Given the open ended original question I'm thinking if you hit a moose in the eye at 2000 yards it would die. I'v never shot a moose before so I dont really have an opinion. Never the less the question is much the same as can you kill a deer with a .22lr....YES
30-06 maximum moose range
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That's good criteria if you plan on doing all your shooting off hand; personally I avoid doing that every single time its possible.
If I was looking to reach out with a 30-06, I'd take a look at the Hornady 200gr ELD-X. Pushed to just under 2600 fps at the muzzle, I'd have no hesitations on a moose out to 600 yards if I was confident in placement. It's more fun to sneak up close or call them in, but that combo would do the job way out there
now, 180g Partition @ 2800 fps, I'd keep shots to 500y. 180gr TSX @ 2770...I wouldn't pull the trigger on one past 350y
Bullet design and impact speeds are important considerations. Of course good trigger skills and knowledge of trajectory, wind, etc will be #1 factor whether it's 300y or 600y.
But ballisticly, you put something like a 190gr Nosler ABLR @ 2700 fps, at 700y it retains 1775 fps/1330 ft lbs of energy. To compare, the time tested 30-30 Win, loaded with a 170gr flat nose soft point (2100 fps @ muzzle), retains at 100y.......1865 fps/1312 ft lbs energy.....
now, 180g Partition @ 2800 fps, I'd keep shots to 500y. 180gr TSX @ 2770...I wouldn't pull the trigger on one past 350y
Bullet design and impact speeds are important considerations. Of course good trigger skills and knowledge of trajectory, wind, etc will be #1 factor whether it's 300y or 600y.
But ballisticly, you put something like a 190gr Nosler ABLR @ 2700 fps, at 700y it retains 1775 fps/1330 ft lbs of energy. To compare, the time tested 30-30 Win, loaded with a 170gr flat nose soft point (2100 fps @ muzzle), retains at 100y.......1865 fps/1312 ft lbs energy.....
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With a good range finder, a good scope, a good accurate rifle, a good rest, and enough practice, a 600 yard shot is a walk in the park.
Even assuming the shot itself is perfect, what about the things that can happen during the ~0.8 sec it takes for the bullet to hit the moose? It could shift position, or the wind could shift. A 5mph change in crosswind could shift that bullet by 16".
5mph wind change in .8 sec. Not impossible, but things can occur at any distance. It's up to us as hunters to decide : #1 If we have the capability to make the shot and if it's ethical. #2 Do we have the confidence in the shot. #3 Can we position ourselves timely enough for a better shot.
IF we take the shot confident in our capabilities, that's all that can be expected. Unfortunate things happen sometimes, and we have to deal with it.
My 2 cents.
The one sure thing about hunting is there are NO sure things....game is missed and wounded at less than 100 yard ranges every day of the season...."what if". Do you take that shot at a trophy buck on the run at 80 yards....do you try to poke a shot through the bush at 50 yards....etc, etc.
Straight answer to your question would be 500 absolute max 600. I am thinking the op may be trying to settle an argument.
To elaborate, if you are planning a hunt at this range, make sure you know your rifle and practise until you can reliably hit the kill zone on every shot. You will also need to adust scope accordingly and be able to quickly make adjustments if the game appear at 50 yards. If you set up your scope centre crosshair at this range, you will have troubles. BDC reticle will help, but range finder and practice at interval ranges will assure success.
Really not looking to start anything, but the straight answer depends on what bullet he is shooting, and what that manufacturer suggests is the minimum impact velocity for the it to function correctly. Nothing else really matters. No guesses, no ethics, no fluff.
R.
R.
I agree with this however the bullets with the lowest acceptable impact velocity will be horribly unsuitable for the 50y shot and shouldn't really be out on a moose hunt.
Skipped over 8 pages of 30-06 ballistics. I'd have thought we would have had that figured out by now haha
In a realistic moose hunting environment, I'd be more worried about how far an injured moose can travel while you covered the 600 yard spread.
In a realistic moose hunting environment, I'd be more worried about how far an injured moose can travel while you covered the 600 yard spread.
Shooting at 300 to 600 yards is great when you are at the bench or prone with a known distance.
But we all know that hunting, field even human responses are never the same in the field.
The longer you reach out the more chance you have on leaving a cripple to die a slow painful death..
When was the last time we heard anyone bragging about the last animal he crippled and never recovered
BIG TALKERS...
But we all know that hunting, field even human responses are never the same in the field.
The longer you reach out the more chance you have on leaving a cripple to die a slow painful death..
When was the last time we heard anyone bragging about the last animal he crippled and never recovered
BIG TALKERS...
