Hving hunted Moose twice, and been in on a few more, I would always encourage someone to go with a 300 Winchester. The reason is shots can be long. Not alway's, but if the shot is long, it's a big animal. Of the 2 you mentioned, I'd use the 338-06 with 210 Noslers. It will shoot just a bit flatter I'd think and will be plenty of gun for the job. Their not hard to kill, just hard to convince them they're dead.

Have a good kind of dilemma right now. In the preliminary stages for planing a Newfoundland moose hunt for 2005. Of course, this allows for a new rifle Two are in the running: the 338-06 and the 9.3x62. The 338-06 would be on a pre-war Model 70 that is currently a 30-06. The 9.3x62 would be on an Interarms Mark X, currently a 257 Roberts (not the original barrel). Both guns will be converted in the future to these calibers, that's why the 35 Whelen is not in there, due to the extreme overlap. Just wanted input on which one to do first.

Not considering any magnums, for some reason I have an aversion to them and would prefer a straight re-barrel. I know I could keep the '06, but what's the fun in that? Also, I have nothing larger than the '06 at this point (223, 243, 308, 25-06, 270, 257 Bob) and am generally a whitetail hunter.

338-06 with 210 or 225 Partition.......You're done!

DITTO POP

If 338-06 to 9.3x62: nooo question. 9.3x62! A classic, heavier bullets, factory ammo, is an improved cartridge already! Legendary reputation!

The tip about the magnums is to be considered! I understand your opinion, as I think accordingly. But we are talking 20 cm difference in drop at 300 meters! ( 8" !! )

The logical answer is, of course, the 8x68S :-))

A 200 grs 8 mmS Part will do for all game on the world except Ele, Hippo, Buff, Rhino. An 8 mm S A Frame will better your chances even on one of those ( and eventually lion and Grizzly ).

That case has lots of room, a fine compromise between feeding and blown out and straight sides for less bolt thrust.

Have fun! Hermann

Another Vote for the 9.3x62!! Is there anything a 286gr partition can't do?

I well recall a comment by an experienced moose hunter. We were on my first moose hunt and I was using a .30-30, he had an '06. His comment was that at our moose distances, which almost never exceeded 75 yards, the advantage of the '06 was that it'd kill a moose in 90 seconds, but it'd take the shot from the .30-30 a minute and a half to do the job.

The point of my silly (but true) story is that a moose is not a hard animal to kill. It'll almost never go down immediately, but it isn't hard to kill. Anything that puts a big, leaky, hole in a moose will do the job adequately.

SmallCal - You may have to get both rifles. I think both of your choices would be excellent and impossible to decide.

I would go with the 9,3x62 In europe that cartridge is known for putting a stop to everything that walks Europe
It is a great killer, a friend of mine has a 9,3x57 and that is a nice caliber for close range on moose.
The rifle is a small and handy Otto Bock perfect for driven hunts in Sweden but that is another story...

Cheers,

Andr�

Nothing to discuss, I can think of few rounds that would rival the 9.3X62 as a moose round in a non magnum chambering.

I still don't understand all the hooplah about the 338-06

According to the Nosler manual, the 338-06 A-Square and 9.3x62 push the .338 and 9.3mm Partitions of equal sectional density at equal velocities (338-06 actually a bit more).

The 9.3 will make a VERY slightly bigger hole, whilst the 338 will recoil a bit less, but trajectory and penetration will be the same. I doubt the moose will notice the difference between a 250 gr 338 and 286 gr 9.3.

Given this, I would say that you should choose on other factors, whatever is important to you. The 338 would have more bullets available. Since you say you'll eventually build both rifles, the availability of bullets for a hunt that isn't too far away might make sense.

Just my $.02.

I would opt for the 9.3x62 with the Barnes X 250 gr bullet...woodleigh also make a 286 gr protected point wit ha bc of .381 so either of those two bullets would be my choice if I ever went moose hunting with a 9.3x62.

My current moose gun is a .35 Whelen though I've killed them with a .303 British and a 30-06. Either of the cartidges you propose will easily do the job, but I'd opt for the 9.3X62 if for no other reason than to have something really special. Besides, I find the .338 bore to be less effective than larger ones in the real world.

Now, if you could just get it in something other than a boring old bolt action.

