I'm talking about shots at the south end of a northbound moose or hard quartering shots or shots at 300 to 400 yards. Sometimes the ideal shot does not present itself, if you have the intestinal fortitude to hold fire, fair enough, but most don't. I am talking about any sane opportunity at a moose. If a less than optimal shot is taken I would prefer a round that has the ability to wade a lot of meat, the 6mm's don't, plain and simple.
6mm and moose
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I'm talking about shots at the south end of a northbound moose or hard quartering shots or shots at 300 to 400 yards. Sometimes the ideal shot does not present itself, if you have the intestinal fortitude to hold fire, fair enough, but most don't. I am talking about any sane opportunity at a moose. If a less than optimal shot is taken I would prefer a round that has the ability to wade a lot of meat, the 6mm's don't, plain and simple.
When one recalls what was considered a moose gun a few decades ago, it may include the likes of 25-35, 32-40, 32-20, 44-40 and others which would be considered completely inadequate today. They did kill animals though. A 6mm with a decent bullet and a broadside or carefully placed headshot is fine.
That said, my moose rifle is a .338.
That said, my moose rifle is a .338.
Long ago that was the choices of calibers they had, today we have far better options to choose from for hunting big game ethically. Yes, ethics, and morals, something that should be high on your priorities if you are a hunter. I could use my 243 for moose hunting, but I don't have to because I have much better tools for the job, therefore I do not hunt moose with my 243. Instead I use one of my rifles in a more appropriate caliber to humanely harvest my big game like moose, such as a 325 WSM slinging 200 grain partitions.
If I was going to hunt moose with a 6mm caliber cartridge, I'd use a good bullet like a TSX or Partition, and I would be picky about what shot I take. Whenever you are hunitng with a cartridge that is a little on the small side, that's what you have to do- Have the discipline to turn down all but the perfect shot opportunities.
It's like hunting deer or black bear with a .223- good bullet+ good shot placement = dead animal. But you don't get to take those front end or THS or quartering shots.
It's like hunting deer or black bear with a .223- good bullet+ good shot placement = dead animal. But you don't get to take those front end or THS or quartering shots.
Yes, I have...two actually. Both were ranged in at about 300 to 350 yards. Both were opportunity (he was tagged for deer and moose) and both were hit more broadside than frontal. Both were pretty good shots but had to be tracked. One died due to bloodloss, the second, was hit in the shoulder and had stiffened up pretty good - needed a second shot (with 7mm).
I use my 30-06 - 165 Nosler Partitions for moose. I have only had to shoot a second time. That time was a frontal, and the bullet smoked one lung, but they are tough beasties and when panicked, have plenty of adrenaline. My second shot shredded the heart. My favorite spots to hit though is in the neck or heart. I own a 243 and would not consider it or the 6mm class of bullet as the best choice for big heavy game like a moose. Those who refer to shot placement and the like, well, talk is cheap when you are defending a paper position. What's worse, is someone actually believing some of that drivel, blissfully going out after a moose and having to deal with the consequences of what I previously referred to in my post.
Use the larger, heavier cartridges.
I use my 30-06 - 165 Nosler Partitions for moose. I have only had to shoot a second time. That time was a frontal, and the bullet smoked one lung, but they are tough beasties and when panicked, have plenty of adrenaline. My second shot shredded the heart. My favorite spots to hit though is in the neck or heart. I own a 243 and would not consider it or the 6mm class of bullet as the best choice for big heavy game like a moose. Those who refer to shot placement and the like, well, talk is cheap when you are defending a paper position. What's worse, is someone actually believing some of that drivel, blissfully going out after a moose and having to deal with the consequences of what I previously referred to in my post.
Use the larger, heavier cartridges.
Doesn't surprise me at all Gatehouse that even though you have more suitable firearms for the job, that you would take the one with the best chance of wounding and not retrieving the animal. I am sure you are capable of making a perfect shot every time in any weather, and that there is no chance that wind, animal movement, a flying grasshopper in the way, or even equipment failure could interfere due to your overwhelming awesomeness and ability to see the future.
I bow to your greatness.
I bow to your greatness.
Wow i can't believe how this thread got everyone so worked up. I asked the question because i just wondered. I,ve had this thing for a 240whby for a while and i was just day dreaming about it at work. Wondered if anyone has used one or the like for moose. I personally use a 30-06 that I love and have shot a few with. Even when i do finally get my 240 I will only use my 06. Thanks for asking SuperCub.
LOL, there you go tossing around Ethics, and Morals...These are ''YOUR'' personal attributes, and opinion, and don't necessarily coincide with other peoples Ethics, and Morals, nor should they..
''YOUR'' morals has to do with ''YOUR'' upbringing on ideas of right and wrong...Everyone was bought up in a different way, so thier morals will indeed be different...The funny thing about morals, is they change according to situation unless your covictions are very stong.. I'm talking Monk strong...I seen your past arguments, they arent!
''YOUR'' Ethics are nothing more than ''YOUR'' personal opinion..Though they can be voiced to others, it should never be forced upon them in any way..YOUR'' ethical opinion is not a measuring tool to compare someone elses, , as thier opinions are most likely different, and neither are wrong...
It would be more accurate to use IMO in an argument than to stress ''YOUR''ethics, where you are probably accuseing someone of being unethical, and may well be taken as a significant insult.. Insulting someone in such a way could be perceived as ''immoral'' on your part..
I don't use a 6mm for moose, but I won't bash anyone who does....Use whatever you so choose just so long as it is legal, and use the caliber/cartridge within its energy and trajectory limits, an appropriate bullet, but most of all get that bullet into a vital spot! That is ''my'' personal ethical opinion!
Answered!
As you well know, in any conversation, the topic can branch off in any direction, and will when a number of different personalities take part...
Any firearm/round that you bring that has you defending your choice to the guide or the rest of the party detracts from the enjoyment of the hunt, in my opinion. And I'd rather not be in that position. Well-founded or not, my experience is that this sentiment is manifested when the game is moose and the caliber in question is smaller than 308 Win.
Yep, once years ago with an older Ruger M77 in 6mm Remington using Remington Core-lokt 100 grain bullets. Standing broadside at 75 years. One shot, a good heart/lung hit was all that was needed. It was what I was carrying at the time. My usual moose guns are my .300 Win mag or my .303 British. Shot placement is important.
RememberTheSomme
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Another vote for common sense. Amazing isn't it, it's still out there folks.
So, Captonion, you disagree that morals and ethics should be very important to hunters? I realize you will attack anyone that might disagree with Gatehouse, but give your head a shake....
My apologies to the OP, I didn't mean to drag the Village People into this, they just tend to show up wherever they can argue with common sense.
My apologies to the OP, I didn't mean to drag the Village People into this, they just tend to show up wherever they can argue with common sense.
That's quite strange, because YOUR experience is almost EXACTLY the same as mine, except that I was in Finnmark, and my rifle was an eighty-year-old Swedish mod/96 cut down to a carbine, and in 6.5x55. My Elg/moose was 3/4 on and I placed the 140gr Norma bullet right on the button. He dropped where he stood, snorted twice, and was gone to moose-heaven. He was the first of about thirty we shot that weekend in a pre-winter cull, and was pretty much starving, poor beast, but he still weighed around 1000 pounds or so. We saved him the agony of dying later with a merciful shot. The 'little' bullet had been used by the gun's owner since around 1930 or so - he had nothing else.
That was my very first and last game shoot. I've never killed anything since that time.
tac
I didn't see anywhere that you actually disagreed with me. You just made up some bull
without actually addressing what I said in my post. Not really surprising though 
I'ts okay. You didn't hurt my feelings.
