quote:

Originally posted by .458 Only:

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
okay, why is this a question? it's just a great big deer - big hole in the heart and lungs finishes things out easily - use a hunting bullet, aim true, and it will be slain ethically -

In my experience deer hunting I'd say a hunter could make a well aimed, carefully placed shot and if the deer runs off, follow up after and appropriate wait and find the deer dead after a short distance.

On moose, that is not my recommendation. When I pull the trigger, the decision I made is not only that specific bull, but right exactly where he is, right exactly when he is. Time and location of the carcass can matter enormously. For these reasons I choose bigger calibers rather than smaller and I am particular about bullets.

I recently bought the RCBS collet bullet puller and sat down yesterday for a little while to pull bullets out of 375 cases I don't intend to use. The bullet I won't pull is the 270 grain tsx, by far my favorite moose bullet.

On the shelf I have Swifts and Sierras, Woodleigh and different weight Barnes and the only one I want to hunt moose with is the 270 tsx.

Scott, do you mind elaborating on that? There are several who choose the 270 TSX in .375" for hunting Alaska and Africa, including some mentioned by Phil. And I've a long-time friend and correspondent who, after his time in the US Military in Vietnam, settled in Alaska (much like Phil) and killed just about everything huntable there at least twice over. He built many of his own rifles, mostly big magnums - some in .40 and .50 cal- but his favorites were in .375s, including the H&H. Pre 270 TSX days, he said his favorite bullets were in 270gr, and today if still living there (now in Southern USA) it would be the 270 TSX.

I'm nearing the end of a black bear hunt using my .375 H&H, and out of "convenience" it's loaded with the 250gr Sierra GameKing, but I'd have preferred the 250gr TTSX, which finally is available in this area so I plan to purchase some - but not in time for the current hunt that ends this week. I'm not hunting a "trophy", nor wanting one, but the one attending my bait is obviously huge for a black bear. The hunt starts again Sept 1st, so likely the same bear (which is a dominant bruin for the area) is likely to show up again, and I'd prefer the 250gr TTSX at that time.... or would the 270 TSX's on hand have any advantage? So far, I've not killed anything with either, but I did kill a smallish bear a number of years ago using a 350gr TSX from my .458 Win Mag and that bullet never expanded though leaving the muzzle at 2750 fps. Range was 100 yds, bear hit frontally, bullet made exit in front of right hip and that bear went farther than any that were dead already. I'm concerned about the 270 TSX being too tough, even for a 400 + pound bear.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

I don't think I'm very exacting or scientific, I just get a little experience and settle on what works. I use Woodleighs and Partitions in my 9.3. I've shot a few moose with these, they group very well at the range, it seems to kill like magic, I'm not going to experiment with anything else. In my 458 and 375 I use the tsx's. The Woodleighs, Swifts and Partitions didn't group as well, and the 270 tsx in the 375 stops them in place. From the 458, when I blink at the recoil and look back thru the scope I see 4 feet in the air and then nothing til I walk up. For me the tsx's always expand, always retain weight and always deliver the terminal performance I need, (fold in place,).

For my 400 H&H I've had to buy Hammer and Hornady bullets, CEB and another I can't remember. It's irritating to me, I just want to use tsx's.

A big bore bullet isnt a positive DRT kill on deer or a coyote or Avalina, they all just run from time to time, On deer as a rule you get DRT with a varmint caliber like the 222 or 22-250 risk non penetration if not careful..big bore bullets at times are constructed to heavy to expand and an animal can make many tracks..Also take into consideration deer are like hi bred race horse and Moose are more like mule..Ya just never know, most folks just base such posts on a low number of kills with a low number of calibers, and dont take into consideration at what velocity and bullet construction and its misleading.

I will have to disagree. I have killed pigs (small ones) and whitetail w 375 HH and 358 STA (last year’s buck).

Bullets weights 270-285. One deer was with a 300 grain soft.

All died right there. Exit wounds were violent.

Last year’s buck was hit 3 inches off the shoulder blade, nearly blew the off leg off, and died with a thud.

Some will, some won’t, I suspect.

I have one universal hunting rifle. 375 H&H shooting 300 gr Swift A-Frames. Good up to 300-350 m (Zeiss scope with ballistic turret). Never ever any problem. From fox, deer, wild boar, whatever.

Jiri

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
270 Win 150g Partition?

I shot a big bull out on the Alaska Peninsula with a similar load, only difference was I used a 150 grain Remington core-lokt bullet.

The 270 wasn’t a good choice for that hunt, but only because of how many Brown Bears we ran into. The moose, he went about 20 yards and fell over dead. Next time I venture out on the Peninsula to hunt, I’ll be carrying either my 338 or 375. …because of the bears.

