Advice on Moose rifle
- Thread starter blargon
- Start date
Your 308 will do fine. I've seen them killed with everything from 30-30 to 375 H&H. Dead is dead. Never had to follow a properly shot moose more than 25 yards. Have killed most of mine with a 30-06 with homemade 180 Hronady BTSP's at just under 2800 fps. Furthest one away with that combo was close to 225 yards. Dropped at the first shot, stayed down at the second shot. Ruined a whole 5 pounds of meat.
I have a 300 WinMag now, more because the areas I hunt hare getting a lot more long clear cuts, and the ranges are increasing. I use a 168 TSX - unleaded boolit at 3050 fps - not a screamer, but very effective, very accurate.
I tend to stay away from the guys that want or need a 338 Mag or so. Not always, but often, they rely on POWER instead of PLACEMENT to drop their moose. PLACEMENT wins every time. 308/30-06 type cartridges are great and all you really need. Saw a guy shoot a calf moose in both shoulders once (once from each side), and it stayed on its feet long enough to get into some real nasty stuff before it tipped over. Wrote off the front end. No NEED for that type of meat loss.
Buy yourself a good laser range finder, and get familiar with the ballistics of your rifle and load combo. Use the 308 with either 165 or 180 grainers -- whatever shoots best in your rifle. Don't worry about horsepower. Practice lots so you don't have to worry about placement, either.
I have a 300 WinMag now, more because the areas I hunt hare getting a lot more long clear cuts, and the ranges are increasing. I use a 168 TSX - unleaded boolit at 3050 fps - not a screamer, but very effective, very accurate.
I tend to stay away from the guys that want or need a 338 Mag or so. Not always, but often, they rely on POWER instead of PLACEMENT to drop their moose. PLACEMENT wins every time. 308/30-06 type cartridges are great and all you really need. Saw a guy shoot a calf moose in both shoulders once (once from each side), and it stayed on its feet long enough to get into some real nasty stuff before it tipped over. Wrote off the front end. No NEED for that type of meat loss.
Buy yourself a good laser range finder, and get familiar with the ballistics of your rifle and load combo. Use the 308 with either 165 or 180 grainers -- whatever shoots best in your rifle. Don't worry about horsepower. Practice lots so you don't have to worry about placement, either.
Whisky Creek
Member
- Location
- Yukon, Canada
A .308 will kill any moose this Continent has seen since the last Ice Age. Any 180 grain bullet would be my suggestion, but a Fail Safe or Partition would be my first choice. That's the answer to your question, but let me add; carry or buy what strikes YOUR fancy...
CLINT
CLINT
I agree that the .308 is more than enough gun with most any 180 grain bullet. .303's are still widely used and kill moose cleanly, so the more powerful .308 will certainly anchor one. Heck, .30-30's are still widely used in Ontario for up close moose hunting.
If your "hot" for a mag, personally I'd choose the .300 WM over the .338 WM. Recoil is quite high with the .338, especially with the 250 grainers and up. The key is accurate bullet placement. I'd only consider the .338 if grizzly was also on the agenda. Besides, the .300 will shoot slightly flatter and be easier on the pocket for ammo...and ammo will be available almost anywhere.
If your "hot" for a mag, personally I'd choose the .300 WM over the .338 WM. Recoil is quite high with the .338, especially with the 250 grainers and up. The key is accurate bullet placement. I'd only consider the .338 if grizzly was also on the agenda. Besides, the .300 will shoot slightly flatter and be easier on the pocket for ammo...and ammo will be available almost anywhere.
You need us to justify your purchase of a new rifle?... no problem!
Your .308, although a perfectly acceptable Moose rifle is not going to satisfy your NEED for another rifle.
The only thing that is going to satisfy your need is to buy a completely different caliber in a new rifle and probably a new scope and all the accessories you can find!
I can already see the stress you are causing to yourself in your post... hurry to the gunstore before you have a stroke or something worse... like taking your wife to the mall.
For what it's worth... a .300WSM in a Benelli R1 is a perfect Moose rifle.
