Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Help Me Pick a Moose Rifle and Scope

In my VAST experience of 1 (grin), my 300Win/200TSX @ 200yds = a moose that never took a step. Angled the bullet from the center of the lungs into the off-side shoulder. Moose stood in place for ~10sec and reared up and tipped over backwards. I'd have shot again but at the shot a 2nd moose stepped in front of the one I'd already shot.

I'd be confident with that combo as far as I figure I could get a good read on the wind @ the moment I was shooting. Some days that'd be 800+, other days it'd be no more than 200.

I hunt mostly very open country so I have a 4-12x40 on the 300 I've owned the longest and used the most and 4.5-14's on the other 2. They'll all shoot the same load to the same POA, MOA or better.

Yep; would not suggest a Whelen for 'multi-purpose/distance' on animals the size of moose, although it would punch lungs alone as long as you could find them.

I did poke a moose one time with a pair of 250 cup and cores at a distance of around 400 yards. The launch vehicle was a 340 Weatherby and the landing area was the heavily muscled shoulders. A GameKing made it all the way through; the Interlock stuck in the muscles of the far side.

Another moose, same rifle, 535 yards stopped both Barnes 225s - which didn't expand. That moose died - slowly- because one bullet breeched a major artery.

70 grains of RL15 and a 300 Partition were not enough for the shoulder muscles of a big bull at less than 50 yards.

Perhaps I should have used more than the 375 H&H?

The 300 mags seem to have both the needed bullet weights and the speed to separate themselves from lesser cartridges when the going gets long for moose. But as has been mentioned, many moose hunting scenarios involve much shorter distances.

Thanks, I'm using a +P 9.3x62 , getting a dial installed on the scope to compensate for the rainbow like trajectory with the 285gr Mega, it has enough power . + 300 yard shots are rare where I hunt but still don't want to pass on a longer shot.

I can't think of a better choice than a 338-06 w/a 210gr partition at 2750fps. And no I don't believe a 300gr partition failed on a moose's shoulder at 50yds, even if it was shot out of a 300Blackout. powdr

I've seen lots of moose die. I've seen mini-14s bring them down easily and I've seen .375s and their ilk do the same. I once shot a fair-to-middling bull at something more than 450 yards with a Whelen and, if he could vote, I expect the bull would rate the Whelen as too much gun for moose even at 450+ yards.... I'd take the same shot again and expect a similar result.

I've killed them with other rifles and cartridges all with the same ending, a dead moose and a tiring pack. No reason to make this harder than it is: finding the moose is the hard part, killing it is rather simple and big moose die all the time from cartridge and bullet combinations that many on this forum would consider marginal for whitetails.

How many meese you shot? Seen shot?

I just wish we had enough moose to shoot here

The only conclusion that can be ascertained here after all these more than adequate options, is to buy one of each, and approach it scientifically.................eenie - meeeenie - mineeeeeee - moe. Problem solved.

Guess the forum think that bigger is better, at least for moose. But, 500 yds is way too far to be shooting at any animal.

I've shot 5 moose. Closest was a cow moose at 30ft Savage 340, 150gr Hornady Spire Points at 2200fps. Calf Moose at approx 100yds 400gr cast from a Ruger #1 45-70. Decent sized bull at about 75 yds 416 Rigby. Cow Moose at 125 yds 6.5x55 from a surplus 38 Mauser 140 gr Norma SP 2200fps . Fairly large bull at 80 yds with a Marlin 336a 30-30 150 gr fp .

All were shoot in the lungs none went farther then 50 yds.

Killing Moose is easy, once they are down the fun (work) starts.

It was late season when I shot the Bull with the Rigby -30c, the frozen hummocks in the willows just about did us in trying to pull the quarters out. This was pre quads so it was a couple of ropas and pull.

The cow shot with the 6.5x55 was shoot on the shores of a lake and floated back to a landing area.

Flyer

OH, that was Klik's post...I repent. powdr

no repenting... just saying, they ain't all that small, and bullets take a beating going through solid muscle.

Its hard to describe, until youv'e BTDT.

a 300 out of a whisper wouldn't have a chance and being a pass through.

Just saying...

I have carried a 30-30 many times, but have never had the allusion that the bullets would be pass throughs either.

They remind me a LOT of shooting nilgai..

While it can be done with smaller, they need good bullets and precise shot placement off of the larger meat/bone areas.... IE arrow placement thinking.

For many yes, but don't handicap those that are capable with blind statement.

Moose at 500 for me would be a very simple target. Its easy to hit clay pigeons at 500, but for moose it would require a large, IMHO, round... 338 Lapua type territory to be on the safe side.

I limit my 338-06 to about 250 personally....

I'm perfectly comfortable with my 7-08 and 162AM...

Probably my favorite video on youtube. At least right up there 1100 meter moose shot.

Perhaps I'm alone in this, but I actually find that video rather troubling. But perhaps they have so many moose around there that they can afford to lose a couple now and then?

Your not alone! Do it on steel but 500 is the limit under perfect condition on game. First round hit at 1100 yards is tough in field conditions.

Troll.

Its not a shot I would be comfortable with but I seldom get shots over 200 yards but it was a well placed ethical shot, from what I can tell.

Im not handicapping anyone. How is getting closer handicapping the shooter. I just believe that any ethical Hunter will get as close as possible or pass on the shot. Shooting as far away as you can make the shot doesn't make it ethical. Few bullets from any chambering at good velocity will properly expand at that range.