Curious on bullets for moose

[rickyw]

shot mine with 180 grain core lokt from 30-06.

 

[Robinhood21]

Stud! That’s awesome. I’d be thrilled to death for a bull in the mid 60’s.


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Thank you! That bull was 5.5 years in the making. Started planning the trip in May of 2017. Went on first moose hunt in 2020 with my father and uncle. We went 2 for 3 that trip.. EPIC to say the least. Went back in 2022 with my cousin for redemption and got my bull.

Dads bull - 61"
Uncles bull - 62"
Cousins bull - 59"
My bull - 65"

All of them are incredible specimens. I'm going back this year with my cousin again and to say I'm excited is an understatement. The adventure of Alaska is amazing.

I feel like when you see a shooter bull you know. A sub 50" bull, to me just looks small. We blew our chance on a hammer opening morning of our 2020 hunt because I was trying to verify it was over 50" (which is what you want to do) but that was our first bull moose we had ever seen, so we were being extra cautious. I have video of that bull and looking back, it was a 60"+ for sure but like I said, we didn't know any better and I was having a hard time staying steady to measure him with my scope reticle. After some experience under my belt, seeing and measuring several bulls, I feel like I can judge a bull pretty good now.

I feel like on that first bull, it's hard to truely enjoy the moment and soaking it all in when walking up to the bull after it's down. The thought of it somehow being a sub-legal bull is gut wrenching.

 

[Robinhood21]

You oh are crazy to want to take that long of a shot. I dropped one once at 258yds. Never again. That distance can suck packing. Last years was 27yds.

Call them in. Unless you know what that pack out will be like.

"Suck" it sure did!... no way getting around it. But, it was my 2nd time up there and I was going to do whatever it took to shoot my bull. Mine was almost a mile from the lake & took 2 days to get every bit of him back. Easily the hardest thing I've ever done in my life but was totally worth it

 

[Robobiss]

Folks sure do seem to get over dramatic about moose. Either of those set ups should do the job just fine. I mean you could opt for artillery rounds out of a tank if you REALLY want to get the job done though

I agree. I see little 10-12 year old girls tipping big bulls over here every year with .243’s.

Just about anything 28 or 30 cal is more than enough IMO, they are many times heavier but only a little bit wider than a big whitetail at the lungs. Out of what’s in my stable I wouldn’t ever bother with anything larger than my .270, and I might dodge 2 or 3 of them with my pickup on my way to the archery shop after work.

 

[VernAK]

Shoot whatever bullet you wish to shoot but I prefer hunting bullets. I've seen some real shitshows from target/match bullets. We've taken 34 bulls off our ridge in the past 20 years with 80% over 60". Most will succumb to a broadside lung shot from a moderate cartridge, but I have seen the exceptions also. If the bull turns downhill after being hit, Your next shot has to drop him as you have to pack that bull back up the hill. Your best shot then is in the pelvis area to break him down. This is not a good shot for target bullets.

I do not do neck shots on big bulls as penetration is very difficult and anything other than spine or artery hit does very little.

I wish I could find the pics of a VLD recovered from a small grizzly. No target bullets in our camp.

 

[dirtshooter]

I used a 90gr GMX out of my 257wby last fall, one shot worked for my bull.

 

[AKDoc]

A question about bullet choices always elicits lots of different opinions...and that's ok because we may differ in hunting approaches, preferred shooting distances, etc. Thankfully we have choices. I prefer the thrill of calling bulls close to me and the assurance that I can retrieve them responsibly.

For my hunting style and for the cartridges that I handload and shoot, my hunting bullet choices are a TSX or TTSX. They shoot extremely well out of my different rifles, and I have had nothing but excellent bullet performance...enter, expand, and exit the far side. I have recovered very few bullets.

 

[Robobiss]

A question about bullet choices always elicits lots of different opinions...and that's ok because we may differ in hunting approaches, preferred shooting distances, etc. Thankfully we have choices. I prefer the thrill of calling bulls close to me and the assurance that I can retrieve them responsibly.

For my hunting style and for the cartridges that I handload and shoot, my hunting bullet choices are a TSX or TTSX. They shoot extremely well out of my different rifles, and I have had nothing but excellent bullet performance...enter, expand, and exit the far side. I have recovered very few bullets.

I’ve had great luck personally with Barnes bullets as well. I have tried the other side of the coin with the ELD-X/M esq bullets the last couple of years and they work really well also. Honestly they probably work better for my purposes and the way I am shooting things, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to Barnes assuming I had plenty of velocity (I always do, up close and personal as well)

I have been super impressed actually with the performance of a 110Tac-TX I shot a buck with out if a 10.5” SBR’d 300 Blackout last year. Worked like a charm, beautiful mushroom.

The reality of all of it is that most everything within reason will work fine.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have shot four bulls with rifles and the farthest was about 50 yards. If you are stuck with factory ammo, you might try Barnes ammo with the 208 gr LRX, Weatherby ammo with 195 gr Hammer bullets, or Federal ammo with 215 gr Terminal Ascents.

I used a 200 gr LRX out of a a 300 RUM on my last moose and it went right down. The two before that soaked up a few 200 gr Accubonds.

 

[ddavis_1313]

A question about bullet choices always elicits lots of different opinions...and that's ok because we may differ in hunting approaches, preferred shooting distances, etc. Thankfully we have choices. I prefer the thrill of calling bulls close to me and the assurance that I can retrieve them responsibly.

For my hunting style and for the cartridges that I handload and shoot, my hunting bullet choices are a TSX or TTSX. They shoot extremely well out of my different rifles, and I have had nothing but excellent bullet performance...enter, expand, and exit the far side. I have recovered very few bullets.

If I had the time I’d load some of these up tomorrow.


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[mtbraun]

I don't think its complicated. I opt for the old school magnums, and for moose, shot mine with a 300 WM with 195gr Bulldozers. Quartering away at 125 yds, took three steps and I had another one in him by the time he hit the ground.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

180 gr Interlock DRT on my Shiras cow. She dropped and never moved.