Bored here, obviously, and curious about others' choices.
Most of us, fully realize there is no magic and that anything will kill them, and shot placement and bullet performance are always the key factors. Terrain and distances can influence choices.

Rifle, mine is nearly always a Ruger stainless of some sort. Or at least that action, with a 20 to 24" barrel.

Scopes, either a 1.1-4x24mm or 1.5-6x42mm. These have been Kahles 1st focal plane, non-illuminated. Definitely not wed to these and do have others, but these have worked well.

Cartridge and bullet, my current favorite is 375 Ruger with 270 grain TSX.

Have used, and absolutely No issues with 338 Win Mag with 225 grain TSX. In my opinion, this may be my ideal do-all combination.

416 Ruger with 350 grain TSX, as might be expected, worked well also. I have no qualms about using this combination again.

30-06 150 grain cup and core bullet 3x-9x Leupold and your good to go.

When responding to calls, anything from bow to a minimum of .243 / .30-30 with a premium bullet.

Outside of the rut in open country, I'd like a 308 / 7x57 / .270 / 30-06 / 7 Mag /.300 with a Leupold 2-7 or 3-9.

Really though for Moose you don't have to get too particular, it all works.

9.3 286gr Partition in either the 9.3X62 in a bolt gun or 9.3X74R in a double.

Marlin lever action, converted to 50 Alaskan, with Williams Foolproof. I go oldschool!

Whatever legal rifle I have in my hands when I find a legal moose! They aren't bullet proof.

Angus, great Moose for BC. What's the single shot?

.375 H&H "You can eat right up to the hole"

quote:

Originally posted by Antlers:
9.3 286gr Partition in either the 9.3X62 in a bolt gun or 9.3X74R in a double.

That is just plain good medicine for most things!

I've used several combos but I'd guess my favorite was the 375 H&H Dakota shooting a 300 SAF topped with a 2.5x8 Leupold. It had load of penetration but destroyed little meat and gave me confidence in big bear country.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Fourtyonesix:
Whatever legal rifle I have in my hands when I find a legal moose! They aren't bullet proof.

I'd have to echo that sentiment. However I do have to say the rifle that ends up in my hands the most for moose hunting is a left handed model 70, 400 Whelen, topped with either a Redfield 2 3/4x PCH or Lyman 48 receiver sight and stoked with 400 grain Woodleigh round noses.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Angus, great Moose for BC. What's the single shot?

Thanks Biebs, I hear this often and must admit it confuses me a tad, the great moose for BC I mean. The rifle is a custom Ruger 7x57 No.1 by yours truly with the barrel fitting farmed out as I've sold my lathe. Slimmed the frame (widest part of the rifle is the 1-4x20 scope's eyepiece), did the stock in bush flying camp to while away long winter nights. Turned out rather nice I think.

The world record Canada moose is from BC, and is only 19 3/8 points behind the world record Alaska-Yukon #1 all time, only 2" less spread than the world record Alaska-Yukon #1, with thicker beams, and wider palms. Really to the untrained hunters eye in moose scoring the two look pretty comparable.

https://www.boone-crockett.org...bgRecords&type=MOOSE

Long story short, BC has ridiculously good moose, this guy below was just under what I consider a shooter. Populations are denser than many areas of Alaska and Yukon as well, not unusual locally to call in multiple bulls a day in the rut.

quote:

Originally posted by jhaney:
.375 H&H "You can eat right up to the hole"

yes Jim, the hh is working very good on them.

My go to for moose has been my Kimber Montana in .325wsm. Recently for the last 3 moose killed with it I've been topping it with a Swarovski Z6 1.7-10. It was low enough for me to drop a bull at 13 yards and high enough for my father-in-law to kill one at 350 yards. I've settled on hand loaded 200 grain Barnes TSX going 2,950 with RL 17 powder. Pretty deadly.







Brett

Nice bulls Brett and glad to see the .325 WSM working for a living. It's surprisingly popular here in BC too, and ballistically a nice recipe.

That Kimber Montana in 325 WSM with the Swarovski 1.7-10 and 200 TSX in the 2800-2900 fps range has to be a great combination for about anything.

