Its only an abstract question, I never would do that.
Hunting moose or maybe eland or something similar. Distance 500 yrds, or more.
Which caliber would you choose?

My vote, 9,3x70mm with 250 - 320 grains. I vote for this very rare one, because I hate recoil
and the 9,3x70 I can handle, and I like the old historical calibers. 340 Wby. or 338 Lapua is too much for me.

300 WBY mag for me. With a 200 grain accu bond Nosler.

338-378 Weatherby.. Try it with the brake, it's not as loud as people make them out to be.... But then too I do have electronic muffs for the field (even with my '06) and highly recommend them....

Ken....

338 lapua on an armalite with 270 grain a-frames
the ar30 gives 40 lbs of recoil

338 RUM, either 225gr accubond or 250gr Partiton gold.

.35remington and sneak 450 yard closer.

Saturday afternoon is my range day. You can meet a lot of hunters and if I see a guy with a "new" caliber, I ask for testing it. So I tested various calibers. Sometimes I am surprised wow hard they kick. Last week I could test a 9,3x70, by the way my dream round. It kicked like a 30-06. My horror was the 378 Wby.
(the 375 Dakota sounds interesting). So we discussed the ideal round for long range. I think it doesnt make sense having a round with giant balistic dates but you have fear, or a bad fealing, before pulling the trigger.

If it was me and if I didn't have to tote it too far(due to age), I'd go with one of the current soft-shooting(meaning with an extremely efficient muzzle Brake) 50BMG, in perhaps a Barrett or a Big Mac(millen). And LOTS of ear protection.

For a slightly "lighter" carry, I'd probably go with the 338RUM and then the 338-378Wby, in a Remington and Weatherby respectively. Also with LOTS of ear protection.

I'd also want an extremely high power Variable Scope with Target Turrets mounted in good old dependable and totally adjustable Burris "Signature" Rings.

And last but not least, I'd want a Spotting Scope with an Objective and Power the same size as the Scope on the Rifle. That seems to help me relocate Game at distance when it appears to be the same size due to matching glass.

No, that was not last, a good strong set of buddies to help tote the Meat out!

Since we have not specified how far long range is.....I'll assume 300 yards or so.
Any of the following will do nicely:
any of the 300 magnums, 338-06, .35 Whelen, 9.3 X 62, and I'd include the old 30-06 here as well.

If you're recoil tolerant then any of the .338 magnums, .375 Magnums or the .358 Norma will work nicely.

500 yards

A moose is a big target. A 160 NAB from a 7RM at about 3050fps would do the trick. A 300WM with 180 NABs at 3050 would do the trick as well. Zero in at 250-300 and pratice out to 500, it'd be a piece of cake. I'll leave the 500+ alone, It's too thick around here to practice that far.

Good Luck

Reloader

I don't see 500 yard shots on moose happening, however, for a 'long range' (in an abstract sense) shot on a moose, 7mm Rem Mag should suffice. As mentioned, for the 'recoil tolerant', .338 Win Mag should be plenty of cartridge.

I am building such a rifle as we speak.A 30" ABS barrel,with a brake added.Will shoot Wildcat 325 grain ULD bullets with a bc of about .820 the target velocity is 2850 to 2900 FPS.With a Nighforce 5.5X22X5 scope on top.The finished rig will make the Idaho wieght limit. The cartridge is 338 Laupa......

quote:

Originally posted by stillbeeman:
.35remington and sneak 450 yard closer.

quote:

Originally posted by stillbeeman:
.35remington and sneak 450 yard closer.

Yeah, moose aren't exactly hard to sneak up on... though you might have trouble holding your breath under water while attempting the stalk....

I suspect that someone is wondering about shooting across a lake or pond to get a moose that is impractial or impossible to stalk to.

That being said if I saw a moose 500yards away and stalking closer was impossible, all I'd shoot at him are strong thoughts to move closer to me.

IF you forced me to choose a rifle to do the job on a moose at 500yds? OK, any 50BMG bolt
action rebarreled in 416Barrett.


AD

300 Win.Mag with 180gr Accubonds is my choice & thats what I shoot. Furtherst shot was 450m 1-shot kill with 180gr Partition Golds at that time. The bull travels about 20metres and fell over in the ditch cuts in a cut block.

