Moose Load

[casterpollox]

I'm heading out for moose for the first time this fall. I'm planning on using my Lee Enfield 1 Mrk 3.

Anyone have a good load for the .303 British to pound them moose?

 

[flip1]

Any quality 180 gr bullet in a 303 will put a moose down with a decently placed shot.

In fact, from the end of WW2 to the 80's probably more moose were shot with milsurps, especially Enfields than any other gun. I have shot them with 8mm Mauser, 303 Enfield, 30.06, .308, and more recently a .300. The only benefit of the magnum is when we are hunting cutovers, and shots may be 2-300 yards. But my first moose with an 8mm Mauser was 340 yards and I was 15 years old - took a 2 foot holdover, but I got her.

Don't be fooled into thinking that moose need big bores or magnums to put them down. A chest shot and they die. Not always on the spot, but they do not run like deer. They will walk until they feel safe, lay down and die.

Good luck with your first hunt.

 

[Gibbs505]

Go for it with your LE and enjoy.
Don't forget to take lots of pic's and post them here!

Good luck.

 

[todbartell]

Remington makes a good load with the 180 grain cor lokt round nose. Ive seen that load work well on a good sized black bear a number of years ago, bullets held together well.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

That was my first Moose rifle. Back then, using the 303 on Moose and if you wanted the 'Big Boy' loads of the day, you went out and bought the C.I.L. 215gr loads. It's been mentioned earlier, a well placed 180gr will do fine.

 

[casterpollox]

My plan...

I was planning on using a 175 round nose.

Where do I find a 215... I've never seen anything that heavy for the .303.

 

[SuperCub]

Moose load!!

 

[Johnn Peterson]

I was planning on using a 175 round nose.

Where do I find a 215... I've never seen anything that heavy for the .303.

That weight of bullet used to be available in the factory C.I.L./Dominion loads. I haven't kept up with what is now available as I haven't had anything in that calibre for a few years. When I was reloading for it though, one of my favorite bullets was the Hornady 174gr RN. As I recall it worked fairly well on Deer & Black Bear.
Oh, if you reload, in checking the Pet Loads manual by Ken Waters from The Handloader, I see he has handloads listed using a 215gr Remington RN.

 

[BC Bigbore]

If you're not a handloader, pick up whatever 180gr soft point factory load shoots best in your rifle. Keep shots to distances you feel comfortable making a one-shot kill and you'll do fine. Then when you get serious, buy a bunch of different rifles and keep looking for the ideal rifle/cartridge combo. I've settled on the .338 Winchester Magnum for chasing moose. On thursdays. For other days, it's other rifles .270 Winchester for Fridays, .30-06 for Saturdays, .30-30 Winchester for Sundays, .350 Remington Magnum for Mondays...and we haven't even begun to talk scopes yet Have fun

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Moose load!!

Good one!! Made my morning. Hard to tell the 215grainers from the 180's.

 

[Why not?]

If you handload for your 303 British. I still have some 215 gr Norma soft points I could help you out with.

Ted

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Fear not, your 174's will work fine.
Our guys have dropped a lot of moose with the 303, even the 30-30 has worked very well.

Just don't take and stupid shots. A well placed shot will put your moose in the freezer.

 

[casterpollox]

Loads

I do hand load that's why I was wondering what others are using.

Does the round nose really make that much of a difference?

 

[Eagleye]

CP; At 303 British Velocities, don't overlook that Sierra 180 Spitzer Pro-Hunter. I shoot it in my P14 303 and it is very accurate and plenty effective. I use a load with W760, but there are several powders that work well. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[p-17]

Personlly, I've found IMR 4320 to be the best powder so far in the .303, with 150 and 174-grain bullets.

For moose, either the Hornady 174 or the Sierra 180 would be great, as would the Speer 180 or the Remington 180 (available as a component bullet).

I'd choose whichever one shoots the best out of your rifle, bearing in mind that the Hornady is actually .312 while the others are .311. I've found that the Hornady is generally more accurate in my rifles.

The ultimate bullet option would be to try one of Steve Redgewell's bullets. He makes them in .313 and .314 -- the proper diameter for a Lee-Enfield. People who've used them say they are as good as it gets.

 

[Eagleye]

I actually have a bunch of Steve's Mark 9 bullets. 200 grain semi-spitzer and sized at .313 (groove diameter of my P14) They do shoot great, but I have not put them to the test in the field yet. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[Foxer]

You'll flatten any moose with your 303 using 174-180's. Just make sure the shot is good and within your skill - but if you put the bullet in the breadbasket you'll be skinning in no time. The 303 may not have the range of some modern cartridges, but it hits plenty hard.