Best caliber for moose that meets the following criteria?

dpo2o

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Hi Guys,

I am looking to pick your brains about what is the flattest shooting, lowest recoil but still suitable for moose round? I presently have a Tikka T3 Lite in .308 and for all I know that may meet those criteria. Having said that I am thinking of upgrading to a Sako85 and before I decide on a caliber I thought I should check here. I want something that will be comfortable to shoot at the range as I am a great believer in getting lots of practice. I had the same rifle in .300 WinMag but it wasn't any fun and switched to .308.
 
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I went with the Barnes TSX. Sighted in with my Cooper in 308, went moose hunting, didn't get a moose... No time to resight in with my usual deer ammo, shot a deer with the TSX & he never took another step.

I don't think you need the flattest shooting etc etc, most animals are harvested in very reasonable ranges...

I do like the solid copper projectiles!

Cheers
Jay
 
When I was I kid I did a powerful amount of brooding about what caliber gave the best combination of flat trajectory, light recoil and decent killing power for anything I was likely to get a crack at. With the information I had, and the writings of the day everything seemed to point to the .270 Win. Not much has changed since.

You've got to throw away that joke for a pad that the T3s Lites come with. If you've rating recoil by that abortion the results will be deceptive. A friend had a T3 in .300 Win awhile back that he was trying to flog to any one of us that would shoot it. It was a nasty little bugger, and like you say no fun at all. Those of us who could shoot it still couldn't find a lot of reasons to want to.

If this is more about recoil than anything, and you like the T3s Lites consider one in 7/08. My daughter has been shooting hers since she was 11 and I have trouble imagining anyone having trouble with the kick. Even that little gun benefitted from a pre-fit Limbsaver. I'd have no problem popping a moose with that cartridge.
 
OK, let me guess. You're recoil shy and you don't handload?? Or do you???

When someone asks me what "round" to use, I take that to mean which loaded commercial round.

For the past 10-15 years, hunters have been offered some of the best bullets they have ever had access to.

Any of the premium lines, loaded with premium hunting bullets will be just fine performance wise on game such as moose, right out to 350 meters with bullet weights in the 165+ grain weight range. This is the weight the 308Win really shines with. It's about the best all around bullet weight for the efficient little intermediate case.

Now, it's up to you to find the brand your rifle likes, then practice enough with it to shoot it well.

Being recoil shy has likely caused you to develop a flinch. This means you might choke up or tense up in the split second before you pull the trigger. This might include blinking, tensing or even over relaxing. It may cause you to jerk your trigger instead of squeezing it.

If you have developed a flinch, you need to do two things. First, you need to set aside your 308 and get back to a 22rf for awhile. This will settle the flinch problem. This won't happen with only one range trip. Don't push it. There are close range targets available that simulate different distances by perspective. Use the 22rf to practice placing your shots in the kill zone on these targets. Second, buy a "Past" recoil pad. I use one, because I am recoil shy as well. They are cheap, less than the cost of one box of premium ammo. They reduce felt recoil by at least half.

If you are into spending a bit more money, get a Sorbothane or similar recoil pad installed on your rifle's butt. Get the trigger pull distance adjusted as well to fit you with the pad or coat on.

All of this will reduce felt recoil.

You could get a muzzle brake installed as well but that is almost as expensive as a new barrel.

Practice. Lots or at least as much as you can afford.

I don't have to tell you, shooting from the bench is the worst position for felt recoil. You are in a static position, leaning into the butt, while your butt is glued to a chair. Your body can't move to absorb the shock.

When you hunt moose, will you be in a blind???? The reason I ask, is because the bench should only be used to sight in a rifle and some occasional practice. The rest of your shooting should be from different shooting positions, prone, off hand, kneeling, etc.

This is where a shooting stick comes in handy. Again, I use one as well. It doubles as a light, tough walking stick or can be collapsed to fit in a day pack or hung from a belt loop. There are a couple of models available and run around $35 at most. There are also extendable bipods and tripods but they are awkward to set up and carry and don't come into position quickly. Of course, they are heavier and bulkier.

Sorry for the diatribe but I felt you needed more than you were initially asking for.
 
