Best caliber for moose that meets the following criteria?
- Thread starter dpo2o
- Start date
Wow... I'm amazed 7 pages of replays and nobody got it right.
No offense please...
We just try to help a fellow members here...
1st. - Nobody asked how far away is expecting to shoot the moose
2nd - any caliber will do the job at shorter range (up to 2-300 yards)
As soon you push the distance - a lot of small caliber will NOT do the job done...
For moose /big game you need 1400flb energy and 1800fps or 1500fps speed to open reliable
Preferable 180gr minimum weight bullet SMK or Berger OTM
Using a ballistics software will give you the maximum distance what you can achieve this speeds.
Based on the energy and speed you can choose the RIGHT caliber to do the job done.
Any 7rm loaded with 180gr Berger OTM or 180gr SMK at 2900-3000 fps will get you at 800yards for a MOOSE
If you are planning to go further 800-1200yards - you will need to step up to 300WM, Or 300WSM or 300RUM using 240gr SMK
If you are really pushing it at extreme - you have to step up to big 338's - 338RUM 338 Edge or plain 338 Lapua - using 300gr SMK's or 300Berger OTM
Yes you can kill a moose with lighter ammo, but you want it done in less then 20-30feet. To achieve that you need to get perfect shoot placement, lots of kinetic energy (from 180gr - 300gr bullets)
If you are shooting behind the shoulder and miscalculate or the wind is pushing it on the shoulder blade or bone - your lighter bullets will not broke the bone, and you will have a limping moose what will run for days.
That is the reason why you have to step up to 7rm, 300wm, or 338's using the heaviest round possible.
Don't be afraid about big rifle... they are not kickers unless you get them really light.
1. You will need to replace the butstock with limbsaver.
2. if you hunt alone for the moose and you want to see the shots through scope you have to install a very good muzzlebrake
3. your rifle will end up around 10-12lb
4. You will need a rangefinder and strong knowledge using a ballistic software passing 300yards.
5. Your scope need at the upper end 16-20x power to take shoots at 800 and beyound
6. you have to practice shooting of the backpack, bipod and shooting sticks. Sometimes the willow are so tall, your bipod will be useless and you have to improvise using tripod or a tree.
7. Make sure you are practice in this way, and stay away from bechrest shooting. (your rifle will react different and the group will open up a lot)
8. get a rangefinder what will range in show, rain, fog up to 1200-1500yards (you have to spend a lot of money on swarowsky or zeiss)
Leica will stop ranging at 600-800 yards on snow or rain day
9. you have to do a proper bedding and free floating the barrel to acheave the best group 1/2 MOA or 0.5MOA to be able to stretch it up to 800yard.
I hope the above will help you choose the right equipment.
No offense please...
We just try to help a fellow members here...
1st. - Nobody asked how far away is expecting to shoot the moose
2nd - any caliber will do the job at shorter range (up to 2-300 yards)
As soon you push the distance - a lot of small caliber will NOT do the job done...
For moose /big game you need 1400flb energy and 1800fps or 1500fps speed to open reliable
Preferable 180gr minimum weight bullet SMK or Berger OTM
Using a ballistics software will give you the maximum distance what you can achieve this speeds.
Based on the energy and speed you can choose the RIGHT caliber to do the job done.
Any 7rm loaded with 180gr Berger OTM or 180gr SMK at 2900-3000 fps will get you at 800yards for a MOOSE
If you are planning to go further 800-1200yards - you will need to step up to 300WM, Or 300WSM or 300RUM using 240gr SMK
If you are really pushing it at extreme - you have to step up to big 338's - 338RUM 338 Edge or plain 338 Lapua - using 300gr SMK's or 300Berger OTM
Yes you can kill a moose with lighter ammo, but you want it done in less then 20-30feet. To achieve that you need to get perfect shoot placement, lots of kinetic energy (from 180gr - 300gr bullets)
If you are shooting behind the shoulder and miscalculate or the wind is pushing it on the shoulder blade or bone - your lighter bullets will not broke the bone, and you will have a limping moose what will run for days.
That is the reason why you have to step up to 7rm, 300wm, or 338's using the heaviest round possible.
Don't be afraid about big rifle... they are not kickers unless you get them really light.
1. You will need to replace the butstock with limbsaver.
2. if you hunt alone for the moose and you want to see the shots through scope you have to install a very good muzzlebrake
3. your rifle will end up around 10-12lb
4. You will need a rangefinder and strong knowledge using a ballistic software passing 300yards.
5. Your scope need at the upper end 16-20x power to take shoots at 800 and beyound
6. you have to practice shooting of the backpack, bipod and shooting sticks. Sometimes the willow are so tall, your bipod will be useless and you have to improvise using tripod or a tree.
