Moose are not tough to down , think we can all agree on this . Think instead what that gunshot means to a big bear “ dinner bell “ . 6.5 x55 has dropped a lot of Polar Bears . I would consider it the min. And go up from there to what YOU can shoot comfortably. I like the 300 WM but that’s me don’t get caught up in the Magnum bit .
cartridge/bullet ethics of hunting Moose.
- Thread starter Mr. Friendly
- Start date
Knowing exactly what my 2506 is capable of id have no regrets shooting a big bull moose with it if the shot was ideal. I dont hunt moose but if i did id take one of my 300wm or my 458wm. Both guns im comfortable with and shoot well. I follow the advise of bringing enough gun and bullet to not only work but to work when the chips are down on the worst case scenario. For example a frontal chest shot or a quartering away shot that requires raking thru alot of animal to reach the vitals. A 180 gr well constructed 30 cal bullet like a partition or woodlieghs ppsn i know will get the job done even if i have to punch theu the shoulders. Same as a 400 gr woodlieghs ppsn in 458. I wouldnt get the chance to be selective like i do with deer. With deer i have along season and literally dozens of opportunities. Where as a one week moose hunt 12-20 hours from home i want to have a weapon that will break bones and destroy vitals whether its a close shot or further shot
I have no doubt a 243 can kill a moose but take for example that frontal chest shot at say 50 yards. If off slightly that big bull will turn and run to the thickest nastiest scrub he knows. The chance for an exit is low so there may not be a blood trail. A bigger diameter bullet of more weight offers more punch and a bigger hole and generally more bone breaking penetration
These are my thoughts
The 338 federal is based on the 308 and offers good balance of reasonable speed and hitting power without magnum recoil
A 243 and 338 fed would be a great 2 gun battery
I have no doubt a 243 can kill a moose but take for example that frontal chest shot at say 50 yards. If off slightly that big bull will turn and run to the thickest nastiest scrub he knows. The chance for an exit is low so there may not be a blood trail. A bigger diameter bullet of more weight offers more punch and a bigger hole and generally more bone breaking penetration
These are my thoughts
The 338 federal is based on the 308 and offers good balance of reasonable speed and hitting power without magnum recoil
A 243 and 338 fed would be a great 2 gun battery
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
17 hmr in the eye... nite nite moosey! For cryin out loud.... .30 cal add Moose= great supper!
A 260 Rem shoots as flat as a 300mag with half the recoil. Now I've got nothing against the various 300s, but you don't need one to down a moose at 300yds.
It seems to me from the OP's recent posts that he is looking for a mild recoiling all around big game cartridge. He does seem very concerned with the cartridges ability to cleanly kill game like elk and moose. I'd say to the OP that you should really consider a few key factors before making your choice; Is this going to be your only or primary big game rifle, how often will you be carrying it when the opportunity to take a moose or elk will occur(do seasons frequently overlap) and just how much of a reduction in recoil do you need over the standbys like .308, .270 or .30-06?
I suspect only the OP can decide those things as well as if it meets their personal code of ethics. A lot of them wouldn't be my preference but most centerfire cartridges can be loaded with a bullet that will destroy sufficient lung tissue to kill a moose under narrowing margins of ideal conditions as the bore diameter, projectile weight and energy decreases. Where the margin becomes too small is your ethical limit and will very some from individual to individual.
I suspect only the OP can decide those things as well as if it meets their personal code of ethics. A lot of them wouldn't be my preference but most centerfire cartridges can be loaded with a bullet that will destroy sufficient lung tissue to kill a moose under narrowing margins of ideal conditions as the bore diameter, projectile weight and energy decreases. Where the margin becomes too small is your ethical limit and will very some from individual to individual.
Ah, but would you feel comfortable taking the 300ish yard shot with the 243 ?
That’s my question.