I'm serious.
Your .308, although a perfectly acceptable Moose rifle is not going to satisfy your NEED for another rifle.
The only thing that is going to satisfy your need is to buy a completely different caliber in a new rifle and probably a new scope and all the accessories you can find!
I can already see the stress you are causing to yourself in your post... hurry to the gunstore before you have a stroke or something worse... like taking your wife to the mall.
For what it's worth... a .300WSM in a Benelli R1 is a perfect Moose rifle.
I'm serious.
Got to laugh at people who think if you shoot a magnun you don't place you shots. What a load of crap. If you can only shoot pop guns, fine stick with them but don't advise others on something you obviously know nothing about. The 308 will kill any Moose, if you need a new gun get something interesting.
Mighty Peace
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Land of the Mighty Peace
30 Caliber with Accubonds
Thats all I use in my Sako m75SS 300WM in 180 Accubonds. In my 270WSM its 140gr Accubonds.
150, 165 or 180 grain Accubonds would be a great choice for the 308. Best bet my choice would be the 165 for the 308. TSX in 165 would be another good bullet as mentioned by TodBartell
blargon said:Boy, lots of opinions, but still pondering! I like the idea of a 338-06 or .35 whelen, just no rifles available in the config I want, all-weather.
I was talking to my buddy about this subject the other day, and he shook his head when I told him I dealt the .300WM. He said he'd never go without a .300WM, and I asked him how many years he's hunted moose. He replied "10 years". Then I asked how many shots he's taken at moose. He says "none" They always get a moose, just not him doing the shooting.
This is why I'm debating, is it worth spending another $1200 for a few shots, maybe over 300yds, maybe never that far??
I think I'll try the .308 with TSX and Partitions and go from there. Has anyone used Accubonds on moose in .30 cal??
Thats all I use in my Sako m75SS 300WM in 180 Accubonds. In my 270WSM its 140gr Accubonds.
150, 165 or 180 grain Accubonds would be a great choice for the 308. Best bet my choice would be the 165 for the 308. TSX in 165 would be another good bullet as mentioned by TodBartell
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
338
A well placed 308 with some luck will Kill a moose. Then again so will a 270. Heck probably a 223 would with a hard bullet in the skull. But if your anything like me and have to drive across the province, take a week off work, purchase numerous items that my wife threatens to leave me for, All to shoot a moose, I suggest you opt for the 338
Placement?
At a range I once stood behind a shooter as he lined up his 300 W from a bench. Suddenly, he gave a big jump, his shoulders swung around, BUT THE RIFLE NEVER FIRED!! He was a big guy, too, so when he turned around to look at me I remained stone faced, as he meekly said, "Didn't get the shell in."
We once had a rifle shooting match, for iron sighted rifles, to be shot at 200, 300, and 500 yards. At the last minute a fellow came along with a scope sighted 300 Weatherby Mag. The range officer told him he could join in, but would not be eligible for any prises, because of the scope. He layed down at 200 yards, took his two sighters, then procceeded to shoot, with a marker indicating every shot. He made a bull, then the next two missed the four foot square target! This would be followed be a fair hit, then misses on the board, until the ten shots were gone. He then slunk away and would not continue the shooting. This is a completely true story and I submit it without further comment.
This is my first reply in this thread, so it is not me the above statement is referring to. However, in the 1960s I was working in a gun retail store. One day the Weatherby representative came around and told us the following. He said their firm calculated that only 20% of the purchasers of Weatherby Magnums could shoot them properly. He said the other 80% would be better off with lighter calibre rifles. Remember, this was from a Weatherby rep.MTM said:
At a range I once stood behind a shooter as he lined up his 300 W from a bench. Suddenly, he gave a big jump, his shoulders swung around, BUT THE RIFLE NEVER FIRED!! He was a big guy, too, so when he turned around to look at me I remained stone faced, as he meekly said, "Didn't get the shell in."