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Originally posted by DLS:

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Originally posted by chuck375:
270 Win 150g Partition?

I shot a big bull out on the Alaska Peninsula with a similar load, only difference was I used a 150 grain Remington core-lokt bullet.

The 270 wasn’t a good choice for that hunt, but only because of how many Brown Bears we ran into. The moose, he went about 20 yards and fell over dead. Next time I venture out on the Peninsula to hunt, I’ll be carrying either my 338 or 375. …because of the bears.

If I may, some questions: 1) Range? 2) Where was the "big bull" hit? 3) Conditions? 4) Penetration? 5) What makes you believe that a .270 Win with "that load" would produce about identical results, barring the presence of big bears?

I ask because a partner had killed two black bears with his .270 Win shooting 150gr Partitions from a Federal factory load. The first bear at 35 yds through the heart travelled about 30 yds into a thick tangle and was found in the dark with flashlights. Bear wt ~175 - 190 lbs. Second bear shot with same load at a different date and location. Range 60 yds. That 400 lb bear made 40 yds headfirst into a very thick tangle that he couldn't get through, bawled eleven times (recorded on video). I found him based on his bawling with only his hindend visible to my flashlight, again in pitch darkness. Both were shot broadside through heart/lungs. And, btw, I only went looking for that bear after he'd stopped bawling!

While the .270 Win has killed a lot of stuff, it would be among my last choices for big bear or moose under some conditions in which I've hunted them - and not always knowing beforehand what those physical conditions might be. I want and choose a rifle-cartridge and load that will leave no room for questioning after the fact!

Had that 400 lb bear not been trapped by that thick tangle of thorn bush, who knows where it might have gone in pitch darkness. It strikes me that was akin to looking for a lion or leopard that had been shot over bait hanging in a tree after dark, then searching the surrounding tall grass and bushes with a flashlight carrying a .270 Win. That would never happen, of course, as the PH would be toting a double express or .375 cal minimum! Or perhaps a 12ga loaded with Brennekes.

And black bears are predators of moose (at least in this area)! So, after many decades of hunting both species, under varying conditions, I firmly believe that a .375 H&H, or its ilk, are among the best choices when loaded with "premium" projectiles. Specifically, in the .375 H&H/Wby any of the best 250s to 300s will get those jobs done in a satisfying manner.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Larger animals seem to best respond to bullet placement with respectful larger caliber rifles.
My first large elk was taken with a .405 Winchester 1895. A larger bull moose was shot with a .348 Model 71, using Hawk 270 gr bullet. Moose was just below Wien Lake, interior Alaska near homestead.

In Alaska there are bears that require repeat shots, and a quality lever action is faster than any bolt gun-its been proven. I have pre-64 M-70s in 338-06 and 35 Whelen. Also a 450 Alaskan
in a pre-war Model 71.
Hosea Sarber, known Alaskan game warden & guide
was lost-never found probably carrying a .270 rifle-according to Alaskans aware of his impending hunting trip.

A bull elk wounded with his dander up can probably go further than a gut-shot moose, but no guarantee on either. I have a couple of 270
pre-64 M-70s:they are good rifles, but I prefer at least a 30-06 on elk or moose with 200 gr Nosler partition or Swift bullets.Or-338/348.
As expressed earlier, you may only have one chance for a trophy elk or moose-why chance losing it?

Use enough gun-Ruark.

The two lions that held up the Uganda Railway construction in early 1900s Africa are both on the second floor of the Field Museum in Chicago.
Shot by Lt Col Patterson, British Army engineer
using a 303 Enfield rifle.

{Movies made in Calif. on Africa are either inaccurate, or full of untruths-and may disappear after the first punch hits the public.}

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
There is something about moose that is hard to explain.

I shot one dead from 30 yards, and yet he just stood there without moving and simply looked at me.

9.3x62mm with 285 grain Norma Oryx bonded soft nosed bullet at nearly 2,400 fps.

3,500+ ft.-lbs. of energy.

Did I say he didn't move?

Hell, he didn't even flinch.

But he was dead on his feet.

It took my putting three more bullets into the dead zone before he acted like he'd been the least bit disturbed.

Never budged. Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Finally, he just crumpled, and even then, after walking up on him, I let my guide put in a finisher at muzzle distance. I was done with it.

I have no doubt that a Woodleigh Weldcore, which I have used to good effect on Cape buffalo, will succeed on moose as readily as anything else.

Just don't expect a moose to give a damn until he decides it's time.

Maybe in the case of my moose it was because he was Canadian.

I'm not sure.

that is the problem with moose sometimes they do not know they re dead ... even worst with bow and arrow.

Moose stand shot for 1 or 2 minutes, deer run for 1 or 2 minutes. Most hunters doen't see that, they are just amazed at Moose..but not always..