6mm and moose
- Thread starter upnadam
- Start date
I have a 243 and would not hesitate to use it on a moose. With the correct bullet, of course.
But I would prefer a 308 or 358.
For some situations, the 243 might be the perfect rifle.
Power: My grandfather shot 2 moose every year for 50 years. Only one was not a one shot kill. (These were the big northern BC type moose.) he used a Winchester 94 30-30 rifle. All shots were at close range. usually a shot behind the ear. He was a good off-hand shot. The 243 has a lot more power than a 30-30, so with the right bullet, it is dandy.
Why the best? If the only rifle you have is a 243 and you are accurate with it (off hand) then it is perfect.
There are lots of shooters that will shoot a 243 well, but flinch with a 30-06. For them a 243 is the best choice. Hunters know that shot placement is about 90% of results. For some shooters the 243 would be their best choice.
But I would prefer a 308 or 358.
For some situations, the 243 might be the perfect rifle.
Power: My grandfather shot 2 moose every year for 50 years. Only one was not a one shot kill. (These were the big northern BC type moose.) he used a Winchester 94 30-30 rifle. All shots were at close range. usually a shot behind the ear. He was a good off-hand shot. The 243 has a lot more power than a 30-30, so with the right bullet, it is dandy.
Why the best? If the only rifle you have is a 243 and you are accurate with it (off hand) then it is perfect.
There are lots of shooters that will shoot a 243 well, but flinch with a 30-06. For them a 243 is the best choice. Hunters know that shot placement is about 90% of results. For some shooters the 243 would be their best choice.
Oh, in addition, here's a picture of my dear old Dad, from the 30's I believe.
yep, that's '30's dress wear for sure!
It's kinda funny when you see photos of the old days and guys geared up for hunting and compare them with some of the getups guys go hunting in now. I met a local guide a few years ago while deer hunting, the guy was in his late sixties and is an amazing hunter/trapper/guide and had an American "sport" in tow. The old guide was wearing an old black and red mackinaw with a small orange vest over it, heavy wool pants and green lace at the top rubber boots. He carried a battered old 94 .30/30 with little blue on it. The American had everything on that a guy going to war in Iraq would have on except a rocket launcher plus he carried a high end German bolt gun with German glass on it that would constitute a decent down payment on a house if you sold it. Deer hunters sure look different now.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
As long as you're happy with your 7mm on moose then keep with it, but your .308 really is a fine moose killer and does not need to be relegated to deer sized game only. I've shot quite a few big Yukon/Alaska moose with my short barrelled rem 600 in .308, and it has always performed extremely well.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Right you are. The standard 'dress code' has changed quite a bit from that 30's photo I posted of my Dad, to this example of what the guys I Moose hunted with, a few years ago, wore on most occasions. The red plad jacket and gray 'West Coast Casnmere'.
And apparel from a couple of my fairly recent Mule Deer hunts on draw in Alberta
The last few years the trend has gone more towards camo, here worn by my Daughter with her first AB Moose. Kinda' wonder what Dads comments would be.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Along similar lines
and keeping in mind my Dad was very straight-laced, a while ago I was chatting with a couple of buddies. A young guy went by with his baseball hat off at an angle and the waist of his jeans closer to his knees than his waist. One of the more extreme right wing types in the group, who had met my Dad, asked "If your old man saw you wearing your hat like that, would he have straightened it for you"? I replied "No, he would've straightened my head".As further example,
my Dad cut my hair when I was a kid and suffice is to say, I was the only one in our local Army Cadet Corps that was never 'reminded' to get a hair cut.
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Camo clothes have become bit of uniform for hunters these days, just like the red plaid of yesteryear. Camo has slowly crept into my hunting wardrobe. I used to be a bit "anti" camo but then I realized I was just being stupid fudd, so I decided if I found some good gear it wouldn't be disqualified just because it was camo. Nowadays there is some excellent camo gear along with lots of crap, it's important to be choosy. Camo has an excellent advantage of hiding you from other hunters though. Something the red plaid doesn't do. And we all like nice guns and nice glass.