I have that rifle and use the 200 TSX also. I have been seriously debating using it this year.
I did carry it for a week or so one season, moose did not cooperate though. I currently have a Kahles 1.5-6x42 on mine.

I have been a using first focal plane scopes for years, but slim-pickings now days for what is marketed in the states for hunting scopes.

I recently picked up a demo Z6 1.7-10 with the Plex reticle. This scope has impressed me with its wide field of view and the ability to see the reticle in low light. It covers the 1.5-6 and 2.5-10 slots for me, and in my opinion better than either. The reticle is very visible at the lowest power which is a big plus for me.

Blaser r93-swaro 2-12x50-8x57-200gr partition/160gr ttsx.
Simple AS that

9.3×64 Brenneke. Stainless PacNor 1/12" twist. On a Mark X Mauser 06 action. Boyd's Classic laminate stock. NECG Express rear banded sling stud and front sight. Integral 3port muzzle brake . Built by Mark Moffit ,Palmer/Butte.
250 gr TSX @ 2750 fps
1-4 Vortex V Bright Crossfire ll. Soon to be replaced by a PST 1-4.
However, this year I just may use my 375 Whelan A.I. It shoots a 250 gr TTSX @ 2550 fps pushed by 56 gr 4895. Rifle only weighs 7 lbs with Williams peep rear ghost ring/ sourdough post front. Built in 1973 by my friend and pastor @ Willow Lake . But , if the shot presents itself I'll use my 480 Ruger SRH 7.5" pushing a 400 gr or heavier cast WFN or LFN style bullet @ 1200 fps. Still to be determined.
The 9.3 may become a safe queen.

Mark does builds some Very nice stuff. Also, in my experience he is a pleasure to deal with and a hell of a nice guy!

quote:

Originally posted by Angus Morrison:
Nice bulls Brett and glad to see the .325 WSM working for a living. It's surprisingly popular here in BC too, and ballistically a nice recipe.

Thanks! And on a standard action, so you get a half pound lighter gun with magnum performance.

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by ldmay375:
That Kimber Montana in 325 WSM with the Swarovski 1.7-10 and 200 TSX in the 2800-2900 fps range has to be a great combination for about anything.........I recently picked up a demo Z6 1.7-10 with the Plex reticle. This scope has impressed me with its wide field of view and the ability to see the reticle in low light. It covers the 1.5-6 and 2.5-10 slots for me, and in my opinion better than either. The reticle is very visible at the lowest power which is a big plus for me.

I really think it's just about the perfect combination for moose and grizzlies.

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by ldmay375:
Mark does builds some Very nice stuff. Also, in my experience he is a pleasure to deal with and a hell of a nice guy!

Yes he is !!

I'm in the 30.06 camp. My son and I used Blaser R 93 rifles shooting 180 gn Hornady Interbonds. Very happy with the results on these BC Moose.

https://drive.google.com/file/...REU/view?usp=sharing

Looks like a great hunt 30.06King, nothing like building memories with your son.

This thread also well illustrates just about anything works for Moose, the biggest concern is what rifle you like using best not its chambering.

I scouted this guy last July, by Oct he would have been a monster but only found his competitor who was good but smaller. Hoping to get him this year, and when a client asks what rifle for moose my only question is, "Which rifle do you shoot best?" Whether that's a .260 or a .375 that's the one to use, as they'll all result in a dead moose.

The last moose I shot was with a .338 and the 250 gr. Noslers..worked just fine and in typical moose fashion, he died only after he decided to die...I shot him through the shoulder, He stood for a minute or two, knelt down on his front legs and started grazing, after a while he dumpe over dead...Typical Moose kill IMO...They have 0 nervous system. Ive seen similar kills with the 30-30 and 416 Rem...they kinda walk around then tip over.