Rick, why don�t you consider a fine, lightweight S/S double in 9.3x74R?

Or, for a mountain big game rifle, a 8x75RS single shot?

A typically Central European solution would also be a "Bergstutzen" ( word for word: "Mountain rifle" ), a small caliber over a big caliber.

5.6x50R over 7x65R, but .243 over 9.3x74R would also be possible.

Of course this only makes sense, with laws allowing most of the year several kinds of game to be hunted at the same time.

Have fun!

Hermann

9.3x62

Nearly all .338 bullets are designed for the .338WM, not the slightly slower .338-06.

Nearly all .366 bullets are designed for the 9.3x62.

That alone would shade my decision.

I favor the .338/'06. There seem to be a lot more different types and weights of bullets available for the .338 caliber.

Where are you hunting in NF? This can make a a bit of a difference. Many moose areas include _very_ thick and very wet (i.e., very close)terrain, others are a bit more open. Some are really quite open and would generate a longer shot. Are you hunting power lines?



That said, I hate to tell you that the gun of choice around here is a standard 30-06 . 338-06 might be OK, but if you're in one of the open areas, I'd wonder about ballistics on some of those big bullets and penetration on some of the lighter ones.



(I am a resident.)

For a fun project I would probably go with the 338-06 if for no other reason the availability of more 338 bullets on this side of the pond. As far as moose go, a 30-06 will do the job every time, but that wouldn't be too much fun if we all had a 30-06.

I go to northern NF every year, near Port Saunders for the past 5 years. The shots can be extremely far. I have shot up to 400 yards. Past that, I won't shoot. In fact, I have now changed my limit to 300 yards. Beyond that, your taking a risky shot with wind up there.

Wasting time and money thinking you need a big bore for a moose or caribou. My guide uses a 243, believe it or not in 7600 and always gets a moose. I have taken a 308win and 300 Mag, and 300RUM with me in the past. All did the job. A perfect balance would be 300Win mag. A 30-06 will do the job without problem also. I really like more power than the 308, but it didn't fail me. Now this is northern NF. Land is open. Southern NF, more dense, and much closer shots, and good penetration with a bigger bore would be a better choice. What outfitter you go with. I went with Viking trail for a while. New owners now. Also Iron bound is good. But norther NF, you want to be able to reach out and touch em and don't have toe worry about blood or trackign.

More important than anything up there is how well you can hump. Make sure you are in excellent shape. Every year I come back with a sprained ankle it seems. A good range finder is also nice. It rains like all the time up there, sometimes snows in the first week of Oct. So a good all weather gun is a must.

If you want a 338-06, then I am sure it will do the job.

I have used the 338-06 and the 9.3x62 extensively for hunting big game...both are fine cartridges, but when it comes down to the nut cutt'en, I will take a 9.3x62 as I can make it churn with a 375 H&H...A 320 gr. Woodleigh at 2400 plus FPS is a pretty impressive killing machine. A 338-06 is just not in that class. However for your purposes either will do yeomans work...You might give the 338 Win. some consideration, as it will work in a std length magazine and give you better balistics..It is a great all around caliber....

As a matter of fact a 200 gr. or 220 gr. 06 is a pretty impressive killer of big tough animals IMO, and you already have one of those...

"More important than anything up there is how well you can hump. Make sure you are in excellent shape. Every year I come back with a sprained ankle it seems."



Knowing I was a long way back and on foot, I once _very_ _intentionally_ shot one of the _smallest_ (male) caribou in a group when I was hunting alone just over the 4th ridge line back on the bog (tundra/muskeg)-- that'd be about 5 miles or so. I got the animal gutted and halved by 1:30. By 8, leapfrogging the halves, I was still a mile from the road and still on the bog. It was pitch dark (cloudy, moonless night) though I did have a good flash and compass, no trafic on the road, however, to sight on. Hid carcass in a thicket and, next morning hired a local sheep farmer to take me in the next morning on his quad rather than carry it out that last mile...doubt I could have walked 50 yards (and I cycled 200K/week at that time!).



So yes, be in shape. Get even a little way away from the population centres and you'll find this is _big_ and very wild country up here. And there's no immediate help if you get in trouble. Next day service just doesn't cut when you're not careful.



And I love it dearly.