Moose hunting rifle recommendations

Moose are easy to kill. As I have said here more than once, my grandfather shot 52 moose (near Smithers, BC) with a 30-30. Only one needed a second shot.

It is 95% shot placement and 5% caliber.

I have shot a moose with a 338Mag. It was not any deader than the one I shot with a 35 Whelan or a 308.

A 308 or 30-06 has cheaper ammo (more practice) and less recoil(less flinch).
 
My lovely wife of 52 years has put more 60"+ moose in the freezer than most hunters have even seen. Has also killed no small number of smaller ones in the past 48 years.

She has used the 7X57, 280 Rem, 30-06, and 358 Winchester, but pretty much settled on a Ruger RSI in 308 Winchester quite a few years ago. With its 18 1/2 inch barrel, ballistics are more like a 300 Savage.

Very few times was a second shot all that was needed, and she has never lost a moose.

Ted
 
All you need to know about hunting moose is this;
1. You have to poke a hole in them.
2. Bigger holes work faster than smaller holes
3. Pointy end goes in first.
4. Shoot them in the front half and about halfway up.
 
I'm only packing single shots this moose season not planning on taking any shots over 300 yards.

338JDJ #2 14" barrel load is 180gr Accubond @ 2500fps



375JDJ 14" barrel load is 220gr JFP or 225gr JSP @ 2300fps



375JDJ 21" barrel load is 260gr Accubond @ 2300fps



30-06 22" barrel load is either 165gr Accubond @ 2900fps or 210gr Accubond LR @ 2550fps it now sits in a black/gray factory stock



375H&H 22" barrel load is 250gr TTSX @ 2600fps

 
Why not? said:
My lovely wife of 52 years has put more 60"+ moose in the freezer than most hunters have even seen. Has also killed no small number of smaller ones in the past 48 years.

She has used the 7X57, 280 Rem, 30-06, and 358 Winchester, but pretty much settled on a Ruger RSI in 308 Winchester quite a few years ago. With its 18 1/2 inch barrel, ballistics are more like a 300 Savage.

Very few times was a second shot all that was needed, and she has never lost a moose.

Ted
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:)My congrats to Marg on her success Moose hunting over the years. A fine lady and I'm sure you're proud as she's done very well. The lady of my life and I have a few parallels with you. This is our 51st year anniversary this year. While I still haven't talked her into trying spring Bear, she does appreciate the likes of Moose and Deer, but she definately isn't a hunter. And, a while back, I acquired a Lipsey Ruger M-77 Hawkeye, ;) in 7x57. Plans for it are to be my Vancouver Island 'Wet Coast' Deer gun :d .
:redface: Sorry about the bit of side tracking. Back to the focus of the thread, my 'go to' for Moose has been/is the 308 Norma Magnum.
 
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Weatherby2 said:
Super 30 covers all the bases
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Fixed it for you :)

sljUlgA.jpg
 
Around here we shoot a few moose. Anything from .303 British on up will be fine. If I was a new hunter I would go for a 270 Winchester. I killed my biggest moose with one (19 points and 196lbs per front quarter) with one. It was a Winchester "Ranger" model. Was the only bang flop I ever got moose hunting. Right now I have a Remington 76 in 30-06. Will do anything I want.
 
Not sure if OperatorWill is ever coming back to his thread, but if so;

Being new to hunting, what is your recoil tolerance like? If you have shot a .338 WM and it did not bother you or affect your accuracy, your choice of an M70 .338 is a very good one... but if you found it distractingly stout, you can easily and comfortably drop down to the same rifle in .300 WM or .30/06 for moose and still feel as comfortable in grizzly country as is possible to feel in grizzly country... the load and bullet chosen will have more of an impact than the difference between these three cartridges. I have taken a couple dozen bulls only with archery gear, but have been present for many more taken with rifles from .30-30 (my grandfather's rifle borrowed by a friend), to .375 H&H, and honestly, the results on a lung shot were pretty darn similar. My choice in ON would be .30/06, and in BC .300 WM... hope that helps.
 
FLHTCUI said:
kamlooky?
Is that you ;)
Sure a tree-oh-tree will do the job and has taken many moose.
But, ammo can be a pia to source for newbie type hunters.
A 30:06 with 165grn corlokts makes good medicine and should be easy to source for most anyone.
A good first rifle would be an older 700 Remington or a Weatherby Vangaurd or even a Winchester Model 70. (lots and lots on options on models)
The .338 will be an excellent choice further on when one has gained some experience in hunting and firearms handling.
Leave the Queen of magnums (375R) for another place and time.
Tight Groups and Good Hunting,Swamp Donkey season is but a couple months away in some regions.
Rob
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Nay-nay...……..no tree oh tree'ear.
Bustitted me shoulder sighting in the tree fiftee ate today though.
Whom in the fruck tawktitted me into dem 250 wait bullits?
Awl gooder fur dem'undritt paysoes.

And a humble tenjewberrymud to Mr. Guthrie for this fine gal at the KGS.
 
My favourite moose rifle is my Ruger M77 MKII 300 Win Mag. I rarely shoot it anymore but its poison on moose. 200gr Nosler Accubond is a hammer in the 300 Win Mag. A 308 or 30-06 is a great also but I found the 300's extra punch is worth it.
 
So is this bait or not.
Ask a question then disappear . . . As conspicuous by his absence as Trudeau's wife!

The world must be flat . . . he left town and is never coming back!!!
 
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I am working on a moose load for the 30-06 and I have a stock of 200 grain Nosler Partitions. Would that be a potent moose load? I have some IMR 4955 powder and Hodgdon says it could drive the 200 NPT at 2590 fps. That should be fast enough?
 
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