- Location
- In the shadows of the Rockies
I tend to rotate the rifles I take hunting. More than a few excellent hunting rifles in the collection and would like to see how all of these perform. I happened to be carrying my .375 H&H Magnum Sako 85 Kodiak.
Duped this one with calls which got suckered into entering a clearing. I waited for it to approach within 40 meters. It stopped and stood facing toward my position. I aimed and fired a 300gr AB at 2300 fps MV into the base of its neck. Amazing how fast a Bull Moose can move! It quickly turned at right angles and galloped toward the treeline (much better than toward me!). I quickly chambered another round, led it by about ½ a meter aiming ahead of its shoulder, and fired. Quite a sight to see a 1000+ lb animal pile up stone dead under full gallop!
I expected the Moose, with all the accolades bestowed upon the venerable .375 as a heavy game stomper, to drop at the first shot. My initial reaction was surprise that the first shot had absolutely no effect at all, as if the Moose didn’t even feel it. But then it’s only a .375, below the caliber threshold for imparting debilitating shock as I have learned using sub .40 and .40+ calibers over the years. Further confirmation that sub .40’s impart inadequate/marginal shock on heavy game.
Anyhow, the fine Kodiak rifle got the job done with me doing my part (plus a little more!) to replenish the meat supply which will last for quite a while. No, the .375 didn’t work to my satisfaction because it didn’t produce a 1 shot DRT kill. But I really like the Kodiak. When I purchased it, I was thinking of converting it to a .40+ caliber. Problem is that it’s such a pretty and well-made rifle, mechanical artwork really, that I’m reluctant to alter it. I wish Sako made the Kodiak in .40+ calibers but they don’t.
Use the .375 again on Moose? Probably not. I know better to stick with using one of my .40+ calibers.
Duped this one with calls which got suckered into entering a clearing. I waited for it to approach within 40 meters. It stopped and stood facing toward my position. I aimed and fired a 300gr AB at 2300 fps MV into the base of its neck. Amazing how fast a Bull Moose can move! It quickly turned at right angles and galloped toward the treeline (much better than toward me!). I quickly chambered another round, led it by about ½ a meter aiming ahead of its shoulder, and fired. Quite a sight to see a 1000+ lb animal pile up stone dead under full gallop!
I expected the Moose, with all the accolades bestowed upon the venerable .375 as a heavy game stomper, to drop at the first shot. My initial reaction was surprise that the first shot had absolutely no effect at all, as if the Moose didn’t even feel it. But then it’s only a .375, below the caliber threshold for imparting debilitating shock as I have learned using sub .40 and .40+ calibers over the years. Further confirmation that sub .40’s impart inadequate/marginal shock on heavy game.
Anyhow, the fine Kodiak rifle got the job done with me doing my part (plus a little more!) to replenish the meat supply which will last for quite a while. No, the .375 didn’t work to my satisfaction because it didn’t produce a 1 shot DRT kill. But I really like the Kodiak. When I purchased it, I was thinking of converting it to a .40+ caliber. Problem is that it’s such a pretty and well-made rifle, mechanical artwork really, that I’m reluctant to alter it. I wish Sako made the Kodiak in .40+ calibers but they don’t.
Use the .375 again on Moose? Probably not. I know better to stick with using one of my .40+ calibers.
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