7. Make sure you are practice in this way, and stay away from bechrest shooting. (your rifle will react different and the group will open up a lot)
8. get a rangefinder what will range in show, rain, fog up to 1200-1500yards (you have to spend a lot of money on swarowsky or zeiss)
Leica will stop ranging at 600-800 yards on snow or rain day
9. you have to do a proper bedding and free floating the barrel to acheave the best group 1/2 MOA or 0.5MOA to be able to stretch it up to 800yard.
I hope the above will help you choose the right equipment.
I'm rather new to hunting so forgive my response if it seems ignorant but do people really shoot moose at 800m??
pisces-guy
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- West Kelowna, B.C.
Seriously, OP, your .308 with Nosler Accubonds, Partitions, or 165/168 grain Barnes TTSX ammo will do a fine job on moose to all normal ranges.
As a bonus, the Accubonds or the TTSX are often the bullet that shoots the best out of most rifles...in fact I've never seen a rifle that didn't group well
with one or the other. If you're hunting deer a lot as well as moose I'd give the nod to the Accubonds, and if moose is the main target I'd lean towards
the TTSX.
As a bonus, the Accubonds or the TTSX are often the bullet that shoots the best out of most rifles...in fact I've never seen a rifle that didn't group well
with one or the other. If you're hunting deer a lot as well as moose I'd give the nod to the Accubonds, and if moose is the main target I'd lean towards
the TTSX.
It's amazing that some people think they are undergunned because their rifle doesn't knock the moose off its feet. I personally have always found moose very easy to kill. I love all the bigger calibres and own/hunt with many of them but for fun, not because I think I need to. Some genuinely think you need a 300 mag or 338 mag for moose and that is pretty funny.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I was going to suggest the 300 until i saw your recoil issue with it. The 308 will kill Moose, hell a 243 will...they are not hard to kill. Hit them in the lungs, they tip over. The problem with the 308 may be in shooting a Moose at longer than the typical bayonet range.
Since i have a 30-06 in a T3 that i found excessive until i added a Limbsaver pad, perhaps the problem is with the light weight stock rifle, not the caliber. I should doubt that the Sako 85 will be a lightweight, and i doubt anyone who is buying a new Sako...optics and all will have a problem with a $50 fix for recoil. On the lower end of the magnums under flat shooting and Moose, the 300 Win still just stands out as the obvious choice.
Since i have a 30-06 in a T3 that i found excessive until i added a Limbsaver pad, perhaps the problem is with the light weight stock rifle, not the caliber. I should doubt that the Sako 85 will be a lightweight, and i doubt anyone who is buying a new Sako...optics and all will have a problem with a $50 fix for recoil. On the lower end of the magnums under flat shooting and Moose, the 300 Win still just stands out as the obvious choice.
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
My question for you is exactly how many moose have you shot, or let's make that how many animals all together have you shot, to make you such an expert that you have the balls to come on this thread after 6+ pages of good advice from guys who have literally taken 100s of head of game and proclaim yourself the only one who has "GOT IT RIGHT". A little arrogant considering the company and expertise of some of the posters here. Given your post count of 5 and feedback of 2 maybe you should be reading and learning, instead of proclaiming yourself the resident expert. I have likely shot more game in one 4 week period in RSA than you have in your lifetime, you might want to think about that.................
Have you ever taken an animal beyond 500 or 600 mtrs, I doubt it, you recommend match bullets for hunting, what if the shot is at 50 mtrs..........who tracks the wounded moose shot with a match bullet.
Given your writing and punctuation I would guess that your first language is not English, correct? French I suspect, or more precisely Quebecois.................You sir, are offensive to those of us who have actually been there and done that, which are many on this forum, and I might suggest you change your arrogant tack if you ever wish to become a credible member.
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ipscgraz
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Excellent discussion here but ask yourself how many moose were harvested in the 20th century with 308, 303, 3030, 3006, 270 before we all decided that a 338 lapua mag was needed to shoot from mountain ridge to mountain ridge.
Yes I have 15 years of competitive shooting, and more then 13 years of hunting in CANADA.
All my kills up to date are between 400-1320yards on deer (1320yrd, 1200yrd, 980yrds, and lots lots between400-800yards)
Bull Elk - 870 yrd, cow elk 507yrd, cow elk - 380yrds) Bull Moose 804yards
Coyotes - 1100yrds, 800yrds, 600yrds, 400yards.
As you see all this one are possible with proper setup and right equipment.
THIS IS NOT TO OFEEND any of the members forums, but YES I used High BC SMK and Berger OTM (with great success from small to big games)
The damage is impressive, they drop on spot , exit hole is from 2inch to 4-5inch) lungs are gelly, and if i aim for high shoulder the bones are grinded.
I never lost one game using Match Bullets (Legal in Canada- they are expanding bullets - hallow tip.)
