Big Game - Caribou/Moose - What Rifle Would You Use?

Thanks Longwalker and everyone else, this is 1000x better than the online stores (Cabelas) and other online sites that provide very undetailed comments/reviews. With what I've read so far, I am quite please and slowly becoming more educated as to what type of rifle range (.270 to 30-06 and then-some). The .270 and 30-06 Winchester cartridge sounds pretty intriguing.

You do not need a magnum to take out a Labrador moose....308, .303 brit, heck even a .243 will take out a moose. Honestly, I have hunted Labrador before (when us non residents could actually get Caribou tags lol) and I would just pick up an old enfield. They shoot straight, work great in cold weather, and you won't cry when it falls off the ski doo at 70km/h. Good luck this year!! I'll be out in December for my annual Ptarmigan hunt!
 
You do not need a magnum to take out a Labrador moose....308, .303 brit, heck even a .243 will take out a moose. Honestly, I have hunted Labrador before (when us non residents could actually get Caribou tags lol) and I would just pick up an old enfield. They shoot straight, work great in cold weather, and you won't cry when it falls off the ski doo at 70km/h. Good luck this year!! I'll be out in December for my annual Ptarmigan hunt!

AKA...partridge, lol, wow cool to know that someone is knowledgeable with my neck of the woods!
 
Might look at the new winchester model 70. I had a look at a Ruger today, and I found it to be quite rough... The action on the ruger would need a lot of working back and forth with a very fine abrasive and oil to be nice. The winchester was much smoother... But I didn't like the trigger on the winchester near as well as the trigger on my CZ in .270 win. The winchester and the CZ are 2 real toss ups for me... I have the CZ, but sometimes debate getting a winchester model 70. If you're used to a 12 guage recoil, (you didn't say if it was slugs, or heavy loads, or light loads, etc.) you should be able to easily handle most if not all the sub mag cartridges.
Depends on the ranges you're looking at shooting. If close, but in bear country, get a 45-70. That cartridge took millions of buffalo. And from what I've heard from the local butcher, buffalo are a real bugger to kill.... We have a tame heard of buffalo a few miles from us, fyi. Also, there's nothing wrong with a 30-30. Just if I"m in bear country, I'd rather have the bigger 45-70 for a charging bear, as the government doesn't consider my life worth enough to let me carry a 500 s&w mag for protection...
A bit more information would be helpful. What ranges do you expect to shoot at, and will you be in bear country would be major considerations... An sks would take both what you're talking about, but if a pi$$ed off bear is possible to be around, I want something much bigger...
 
I personally use a .243 on Caribou, however a Browning .308 BAR makes a nice do it all rifle with 180 grain soft points for both Caribou and Moose! I also have the fancy magnums, like a .300 Winchester magnum. 375 H&H magnum, 7mm wsm......and on it goes to the 30-378 Weatherby Magnum! More and more when going hunting I will grab either a .243, .308 or 30.06 :)
 
If I didn't already have 3 .30-06s, I'd buy a .308 (oh yeah, I have two of them as well), or a .30-30 (got one of those, too), or an SKS (yep, they're in the cabinet as well) or maybe a Lee Enfield (yep got that covered as well). Would I hesitate with any of these on a moose or caribou? Nope, not if distances were right.

Depending on distances and areas I am hunting, I choose a different rifle for most hunts. Longer shots close to home on moose...I tend to gravitate to the '06s or the '08's. Short distances, close country I would choose the Savage 340 in .30-30 or the Remington 799 in 7.60x39mm. Real bush whacking, I'd load up some 215's in my Lee Enfield Calvary Carbine ... nicely sported, peep sights, 2000 FPS...NICE rifle for moose, deer, bear, maybe not elk (well the rifle will do it but my eyes won't anymore).

See, not a magmun in the bucnh, but I would continue to count on them time and again for each situation.

That being said, if I am going to go out, pay money to travel to a hunt, have only one week and no idea about terrain...then I'd be packing an '06.

