Hunting Bullets for moose?

I've always shot 150 grain Federal Nosler Partitions with my .270 and everything from deer to elk and moose flopped right over. Since I acquired a 30.06 and made it my elk and moose rifle, I decided to try 168 grain Barnes Vor-tx TTSX ammo, and the bull moose I shot in October had the expanded bullet run right through the animal from front to back! Bang-flop... The Barnes ammo is also very accurate(.5MOA groups) and shoots flat. The .270 is using Nosler Accubonds now, and they shoot just under MOA in an unmodified Ruger tang safety. They tell me they'll expand even on long shots and be excellent for deer...if they're anything like the Nosler Partition I believe them.
 
Lets get back to basics here.

The Nosler Partition is the big game bullet by which all others are judged.....Period end of story.

Yes we can use many other bullets to take moose, a few may work better in SOME circumstances, NONE will work better in ALL circumstances.
 
Blue box Fed 175gr sp in 7mm Rem Mag has worked well for me. You can't go wrong with Nosler Partition. Last Moose I shot was with a 6.5x55 with 156 gr Norma Oryx. Great round. Good Luck
 
I use an assortment of bullet types from my .308 WIN. 180gr Nosler Partitions, 180gr Woodleigh Weldcores, 200gr Silvertips.

But unfortunately I hunt in a group, so ive never had the opportunity to see if a premium bullet makes moose any deader then plain jane soft points that the rest of my group uses, cause they always shoot the moose.

its hard to argue the necessity for premium ammo when I have direct evidence supporting the fact they arent necessary. Something of a conundrum, really.
 
I believe that you only need a premium bullet if you are shooting a marginal cartidge for moose, say your .24 and .25 cals.

A 30-06 is not at all marginal for moose, and commonly available bullets like the Core-Lokt, PowerPoint, Hot Cor, Game King, etc in the 180+ grain variety will kill all the moose you want, out to any range you can hit them properly, forever and ever.
 
I asked a similar question on the 24hourcampfire "ask the gunwriters" forum (but for a BLR .308 Win + Barnes TTSX for Moose). Many, including one noted gunwriter, said a 168g or 150g monolithics would be adequate (he noted a slight preference for 150g TTSX/Etips/GMXs given that these bullets "like" speed).
 
For hunting in Canada I have never had a need for anything other than a Hornady...

154hornady-0.jpg
 
Seems like the old standby argument. Which bullet will kill such and such better.

Well, so far, everyone is missing the basics.

1) Practice with a round for a good while beforehand at the range. Don't expect to sit on you arse all year, grab the rifle and go to hunt camp and be all that and a bag of crisps.

2) Sight your darned rifle in. Goes well with #1. After practicing at the range all year, you will know your rifle and optics. You can change up for the new round a month or so beforehand and get out to sight the rifle back in and go back to #1.

3) Once you have practiced, sighted in your rifle to the round you are hunting with. Now the day has come. The morning breaks and there, coming into the open is a NICE bull moose. You raise your rifle and blast away, emptying your mag. More than likely missing completely or just wounding the animal. How about taking your time, execute the plan for every shot, and make EVERY shot a kill shot?

I am also an archery hunter and we know that there is one chance to make that shot into the vitals/kill zone. I never understood why some gun hunters are so ignorant as to just blast away at something without even starting at the basics. Gun is away for 11 1/2 months of the year or more. Might stop by CT for a new box of ammo. Probably not the same stuff used before and different bullet weight. Never bother to sight in or practice.
Sighting in and practice are to be done beforehand at the range. Not when you get to camp unless you are hunting about 20+ miles away from your camp location. Since everyone showing up and blasting away does spook the animals from that area.

OK, I think I've ranted enough. Not directed at anyone here though. Just a general thing I've stewed over after listening to too many stories from hunt camps and ignorant hunters. I guess that is really all it comes down to, ignorance. Sadly those same people give hunters a bad name as well as probably most gun owners.
 
Northman999 said:
I believe that you only need a premium bullet if you are shooting a marginal cartidge for moose, say your .24 and .25 cals.

A 30-06 is not at all marginal for moose, and commonly available bullets like the Core-Lokt, PowerPoint, Hot Cor, Game King, etc in the 180+ grain variety will kill all the moose you want, out to any range you can hit them properly, forever and ever.
Click to expand...

The only thing I can add to that is to try a bunch of them to see what your rifle likes. In my aught-six I use 180 grain Hornady BTSP's over 59.5 grains of H4851 usually, but Blue box Federal or Win Silvertips also get the job done.
 
i love my hornadys as well. droped a black bear with my 30-06 165g sst. blew up both lungs and left a 2" hole out the back side at 120yrds. they are amazing in the accuracy depatment to boot. i will switch to 165g interbonds for moose this year if i get a draw
 
Nothing wrong with using premium bullets. Not much reason not too, actually. They are pretty cheap insurance. A box of 50 TTSX bullets will last most hunters 2- 5 years. That's $10-25 a year. Big whoop.
 
Flying_Finn said:
Seems like the old standby argument. Which bullet will kill such and such better. Well, so far, everyone is missing the basics.

1) Practice with a round for a good while beforehand at the range. Don't expect to sit on you arse all year, grab the rifle and go to hunt camp and be all that and a bag of crisps.
2) Sight your darned rifle in. Goes well with #1. After practicing at the range all year, you will know your rifle and optics. You can change up for the new round a month or so beforehand and get out to sight the rifle back in and go back to #1.
3) Once you have practiced, sighted in your rifle to the round you are hunting with. Now the day has come. The morning breaks and there, coming into the open is a NICE bull moose. You raise your rifle and blast away, emptying your mag. More than likely missing completely or just wounding the animal. How about taking your time, execute the plan for every shot, and make EVERY shot a kill shot?

I am also an archery hunter and we know that there is one chance to make that shot into the vitals/kill zone. I never understood why some gun hunters are so ignorant as to just blast away at something without even starting at the basics. Gun is away for 11 1/2 months of the year or more. Might stop by CT for a new box of ammo. Probably not the same stuff used before and different bullet weight. Never bother to sight in or practice. Sighting in and practice are to be done beforehand at the range. Not when you get to camp unless you are hunting about 20+ miles away from your camp location. Since everyone showing up and blasting away does spook the animals from that area.
Click to expand...

Can't argue with any of that. The best bullet is the one you can actually consistently put into the vitals.
 
I have put more moose in the freezer than I can remember, and seen many more taken, with everything from 6.5X55 to 375 H&H. Almost all of them were shot with plain vanilla cup and core bullets, or Nosler Partitions. Both worked equally well.

Ironically the only moose I had to shoot repeatedly was using 250 gr Barnes X .375 bullets. Three shots, all in the lungs at less than 200 yd. That was enough for me, never used them again.

Ted
 
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