The Accurate Reloading Forums
Moose bullets to the 30-06
06 April 2002, 22:33
OverkillMoose bullets to the 30-06
Hi guys,
I have bought a Browning Bar Light semi automatic in 30-06
What bullets do you guys think is best for moose hunting...?
150,180,200,220 grains....?
I have been thinking about the Norma Oryx 180 grain bullet. But is it to light for moose if you shoot at the shoulder and hit bone...?
What do you think guys...?
06 April 2002, 22:54
EterryI have never hunted moose, but I would start with a 180 grains, and maybe go heavier. I am sure those in the know will help out.
good luck and good shooting
06 April 2002, 23:58
Fritz KrautOverkill,
load with Barnes X or Failsafe 180 grains, or with a Hornady 220 grains RN, if you don�t trust the Oryx.
If you just put the bullet in the proper spot, there will be no problems at all.
Fritz
07 April 2002, 01:02
OverkillFritz Kraut,
I want big expansion and the barnes x and fail safe give the smallest hole
07 April 2002, 01:15
Johnny RingoThe 30.06 with 180 grains will do fine. I don't know anything about the oryx bullet.
Hornady interlocks, or Remington Core-lock will work fine.
I wouldn't deliberately shoot at the shoulder.
Shoot the lungs - get a moose.
07 April 2002, 04:12
TumppiI have used Norma Oryx 11,6g factory loading in my browning bar! last autumn I shot three mooses. the bullets worked perfectly! Only bullet, which I like more, is federal trophy bonded bearclaw. But it is much more expensive!
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[This message has been edited by Tumppi (edited 04-06-2002).]
07 April 2002, 09:21
snowman180 gr bullets in a 30-06 will handle moose nicely,especially if a broadside shot presents itself. As someone has already pointed out shoot for the lungs NOT the shoulder. My choice is a 200 gr spitzer. The Nosler partion is very good and the Speer 200 gr spitzer is almost as good at 30-06 velocities and is half the price. The partion is better when pushed @ 300 mag velocity. The 200 Speer is an excellent bullet for large game in the 30-06.
I've taken abought 15 moose with 308 & 3006. Mostly with 165 hornady btsp 4 or 5 moose with 180 btsp. Most one shot through the lungs or heart, any second shot I found out latter were not needed.
07 April 2002, 13:26
AtkinsonMy choice for anything in the 1200 lb. up catagory is the 200 and 220 gr. Noslers, preferably the 220 in the 06 or the 300's for the big animals....
If you ever use them one time you will never use the 180 again..I even use the 200 Nosler on deer and plainsgame in both the 06 and the 300 H&H...I used the 180 for years and it is a good bullet.
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Ray Atkinson
ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com
07 April 2002, 15:41
Dark PaladinMy neighbor has had good results with 220 grn remington core-lokts make big holes on the other side to boot.
08 April 2002, 09:23
OverkillThanks guys... I think i take the norma oryx 180 grain bullet for the coming autumn.
08 April 2002, 09:26
HiWallWe haven't got any mooses here, but I like to hunt Red Deer. I like the 180 and 200gr Woodleigh PP bullets. Would these be OK for Moose??
08 April 2002, 05:34
<wrangler>Deja vu, all over again......moose are notoriously easy to kill. They have been taken with .243's and up (probably even smaller calibres). Bullet placement, as usual, is EVERYTHING! Choose a bullet that is not frangible; I personally dislike Sierra's as they seem to be too thin in the jacket. Be familiar with moose anatomy, know where heart/lungs are, and use it to your advantage. Most kill shots on moose (around here, anyways) would average less than 150yds. Have fun, hunting moose is a blast! Oh, yeah.....never shoot a moose if you have a dinner date with your wife in an hour....
Wright on wrangler. I have seen moose shot with 243 and 6.5x55, know your anatomy.
The dinner thing [ bin their dun ] that.
I'm still little sad abought North Land Sports.
08 April 2002, 12:42
<leo>Just because it's a very large animal, 180 grain controlled-expansion bullets and heavier should be used to insure good penetration. The 180s are heavy enough unless it's a soft bullet.
