Hi bigcountry,

I know this didn't apply for the original questioner but where I hunted Moose there was also a better than fair chance of running into either an interior grizzly or a coastal brownie. I just felt much better with the extra bullet weight. (In a little 760 carbine I used as a "truck gun" I frequently carried 220 grain Nosler Partitions. I knew I would be shooting at 250 yards or less, usually much less.)

If someone had asked me what factory load only to use for .30-06 then I'd have pointed them towards either Federal's high energy with 180 grain premium bullets or any other premium factory bullet load of 180 grain. But because this was the handloading forum I figured they may as well avail themselves of the best possible choices. (Especially considering he had specifically stated the ranges would not be terribly long.)

When used in a .300 Magnum a good premium bullet of 200 grains or more bump up performance to nearly on par with the .338's. When used in a .30-06 a good 200 grain load bump up performance to a heavy .300 magnum in performance. That is not carved in stone.....but is my opinion only!

To answer your question directly....there is nothing wrong with using a lighter bullet weight if you like when hunting Moose with a .30-06. I've personally known a hunter that killed an Alaskan moose with a .35 Remington and a 200 grain CoreLokt and another hunter kill another bull with a .50 caliber patched round ball in front of 90 grains of FFg. Neither of those loads are considered "big or impressive"......but the moose died none the less. The loads you used in .30-06 are considerably more than either of those. (And I know truck loads of Moose hunters in Alaska that use a .30-06 with a 180 grain bullet. And do it successfully.) So you'd get no argument from me. I personally happen to like the premium 200 grain bullets better.......that's all!

Dave