Its more fun to call them in closer but this bull was with a cow and would not come in and was the second bull we seen in 4 days that year.

Most of the time shots under 100 metres are common. Closet for me was 10 yrds, as I seen the bull in the same cutblock as I was down a cutline. I cow called twice, and the bull was on top of me in under 2 minutes. Later, we used the quads to measure how far the bull travelled - just of 1/2mile (1000metres)

WHAT A RUSH that was as I stayed behind a very large spruce and in the tall grass. I looked once and could see the bull was coming down the cutline towards me. Next time I looked, he was almost broadside @ 10 metres.

That day was our first morning of our 10-12 day hunt. My hunting companion got his bull that evening. Tagged out first day.

8mm Rem Mag loaded with 200gr. Accubonds at 3200fps.

That's beyond my range, but...

Somewhat off topic, but I just watched a TV show on Military Snipers, and the UK Sniper troops/forces(?) are using .338 Mags in their rifles for long range. I've forgotten the make/brand of rifle, but it is 'ooogly', ha ha.
This might be old news to some, but I found it interesting...

Shooting at moose past 500 yards?

Not quite 500m.. but the 9.3x64 Breneke with 300grn Swift-A-Frames would be my ideal choice.
Certainly for those Elandmoose
ozhunter

Moose are hunted at 100 yards or less... normal is like 40 yards...

The .338WM, with 250gr bullets, is the ideal moose caliber IMHO.

At this range a .45-70 is fine...

I basically agree with stillbeeman, BUT:

There's certainly nothing wrong with your choice. Here's a place where I would choose a round like a .340 Weatherby or something larger like the .378 Weatherby,and use the bullet with the best coefficient combined with low-velocity expansion ability that I could find! As a matter of fact, if there's a place for a sporting rifle in .50 BMG, shooting moose or eland beyond 500 yards is it!

Every extra 100 yds away you shoot moose is an extra 1000 yds you have to pack it.

If I just had to learn that lesson in the worst possible way, I'd go with a 338 ultra mag. I can't think of a better long range moose gun than a hot 33 pushing a 225 over 3000 fps.

Then again I'm willing to learn from others, so my moose rifle is a 350 rem mag pushing 225's 2700 fps.

338 Lapua magnum, 250 grain Partition. Get a scope with repetable turrets, and practice. After that, not a problem shooting them at 800 yards. Not that I would shoot at a animal at that distance!

quote:

My horror was the 378 Wby.

Burkhard,

Is spot on, the damn 378 is a titan. Stock design has a bit to do with it, but the round is brutal.

I think a thumbhole stocked 378 with a factory barrel and a good break would be the ideal one gun world round. But you would have to make sure that you had a good spinal doctor.

I have thought of some day restocking a Mark V in this caliber with one of Lawson's thumbholes. I am convinced of the effectiveness of thumbholes to reduce recoil, no matter how un-lovley they are.

As a elk/eland round it has no equal, you just need it built in a rifle that won't kill you.

quote:

Originally posted by Demonical:
Moose are hunted at 100 yards or less... normal is like 40 yards...

The .338WM, with 250gr bullets, is the ideal moose caliber IMHO.

Maybe in Alberta and other places with similar terrain, but Alaska, the NWT, the Yukon, Yakutia, and the rest of eastern Siberia have much more open land.

Hi Demonical.
That's one great photograph.
Please tell me, what is the conical thingy on the front of the ATV?

oldun that is a birch bark horn, used for calling moose. It is used to throw a call out to attract distant moose. When a bull is coming, you lower the volume of your call.

In this photo, my buddy is bending slightly forward, calling very softly by just cupping his hands. I am standing and taking the pic, looking right over his shoulder.

That bull was too small to shoot, in Oct. 2006, but he's got the makings of a trophy rack cuz he's got the proper shape of his brow tines. If he lives another 3-5 years he will probably be a fine trophy. I know where he lives and I will be checking up on him...


This is a 50" bull that my buddy called in, 10 minutes into our hunt. He was a "shooter", but I turned him down cuz it was first day.

I also know where this bull lives.