Actually built the wife a .303 Epps on a decent scoped P-14 I found for her moose/elk getter. 180gn bullet at commercial .30-06 velocities...what wouldn't fall to that?
 
My parents were WWII refugees, who immigrated here, no other family. Imagine the crap I got for showing an interest in guns.

My friend and I scraped together any books we could find as as soon as we turned 15 had out hunting license.

Back in the days it was hard to get books when you lived in a small community, compare that to the computer age nowadays where everything is latterly at your fingertips.

I am aghast that you didn't know, but I applaud you wanting to learn.

Time to step away from playing black ops and time to learn more then just how to pull the trigger.


Not all families are brought up with the same fundamentals. Mine was being brought up by just my father, who didn't hunt, nor did I have family that offered, or said 'yes/okay' when asked. Don't get me wrong, I've hunted a lot, but more-so with just the trusty 12 Gauge.

As for you original question, any of the non magnums will do. Go talk to your local gun shop or local hunters to find out what is usually in stock
 
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6.5x55 will do the trick again its the proper placed shot and distance buddy of mine took down 32 point bull at 250 yrds it droppedlike a stone
 
I'm currently looking at the Ruger M77 Hawkeye (All-Weather Bolt Action Rifle). $769.99 before taxes. Haven't gotten the chance to do any research on this rifle yet, or read any reviews.
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I have the older Ruger M77 stainless MKII All-Weather in 300 Win Mag with the Zytel stock.
3-position safety and CRF like a Winchester model 70.
Barrel is not free floated but the gun gives me 1.5" 3-shot groups @ 100yds with factory Winchester XP3 180 grain factory ammo which is fine for big game hunting.
The gun sports a Leupold 3-9x40mm "Rifleman" scope and the combination is tuffer than old heck.
The Hawkeye is the descendant of my rifle and if it is as good it's a fantastic, very tough rifle for the money.
 
It will boil down to the feel of the rifle for you. There are quite a few different calibres that will do the trick. If you have a chance, find a friend or 2 with rifle set ups. Ask them if you can try a few shots from each, to see how each feels, and try firing them from sitting, kneeling and prone if you can. Depending on your body size as well as how you plan to shoot your rifle...these factors may influence what you buy. I primarily have military surplus rifles in many different calibres. Since I reload, I have options on choosing a specific type projectile for what game I would take down. Also, consider the type of terrain you will be in. Forest, mixed, open plains.... the parent brass case for the .270 Winchester is .30-06, making the .270 round quite formidable and more than capable of taking down almost anything in North America. You may wish to consider buying a used hunting rifle as well. Good luck and happy hunting!!
 
6.5x55 or .303 british will do the trick 6.5x55 with 139 grain bullet to the boiler room will drop them like a ton of bricks---a.303 british with 180 gr cor-lok will do the job very effortlessly--people under estimate the knock down power of the old .303 rifle after all they took down many of elephants in Africa with ease
 
You do not need a magnum to take out a Labrador moose....308, .303 brit, heck even a .243 will take out a moose. Honestly, I have hunted Labrador before (when us non residents could actually get Caribou tags lol) and I would just pick up an old enfield. They shoot straight, work great in cold weather, and you won't cry when it falls off the ski doo at 70km/h. Good luck this year!! I'll be out in December for my annual Ptarmigan hunt!

303 and 308 will both be suitable for moose, However suggesting someone can hunt moose with a 243?.....It may be able to kill a moose with an accurate shot, It is hardly a suitable caliber for the task.


And in regards to the OP's question. I too would suggest a 30-06. A great caliber for moose and certainly a caliber you will find in any corner store that sells ammo...should you need more for whatever reason.
I would also suggest the Winchester model 70. This is what I use to hunt moose. A great rifle!
 
Partridge is just a colloquial name used for willow and rock ptarmigan in this part of the world. We also refer to snowshoe hare as "rabbits". ;)

In this part of the world, people call walleye pickerel... that does not make it true.
Many people also refer to grouse as Partridge....also not true.

just sayin'

Different birds...
 
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