30-30 or 44 rem mag
11-24-2009, 04:50 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Titusville Florida
Posts: 1,727
I wouldn't consider the 30-30 or the .44 mag to be adequate for moose. When it comes to selecting a cartridge there are more things to consider than bullet weight and velocity. The way a bullet is constructed is more important, and neither of these two calibers are designed for moose. If you want a lever action take a look at the .338 Marlin Express or the 45/70.
11-24-2009, 06:29 PM
#12
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 51
Fair enough. Personally, I agree with on the fact that there are far better choices than the 44 or 30-30 for moose or any other game for that matter. I just wanted to raz ya a bit because of the use of the word relics. Hope ya didn't take offense to me giving ya a hard time. Personally, and I deer hunt with a 44mag, I don't think the 44 is much good out past 100 yds. 30-30 maybe get ya to 150. Anyone who said they killed an animal at 500 yards with a either is either a lucky/risky as heck hunter or a really bad liar.
But I sense that both you and I are going into this with our eyes wide open in terms of knowing the limitations of our choices. I don't think either of us is under the illusion that these would be suitable, much less optimal, for moose.
Grouse
11-24-2009, 07:10 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Spokane Washington
Posts: 1,042
Man, I cannot believe that the 30-30 or 44 is not considered powerful enough by most people now days to take a Moose inside of 100 yards. Just because there are better cartridges and bullets nowadays doesn't make the old chamberings any less effective than they have always been. My cousin shot a huge moose with his 1894 44 Mag about 10 years ago in Montana, it was a bang flop about 70 yards away. I know that there are better options out there, but there are reasons that the ole lever guns keep chugging along and pack-ability plays a huge part in it. Not everybody needs an ultra mag to take 150 yard and under shots.
11-26-2009, 12:47 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,907
People forget that many moose fell to a "miniball" from a front stuffin smokepole!! How many buffalo were killed with the paltry old 50cal spencer rifles during the late 1800s? How many heavy animals across North america fell to a .30-30?
I often laugh when, even on this board, that when you mention a .44mag rifle, guys start knocking it down for how underpowered it is, when if you'd ask the same sportsmen what they think about a .44mag revolver for the same application, they'd sing it's praises! Very few "shooters" that would knock the .44mag as "underpowered" for anything on this continent have actually shot one from a rifle, and even fewer still have stretched it to the pressure limits that the RIFLE action will withstand. At pressures that Marlin claims (Ruger's revolvers as well), I've chrono'd some of my home brew's to be pushing a 230grn bullet to just over 1900fps. I push 180grn slugs to 2100fps from my marlins. The .30-30 is around 2200 with 170grns... The energy is there. Load one up and see for yourself.
Granted, it's not for everyone, and I wouldn't say that the .44mag is the "optimal" rifle for moose (I WOULD say it's the "optimal" handgun though, even though I'm quickly falling in love with another Super Redhawk in .454), since there are better suited rifle cartridges available, but Elmer had his hat on straight when he cooked up the .44mag. It'll knock down a moose, don't worry about that!
To throw this in the mix, even a standard loading for the .30-30 should have enough stank on it at 200yrds for moose. If 170grns at 1600fps (ballistics at 200yrds!) won't kill a moose, then he must be wearing body armor. Even at 300yrds, the .30-30's still hanging on to 700ft.lbs., and is still safely above the transonic range, whitefeather himself would likely give the go ahead for that shot. I'd feel plenty comfortable punching a hole in a moose to150, maybe even 200, but I'd have to get a new scope for it since my blind eyes don't do well with iron sights past 100-125.
I often laugh when, even on this board, that when you mention a .44mag rifle, guys start knocking it down for how underpowered it is, when if you'd ask the same sportsmen what they think about a .44mag revolver for the same application, they'd sing it's praises! Very few "shooters" that would knock the .44mag as "underpowered" for anything on this continent have actually shot one from a rifle, and even fewer still have stretched it to the pressure limits that the RIFLE action will withstand. At pressures that Marlin claims (Ruger's revolvers as well), I've chrono'd some of my home brew's to be pushing a 230grn bullet to just over 1900fps. I push 180grn slugs to 2100fps from my marlins. The .30-30 is around 2200 with 170grns... The energy is there. Load one up and see for yourself.
Granted, it's not for everyone, and I wouldn't say that the .44mag is the "optimal" rifle for moose (I WOULD say it's the "optimal" handgun though, even though I'm quickly falling in love with another Super Redhawk in .454), since there are better suited rifle cartridges available, but Elmer had his hat on straight when he cooked up the .44mag. It'll knock down a moose, don't worry about that!
To throw this in the mix, even a standard loading for the .30-30 should have enough stank on it at 200yrds for moose. If 170grns at 1600fps (ballistics at 200yrds!) won't kill a moose, then he must be wearing body armor. Even at 300yrds, the .30-30's still hanging on to 700ft.lbs., and is still safely above the transonic range, whitefeather himself would likely give the go ahead for that shot. I'd feel plenty comfortable punching a hole in a moose to150, maybe even 200, but I'd have to get a new scope for it since my blind eyes don't do well with iron sights past 100-125.