08 April 2002, 23:16
<Sunny>I don't think you can find a bullet better than the Oryx when you want big diameter and penetration.
Oryx, Woodleigh or even Sako Super Hammerhead will all do fine in 180 grains.
Men med et navn som Overd�daren ville jeg valgt 13 grams kuler
Sun
09 April 2002, 02:50
<Wapi-T>Two years ago, a friend took a healthy 5-year old bull in Wyoming. He used the Federal High Energy 165 grain Trophy Bonded Bearclaw with excellent results. The bullet entered behind the front shoulder, went through the boiler room, broke the back shoulder, and came to settle under the skin on the other side. The bull stumbled, groaned, and fell dead not five feet from where he was shot.
09 April 2002, 05:09
<Alberta John>Lots of good advice above on bullet weight,any good 180 gr or heavier will be fine.
Just a little advice on the BAR though,make sure it's totally degreased and de-oiled if you're hunting in cold weather.They're a terrible contraption for gumming up and jamming in freezing weather.
09 April 2002, 06:10
Terry BlauwkampAlso never shoot a Moose close to the water, as he will make every effort to die in it.
I have killed Moose with the 180 gr Nosler Partions, and they work fine.
If I were to use the 30-06 again, I would take 220 Hornadys, as I want plenty penetration.
09 April 2002, 11:20
<Reloader66>The 180gr. round nose in the 30-06 should give the best velocity and maximum penetration. More energy should be released in the animal to produce the most hydrostatic shock. The round nose design should mushroom and produce a more devastating wound channel. For shots beyond 200 yards the PSP Point should do best. If the bullet is designed with a heavy jacket it may not mushroom at all at extreme ranges. Once the bullet slows below it's designed mushroom velocity it will only punch holes in the game.
10 April 2002, 16:17
<wrangler>Terry B - try the 190gr Hornady. I am sure you will be happy with it. I lucked onto them and found they were exceptionally accurate in my rifle. Have used them since for moose. If you hit moose in the lungs on a broadside shot, you will undoubtedly get 100% penetration; if you have a quartering away or a head on sternum shot, there is no doubt they will go in. I don't load them fast, as fast is not accurate in my gun, but you don't need fast. When you look at the inside of a moose, you see there isn't much in there to stop much of anything.
14 March 2003, 15:37
Alaska Bush ManIn my 30-06 BAR Grade 2 that is over 30 years old that my father bought me as my first 30-06, I have used only one load for years from deer to moose:
IMR 4064 @ 47
Nosler 165 Part
Fed 210M Primers
Fed Cases
I guess the vel somewhere in the 2700 FPS range, I use RCBS Small Base Dies, this rifle is married to this load for some reason.
14 March 2003, 17:39
stubblejumperI have killed several moose and have never and never plan to use a .308" bullet heavier than 180grs.I just don't believe that heavier bullets are necessary since the 180's have always done a fine job.
14 March 2003, 17:42
AtkinsonSomeone always chimes in and sez the 22 hornet is a deer rifle, the 243 is a moose rifle and they believe that until they loose a deer or moose as the light guns usually do work just fine, I killed a truck load of deer with a Win. M-63 auto in 22 L.R. in my mispent youth, but that does not make it a deer rifle...Small calibers do not leave good blood trails.
What ever caliber you use for any game should have the ability to shoot lenthwise through the animal and be capable of breaking the shoulder and come to rest on the off side at least....
For Moose, I would use a 200 gr. Nosler in the 30-06 and a 220 in the 300's...I believe Moose guns start with the 30-06....I know they are stupid and easy to kill, but they can be very tough sometimes...The heavy bullets are not so destructive on meat...I also like two holes and a good blood trail.
15 March 2003, 00:25
John Y CannuckThe 243 is NOT a moose caliber.
Reliable moose calibers for me, start with the 303Br.
(Ray's moose are bigger)
Kinda lack of info for picking proper bullet, as Ray says 200-220 are good in a 30-06, but only if you keep shot closer, not possible in clear cut country! 165s are an excellent bullet for l o n g range but for al around covers most situations 180gn corelocks or Horn interlocks are as good as you can get. OHh I can hear the premium bullet specialist start now!!!