You don't!!!!!..............you could hunt moose with a .243 too.....

In all likelyhood the 200 grain bullet may not exit a moose as well but I've seen it exit a gemsbok which isn't a whole lot different in size and and to me an exit hole makes it a lot easier to track a (even fatally) wounded animal. Certainly it may penetrate deeper than the lighter bullets and that's a good thing in my opinion.

A lot of moose have been killed with a 170 grain slug from a .30-30 but that was the best they had then.......we have some mighty fine bullets available to us today in bonding technology and the .30-06 is a clear step up from a .30-30.....I just prefer to use the best I can get as a handloader and to me.....for moose...that's a premium 200 grain bullet.

A core-lokt 180 will also do the job but when I invest a pile of cash in a big game hunt I'll use the best stuff I can shoot.....and if my gun of choice is a .30-06 (which is certainly adequate) I'll opt for the heavier bullets.....is there a big difference?...NO!...but there IS a difference and I want it as my personal choice.

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

I guess what I am getting at is most moose hunting I have seen is some good long range shots. I would rather have the flattness of a 180gr or even 165gr premium than the extra penetration of the 200gr when it comes to a 30-06.

For my 300RUM, I won't mind a 200gr projection.

hey....shoot what ever you want!~!!!!

moose...that's a premium 200 grain bullet.
If you shoot a Nosler 200-grain Accubond at a MV from 2700 FPS up to as much as 2800 FPS, (which some claim is possible from an '06), it will provide a BETTER long range load than either a 165 or 180 grain load! It retains velocity better, overtaking and eventually passing the 165 and 180 in retained speed, and is just as flat shooting, if not moreso, at ranges beyond 300 yards.

I use 180gr bullets out of my 300 ultramag for both elk and moose and it does a great job.If you think that you need a heavier bullet,you should consider one of the .338's.

You're right, of course. There's little difference between the 180 and the 200 - about as much as a 177-caliber air-rifle pellet!

Eld, you were saying it would overtake the flatness with a 200gr. Not always. Really depends on the BC.

Vapo, This is a forum where members share thier expenience and opinions. I think everyone knows already to "shoot whatever you want". Not sure what your getting at.

Stubble totally agree.

Quite so! The new Nosler Accubond, which I would choose for this application, has a B.C. of .588! And it is plenty tough enough for any large North American game. Reports from the hunting field last fall indicate that it penetrates even better than the Nosler Partition bullets of like weight......

I use a 200 gr. Barnes XFB in my 30-06 Sprg. @ 2600 f/s as a back-up rifle for elk season, or if I am set up at a tank. At 300 yds. I have 2035 ft/lb which I feel is sufficient for elk. At 225 yds. it should be sufficient for moose. Good luck.