This last fall, I shot my moose with my 577/500 no.2 double rifle. (I am lamenting my not mastering the art of posting pictures). Performed fine, but I have yet to recover a bullet from any game with this gun, they all pass through.
Only the third moose I have ever shot, as it often takes up to ten years to get drawn, depending on your area of choice.
My previous moose have been taken with the .338wm, and a .358 NM. First moose with the .338 busted out of the bush on a dead run and never stopped for 100 yards, even with two 210 gr noslers through him. The second, with the norma round, was quietly eating grass and just lay down like he was bedding until he eventually just rolled over!

i have an old 35 wheelen imp. built by hal hartley in the mid 50's that has become my favorite. on a fn deluxe action and maple stock it shoots 250 gr partitions rather well

Interesting thread.

I wonder if the cartridge choice would change if any/all of you were given a once in a lifetime chance to spend several days flying from your home on the other side of the world, have spent several months organizing paperwork for licences etc and have spent $18 - $22k on a fully guided hunt with one of the better operators in a really good area for your once in a lifetime moose hunt with little or no chance of returning.

In advance I apologise to the OP for the thread diversion.

Paul, you're right (did I just say that???), hunting Moose in your backyard is different than spending $20K on an outfitted hunt half-way around the world. Maybe a 375?

The answer from this guide would still be whatever rifle you shoot best. If a client has a .30-06 he's shot twenty deer with and is considering a new .338 for his hunt, I'd heavily suggest he's better off with the rifle he knows. It oddly enough offers more "insurance" than his new .338 idea on his costly and very important experience.

Paul, no apology needed. I consider the decision of choice, part of the discussion.
I certainly do not spend that amount of money on my moose hunts.

I do know that sometimes what appears as an ideal shot placement / shot angle is not always so.
Lots of unforeseeable things can occur between the trigger pull, bullet arrival, and sometimes bullet performance even with so-called "best".
I am also the type, if possible, to shoot until the animal is down and when it is down remain ready to shoot again.

I know several people that use 270, non-magnum 7mm & 30 calibers and smaller calibers/ cartridges. I also know several that use 7mm, 300 & 338 magnums, and a few that use bigger.
No doubt, they all work even with "what Walmart had on sell" bullets.

My preference in calibers is 8mm and above, with "premium" type bullets 200 grains and above. If I went on a guided hunt and was not sure of the distances for shots, I would leave my 375s and aboves at home.
Most likely the 338 Win Mag and what I consider a good 225 grain bullet would be my choice. In honesty, it out distances my abilities and works well in most all circumstances.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Truccolo:
Interesting thread.

I wonder if the cartridge choice would change if any/all of you were given a once in a lifetime chance to spend several days flying from your home on the other side of the world, have spent several months organizing paperwork for licences etc and have spent $18 - $22k on a fully guided hunt with one of the better operators in a really good area for your once in a lifetime moose hunt with little or no chance of returning.

In advance I apologise to the OP for the thread diversion.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Truccolo:
Interesting thread.

I wonder if the cartridge choice would change if any/all of you were given a once in a lifetime chance to spend several days flying from your home on the other side of the world, have spent several months organizing paperwork for licences etc and have spent $18 - $22k on a fully guided hunt with one of the better operators in a really good area for your once in a lifetime moose hunt with little or no chance of returning.

In advance I apologise to the OP for the thread diversion.

I hope not! As others have said, bring what you like, know, are used to and can shoot well.

Seems like any more I like the 06 sized cartridge cases as much as anything else. I like my 9.3x 62, but also my 30-06. I've been thinking lately I'd like to have a 32-06 and or a 338-06. I'm sure I'll grab a .375-06 someday. Not sure I know why.

I've use a 375 H&H some and a .458 a little. I almost always use the tsx and some Leopold of some kind. My eyes aren't bad but I'll be double darned if I'm going to peer thru iron sights of any kind when I've got one week or just a couple days to get the moose haul done. Fly fishing now seriously interferes with the moose hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Truccolo:
Interesting thread.

I wonder if the cartridge choice would change if any/all of you were given a once in a lifetime chance to spend several days flying from your home on the other side of the world, have spent several months organizing paperwork for licences etc and have spent $18 - $22k on a fully guided hunt with one of the better operators in a really good area for your once in a lifetime moose hunt with little or no chance of returning.

In advance I apologise to the OP for the thread diversion.

