A friend and his wife want to do a moose hunt together. The wife has a 7mm-08 that she has successfully hunted with several times (pronghorn, mulldeer, blackbear). She’d like to stick with this rifle and they don’t reload. Does anyone have a factory load you’d recommend?
From what I've read and in talking with my buddies who have killed moose, they say that for an animal that size that a moose is not that hard to kill. They just shot them through the lungs and gave the moose time to lie down. Those bones are big, even the rib bones so I think that you would be best served with a heavy for caliber 140-160 premium bonded bullet like the Partition or A-Frame mentioned above. I've used a lot of 140 grain Partitions from my 7mm-08 and 160 grain Partitions from my 7mm RM on deer and elk and never lost an animal, but don't expect a big blood trail from just that back half going out the far side.
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Nosler Trophy Grade 140 Accubond. This load closely replicates one of my handloads. My dad used it to kill a big bull elk a couple of years ago, one shot through both lungs.
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A friend and his wife want to do a moose hunt together. The wife has a 7mm-08 that she has successfully hunted with several times (pronghorn, mulldeer, blackbear). She’d like to stick with this rifle and they don’t reload. Does anyone have a factory load you’d recommend?
What is she currently shooting? Moose aren't especially hard to kill. I'd bet whatever she's using now will work just fine.
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A friend and his wife want to do a moose hunt together. The wife has a 7mm-08 that she has successfully hunted with several times (pronghorn, mulldeer, blackbear). She’d like to stick with this rifle and they don’t reload. Does anyone have a factory load you’d recommend?
Federal Premium with 140 gr. TSX.
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Moose are not difficult to kill, but they can challenge the best bullets and more ideal cartridges if you don't get an ideal shot presentation or placement. (A 223 with 55 FMJ works fine when conditions are ideal....obviously.) I would start with any of the 139-140 monos, or 150-160 lead/copper premium types and be adequately armed in a 7mm-08 however.
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
A friend and his wife want to do a moose hunt together. The wife has a 7mm-08 that she has successfully hunted with several times (pronghorn, mulldeer, blackbear). She’d like to stick with this rifle and they don’t reload. Does anyone have a factory load you’d recommend?
What is she currently shooting? Moose aren't especially hard to kill. I'd bet whatever she's using now will work just fine.
Yup, my wife just uses her "deer rifle & loads" - Barnes Vortx 120gr TTSX.
Light for caliber (controlled expansion) Mono, driven @ 3000fps.
As it's worked twice, I won't tell her to change.
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
I know some people, who are very fond of the 120 grain bullets in their 7-08 rifles. I know they have taken deer and elk. If they were to go moose hunting, I think they would grab their guns and wouldn't think twice about shooing those 120 grain bullets.
They like Nosler B/T Barnes T-tsx
They have faith in their equipment. If you hangout with them in hunting season, be ready to help pack some critters out of the woods.
As long as the shot is reasonable a 150 or 160 gr Partition will get the job done...The pic is a 150 gr 284 cal Partition out of a 280 Rem. All blood trails are commensurate with the height of entry and exit wounds.. Make no mistake, that "back half" of a Partition will put blood on the ground...
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Just a little perspective when contemplating light-for-caliber projectiles. (The animal these came out of stopped both 300 Partitions from my H&H.....< 50 yards, BTW, and they only plowed through the muscles surrounding these bones.)
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
The old 140 grain CoreLokt factory load will work just fine. I watched my daughter kill a nice Canadian Moose in BC with her 260 Rem with 140 grain CoreLokt factory loads and it worked perfectly. She did need one follow up shot up close to finish him. She has also used this load on bull elk here in Colorado. Just sayin'.
Nosler Trophy Grade 140 Accubond. This load closely replicates one of my handloads. My dad used it to kill a big bull elk a couple of years ago, one shot through both lungs.
P
I've got confidence in the 140 NAB. Haven't taken a moose with one, but from what I have seen on deer, elk and Blackies, I think it would work just fine.
Nut
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A bullet like the Barnes X or one of the half dozen or so "modified copies" by other companies in 120 to 140 grain weight should work fine. As would the Nosler Partition or some of the bonded bullets in the 140 to 150 grain weight. A good lung shot with that combo will kill moose all day and every day, but I would get as close as possible as the 7-08 is a good round, but it ain't starting out at high speed like some other 7mm rounds.
If I hunted some place besides Alaska and it was in pursuit of large deer and elk and I did not use my 30-06 I would look long and hard at the 7-08. It is gaining in popularity in Alaska.
I have watched many moose die and for the most part they don't fall over from a broad side lung shot, which is a good place to shoot them as it is a big target. Late at night, close to water or in the thick stuff is where I also like to shoot for some "structure" with parts of the 'boiler room" included if possible. Moose usually sort of hump up and run a short distance on a good lung shot, they are dying, but it some times takes them a few minutes to fall over. I also believe two lung shots kills them faster, as does a bigger hole and an exit hole, simple math for me.
Contrary to what some might say, the 120 TTSX is NOT a light-for-caliber bullet. The TTSX is likely to retain 100% of its weight, which means it’ll weigh more than a 160 grain Nosler Partition after they both come to rest. It’ll run circles around lead bullets out of the 7-08.
Comparing 1940s bullet technology to today’s monometals is exactly the same as comparing 1940s auto technology to that of today. You might prefer a carbureted V8and leaf springs because that is what you grew up with and is all you know. But I guarantee you there are many, many fuel injected V6s out there with modern suspensions that will take those old cars and blow their doors off.
What could be a sadder way to end a life than to die having never hunted with great dogs, good friends and your family?