with a good bullet placement even the 270 win is very good on our giant moose ...
stopping power of a caliber and terminal effect of a bullet
- Thread starter medvedqc
- Start date
with a good bullet placement even the 270 win is very good on our giant moose ...
To blame the cartridge for failing to "drop" a moose is very common and a misunderstanding of how moose generally react to a shot.
The only moose I've ever shot that dropped was at close range. It was hit behind the ear with a 250gr bullet from a 35Whelen. The results were dramatic. CNS hits and/or breaking down large front skeletal bones would be you're best bet for these results.
OTOH ..... I once shot a small bull at about 80yds with two classic broadside lung shots from a 375magnum. I forget, but the load was either a 300gr NP or a 260gr NAB. Both shots were well taken and with 4" of each other. The moose never flinched and started to walk away into the bush. As he turned to go he took another shot that broke large bones and finally fell. A 270 might have had the same results. Some would have blamed the bullet or the cartridge, but such is moose hunting.
To understand "stopping power" look at the videos of Mark Sullivan the African outfitter. In his recent March 2021 video you can see a Cape Buffalo charge where the Bull took three .375 H&H to the chest and two .577 from Mark Sullivan's Double Rifle before it hit the dirt. check out Mark Sullivan on youtube to look at how he "stops" charging dangerous game.
Mooses: 458WM Hornady 500gr RN ~1700 fps impact broadside 1 shot DRT. Also 416RM 300gr TSX ~2500 fps impact. As well as 416 Ruger 350gr TTSX ~2300 fps impact. And 45-70 Marlin 405gr FN ~1600 fps impact. Reliable 1 shot DRT results with my high velocity 40+ calibers not as reliable with my sub 40's.
cape buffalo are known to take a lot of lead if for any reason the shot is not perfect. the worst on the buffaloes imho are the forest dwarf one pound for pound they re really mean ...
i do not think we will understand stopping power but more see it when watching it ...
In my experience, while shot placement is key, you need to move up to .375 H&H and more powerful to start seeing stopping power. I have killed lots of moose with different calibers, but now I always seem to reach for my .375 H&H as I know it has the best chance of anchoring large game like moose at any range. The difference is noticeable. And stopping a moose from going further and dying in a difficult to retrieve spot is always preferable.
you can see the stopping power with a lot of calibers ... in good hands the 9.3x62 did very well for stopping bad creatures but it is not the 375hh ... lol
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Haha! In a post on this site, a "wise man" once commented that very few of us are Don Heath, - was in reference to what can be accomplished with a 9.3x62, or a 7.62 NATO FN-FAL... I had read in one of his books or articles that the 9.3x62 was the "back up" rifle that he carried, when he took his daughter out to get her first elephant - and I believe his choice for her was a 7x57!!!
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The 9.3 X 62 does look like a perfect round for larger North American game. Also the .375 Ruger. I really like the idea of 20 inch barrels which would work well in the 375 Ruger. I do have a 35 Whelen and have gotten several moose with it as well. It is close to the 9.3 ballistically.
Moose seem to be inure to bullet shock unless the spine or CNS is hit.
I have shot well over 50 of the big cervids, and in many, many cases, even
with perfect placement, ole swamp donkey will wiggle his ears, often standing
still, or possibly taking a step or two. At that point, it is not a bad practice to
whack him again, but frequently he will wait 20 seconds [which seems like an
hour to a neophyte] and then keel over.
I consider Moose, even very large bulls, to be easier to put on the ground than
are Elk. I have shot them with everything from the 6mm Remington up to and
including the 375 H&H magnum. Choose a reliable bullet, place it correctly, and
it is all over but the hard work.
Dave.
I have shot well over 50 of the big cervids, and in many, many cases, even
with perfect placement, ole swamp donkey will wiggle his ears, often standing
still, or possibly taking a step or two. At that point, it is not a bad practice to
whack him again, but frequently he will wait 20 seconds [which seems like an
hour to a neophyte] and then keel over.
I consider Moose, even very large bulls, to be easier to put on the ground than
are Elk. I have shot them with everything from the 6mm Remington up to and
including the 375 H&H magnum. Choose a reliable bullet, place it correctly, and
it is all over but the hard work.
Dave.
Moose seem to be inure to bullet shock unless the spine or CNS is hit.
I have shot well over 50 of the big cervids, and in many, many cases, even
with perfect placement, ole swamp donkey will wiggle his ears, often standing
still, or possibly taking a step or two. At that point, it is not a bad practice to
whack him again, but frequently he will wait 20 seconds [which seems like an
hour to a neophyte] and then keel over.
I consider Moose, even very large bulls, to be easier to put on the ground than
are Elk. I have shot them with everything from the 6mm Remington up to and
including the 375 H&H magnum. Choose a reliable bullet, place it correctly, and
it is all over but the hard work.
You echo my experience and thoughts in regards to moose hunting Dave!
Cheers!
I have watched videos shot by a friend of an Inuit hunter taking a kneeling position with nothing more than his lowly .303 british , taking down a charging polar bear. It took him 3 shots starting at about 60 yards. Just outside Resolute Bay a little over a decade ago. He has video of another group of northern indigenous hunters on a musk ox hunt and again, the animals were taken with nothing more than .303 brit. The musk ox weren't charging but that polar bear sure was. I believe the polar bear footage has been featured on tv years ago but is maybe online somewhere..... I will see. My friend that shot the video lives in thailand now but I'll reach out for an uneditted version.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Could you please expand on this particular 45-70 harvest? Including distance to target?
These rifles are handloaded to at least three differing power levels and a myriad of bullets and powder.
Including black powder.
Thank you.
My stopping rifle is a Ruger African chambered in 416 ruger...so far the only thing I shot with it was a Black Bear with a 400 gr bullet. Not much of a contest there
Pretty sure this rifle will stop just about everything with a pulse...
IMHO, shot placement means more than bullet or caliber.
Pretty sure this rifle will stop just about everything with a pulse...
IMHO, shot placement means more than bullet or caliber.
funny you mentionned Don. he had a fn98 in 9.3x62 with a red dot and detachable magazine on his 9.3x62 and seems to work whit whatever it was dealt with.
i ve met 2 schools in africa for back up or stopping ... brute force and speed like the now prohibited 460 wea magand finess and shot placement like don with his 9.3x62 or other with theirs 375hh and 404 jeffery.
because shot placement with a dirty recoil 460 is always interesting and seems in those days i used bullets were not that good compared with what is available today and even a 9.3x62 or 375 with 320 or 350 grains is really a step up and closer than the 404 jeffery than ever ...
Brassman66
CGN frequent flyer
As a Guide and Outfitter for well over 40 years I have tracked and killed many Client wounded Grizzly Bears in BC and Yukon at usually frightening close range which in the final seconds always came for me. Shots where almost always from the hip and to close to miss. The reloaded .338 Win. Mag. 250 Grain round nose Hornady Slug out of my FN Browning Safari Grade dropped/stopped and killed every Bear regardless of size likely instantly but I never hesitated following instantly up with the remaining 3 rounds from the Magazine.
The .338 250 Grain Bullet proved to be an excellent choice on everything including Moose,Elk, Caribou and Mountain Goats. However as all experienced Hunters know, proper Shot placement is everything.
Cheers
The .338 250 Grain Bullet proved to be an excellent choice on everything including Moose,Elk, Caribou and Mountain Goats. However as all experienced Hunters know, proper Shot placement is everything.
Cheers
i do like the 375 ruger the way it come for the lefty: great plywood (laminated stock) great open sights from the factory and as you said only 20 inches barrel. with the right powder no bad flash and still able to shoot longer than 200 yards if needed.
