Moose rifle

I use a 7600 in .308 simply because I love the gun. I've seen plenty shot with 30-30's, 303's, 25-06's, a 243, a 7mm-08, all the way up to the big boomers. Like has been said already, moose aren't particularly difficult to kill. They have a bit heavier bone structure than a deer, and they have a nasty habit of continuing their path in to unsavoury terrain once shot. My grandfather told me on my first moose hunt "Once you shoot it, keep shooting it until it falls. Even if you hit it well, keep hitting it well. It's not like a deer."
 
With the tough bullets that are available today, 7-08, 6.5x55, 270 are all awesome moose killers. Yes the bigger stuff calibres work great too but I also agree moose are not hard to kill especially if you practice and can put one in the boiler room. I would never feel undergunned with a 6.5 or a 270 but use whatever tickles your fancy.
 
Whichever one is in my hands when a moose is encountered, I've just done a mental inventory and can say of the dozen or so bulls I've taken, no two have been with the same caliber. I've have used or seen used everything from 243 to 450 Ackley. Maybe the big 50 will get a chance this fall.
 
I use a .303 because thats all I am used to; I have used one since I was 18, and now I am 45. 90% of the shots I take are 100m or less. If they are any further than that, I try to sneak closer. Mine is a sporter, with a scope and a plastic stock. I am not planning using anything else; this gets the job done for me.
 
c-fbmi said:
Whichever one is in my hands when a moose is encountered, I've just done a mental inventory and can say of the dozen or so bulls I've taken, no two have been with the same caliber. I've have used or seen used everything from 243 to 450 Ackley. Maybe the big 50 will get a chance this fall.
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As I posted earlier, if I had to pick only one, my 308NM would be that choice for me. I've used a few calibres, from 303Br. to 338WM and hopefully I'll get the chance to introduce two more from my gun safe to the task. A Winchester model 71 deluxe in 348WCF.

Model71Winchester348WCF-1.jpg


And a fairly recently acquired Husqvarna model 1651 in 358NM that I purchased from a gentleman in your area, Ted Wagner.

Husqvarna1651358NM.jpg
 
Me and my dad both use 300winmag. I use a Tikka T3 with 180g core-lokts and my dad uses a Rem 700 with 200g A-frames.


Dad folded his bull like a cheap tent at 40 yards with one shot to the heart. I got my cow over 300 yards with one shot threw both lungs, she went 10 yards and flopped over.
 
If I didn't like moose meat so much, I would probably quit shooting them.
The truth is, if I never shot another, I would still have taken more than my fair share in my life.
Moose, despite their large size, are easy to put down.
Disrupt their breathing or pumping apparatus, and they quickly succumb.
A CNS hit, of course, drops them right there.
One thing though, is a moose can be hit squarely through both lungs, and show absolutely no sign of being hit.
I have had them stand for up to 45 seconds, before attempting to walk away, and just fall over, dead.
Elk, on the other hand, very seldom stand around after a solid hit, but will attempt to get away from the area ASAP.
Even deer are far more prone to sprint after a double lung hit than are moose.
Properly hit animals, regardless of species, do not live long if the bullet acts as it should.
This makes bullet choice far more important, IMHO, than the diameter of the bullet.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
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I don't have a Moose rifle right now but have used my dad's Mosin Nagant M44 in the past.

I was planning to pick up a .308 for moose and caribou hunting. I was thinking either a new Model 70, Savage Lightweight Hunter or X-bolt hunter.
 
.270 Winchester and 130gr Fusions work just fine.
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I like the gun in my hand when I have a tag in my pocket.

If I was to have a "go to" moose rig, it would likely be a 358 Norma or .338 Win Mag with 225gr or 250gr somethings. You can eat up to the hole, to use a coined term, with those loads and they penetrate from all angles, which is the issue with an animal that thick.
 
Eagleye said:
If I didn't like moose meat so much, I would probably quit shooting them. The truth is, if I never shot another, I would still have taken more than my fair share in my life. Moose, despite their large size, are easy to put down. Disrupt their breathing or pumping apparatus, and they quickly succumb. A CNS hit, of course, drops them right there. One thing though, is a moose can be hit sqaurely through both lungs, and show absolutely no sign of being hit. I have had them stand for up to 45 seconds, before attempting to walk away, and just fall over, dead. Elk, on the other hand, very seldom stand around after a solid hit, but will attempt to get away from the area ASAP. Even deer are far more prone to sprint after a double lung hit than are moose. Properly hit animals, regardless of species, do not live long if the bullet acts as it should. This makes bullet choice far more important, IMHO, than the diameter of the bullet.
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Good post. Too many people, imho, keep pumping bullets into a moose just because they don't see an instant reaction after the hit. If you know you made a good shot, and chances are you will know either way, just give it a minute and watch.
 
It was always my trusty M38 Mosin, I had her for 21yrs, but she went black in the bore, wore out the smithie told me. Now its a '41 SVT-40 with 203gr MFS SP. Took a cow from 190yds this fall, the first moose I ever shot to fall in their tracks. I love the SVT.:D
 
CV32 said:
Good post. Too many people, imho, keep pumping bullets into a moose just because they don't see an instant reaction after the hit. If you know you made a good shot, and chances are you will know either way, just give it a minute and watch.
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I agree with that!!
I can remember drilling one small bull through the lungs, and he did not even twitch. [shot was about 50 meters]
I racked in another round and looked at him through my scope.
I could see the blood bubbling out the entry hole every time he tried to take a breath.
In about 25 seconds, he lifted one front hoof and just tipped over right there, dead as a doornail.
Typical moose behavior. I like to be ready to shoot again if necessary, but if I am certain the shot was good, I don't like to poke additional holes in them.
Eagleye.
 
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