I'm not arrogant, and i;m sorry if my post shows that I did not intend and i will not want to offend nobody. All i want is to share my experience of competitive shooting applied to extreme long distance hunting.
over the year I shoot between 800-1400round (big caliber) and 1000rounds on 223 small caliber.
I practice a lot, field position at extreme distance. I do my part to be prepared for almost any hunting scenarios from bipod to shooting sticks or backpack shooting.
All my kills up to date are between 400-1320yards on deer (1320yrd, 1200yrd, 980yrds, and lots lots between400-800yards)
Bull Elk - 870 yrd, cow elk 507yrd, cow elk - 380yrds) Bull Moose 804yards
Coyotes - 1100yrds, 800yrds, 600yrds, 400yards.
As you see all this one are possible with proper setup and right equipment.
THIS IS NOT TO OFEEND any of the members forums, but YES I used High BC SMK and Berger OTM (with great success from small to big games)
The damage is impressive, they drop on spot , exit hole is from 2inch to 4-5inch) lungs are gelly, and if i aim for high shoulder the bones are grinded.
I never lost one game using Match Bullets (Legal in Canada- they are expanding bullets - hallow tip.)
I'm not arrogant, and i;m sorry if my post shows that I did not intend and i will not want to offend nobody. All i want is to share my experience of competitive shooting applied to extreme long distance hunting.
over the year I shoot between 800-1400round (big caliber) and 1000rounds on 223 small caliber.
I practice a lot, field position at extreme distance. I do my part to be prepared for almost any hunting scenarios from bipod to shooting sticks or backpack shooting.
Once again.... I APOLOGIZE IF I OFFEND SOMEBODY WITH MY POSTINGS.
My intention was to help not to offend or to be arrogant.
On previous post i show to everybody, it is possible and can be done to take moose, elk, or deers at extreme distances WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF PRACTICE, LOTS OF ROUNDS DOWN THE TUBE OVER THE YEAR, and WITH PROPER BULLET SELECTION.
I choose SMK - for big game due to the ability of the round to open up at 1600fps and have enough weight retention to pass through both front shoulders at pass 1k yards.
BERGER OTM - they are extreme long range hunting bullets due to very High BC and they will open on games at 1500fps speed.
ONLY DOWN SIZE IS - never try to broke both shoulder with them on moose or elk. They work best on double lung shoots.
My intention was to help not to offend or to be arrogant.
On previous post i show to everybody, it is possible and can be done to take moose, elk, or deers at extreme distances WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF PRACTICE, LOTS OF ROUNDS DOWN THE TUBE OVER THE YEAR, and WITH PROPER BULLET SELECTION.
I choose SMK - for big game due to the ability of the round to open up at 1600fps and have enough weight retention to pass through both front shoulders at pass 1k yards.
BERGER OTM - they are extreme long range hunting bullets due to very High BC and they will open on games at 1500fps speed.
ONLY DOWN SIZE IS - never try to broke both shoulder with them on moose or elk. They work best on double lung shoots.
Lots. I agree with your posts.
In my post i was asking what is his shooting range 400yrd, 800yrd, or pass 1k yards.
Due to the above i suggested the right equipment (rifle, ammo) to do the job at this distance.
If his ability of shooting is less then 300yards - ANY CALIBER WILL DO THE JOB.
As soon you extend your shooting distance pass 400yards you have to get the right rifle to do the job QUICKER AND WITHOUT THE ANIMAL SUFFERING.
I really wish to hunt or have access on private lands where you can get a game on less then 200yards.
But sometimes you wait 8-12 years for a bull Moose draw, and to be prepared just for 200yards shoot is fullish.
Why not take the time to practice little bit further, and if the game is not giving you change to get closer, and if the wind condition, are right you can fill your tag.
Well, I think I'll leave this thread now and leave it to the experts who regularly kill all their game including coyotes beyond the 1/2 kilometer mark................I have made some very remarkable shots in my life but he's got me beat hands down.........ciao !!!
Buddy, you're about as arrogant as he/she is right now, not to mention a little ignorant too! Since when does "post count" and feedback rating have anything to do with real world experience??? Take offence if you want...I'm calling it as I see it! Just because he/she's a newbie to the forum doesn't mean he/she doesn't have experience behind the trigger and to believe so and state so is foolishness! Secondly, a person's birth place has nothing to do with his/her arrogance. As an English person (Scottish to be more precise) that was born and raised in Eastern Quebec I can tell you I've met far more arrogant and ignorant people in Alberta than anywhere else in the country but that doesn't give me the right to throw every Albertan into the same boat because the majority are indeed decent people...same rule applies to every other province!
Personally, I think Edge338 is full of it as well...but certainly not because he/she has bad grammar or because he/she is a newbie...simply because what he/she wrote appears to have been copied and pasted! Not to mention that all but one of the yardages given were rounded to the nearest tenth...that seldom happens in the real world and if you actually keep track you never round off!
