), and Merkel SR1.

I have looked into and currently discounted the BAR Safari (would need to change the stock, the magazine system, and coat the rest of the rifle), and the Benelli s.a. (apparently unpredictably and somewhat poorly accurate, as well as limited to a 3 round magazine). I'm obviously not looking at anything on the new Canadian banned list as my trips take me to both sides of the Alaska border.

In bolt-action I've focused on controlled-feed actions with the option of a 5-round box (or more if legal) magazine:
The Ruger 77 Alaskan (if I can find one), or a used Ruger 77 'Guide Gun' at a reasonable price to enable me to switch the stock to a Hogue plastic/embedded aluminium unit, and Robar box magazine.
The CZ550 stainless with composite stock and 5 round magazines as standard.
And possibly a Tikka or Sako with similar controlled-feed actions, in stainless, with composite stock - if I can make the budget and calibre work.

In lever there are the stainless 45-70's, and Browning Lever Gun. I like the handiness of the 45-70, and lever-actions' compatibility with a holster - the setup on my canoe. The former limits me for other hunting somewhat, and means I split usage again, and neither come with plastic stocks. I'm also a little circumspect of a moving fore-end in the latter for a rifle to take 300 metre shots with when hunting.

I'm sure as a newbie there is a lot to learn about all the above. And if you read this far - I also thank you much for your patience.

 

[L J]

LJ, welcome! I too have backpacked and hunted alone for most of my younger years. There’s something special about being alone in the wilderness.

Hello Ridgewalker and thanks much for the welcome.

Re travelling solo - I'm not averse to travelling with others but usually can't find an interested, willing, and available friend that I know and get on well with, but I also totally agree that there is something very special about being alone in the wilderness.

Just one example to echo your point: My hair still stands on end (in a good way mostly) the moment I think of your phrase with respect to a wee canoe trip late last fall up through far North West Yukon. And an all-day-that-became-all-night of perpetual 'cut'-river-banks 5-8 feet high, only one short pull-ashore spot book-ended by moose-preferred bank-willows, and rejected on account of being rocky (bear fence less effective), and full of fresh ("Today? Now? Yesterday?") dinner-plate sized prints and diggings. Prior to rejecting was inspected and even had a 12 gauge fired into its upper bank just to try and discourage/wake(?) any 'locals', and boost my conviction.

Guts still said no. Dropped back into the canoe, thinking "That's it I bet, next stop - dawn".

Surprise tail-ended by bewilderment just a few moments and less than 30 metres downriver on seeing at the next bend past the willows, (another 30 or so metres) a huge splayed-out mound of apparently still-(shotgun-blast-deaf?)-sleeping grizzly in his prime a few feet up and facing up the other bank.

Cue vernacular expletive.

I've camped at Brooks beach and seen the bigger fellas there up close - but I'd say he was still at least 6-800 lbs - and had an incredible coat.

A rapid calculus of meandering river distance, vs speed of river, vs how far relative to his nose in a straight line I could get paddling back up-river away; All vs risk of going past him (minimum closest approach 10 metres), whilst thinking "He MUST have already known I was there? Right?".

Decision made to go past. Questioned at closest approach by his head sleepily raising, turning, 'double-taking'. And then punctuated at his cat-like instant vertical leap onto all fours, followed by two quick forwards/backwards lunges, and then a gravity-defying charge - luckily away - up the 2-300 metre 45 degree ridge, flanking the river.

All the time him looking back and forth at me paddling like billy-o downriver.

Hours pushing hard to add meanders till at least 5 straight kilometres summed. But that time paid for in night falling and island-branch-and-rock-dodging with only a headlamp till the moon rose at my back lighting a cluster of fish-scale clouds in a glittering sky clearing to crystal velvet.

And to top it all off my path North now guided by the same-named dancing Lights in blues and greens and wisps of violet all the way to overhead. The Nunamiut taught me to sing for the lights. I can't, but very much did so with 'enthusiasm' anyway.

Magical.

To hear you echo that - particularly when I've missed 3 months off the land due to helping my folks shield from the virus and getting back out has at times felt remote - is heartening.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hello L J,

Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris of Namibia, welcomes you to the greatest forum on earth.

Best Regards,
Velo Dog.

 

[enysse]

Welcome to AH!

 

[CAustin]

Welcome to AH sir.
May I suggest this one for Bears! 500 S&W Magnum. Great stopping power.

 

[Tra3]

Welcome!
With your wish list of attributes in a firearm, I suspect you will end up acquiring multiple. I’d suggest starting at .300 Win Mag and then every few months get another that is either a step up, or step down in power (but you must alternate!) After a few years not only will your gun safe be full, but you’ll really know what you are looking for!

 

[TROPHY SHIPPERS]

Welcome to AH and the posting side LJ! Great to have you here and we are looking forward to you sharing your stories!

 

[VERNEY-CARRON COLLECTION]

Welcome to AH @L J. Nice to have you as part of our community. Enjoy the forum, it's very addicting!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I'm a little slow in doing so, but welcome to AH!

 

[Leica Sport Optics]

Welcome to AH @L J!

 

[Global Rescue]

Welcome to AH LJ! Nice to have you on the posting side, looking forward to reading your posts.

 

[meigsbucks]

Welcome to AH. As you’ve already seen plenty of people willing to help answer your questions.