Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Elk / Moose Caliber's....what do you think?

Guys, I have the itch to buy another rifle(Imagine that). I plan to hunt Elk and Moose at some point. I have the following already: .280 AI, .270win, 7mm-08, 6.5-06AI. I think i could use any of them, but what fun is that. Been thinking about .300WSM, .300Win mag, 338-06 etc. What do you guys think?

Ive never shot a moose, but I have killed elk with the 300 WM. It's perfect elk medicine IMO. I use a 300 RUM at the moment, but any of the 300 mags would be a great choice.

Any fast 30-33 with Barnes TTSX bullets. Easy as that. Mine is a wildcat that duplicates the 338 Lapua, running 225gr Barnes TTSX's at 3100fps over the skyscreens. More than is really needed but fun, and it REALLY works. IF I was buying a new rifle today for such, I would be on the hunt for a model 70 CLassic in 300WBY or 338 WinMag that I would then re-chamber to 340WBY.

A lot of large Moose have been taken with the .270 using 150GR Nosler Partitions.

A Moose wouldn't know the difference between that round and someone using a 180GR 30-06, and probably more Moose have been taken with a 30-06 than any other cartridge.

But if you are looking for something larger to use on Elk, Moose, or maybe even Bear in the future I would skip the .30 caliber stuff (even the magnums)and go with the .338 Mag, or better yet the .375 H&H.

With your .270 and either a .338 or .375 you would have all your medium and large game requirements covered, including big dangerous stuff that wants to bite...

Do you want a common chambering or something different? Do you reload? What length action do you want, short, long, or magnum?

I reload, and have fire formed AI brass etc. Long or short action is fine. I have killed Elk with the 150 NP with a .270...worked fine. I have narrowed my search down to new Model 70 in 300 wsm or 300 wm, Sako A7 300wm or maybe a .375 ruger hawkeye.

I vote for the last choice, just because it's cooler! I think a 375R would be a whole lot of fun and would be a noticable step up from what you already have.

From your choices I'd pick the Model 70 300WSM only because there's more aftermarket stocks and accessories available. Or, if you like wildcats, why not a Hawkeye chambered in 338-375 Ruger, or 358-375 Ruger, that would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?

No contest - .338 Winchester Magnum. Flat enough for the far shots and an absolute hammer up close. Recoil is also manageable enough that it can be built into a reasonably light rifle for the elk mountains and the moose bogs. My favorite .338 weighs just 7 lbs 10 ounces (scoped rifle unloaded) and is a joy to carry and shoot. Hammers 'em!

a rifle to be used ONLY for moose and elk - i'd get either a 300 wby or a 338. i shot a 300wsm for a few years and killed a couple elk with it. imo, it didn't do any better than my 06'. when i lived in alaska i killed several moose, all with a 270 win. no problem!

you already have rifles that will work on moose and elk, but if you just have to have ONE for those two animals, i'd get those mentioned in my first sentence. ymmv.

Honest to God, a 30-06 is plenty. Moose and elk just that aren't hard to kill. It's all about bullet placement and construction. Shooting something more powerful is fine but history has shown it's not necessary.

From your choice, nothing wrong with the 300WM or 300WSM or the 338-06. I have all three, except my 338-06 is the AI version.

I first was a one-rifle guy 300WM. Been hunting with this caliber for 18 years. I actually sold my 300WSM to a friend in our moose hunting camp group couple years ago, he wanted an upgrade from the old 303 he had.

Factory or reloads with 180gr Accubonds or TTSX's get my vote for the 300WM & WSM calibers and 225's for the 338-06. As mentioned the 338WM would be another if you wanted. IMO if you reload, stick with the 300WM between it and the 300WSM. SInce you have some Ackley's already, 338-06AI would be a sweet addition. Or to be more different and you reload, the 330 Dakota comes to mind.

Another caliber I have been impressed with is the 270WSM with 140gr Accubonds on elk, moose, bears, deer here in Alberta.

.358 Norma if you're after something a little different.

My .338 WM was a tad too heavy for tote-'en around the mountain s, but sounds like you tolerate recoil okay. I'd say that if I were to get an elk and moose rifle, I'd get the .338 classic you spoke of. Pardon, my keboard is going nutz...don't know why.

As you've said, what you've already got would work fine. However, since you want something 'different' I would choose 30-06 or 338-06. The 35 Whelen would also be good, although you will start to lose some on the long range end of the scale due to the trajectory.

Many options would get you where you need to be. But what about something 9.3X62 or better yet go retro and seek out a Pre 64 M70 in .300 H&H...

What reticle in your Viper? By the way,NICE set-up!!

Go to a big bore. 45-70

I'm with CLB, I went with a 1955 M70 300 H&H, got one in it's original stock and one in a mcm legend, I think I have it covered.

Yep.....

Too many times a specific cartridge is blamed for having 'poor performance' on large game, when in fact bullet choice or poor bullet placement by the hunter themselves are actually at fault.

A 180GR bullet such as the Nosler Partition out of a 30-06 is more than enough for any game in North America, including the large brownies..