We once had a rifle shooting match, for iron sighted rifles, to be shot at 200, 300, and 500 yards. At the last minute a fellow came along with a scope sighted 300 Weatherby Mag. The range officer told him he could join in, but would not be eligible for any prises, because of the scope. He layed down at 200 yards, took his two sighters, then procceeded to shoot, with a marker indicating every shot. He made a bull, then the next two missed the four foot square target! This would be followed be a fair hit, then misses on the board, until the ten shots were gone. He then slunk away and would not continue the shooting. This is a completely true story and I submit it without further comment.
I'm not aiming my coment at any one particular but I here this all the time, if you're shooting big gun you can't control it. While in many cases this is absolutely true, there are just as many or more shooters of 06s or similar guns who shouldn't be shooting past 50 yds. In many cases the guy shooting the big gun is a hand loader and experienced shooter who spends the time shooting and working up loads to get to know his gun and how to use it. I guess I'm just saying that the diameter of the bullet has nothing to do with the competence of the shooter. Sorry if I offended anyone, my first post was a little harsh.
I've seen moose shot with 6.5x55, 308win, and 338win. Hands down winner and what I now carry is the 338win. It lets you take what ever shot the moose offers you, this can be the make or break for your season if you don't see many moose.
HeadDamage, this is extra true when you've travelled a great distance and may only get one chance at a big bull Elk or Moose. The 338 is an awsome performer, quess how a 300gr. .416 X bullet at 2900 fps works. Again not saying you need big guns to take Moose, my dad killed dozens with a 303. Bigger just works better.
I'm an '06 user myself. Bought my first hunting rifle a Ruger M77 about 25 years ago. I have taken deer, caribou and moose with it. Every animal I ever shot with that same gun. I can hit quarters with it at 100 yards and never needed to sight in my rifle ever over any of those years. I will never sell, trade, or "upgrade" to anything else. I can count on it everytime and it will put it on the money every time out.
I have also shot .300 mags(mainly my dad's) and a .340 Weatherby magnum( a rifle that one of my buddy once owned. He changes almost every year to something different.)
The .340 kicks like two 30-06's at once! Sure I can shoot it fine, but heck you have to condition yourself not to flinch from the huge thundering muzzle blast and violent kick it gives. Only a handfull of shooters like my buddy (that was a sniper in the Canadian army) can do this repeatedly real well. Most will cringe everytime the trigger is pulled.
Although, I haven't shot the weaker Winchester .338 mag, my dad's buddy used to have one. His fun was going to the range and letting ordinary fellas shoot it. He'd say try this fine German gun! It's a .308 go ahead and shoot it. Then he'd buckle over in laughter when the fella shot it and nearly sh*t himself!
So...some can shoot the bigger mags, but the rest?
I have also shot .300 mags(mainly my dad's) and a .340 Weatherby magnum( a rifle that one of my buddy once owned. He changes almost every year to something different.)
The .340 kicks like two 30-06's at once! Sure I can shoot it fine, but heck you have to condition yourself not to flinch from the huge thundering muzzle blast and violent kick it gives. Only a handfull of shooters like my buddy (that was a sniper in the Canadian army) can do this repeatedly real well. Most will cringe everytime the trigger is pulled.
Although, I haven't shot the weaker Winchester .338 mag, my dad's buddy used to have one. His fun was going to the range and letting ordinary fellas shoot it. He'd say try this fine German gun! It's a .308 go ahead and shoot it. Then he'd buckle over in laughter when the fella shot it and nearly sh*t himself!
So...some can shoot the bigger mags, but the rest?
Woodsman, I agree with your post. Your familiarity with your o6 is ideal. I've used the 338 for the past 20 yrs as my main gun. I also shoot and hunt with much more powerfull rounds. I'm as comfortable with all my guns as you are with yours. For the record I'd never let an inexperienced or unknowing shooter fire something big. In some cases you can do serious damage if they're not held firmly.(378-460 WBY and even the Rigby with full power modern loads) I used my 338/378 on two nice Mulies this year. One at fairly long range, no flinch.
