BAR .338 win mag for morose?

Audet

Audet

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I have been caressing the idea of getting a BAR 338 or Benelli r1 for moose. Stopped at SAIL in Laval to see one, the guy looked at me like I was asking for a RPG? He informed me 338 win mag was an overkill for moose and to stay away from semi autos because they are unreliable especially in long actions like the BAR safari 338.

I have 5 semi auto long guns, many semi auto hand guns and I find that if you maintain them properly they are quite reliable as long as they are a good design to start with.

Have I just been lucky and is 338 an overkill for moose (if there is such a thing)?
 
Dead is dead. Shot my first bull with a .338 225tsx, dropped him at 275 yds.

I prefer bolt guns.
 
The BAR handles magnums quite well, and is not even fussy when dirty.

I've no clue how he came up with "overkill". More than you need perhaps, but not excessive.
 
Audet said:
I have 5 semi auto long guns, many semi auto hand guns and I find that if you maintain them properly they are quite reliable as long as they are a good design to start with.

Have I just been lucky and is 338 an overkill for moose (if there is such a thing)?
Click to expand...

I think you know the answer, you just need to go on an assertiveness course.
 
Sorry for the morose, my autocorrect malfunctioned... Guess the buddy at SAIL wanted to sell me what he had in stock.

Thanks guys!
 
I like my 338 Win Mag for Moose or Elk.
My gun is Sako 75 SS with Leupold VXL 4,5-14 x 56.

With 225 Barnes TTSX I've shot cow elk at 520 y, 400 y, moose frontal shot at 251y, I like it a lot, pleasant to shoot, got WT Buck in boiler room with minimal meat damage.

Andrew
 
I'm pretty much a bolt gun guy myself, but I get the advantages of gas guns, and given what's commonly available, the BAR is probably near the head of the pack. Pounder had one converted to .458, and while the gas action tamed the recoil considerably, the barrel contour left the piece a bit too nose heavy. In support of bolt guns though, I doubt that with the time it takes to recover from the recoil and reacquire the target, a gas gun provides little any advantage in the speed at which a follow up shot can be made, when the chambering is a powerful one.
 
I know a guy name Morose...338 is indeed overkill. About the Sail guy...most of these guys wouldnt' know overkill if it hit them in the forehead.....

Have I seen a Bar malfunction/jam ? Yes but it probably not been cleaned in 20 years. Take care of your gear and RTFM !
 
Your Sail guy was not completely wrong:
  1. A semi can never be as reliable as a bolt-action
  2. 338 Win Mag is a lot of recoil for the average shooter
What that means for moose hunting:
  1. Reliability is not an issue since semis are very reliable when properly maintained
  2. More moderate recoil cartridges such as 30-06 or 7mm Rem Mag might be a better choice if you don't shoot regularly
I spend my weekends with watch shooters who can't consistently hit a 10" target in at 100m with 30+ caliber bore magnums.
This is seldom an issue with 270 Win, 308 Win, 30-60 and even 7mm Rem Mag.

Alex
 
Morose: A large warm blooded mammal weighing 700-1200lbs with thick plate like hide
seldom seen ,mostly nocturnal. Its diet consists mostly of the Joshua bird and it inhabits the outer rim of latrine in Africa
 
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