Has anyone here hunted moose with a 454 ?

If so, what was your experience, good or bad ?

Also interested to hear what bullets you would consider suitable: 300 or 350 gr cast bullets or would a 300gr jacketed bullet be a better option.

Shot two, one was hit in the head at 10 yards. One eye buldged out and he just looked at me. Hit him again in the head, he turned and ran about 25 yards and stopped, quartering away from me. Hit him again behind the ribs and bullet went throught about 3 feet of tissue to lodge in the neck. He dropped and I walked up to measure him and he started shaking so I hit him in the head again. End of story. Second moose was pretty uneventful. Was using Barnes custom monolithic solids weighing 265 grains. Superb penetration.

Moose are easy to kill but it takes awhile before they realize they are dead. Some guys do very well with a 44 or 45 Colt. Either my 475 Linebaugh or one of my 500's will shoot the next one if I dont have a double rifle with me.

had two friends take moose with a handgun, one used buffalo bore 360 gr hardcast bullets, worked like a champ, penetrated both shoulders and bull dropped in 40 yards. second used hornady 300 grain xtp mags. drilled thru the shoulder, into offside hide. dropped in about 25 or so yards. either your hardcast or use a high quality expandable. when i go i will be using a barnes xbp followed by busters for any subsequent shots.

quote:

Originally posted by tradmark:
had two friends take moose with a handgun, one used buffalo bore 360 gr hardcast bullets, worked like a champ, penetrated both shoulders and bull dropped in 40 yards.

That 360 grain load is a killer! Tim Sundles doesn't push that one to max pressure or velocity, to keep it reliable. Great load!

that and grizzly's 360 at 1450 fps are about the perfect hardcast loads for 454. plenty of velocity, not too fast, fat meplat.

quote:

Originally posted by tradmark:
that and grizzly's 360 at 1450 fps are about the perfect hardcast loads for 454. plenty of velocity, not too fast, fat meplat.

Indeed! I have tested that Grizzly load and have a couple of boxes of it, but haven't killed anything with it -- yet!

JFE,

Take the last 4 off (45 Colt)and there you have my moose taken at 15 yds with a 335 gr LBT WFN from my 4-5/8" NMBH running 1106 fps with 20.5 gr of Lil'Gun.

Alan

Took my bull moose with a SRH 480 Ruger & a 370 gr softnose cast, one shot & down in 20-30 yds, a buddy of mine took his bull with one shot using a 41 maggie & a 230 gr softnose cast, he was down in 5-6 seconds & dead when we reached him (65 yds) another friend used my custom 5 shot 480 Ruger on his bull, one shot at about 25 yds using a 350 gr softnose cast, it walked maybe 40 yds & down. Moose are big & react different to the shot than an elk, they just act like nothing happened then they go down. I love to hunt them.
If you use jacketed, use a tough one, you have a very big animal on yours hands, but they will certainly work. I much prefer cast but a Punch Bullet made by Kelye at Belt mountain will certainly get the job done with ease if placed correctly.
My moose taken with a SRH 480.


My buddy Steve with his bull using a 41 maggie & 230 gr softnose cast. Scoped Redhawk.


My buddy Brent & his bull moose using my 5 shot 480 & a 350 gr softnose cast.


The 2 of us right after the shot.


The cast bullet is an absolute marvel at killing big animals, thats a sizeable hole through the heart.


Brent has had 7 back surgeries & can't walk very far, I set him up on a waterhole using the same shooting sticks I used in Africa, worked great. This is a day earlier with his son Seth.



Whitworth shot one bigger than he is & thats saying something.

Dick

Dick, now I'm going to have to post a picture of my moose! Not a .454 kill, but a .500 Linebaugh.

I gotta do this.Getting a new knee next month so I should be good to go for a hunt somewhere 2013.Nice pics guys!!!

Marco -- you kindda of look like steven bladwin in that pic

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Marco -- you kindda of look like steven bladwin in that pic

I'm much taller....

haha, the hollywood shrinking midget trick strikes again. my wife saw me next to brad pitt in vegas. said she thought he was a 5th grader!!! i love it.

quote:

Originally posted by tradmark:
haha, the hollywood shrinking midget trick strikes again. my wife saw me next to brad pitt in vegas. said she thought he was a 5th grader!!! i love it.

Haha! Yeah, they all seem to be pretty small. Hollywood trickery!

Thanks for the responses and the pics.

Whitworth - if that photo is not photoshopped, you must be 7 feet tall! Damn, you make the moose look small.

Haha! No photo shop! I am a mere 6-feet tall.