What about 400yds? Yeah I can kill one with my crossbow at 20yds and out of the 12 moose I’ve killed so far I could’ve killed 8 with the bow. But in the scenario above if you didn’t bring enough gun you go home with nada. The trophy moose will haunt your dreams. Lol
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7mm-08 with 160gr Woodleighs would be primo moose medicine , u jus gotta do your bit
I cant personally see a Moose moving too far with a .243 hole in the Heart box............ the Goal would be to have a Tough constructed projectile to confidently make its way into the chest cavity, no less.. this CAN be tested in a medium which can be similar or harder than the moose an with some common sense one could pick the projectile which performs adequately ... common sense would tell you PArtitions, TTSX,, Swifts, Accubonds an a couple others would work fine...100grains.
the 358 Winchester or 338 Federal screams Short Action Moose.... well the 358 can proberly vouch for plenty dozen mooses.
there would be a lot of moose laughin off Ultra magnums that went whizzing by, high, low or who knows...
a lot of sense written, a lot of 'straight out of a manual' replies also............ but that's the beauty of the internet...you gota separate the fact from fiction on yer own...
I have used .444 Marlin, 308, 7mm mag and 300 WSM.
The best at knocking the Moose down where they stood were the .444 and 300 WSM.
I was never a fan of the short mags but 300 WSM is a very impressive round.
The best at knocking the Moose down where they stood were the .444 and 300 WSM.
I was never a fan of the short mags but 300 WSM is a very impressive round.
If I wanted to tell you -like others my favorite Moose caliber I would go on to pontificate the virtues of the 45-70 that I have always used-and im in Newfoundland so I've seen a few Moose ,I could also tell you that you need to learn how to shoot but that's a given ... the very good and valid point was brought up that you should use something that covers the various shooting opportunities you're likely to encounter 25 yards to 250 ...most of the common 30 cal offerings from the 30-06 onward are going to serve you well.
I have ended seasons with unfilled tags or little spike bulls because of the limited range of my chosen rifle ...and believe me it is very frustrating day after day,when you have an empty freezer to see a 55+ inch bull standing off at 200 yards when you're holding an iron sighted 45-70
I have ended seasons with unfilled tags or little spike bulls because of the limited range of my chosen rifle ...and believe me it is very frustrating day after day,when you have an empty freezer to see a 55+ inch bull standing off at 200 yards when you're holding an iron sighted 45-70
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
All this talk about shot placement. You can place a shot perfectly but without using a good constructed bullet placement means #### all.
I would rather have a soft bullet placed perfectly in the lungs, than a premium bullet placed in the guts. That being said, I do use controlled expansion bullets, either monometal at high velocity, or bonded at lower to medium velocity. The moose that my tag went on last year was killed by a 130gr Accubond out of a 6.5x55. One proper placed lung shot, the moose went less than 50 feet, and then collapsed , and was dead when we reached it.
You don't get bonus points for using the smallest thing the law will allow or you can find. It doesn't make the meat taste better, or the horns bigger. If you think that it somehow makes you a better hunter it doesn't. What does just scraping by get you anyway?
On the other extreme, there is no sense in using more gun than you can handle. In between those two extremes there are dozens of calibers that you don't have to wonder about.
Moose aren't hard to kill if you don't go out of your way to make it hard.
On the other extreme, there is no sense in using more gun than you can handle. In between those two extremes there are dozens of calibers that you don't have to wonder about.
Moose aren't hard to kill if you don't go out of your way to make it hard.
- Location
- In the shadows of the Rockies
An instant and ethical humane kill is always my objective. I use rounds capable of smashing through shoulder bone to sever spinal chord. So in this scenario range is about 100m. Lead it a bit. And let fly. Never knew what hit it, 1 shot DRT.
But instead he fires the 1st shot at 2:57, 2nd shot at 3:04,....
...said to be a .300 WSM (3:54).
But instead he fires the 1st shot at 2:57, 2nd shot at 3:04,....
...said to be a .300 WSM (3:54).
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