Ammo for Moose Hunting???

Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
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I have a moose hunting trip to western Alberta planned this October. I will be using my 300 Win Mag. My question is what type of ammo should I use? I understand no matter what I use shot placement is vital.

I'm pretty dumb when it comes to ammo so please dumb it up for me...lol.

I've read not to use a polymer tip ammo. I've also read that polymer tip is fine as long as its bonded bullet.

Is a jacketed soft point good for moose hunting?

Some of the ammo is available locally....
~Federal Terminal Ascent 200 gr.
~ Federal Power Shok 180 gr.
~ Federal Fusion Bonded Soft Point 180 gr
~ Winchester Power Point 180 gr.
~ Winchester Expedition Accubond 180 gr.
~ Remington Core Lokt Tipped 180 gr.
~ Remington Core Lokt PSP 180 gr

Any other suggestions? Thanks!

Mark
 

WMR

Lil-Rokslider
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Jun 2, 2020
Messages
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Buy the Federal Terminal Ascent. Try it in your rifle. If it shoots well, then buy a bunch more. I think that the high velocity of a 300 makes it all the more important to use a strong bullet. Probably lots of other great ammo Is only a mouse click away as well.
 

VernAK

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Delta Jct, Alaska
Of the ammo listed, I'd go with the Federal Terminal Ascent also. Many moose have been taken with plain jane bullets of all sorts and even with Match bullets, but you are about to spend $$$$ on a hunt so I'd take advantage of hunting bullet improvements of the last 80 years. Barnes TSX or TTSX would also be at the top of my list.
 

RunNGunSC

FNG
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Nov 3, 2022
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I’ve got a moose hunt this fall as well. Plan to shoot my 7mm rem mag with Barnes 160 grain. I expect a closer shoot in Maine than I would out west or in Alaska/Canada. I realize 7mm isn’t ideal, but I think it will be fine????
 

BCsteve

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BC, Canada
7mm.jpg

I’ve got a moose hunt this fall as well. Plan to shoot my 7mm rem mag with Barnes 160 grain. I expect a closer shoot in Maine than I would out west or in Alaska/Canada. I realize 7mm isn’t ideal, but I think it will be fine????

I used that exact bullet from a 7mm Rem Mag to kill a bull in Northern BC. First shot was broadside and exited. Second shot was quartering towards me and entered between the neck and shoulder and was recovered in the opposite side rear quarter.
 

DiabeticKripple

Lil-Rokslider
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Jul 18, 2021
Messages
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Location
Central Alberta, Canada
I have a moose hunting trip to western Alberta planned this October. I will be using my 300 Win Mag. My question is what type of ammo should I use? I understand no matter what I use shot placement is vital.

I'm pretty dumb when it comes to ammo so please dumb it up for me...lol.

I've read not to use a polymer tip ammo. I've also read that polymer tip is fine as long as its bonded bullet.

Is a jacketed soft point good for moose hunting?

Some of the ammo is available locally....
~Federal Terminal Ascent 200 gr.
~ Federal Power Shok 180 gr.
~ Federal Fusion Bonded Soft Point 180 gr
~ Winchester Power Point 180 gr.
~ Winchester Expedition Accubond 180 gr.
~ Remington Core Lokt Tipped 180 gr.
~ Remington Core Lokt PSP 180 gr

Any other suggestions? Thanks!

Mark
who will your outfitter be?

You bought the right ammo from that list, assuming it groups well. Moose hunting here is mostly close range, might get a longer shot if hes on a cutline or across a slough, but most shots are in the thicker bush.
 

mcseal2

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May 8, 2014
Messages
2,728
The polymer tip won't hurt penetration. It's just to add a little aerodynamic advantage and look cool for buyers.

I'd go with the Terminal Ascent from that list too.

If your rifle doesn't like it, the Nosler 180gr E tip ammo has performed very well for me and my friend I hunt with. We've taken whitetail, mule deer, sitka blacktail, elk, caribou, and moose with that bullet. At least 2 of each species listed. Ranges have been from inside 100 yards to 500 yards with most between 200 and 350 yards. The only one I've recovered was from a whitetail buck at an angle that required a lot of penetration. The bullet was under the hide on the far side and weighed 179 grains, opened nicely. I like that it opens fast enough for thin skinned game at distance, but still penetrates and exits most of the time.

Downside of this ammo is that it seems to be made in seasonal runs and not always as available as I'd like. I just got 5 more boxes so they probably just finished a run.

The Terminal Ascent, Barnes LRX, Hornady's version, any of them probably perform similar. I just started with this one and since both my rifle and my buddy's rifle like it we've stuck with it.

Accubonds have performed great for me too, but they expand more dramatically and end up with a larger frontal diameter. This limits penetration a bit but makes a larger wound channel. I've recovered more Accubonds from game than the E tips. Still a great bullet and one I like, just designed a little different for different results. Being bonded the Accubond tends to keep it's frontal mass intact more than a Partition for example. It's slowing faster after expanding in tissue due to that.

Good luck on your hunt.
 
OP
woodmaster0462
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
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who will your outfitter be?

You bought the right ammo from that list, assuming it groups well. Moose hunting here is mostly close range, might get a longer shot if hes on a cutline or across a slough, but most shots are in the thicker bush.
Classic Mountain Hunts
Corey Kristoff.

Do you know anything about them? Thanks
 

DiabeticKripple

Lil-Rokslider
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Location
Central Alberta, Canada
Classic Mountain Hunts
Corey Kristoff.

Do you know anything about them? Thanks
I don’t know anything about them, but usually around here no news is good news. Lots of unethical outfitters around and they usually get blasted on the local hunting forum.

Looks like you will be hunting straight west of where I live. Beautiful country out around Nordegg. I used to elk hunt out there but the wolves and grizzlies have done a number on the elk populations.
 
OP
woodmaster0462
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Aug 22, 2023
Messages
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I don’t know anything about them, but usually around here no news is good news. Lots of unethical outfitters around and they usually get blasted on the local hunting forum.

Looks like you will be hunting straight west of where I live. Beautiful country out around Nordegg. I used to elk hunt out there but the wolves and grizzlies have done a number on the elk populations.
Thanks for the reply!!!!
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
590
Last Moose shot in our household was killed by my Son with a 7mm-08 and 130 grain Speer Hotcore. Quartering towards us at 200 yds. One shot and he covered about 50 yds before crashing into a dead Poplar. I think anything over 150 grain is sufficient.
 
OP
woodmaster0462
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
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Thanks everyone! I have 4 boxes of the Terminal Ascent so it looks like I'm gonna give it a try first. Hopefully it does well out of my gun
 

Jim1187

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Mar 7, 2020
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New Brunswick, Canada
Op I'd stick with your choice, failing that I'd look to the accubond and fusion loading as 2nd and 3rd choices from the list provided.


I’ve got a moose hunt this fall as well. Plan to shoot my 7mm rem mag with Barnes 160 grain. I expect a closer shoot in Maine than I would out west or in Alaska/Canada. I realize 7mm isn’t ideal, but I think it will be fine????
I am just north of the medicine line here in New Brunswick and I would like to know what your ideal moose cartridge would be? Between my friends and family we kill a few moose every fall and 7mm cartridges are being used by almost half of us and performance has not been lacking.

The 160 Barnes is not my first choice but it will certainly get the job done if you do your part. With that bullet I'd aim to try and break the front running gear.
 
Joined
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Kansas
Any of those will work just fine.

If I were you, I would pick 3 or 4 of those boxes that you're most interested in and shoot all 4 then pick the one that shoots the best groups.
 
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