Great stuff Demonical. I thought it might be a calling horn but didn't want to make myself look like a just in case you said it was a road cone.
Another great picture thanks.
ps I would be quite happy to touch off a 9.3 at either of those.

my 338 win mag of course,stoked with 225 grain TSX''S loaded to about 2850 fps, that should put the frosting on him or any other critter 4 sure , ........nice pictures guys !!! regards jjmp

quote:

but Alaska, the NWT, the Yukon, Yakutia, and the rest of eastern Siberia have much more open land.

true perhaps, but the moose I find to "take out" generally like the brush to rest up in, the lakes to feed-suppose that is open enough and sure don't want to shoot one and pack it out some 500yds out from the swamp

I made about the only long shot ever was with my .375 RUM at an easy 400yds with the XLC270-a 60" plus, could not pass that up. Again Hypothetically-the .375 RUM, just has the ooomphh to lay them out nicely out at them ranges. Boy you talk about taking the steam right out of them!

Prefer within 100yds for a shot-easier to pack out. Demonical has the right idea, I too use the same technique.

Any guess on what I would use? 30/378 Weatherby with 180 Nosler partitions with about a tablespoon full of H-870.

If you are just wanting to shoot long range I would look into a 338-378.

Otherwise I plan on taking my .338wm on my Moose hunt when I plan a hunt. I don't see a reason to shoot over 400 yards at a Moose when getting close isn't too difficult. Within 350 yards there are plenty of calibers that are more then adequate with the proper bullet and a good hunter

Hello,
Having lived in Alaska for some years, hunted moose on a regular basis, kept a freezer for moose and one for salmon, can offer you some of the very best advise I ever got from a long time resident and excellent hunter of moose.
Do not, repeat do not, shoot if you can not see it's feet!!!! You will climb into that soft, ozzy muck and mire and damn kill yourself getting that moose out to solid ground one time in your life and trust me, you will look for it's feet the next time!! Use a 375HH most of the time, but never had one go very far at all w/ '06 and Remington Corelokt 220 grain bullets. Not more power than you need, and not too small, just right for all the ones I shot which were well under 200 yards. You can bust a moose w/ the 375HH about as far as you will want to shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiteman:
Hello,
Having lived in Alaska for some years, hunted moose on a regular basis, kept a freezer for moose and one for salmon, can offer you some of the very best advise I ever got from a long time resident and excellent hunter of moose.
Do not, repeat do not, shoot if you can not see it's feet!!!! You will climb into that soft, ozzy muck and mire and damn kill yourself getting that moose out to solid ground one time in your life and trust me, you will look for it's feet the next time!! Use a 375HH most of the time, but never had one go very far at all w/ '06 and Remington Corelokt 220 grain bullets. Not more power than you need, and not too small, just right for all the ones I shot which were well under 200 yards. You can bust a moose w/ the 375HH about as far as you will want to shoot.

I've never heard this before but it sure makes sense to me!

I know a fellah that hunts them from a canoe and uses a small block and tackle to pull them from the water.....that is assuming a sizeable tree is near by!

He told me that he preferred them to walk to shore to escape him and then he shot them on shore.

He used a 30-06 because it was all he had but he referred to it as a minimum caliber for moose.

dsiteman,

that is great advice about seeing the feet! It reminds me of an Outdoor Times article of moose hunting out of a drop camp. The authors said they were told never to shoot a moose in water and your party should NEVER have two moose down at the same time. Guess what...they shot two moose in the muck and almost died trying to recover their game. Listen to those that have been there done that...

It took me a while but I have gotten used to the recoil on a 338 lapua with a brake. I shoot a hornady 225 grainer with 95 grains of h4831 sc at a consistant 3070 fps. Still have to use plugs and ear muffs. My rifle is not heavy -- it is a Sako 995. I missed a groundhog at 330 yards shooting prone off a sling this summer -- sure as hell would have hit a moose. 500 is a long way. Never shot at an animal at that distance. Get your bullet right -- you might be able to do it with a 264 win mag. I like the hoof visibility advice.

I consider anyone who shoots a 378 Weatherby suicidal...

How far away are moose typically shot? I didn't think it was a long range affair. Nevertheless, I'd say any of the 30 or 338 mags would do very nicely at those distances.