I'm a traditionalist when it comes to moose hunting. Anything .30 caliber on the heavier side (180 grains preferred) and you can go and kill bullwinkle from almost any angle at reasonable distances (200-300 yards). Recoil is moderate and tolerable to most in .303, .308, .30-06.
Not every animal stands broadside for the perfect lung shot. Often times they stand frontal to you at a slight angle such as when they come in on a call. Will the Roberts have enough juice to go through a front ham and find the boiler room? I don't know. Maybe. I'd rather have a heavier slug with enough momentum to cause some real internal damage making it there.
Broadside heart & lung shots is no worry for most calibers out there, but as mentionned earlier, animals aren't always at perfect angles for a shot. Considering that most hunters only actually get a chance at a moose over seasons of hunting, many will not pass up less than ideal shots. Therefore, get a bigger caliber which you can handle well and stop wondering if you have enough gun for the job.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, "uber magnums" are not for everyone. Generally, the average hunter can be intimidated by the recoil and muzzle blast and WILL flinch more than a standard caliber and WILL find it less pleasant to shoot.
All these "is a .243 a good moose caliber" and " a .375 H&H is the perfect all round caliber from goundhogs to elephants" discussions are FUN to spend hours reading and then "bull sh*tting" amongst fellow hunters. Answers are mostly the same in every instance, a wide swath of cow patties stretching both opposite ends of the spectrum that can be most entertaining!
Aren't these forums fun?
