AboutSteven L. Ashe Expertise Hunting firearms and how to choose what you need. How to build a reasonably priced custom rifle. What calibers must you have to hunt anywhere. How to train bird dogs. How and where to hunt. How to find good guides. How to view and enjoy hunting as a sport.
Experience
Past/Present clients Worked with a number of novice bird dog people who went on to win championship status with their dogs.
Question I have just bought a 444 marlin lever action from my cousin, for grizzly bear hunting. It has a built in muzzle break, and I was wondering if the muzzle break takes away distance or power from the bullet on the impact of the animal? Also, what max range would you find acceptable for this gun for grizzly bear, and what cartridge do you think would work? Thanks a ton!
Answer Hello Ryan,
I have not hunted Grizzly bears, but do know that to cleanly kill a bear, you need to know the kill area on the bear and hit that area with a lot of penetration and with a heavy bullet that holds together. I would recommend a Nosler bullet in the heaviest class that will work in the 444 Marlin cartridge. Definitely something above a 200 grain bullet.
The muzzle brake merely reduces recoil (kick) and will not reduce the effective range of your rifle. Right out near the muzzle, those slots cut into the brake, force the energy behind the bullet out to the side and to the rear. But, the slots are so near the muzzle that little if any energy is taken from the bullet, which at that point, is leaving the barrel anyway. So, you reduce recoil by deflecting the kick outward and forward, instead of it all recoiling back, into your shoulder. This does create a lot more muzzle blast, that can damage your hearing, so wear both ear plugs and ear muffs when you shoot the thing, or you will cause yourself a lot of hearing loss.
The 444 Magnum is not a long range cartridge. My estimate on how far away you should bring a grizzly under fire, may depend more on your own individual skill at hitting the kill zone on the animal, so as not to wound. As an honorable hunter, you should always go for a sure, quick, clean kill, which means hitting the bear in the vitals so that he will go down and die quickly and humanely. I would say that with that cartridge, a shot within 150 yards would be very doable. Practice at all different ranges and from all shooting positions, until you are convinced that you can hit where you aim with your rifle. From a rest, you should be able to place your group of bullets inside a 3" circle, or smaller, at 100 yards.
If you get very good at hitting the spot at any range out to 150 yards, you will likely kill your bear at a much closer range, but it pays to be prepared for anything.
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I hope that I have helped you. If you need to ask me more, fire away.
Best of luck in all your hunting,
Steven L. Ashe