Paul,

The advice Angus gave is spot on. I was asked once by a hunter coming to Alaska about what rifle he should bring for a guided moose hunt. The rifle he had used for years and had collected a long list of lower 48 animals with, to include elk, was a 7x57 Mauser. He was intimately familiar with it and shot it extremely well. He had been advised by several he needed something bigger, certainly a 338 at a minimum because he could run into a bear.

I advised him to load some 175 grain Partitions in his rifle, spend a 100 of them at the range in practice and let the guide worry about the bears.

I learned later that he did just that, killed a nice moose with one shot from the 7x57 and the only bear they saw was many hundreds of yards away on the other side of a river.

You gave good advice, I have a soft spot for the 7x57 myself on moose.

I very much appreciate the responses from all.
Thank-you.

I have no experience with moose other than the anecdotal feed-back from others who have.
Appreciate the candid responses.

My Moose rifle was a Weatherby Sporter Model in .340 Wby. My load was a Nosler Combined Tech Partition bullet loaded to 2900 fps. My scope was a Burris Signature 4X16 and it served me well by giving me a one shot slam down in his tracks kill. I had used a .300 Winny on many Deer and Several Elk and wanted an excuse to get something bigger after a Bear encounter, thus the .340. I shot it extensively for two years prior to the hunt developing my load. I now shoot a .338 Lapua as well as a couple od .358 STA's that also would be excellent Moose madicene. My two cents for what it is worth. Good Shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Truccolo:
Interesting thread.

I wonder if the cartridge choice would change if any/all of you were given a once in a lifetime chance to spend several days flying from your home on the other side of the world, have spent several months organizing paperwork for licences etc and have spent $18 - $22k on a fully guided hunt with one of the better operators in a really good area for your once in a lifetime moose hunt with little or no chance of returning.

In advance I apologise to the OP for the thread diversion.

Mine wouldn't.

quote:

Originally posted by Angus Morrison:
You gave good advice, I have a soft spot for the 7x57 myself on moose.

I can vouch for that.

In the late 1970's I went on my first guided hunt for moose around Williams lake BC. I used the only gun I had at the time a sporterized 93 Mauser 7x57 with 175 grain Remington Corelokts. It worked just fine.

Today I would likely use something a bit larger like my favorite blackbear rifle a Remington model 673 .350 Rem mag or maybe my new to me .338 Winchester m70.

I have grown to appreciate the medium bores above .30 caliber for things like moose and elk but my fallback when I can't decided has always been my .300 Weatherby Accumark. It's just not as much fun anymore when a lot of mountain hiking is involved. But it's sure swiftly dispatched anything it's been used on.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Truccolo:
Interesting thread.

I wonder if the cartridge choice would change if any/all of you were given a once in a lifetime chance to spend several days flying from your home on the other side of the world, have spent several months organizing paperwork for licences etc and have spent $18 - $22k on a fully guided hunt with one of the better operators in a really good area for your once in a lifetime moose hunt with little or no chance of returning.

In advance I apologise to the OP for the thread diversion.

Paul;
Yup I would use this exact rifle.
I shoot it very well offhand. It's fairly accurate and to date, every animal I've shot with it has been a 1 shot kill. Really, how can you beat a 9.3×64 Brenneke as a general purpose big game rifle.
Not saying it's better than other carts. But I dont think they are better than it either.
I had this rifle built for hunting moose.

I'm relieved to see that the local guys who have the on-ground cred are all leaning towards the upper medium bore end.

Not that I need anyone's permission but this is a hunt I have thought a lot about and it rates high up on my bucket list. If I was to do it it would be quite an undertaking in terms of cost, time and travel.

I have both a 9.3x62 Sako Black bear and a semi custom 9.3x64 that I am happily using to knock down deer with here in Aus that I would feel more comfortable in using on a hunt for moose.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but the most admiration for the performance of the .270, 30/06 and 7mm range of cartridges, all of which I have extensive field experience with, but for a hunt such as this I think i'd be packing a tube with a bigger hole in it. My perspective might be slightly different if I lived there and could get out every week-end, then again it might not.

Thanks again to all of you Alaskans for sharing your hard earned knowledge and no bs responses.