Anyways, camo is here to stay, although I question who buys some camo items, like flshlight, wallet, LRF, knife, lighter....I'd rather that stuff be bright red so I don't lose them! My first Father in law hunted a moose with an axe while timber cruising in his youth. Hey the big guy got hungry after a few days of no food after they lost their rations.
I'm sure a .243 would have worked easier.
As for the side topic on Camo...
I have to laugh when I see Camo wallets, key fobs and even children's clothing FFS, like WTF are people thinking? I keep all that stuff I don't want to loose blaze fricken orange, lol.
I'm sure a .243 would have worked easier.
As for the side topic on Camo...
I have to laugh when I see Camo wallets, key fobs and even children's clothing FFS, like WTF are people thinking? I keep all that stuff I don't want to loose blaze fricken orange, lol.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
My first Father in law hunted a moose with an axe while timber cruising in his youth. Hey the big guy got hungry after a few days of no food after they lost their rations.
I'm sure a .243 would have worked easier.
As for the side topic on Camo...
I have to laugh when I see Camo wallets, key fobs and even children's clothing FFS, like WTF are people thinking? I keep all that stuff I don't want to loose blaze fricken orange, lol.
A camo aspect that really would've got you going is what was on display years ago at a gun show we attended at Kalispell Montana. It was a decent sized show, held at the Outlaw Inn and as I recall, up on the mezzanine there seemed to be quite a group of tables that were catering to survivalist interests. Suprising the number of tables that had womens under garments, in camo.
Generally, this is my usual hunting garb for weather that isn't too cold. A decent weight red checked shirt and Red Strap work jeans and suspenders and possibly my old cowboy hat. Actually, a couple pairs of Red Straps are left over from my logging days on the west coast of the island, and that was a few more years ago than I'd like to admit to.
With temperatures that are significantly cooler, the Red Mackinaw is an addition and probably my Dads old orange hunting cap.
For the really cold occasions, the Red Straps are set aside for the preference of wool fisherman pants and possibly the gray West coast Cashmere tops and bottems underneath. At least a couple pictures showing some examples of those choices I've added in one of my previous posts on this thread.
I must admit though, when I got into archery, some camo clothing became part of the 'need' for those outings. Plus, there is also now some winter camo pattern outer cover clothing for some snow varmint sessions.
Wow that takes me back some years...back in the early 70's myself and half the elementary school wore red and black check double-back mac jackets and I really wish I could find them today for our kids.
Also I'm lol at Camo undies.
Also I'm lol at Camo undies.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Well, not really. I posted my apologies earlier on for hijacking but in the interest of a diverse discussion and obviously a slight change in discussion, the interest of which was shared by most, what you see is what you get. Anal, perhaps, but only in the eye of the beholder. You alone hold control of 'the' option. To be brief,diplomatic and if it causes you such distress, if you don't like, don't look.
yeah, so very true.
Some people take every opportunity they can to throw in unrelated stuff and unrelated pics that have been posted a hundred times before.
I got caught up in it too, as I commented on camo.
To get back on track, I know of one guy that has shot dozens of bull moose (some pretty big) with a .243. I have never been a .243 fan for anything bigger than wolves, although seeing what the new bullets like TSX can do have softened that view somewhat. I've seen end to end 243/85gr TSX shots on big deer, and a few big black bears dumped. I'd still rather have a 260 minimum for moose, but if a guy uses a good bullet, limits the distance and picks his shots, the moose will die. Enough moose have dropped to the 30-30 to make me think that a .243 will kill them if he shoots carefully.
RememberTheSomme
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Okay so as not to offend the more sensitive with tan-gentile ramblings, I'll try to keep it to one line for a change........of course after this one line apology to whom it may concern......
No I did not see a Moose shot with a 6mm,.......but I saw a Stag Woodland Caribou(300lbish) hit solidly @ 75yds with a .243Win 100gr and lost,...is that close enough to get the jest of the 6mm's reliable performance?
No I did not see a Moose shot with a 6mm,.......but I saw a Stag Woodland Caribou(300lbish) hit solidly @ 75yds with a .243Win 100gr and lost,...is that close enough to get the jest of the 6mm's reliable performance?
