Mainehunter

Portage-That's a lot of weight coming down so I'm not surprised that it bounced when it hit. Did it drop immediately or wander a bit? I know that moose seldom show any immediate response to being shot. More often than not they will walk away and then drop after it really hits them. The 600 pound dressed weight female I took the year before last walked around 30 yards before dropping. That was with the top of her heart gone and minced lungs from my 300 grain JHP 45-70 round at about 20 or 25 yard range. I was extremely impressed with that performance so if yours fell immediately I tip my hat to you. Congratulations either way.
As to this post, I would stay away from the 270 for moose although I'm sure there have been several taken with that caliber. Any of the others you mentioned would be better choices in my opinion. They may expand to 45 caliber size with good expansion. Or you could go with something that would make that size hole to begin with before expanding.
Just an FYI, a very well known outfitter in eastern Maine told me a few years back that it actually takes less delivered energy to kill a moose than a whitetail. His reasoning was that although moose are much larger that they are not nearly the resilient and strong survivor that a whitetail is that it just takes a little longer for the effect to become apparent. What do you think?

Portage

Mainehunter.

I dropped him right where he stood. I took a shoulder shot. Good thing because if he wandered 30 or more yards I might still be trying to get him out.

340WBYMAG

I've hunted moose for 5 years now, so I admit I'm no expert.

But I will tell you I have seen 3 moose wounded by a 30-06 (that required upto 3 shots more to kill). I know the hunter/shooter could have been the problem, but it was a different hunter each time. The areas we hunt are clear cuts or burns where shots upto 300+ yards max are common. The 300 Win Mag would have taken maximum two shots to kill those moose.

The 300 Win Mag is the caliber of choice among hunters in our area. The 300 Ultra Mag or larger would only be a bonus.

My two cents......

ths78

The best moose gun inside of 200 yds. is a 45-70. Load it up with heavy bullets, and be sure to stay away from JHP, and you'll get complete penetration. This is great for all large/dangerous game.

frizzellr

stubblejumper, I know how to figure recoil and on paper the 300 Win Mag should recoil more. I didn't say the 7mm Rem Mag recoiled more, I said it was sharper. I have owned and shot both from the smae type of rifle with like bullets. I have never been impressed with the field performance from the 7mm, although it looks good on paper.

Rick Teal

I've seen moose killed with all 3 cartridges, with the .300 WinMag giving the poorest performance and the .308 the best. Of the 40 or so moose I've seen taken, the most consistent performers have been the 30-06 and the .35 Whelen. The largest moose ever taken from Parry Sound District in Ontario was shot in our camp with a .270.

Of the 10 moose I've shot myself, 8 were with a 30-06 and 2 with a .303 British. Since I use expanding bullets, the performance of these cartridges has always been exceptional.

Rick Teal

Sorry - Double Post.

Edited by - Rick Teal on 01/07/2002 17:42:46

larryshane

i've been chasing moose most my life and the 30-06 with 180 grain is perfect!i got a big bull this year with a 270 150 grain bullet but i had to shot him 7 times.5 from the tree stand,all in the foreshoulder at about 220 yards,and twice when i was walking up to him.knocked him down twice but these animals are TOUGH!shot him twice and he still kept coming towards the mare in heat.

buckmaster243

30-06 will work probably end up shooting it 2 or 3 times but it'll work. Personally I dont like big guns so I flinch so I wouldnt go with the 300

limb-hanger

the gun which i would vote for would be the 338-06.out to 300 yds that moose is done. weatherby is now offering that caliber or a gunsmith can probably help you out