That entirely depends on the bullet selected. Most tend to like to shoot moose with a tough bullet. The statement still stands. The OP's question was that of a technical nature, and it should have been answered in a technical way. Instead there are a whole bunch of pages of ethics and ballistic gack.
All one has to do is to go to any manufactures website, select a bullet that he feels is suitable for moose, and find out what the recommended impact velocities are. That's it!!!
No need to guess, and certainly no need to preach from the couch about range, wind et all.
R.
My first thought upon reading this title was "how much practice has the shooter put in."
A seasoned long distance shooter with thousands of rounds downrange will be able to successfully place a shot at much longer ranges that someone who sights in their gun before hunting season. Some people find a 600 yard shot easy. For others, it is impossible.
Ballistically, I'm sure 30-06 can lethally kill a moose at much longer range than most people would be comfortable taking.
I recently read/watched a story somewhere where a hunting noob went on a guided hunt, and shot a nice buck standing over 400 yards away. How? The guide dialed it in for him, and then he just took the shot. I'd be willing to bet he would never have made it otherwise. With my lack of practice and present firearm/optic selection, I personally wouldn't be attempting anything much over 200 yds.
A seasoned long distance shooter with thousands of rounds downrange will be able to successfully place a shot at much longer ranges that someone who sights in their gun before hunting season. Some people find a 600 yard shot easy. For others, it is impossible.
Ballistically, I'm sure 30-06 can lethally kill a moose at much longer range than most people would be comfortable taking.
I recently read/watched a story somewhere where a hunting noob went on a guided hunt, and shot a nice buck standing over 400 yards away. How? The guide dialed it in for him, and then he just took the shot. I'd be willing to bet he would never have made it otherwise. With my lack of practice and present firearm/optic selection, I personally wouldn't be attempting anything much over 200 yds.
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Exactly he asked how far away it could be. It isn't a hard question to answer. But instead everyone started talking about if the shooter could do it, ethics, wind, hold over and so on. That was not part of the question.
Yeah But this is CGN. Were entitled and allowed to go all over the map...
Great. The OP asks a question, and keeps repeating over and over that he doesn't care about variables like shooter ability, wind and all the other little details that make all the difference in the real world. Silly question, IMHO, but...
So the answer is...eventually...pulled off a chart or out of some ballistic program. It's some ridiculous asinine distance at which almost nobody should actually be shooting at a moose...and at which absolutely nobody needs to shoot at a moose. Attempts to stress the importance of all the other facets of shooting at distance are pretty much ridiculed...this question needs an answer, dammit! Don't confuse us with facts!
Then the next guy reads it, and "realizes" that the .30-06 he just bought...his first centerfire rifle, which he has yet to actually load and fire...is perfectly capable of slaying a moose in the next province over...so therefore he can do so, and fully intends to try.
Of course, the next guy decides to check the charts, because he absolutely needs to know if he can use his .308 instead...or his .260...or his .243...or his .22Hornet...or...or...or whatever, he is pretty sure it'll work, so he's gonna try that out.
Jeez, I hate threads like this...
So the answer is...eventually...pulled off a chart or out of some ballistic program. It's some ridiculous asinine distance at which almost nobody should actually be shooting at a moose...and at which absolutely nobody needs to shoot at a moose. Attempts to stress the importance of all the other facets of shooting at distance are pretty much ridiculed...this question needs an answer, dammit! Don't confuse us with facts!
Then the next guy reads it, and "realizes" that the .30-06 he just bought...his first centerfire rifle, which he has yet to actually load and fire...is perfectly capable of slaying a moose in the next province over...so therefore he can do so, and fully intends to try.
Of course, the next guy decides to check the charts, because he absolutely needs to know if he can use his .308 instead...or his .260...or his .243...or his .22Hornet...or...or...or whatever, he is pretty sure it'll work, so he's gonna try that out.
Jeez, I hate threads like this...
^ Agreed.
The question represents a complete failure to understand any of the realities of shooting game with a rifle. It is just silly. Almost any cartridge will kill things way beyond the distances that should ever be considered for that cartridge in any real world situation. To deny that factors other than the cartridges ability to kill something are MORE important is absurd, and invites ridiculous behavior by anyone else who is equally ignorant of the reality of hunting game animals. Bad question, indeed.
The question represents a complete failure to understand any of the realities of shooting game with a rifle. It is just silly. Almost any cartridge will kill things way beyond the distances that should ever be considered for that cartridge in any real world situation. To deny that factors other than the cartridges ability to kill something are MORE important is absurd, and invites ridiculous behavior by anyone else who is equally ignorant of the reality of hunting game animals. Bad question, indeed.
