Best Gun for Moose
 

I need to buy a moose gun and am debating either a 270, 300 or 308. Can anyone tell me the differences between the three. I hunt up north and need a gun that can cover about 200 yards and still keep alot of knock down power. For the most part I hunt open fresh cut slashes but do occasionly go through thicker bush and am wondering which gun will perform better.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

Personally I'd go with a 30-06, A little more umph than the .308. .300 Win mag you'd be looking at a great deal of recoil, but you'd have knock down power.
The .270 is a necked down 30-06, therefore the bullet is smaller and doesn't have the same energy. Alot of people like this round for deer.
Between the .308 and the 30-06 the recoil will be very similar. The reason I like the 30-06 is it can be used for anything. The ammo is very common. IMO it's as close to being a magnum without the magnum prices.

Edited by - 1st_lite on 01/06/2002 11:29:40

Edited by - 1st_lite on 01/06/2002 11:30:42

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

I love the .270, but for a moose gun it would not be my choice. I will agree that a 30-06 is a great all around cartridge and would work, but if your looking for a moose only rifle i'd pick the .300 of the choices you listed.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

I would go with the 300 mag as it is the best moose gun of the three.If the recoil is more than you are comfortable with then I would go for a 7mm mag.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

www.winchester.com
I got these ballistics there:
.308 - 180 gr Super X
energy at muzzle - 2743 ft/lbs, at 300 yds - 1109 ft/lbs
sited in @ 100 yds 1.9, 200 yds 0.0, 300 yds -12.1

30-06 - 180 gr Super X
energy at muzzle - 2913 ft/lbs, at 300 yds - 1793
sited in @ 100 yds 2.0, 200 yds 0.0, 300 yds -8.6

.300 WM - 180 gr Super X
energy at muzzle - 3501 ft/lbs, at 300 yds - 2196
sited in @ 100 yds 1.9, 200 yds 0.0, 300 yds -7.3.

7mm RM - 175gr Super X
energy at muzzle - 3178 ft/lbs, at 300 yds - 1956
sited in @ 100 yds 2, 200 yds 0.0, 300 yds -7.9

The .270 wasn't even recommended for moose, the largest bullet there was 150 gr, way too light.

Recoil in ft/lbs for the above mentioned rounds are:

308 - 19 ft/lbs
30-06 - 20 ft/lbs
7mm RM - 23 ft/lbs
300WM - 26.5 ft/lbs (this is what you feel at the shoulder)
these are approx., the table I use doesn't list make, model, or barrel length used.

Edited by - 1st_lite on 01/06/2002 12:13:25

Edited by - 1st_lite on 01/06/2002 15:36:57

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

30-06 with 220 grain bullets. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

stubblejumper, many of the people I have talked to and myself included find that the recoil of a 7mm Rem Mag is sharper than that of the 300 Win Mag. That being said it may not be a good compromise to the 300 just for the sake of recoil.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

Frizzellr-In order to compare recoil you must test the cartridges in identical guns.Weight,stock design and recoil pad will all effect recoil.A lighter 7mm can recoil more than a heavy 300 and an ultralight 270 can recoil more than both of them.The 7mm mag uses less powder and drives an equivalent weight bullet with less velocity than the 300 mag therefore with all other factors the same the 300 will recoil more.This is simple physics.Most people also use lighter bullets in the 7mm than the 300 but still maintain section density and penetration.As an example a 160gr .284&quot; partition has a higher sectional density than a 180gr .308&quot; bullet so the 160(284) will penetrate as least as well as the 180(308)By using the lighter bullet in the 7mm recoil will be reduced even further.I have fired both calibers myself in identical remington 700's and the 7mm mag recoiled noticably less.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

I've seen 2 moose shot, both with 300 win, both hit well (through the shoulders) and both had to be shot again. That said...they were both probably dead from the first shot. However, a moose is the last thing you want to go chase through the &quot;bush&quot;.

Personally I'd opt for the 300.

When I've been I've used a 308 Norma Mag which is real similar to the 300 win. Unfortunately I haven't shot a moose yet.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

I don't have a lot of experience moose hunting so I should be quiet. I went on my first moose hunt this year and used a 300. Results were 1 shot- 1 bull 920 pounds dressed. Bull hit the ground so hard he actually bounced. I was shooting 180 grain Nosler Partitions.

I borrowed the rifle from my father and, quite honestly, wanted to use my 308. I tend to be recoil sensitive and really didn't feel like getting beaten up shooting that rifle. I was very pleasantly surprised at the recoil. I've shot 06s that seemed to kick more. I really liked the performance of the 300 on moose.

As an aside, that was the 3rd moose killed with that rifle. So far there has only been 4 shots taken at moose. Not a bad average.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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?

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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......

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

Sorry - Double Post.

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

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

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

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

Steeleman,
Stublejumper and I had a fairly heated debate over a very simular topic. However,I'd have to go with his recommendation on this one. 7mm Rem. Mag. or the 300 would be my choice too.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

Thanks guys I think I'm convinced to get a 300, probabley a Browning300 BLR lever action. Any other suggestions on makes and models?

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

It depends on what you like, but you can't go wrong with a bolt action. I'd also recommend a rifle with a detachable magazine. Its all personal preference.

RE: Best Gun for Moose
 

I went moose hunting this last fall in Alaska, my moose went down immediately after the first shot hit, not even one step. My Dad shot his moose three times before his went down. I shot mine with a 30-06 and he got his with a 300 wby. I think the caliber is MUCH less important than shot placement.