I agree, invest in a quality recoil pad, with a modern design, like Limbsaver or something with closed cell construction (similar to Remington's SuperCell pad). I agree, the .270 or 7mm-08 will shoot flatter than the .308, without additional recoil. I'm a .270 guy, but if I already owned a .308, I'd purchase some moose suitable, premium ammo, with 150 grain up to 180 grain projectiles, and zero it at 200 yards. Invest in a range finder, and memorize the rate of drop beyond 200 yards, in maximum 50 yard increments. For longer shots, you'll likely have ample time to use the rangefinder, then hold high, per the drop you have imprinted in your memory. Be sure to limit yourself to a distance, where the chosen round still develops enough kinetic energy for moose. Have fun:)
 
You just need to get away from that T3 lite platform and get into a real gun, then try the 300 again..........maybe a Rem 700 CDL or an old AV or earlier Sako, new Mod 70 in your choice............the 300s are the finest all around big game cartridges ever designed, but unless you have worked up to it, a feather weight rifle is not a good platform for them. Very easy to master in a rifle that fits well, has a good recoil pad and weighs 8+ pounds, at least to start off with. If the belted 30 has you scared off then may I suggest a 264 WM or a 280 Rem, both far superior to the 270 Win, then there is the 6.5X55, 260 Rem and 7-08 as Dogleg mentioned as well as the 7X57. As far as game is concerned these cartridges are all interchangeable, with no discernible advantages or disadvantages over one another.
 
Thanks guys. I just used my .308 to knock down a moose in Dec. The recoil pad is a Limbsaver btw. I don't find the recoil on .308 to be a problem. However since I was thinking of treating myself to a Sako85, I thought I might give the whole subject of caliber selection a rethink and where better than CGN to get helpful ideas and advice.
 
Thanks guys. I just used my .308 to knock down a moose in Dec. The recoil pad is a Limbsaver btw. I don't find the recoil on .308 to be a problem. However since I was thinking of treating myself to a Sako85, I thought I might give the whole subject of caliber selection a rethink and where better than CGN to get helpful ideas and advice.

I was just looking at the Sako 58 on their site and there are a lot of different "models" and some models are only available in chambered in certain cartridges.
So which type of #58 has caught your eye and what cartridges is it available in?

I would agree with some above that recommend the 7mm-08. I have no experience with the 25/06 but some people like it for a mild moose round. The .270 is another good option. 30/06
 
I was looking at the Sako 85 Synthetic Black. It is new this year and comes in a limited number of calibers. I haven't decided but it will be a model that comes with a synthetic stock. The wood is too nice. I'd be afraid I would damage it.
 
Whatever peoples will say to you, you own the best caliber overall in the 308, rifle can be changed but caliber is unique... JP.
 
If you already like .308 then stick with that.

I've killed tons of big game, and lots of moose specifically, with a short barrelled Rem 600 in .308 and it works fine.

I've also shot them with other 30 cals, and I can honestly say the moose can't tell the difference whatsoever. A 30 cal 180 grain bullet into the boiler illicits the same response from them every time, whether it's shot out of lowly 303 Brit or a hot loaded 300 win mag, so you might as well stick with what you know.
 
I shoot wild pigs and .30 caliber seems to be what works best for me, they seem to drop faster with a slower .303 British then the faster .308 then again I do use 147 gr .308 and 180 gr .303 British rounds...
 
If you already like .308 then stick with that.

I've killed tons of big game, and lots of moose specifically, with a short barrelled Rem 600 in .308 and it works fine.

I've also shot them with other 30 cals, and I can honestly say the moose can't tell the difference whatsoever. A 30 cal 180 grain bullet into the boiler illicits the same response from them every time, whether it's shot out of lowly 303 Brit or a hot loaded 300 win mag, so you might as well stick with what you know.

This was the way I was leaning but it doesn't hurt to get some fresh perspective.
 
Felt recoil is more about the rifle(its weight mostly) and its stock design than the cartridge. Since you're looking at a new rifle because you want one(best reason there is), look at a 6.5 x 55. Or one of the other .25 to .27 calibres.
 
Whatever peoples will say to you, you own the best caliber overall in the 308, rifle can be changed but caliber is unique... JP.

+1 I fully agree with you, caramel!

To the OP,

The secret is to practice with your 308 Win at the ranges you intend to actually shoot game at. I typically shoot a Remington 700 Varmint in 308 Win and only use handloads with Hornady 180gr BTSP bullets. This fall I was using a new 35 Whelen that I haven't played with enough to have the confidence needed for a shot beyond 300yds, however, I didn't hesitate to use my cousin's Savage Model 11 in 308 Win with a factory 180gr Core-Lokt PSP Remington load to make a 404yd shot (lasered after the shot) on a Whitetail buck because I knew the rifle was on at 200yds and have shot enough 308 Win ammo over the years to know I'd be within 2" of intended impact. If you look at the ballistics charts, the 308 Win isn't that different in trajectory than most so called "flat shooters"! Truth be told, if you can't laser the animal and aren't capable of estimating distance to within 20 yds, you shouldn't be taking the shot regardless of the caliber your rifle is chambered in.
 
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