The Kodiak & the Bull Moose

Slamfire said:
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.

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Did the first shot hit its mark?
 
Best I could do with the short 21-1/4" barrel is 2400 fps MV heavily compressed because the 300gr AB is a rather long bullet. I backed off the powder charge a bit so the powder isn't so heavily compressed for reliability and got about 2300 fps MV. For sure more bullet speed is better but that's all I could reliably get.
 
Some just strive so hard to "dumb down" any thread they touch with their personal biases... you really have to wade through the sewage on this one to find anything worthwhile.
 
Slamfire said:
Best I could do with the short 21-1/4" barrel is 2400 fps MV heavily compressed because the 300gr AB is a rather long bullet. I backed off the powder charge a bit so the powder isn't so heavily compressed for reliability and got about 2300 fps MV. For sure more bullet speed is better but that's all I could reliably get.
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I have a 19.5" 375 and can push 300's to almost 2600 fps with Win760. Looks like you have that 300gr AB loaded out a ways further than I do too. As Ardent stated, due to the lower impact speed that Accubond acted like a big 30-30, and it did the job. No moose will reliably anchor in its tracks with a non CNS hit, even with a .40+ caliber. I've seen moose shot with cartridges ranging from 7mm-08 with a 120gr Nosler BT youth load @ 2500 fps, to a 416 Rem Mag with 350gr Speer MagTips @ 2550 fps. The 7-08 dropped the bull in its tracks and the 416 didn't. Would be foolish to make the statement that a 7-08 squib load is more effective on moose than a 416, but if you base opinions on very limited experience.................. ;)
 
todbartell said:
I have a 19.5" 375 and can push 300's to almost 2600 fps with Win760. Looks like you have that 300gr AB loaded out a ways further than I do too. As Ardent stated, due to the lower impact speed that Accubond acted like a big 30-30, and it did the job. No moose will reliably anchor in its tracks with a non CNS hit, even with a .40+ caliber. I've seen moose shot with cartridges ranging from 7mm-08 with a 120gr Nosler BT youth load @ 2500 fps, to a 416 Rem Mag with 350gr Speer MagTips @ 2550 fps. The 7-08 dropped the bull in its tracks and the 416 didn't. Would be foolish to make the statement that a 7-08 squib load is more effective on moose than a 416, but if you base opinions on very limited experience.................. ;)
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I think Todbartell makes a very valid point. The higher velocity cartridges, when put into the heart/ lungs exhibit more damage, as a result of the hydrostatic shock. The big slow guns are good when you have large bone that needs to be broken. But when it comes to putting moose down fast a good controlled expansion bullet out of a normal cartridge usually produces the fastest kills. Todbartell has taken many game with many different rifle calibers, I'd venture to say that his opinion is worth some consideration.
 
Slamfire said:
And furthermore, he states -

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:p
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Yes, both in reference to dangerous game, which a moose is not.

I've shot a couple of moose with a .416 Rigby (hey, it was all I had) right through the boiler room. Took off the top of the heart of one with a frontal shot and it wasn't drt either.

With A Square ammo no less... can't recall if it was the lion load or the dead tough. I think dead tough most likely.

Mind you having the solids in the magazine backing up the soft point gave you a certain confidence for follow up shots. I just let it bleed out and die and saved the meat damage. If you want to anchor them on the spot why don't you just spine them then follow up?

Nice moose anyhow. Congrats.
 
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grit said:
nope this is not the dumbest thread ever on CGN, those would be what's the biggest animal you've killed with 22/250, 243..
no need to be so serious with such threads ... there is some entertainment value here
plus everyone knows the best moose caliber is the 460wby with a 350gr X@3000fps.... damn now I miss my 460
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Well, I'm not sure anyone who can actually shoot it would argue with that... I think I'd need a shoulder replacement after though...
 
Nice moose, and congratulations. Personally, I believe a guy (or gal) should use the rifle they like, and feel comfortable with. Within reason. And reason differs between folks. For me, the last 4 moose went down cleanly with my 7x57. Only one dropped on the spot, and that was a neck/spine shot, the only spot I could see besides his ass. The 3 moose prior to that were taken with a .308; the one before that a 7mm Remington mag, and the 3 before that with a .270. None were lost, and the farthest one travelled was about 30 yards (after the shot). About half were one shot kills, the others took two shots. (needed or not? Who knows!) Most shots were under 100 yds, the longest about 250. Based on my limited experience, I would be inclined to believe that shot placement would likely have more 'impact' on whether a moose drops on the spot, than caliber or impact energy. I have seen more moose wounded with magnums than with lighter recoiling rifles. ymmv
 
My wife killed a BIG cow moose on a quartering to shot with a 243 Winchester and a 90 grain Barnes x bullet at 35 yards. It only went about 10 yards. She was shooting a NEF Handi rifle. All the moose I have shot since 1965 have fallen to a lowly 30-06.

No need for anything bigger. Shot placement is the key, not horsepower.
 
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