Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Ontario Hunters - heck, woods hunters - have you used a 44 Mag for moose?

A 300 gr Lee cast or 265-270 jacketed bullet perhaps?

I've shot 180 to 250 grain bullets from my Model 92 but was thinking about something heavier for moose in the bush. I've loaded up 265 and 270 grain jacketed bullets, but never taken them hunting. They are too much for deer IMO. Same thing with the cast 300 grainer.

Unrelated to my question: 180 and 200 gr. Hornady XTPs and 200 gr. cast bullets obliterate coyotes.

Back to the heavies, your thoughts?

i'm not from Canada unfortunaly but from the states...i've just bought a Ruger 77/44 and it is very accurate to 125yds.....i'm shootin buffalo Bores 270gr. speer goldot loading...it will knock the sh_t out of 3 milk jugs at 100yds. on a moose i would use a hard cast bullet or a a stout 300gr. jacketed bullet to ruin a mooses day....the 270 from Buffalo Bore is a fantastic loading for deer and black bear to 125yds.....of that i am very certain as i have compared it to loadings i other calibers that i have taken game with.... as to a moose....although i've not yet been lucky enough to have had the chance...if it were me i'd use a hard or heavier bullet....regards....bearit....

Thinking a moose is more like a buffler than a deer or a coyote. Might want to step that 44 mag up to 45-70. Medicman has shot some with his NEF.

I have killed a lot of Florida deer and hogs with a Marlin 1894 and hand loaded Speer 270 grain Gold Dot SPs.
Despite how well they perform on the local animals, I would hesitate to use that load on something the size of a Moose. Probably would work at close range, but longer?

240gr cast work wonders on beavers. I'd probably try the same on moose

I have never got 7 fee of penetration in a beaver, but I have in a moose. Steve I don't know squat about the 44 mag, but my 500 gr hard cast at 1300 ft/sec gave me hip to shoulder penetration and hen exited. As with any round shot placement is the ticket. I had a friend who shot moose with a 300 gr hard cast 44 mag at 1000ft/sec but he was a little wild in his reloading.I know broadside shots were a done deal for him. He used the Ruger lever action rifle.

Randy

Given that some hunters have used 44 magnum handguns to take big bears and moose, I would think that a heavy .430 bullet from a levergun would do the job.

My thinking is a cast 300 grain bullet at 50 or 75 yards would do fine.

Just thinking out loud and dancing to the music in my head.

I see no reason to doubt that outcome either. 300gr soft lead from a front loader works. Heart / lung shot will make them lie down and die. Just give them some time after the shot.

Randy

Close range, I know of some of the native of the species homo sapiens that have killed moose and bear with a 22LR. If I was hungry and had nothing else, okay. Can I and should I may be part of your reasoning .

22LR is quite effective at short range.

The size of the meplat is important WRT killing power. In the picture below, you can see a RN 22LR that had its meplat enlarged. There's a night and day difference in performance between the original and modified cartridge.



I have only used these on vermin and small game, but the animal drops quicker and stays down.

In a related vein, studies with police ammunition years ago demonstrated the value of HP and FN ammunition over traditional RN bullets.

These cartridges were modified using Paco's Accurizer. More of the story is here. http://www.303british.com/id61.html

I remember Layne Simpson used a 44 magnum revolver and a Nosler bullet to kill a big Alaskan bull moose at around 70 yards.

Out of a carbine I don't see how it could fail to kill a lung shot moose out to 100 yards or so.

Of that, I've no doubt.

Because we aren't allowed to handgun hunt up here, some Canadians are wary of using handgun cartridges for larger game. I can't blame them, but I always remind the doubting Thomases that BP rifles drive a bullet at the same velocity or less.

I would say that a 250 or 300 grain bullet would work just fine. I killed a small bull here in Montana with a 44 handgun using 300gr WFNGC cast bullets at 1250fps. I would suggest that you NOT use cast bullets as penetration was excessive with minimal damage. First shot, 60yds or so, broadside right above the heart, right through. Moose ran off, not unusual, second shot within 3 inches of first but from other side, again right through, moose still running but obviously on empty. Third shot from 15 yds or so, broke both shoulders and was recovered, I could have reloaded the bullet. I would suggest using a jacketed bullet, BUT ONLY a Nosler Partition, if you can find some, or Swift makes a bonded partition that would do nicely.

I have a friend that I reload for that shoots a 44 carbine with the 250gr Noslers at about 1600 to 1700(?)fps, don't remember just guessing, and has whacked a couple of cow elk with it. Both broad side shots at under 100 yds, anyway you could pour the lungs out and one exited, one found behind the off side shoulder.

That's the first time I've heard the suggestion that over penetration would be a problem.

Has anyone ever tried the Hornady 265 gr. FP or Speer 270 gr. bullets for moose? Again, these shots would be 50 to 75 yd at the most.

Those Hornady 265 gr. FP are just the ticket in a 444Marlin,
but I'm not sure if it would expand at 44 mag velocities.
They are a very tough bullet, as are the Speers.
The 265 FTX might work well though. At 444 speeds at close range
it tends to blow up a bit, but from a 44 it should hold together
well.