Moose Hunt Cartridge and Bullet

[Flymost]

Awesome moose and great performance out of the 22 creed!

 

[280rem]

Must be unaware of the 160 lrx 7mm and 208 lrx in the 30 cal. Take a look at those and if that doesn’t settle the issue….not sure what to tell a fella

 

[VernAK]

Far right is a 250 gr 9.6 TSX lung shot at 380 yards on a very large, wounded, bull moose. Next to it is a 375 H&H 270 gr TSX from a double lung shot at 60 yards...obviously no exit.

 

[Decker9]

Most my experience is with 30’s and 375’s but my last bull I took with my 6.5 prc with a 140gr accubond at 2975fps, shot was 40 yards broadside double lung. It was pushing 2 minutes before the bull expired, a hole through the lungs about 2” in diameter with the bullet under the hide on the off side. No meat loss on the hit side, but had a little on the off side.

 

[KeepHammering]

I really appreciate the continued detailed info and pictures!

@Decker9 given your experience with the big bores and now 6.5, what are you taking in the future? And was the 2 minutes to expire a stressful time where he was running and you thought you would lose him, or just the normal moose reaction of him absorbing the bullet then standing/staggering and going down. Just curious.

 

[roymunson]

Most my experience is with 30’s and 375’s but my last bull I took with my 6.5 prc with a 140gr accubond at 2975fps, shot was 40 yards broadside double lung. It was pushing 2 minutes before the bull expired, a hole through the lungs about 2” in diameter with the bullet under the hide on the off side. No meat loss on the hit side, but had a little on the off side.

Looks incredibly dead to me. I don't like the 2 minutes part. They can get a lot of places in a swamp in 2 minutes.

Would a 7mm or a 30 have cut that 2 minutes down?

My opinion is if I can put 180-200+ grains somewhere in the oven door sized lungs and vitals, I will take that. JMO

 

[Machingeaneer]

I also wonder if the two minutes would've been cut down (or possibly increased) using one of the more fragmenting type bullets like those listed above (130 tmk, 143 eldx, 147 eldm) as opposed to the more traditional bonded accubond.

 

[Decker9]

Looks incredibly dead to me. I don't like the 2 minutes part. They can get a lot of places in a swamp in 2 minutes.

Would a 7mm or a 30 have cut that 2 minutes down?

My opinion is if I can put 180-200+ grains somewhere in the oven door sized lungs and vitals, I will take that. JMO

Ime using the same bullet in 30 and 375 caliber and double lungs, expiry time has been faster for sure.

I also wonder if the two minutes would've been cut down (or possibly increased) using one of the more fragmenting type bullets like those listed above (130 tmk, 143 eldx, 147 eldm) as opposed to the more traditional bonded accubond.

Iv wondered the same thing. But also wondered how much meat loss one of the frag bullets would have left at the close distance? Definitely a trade off between them I think.

 

[Decker9]

I really appreciate the continued detailed info and pictures!

@Decker9 given your experience with the big bores and now 6.5, what are you taking in the future? And was the 2 minutes to expire a stressful time where he was running and you thought you would lose him, or just the normal moose reaction of him absorbing the bullet then standing/staggering and going down. Just curious.

I wasn’t expecting to see a moose opening morning while taking my daughter to school. Long story short, I only had 1 round on me.

I shot the bull, he went into the willows 20 yards and laid down until he expired. Stressful, yes totally. My gut ate me up in that couple minutes. Luckily he bedded because it could have been a heck of a pack out.

Just my personal preference, but I’m not interested in a 6.5 on a moose again. Not saying nobody should!! It’s just my experience with a few handfuls of moose Iv taken or been part of.

I pack 375’s pretty religiously for moose. Lots because they were my grandparents pair of 375’s, but also because they’ve never given me any issues or doubt. Shooting through some willow can be pretty normal as well ime, just another reason why I prefer a bit bigger of a bullet.

 

[VernAK]

I haven't noticed any difference in time to expire in double lunged moose from one cartridge to another. I have several videos of moose shot with cartridges from 270 through 375 and they all stand there or take a few steps before expiring. Second and third shots in the lungs didn't seem to hasten their demise.

I never carry the more fragile bullets even though they may have a more immediate effect in the lungs. Two reasons: Bears are often present in moose country and if you should have a total screw-up and the moose is going to escape, that pelvis shot will require some penetration to break the skeletal structure and proceed into the vital organs. That going away pelvic shot is one to remember even though you hope to never have to use it. It works well on bears also.

 

[Abirkle]

Me Personally, I'd go with either the 300 or the 7.

I think any of the bullets you listed would work just fine.

I've had good luck with Accubond flavor out of a 300RUM

300 RUM for sure!

 

[medvedyt]

30-06 with partition is still a winning ticket for sure.

 

[CMP70306]

So not a moose but on my Bison hunt there were two other bison shot with a .338 Win Mag and Precision Hunter ammo. One was shot 3 times and the other was shot once, all lung shots at around 100 or so yards. The one that was shot 3 times continued to walk off for several minutes until it keeled over while the other one was up even longer than that.

Talking with the guide later he said the bullets hit the ribs and came apart with very shallow penetration into one lung resulting in the long bleed out time.

I shot mine with a 405 Shock Hammer out of a 45-70, the first bullet was double lung just above the heart and got caught in the fur on the offside. There was almost no reaction at the first shot as he started to walk off and I was concerned that I hit low below the heart. For the second shot I aimed about 6” higher trying to get lungs and due to the walking had a more quartering angle so that hit the spine and got caught in the offside shoulder which dropped him immediately. He was dead by the time we got up to him a minute later.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

Moose #1 was 180 yds, .375 300gr A Frame hit mid-high lungs and took 5-10 min to expire and after 2 finishing shots when we came up on him.

Moose #2 was 180 yds, two .375 250 gr ttsx rounds. First hit mid lungs, second hit the CNS on the run.

Moose #3 was 420 yds, two .338 210 gr ttsx to the lungs. About 1 min from first hit to go down.

Moose #4 was 425 yds, two .338 210 gr ttsx to low lungs/heart area. First shot would have had him down in less than 10 seconds but I got the second one right before he went down.

Moose #5 was about 525 yds, two 6mm 112 Barnes Match Burners. The reaction was very similar to Moose #4 but this was a spike fork moose whereas #4 was a large bodied 55 incher. Very similar shot placement too. This was by a hunting partner last year. Impressive shooting and has inspired me to keep going down in caliber. Shot placement with a good bullet at appropriate velocity really is most important.

 

[KeepHammering]

Moose #1 was 180 yds, .375 300gr A Frame hit mid-high lungs and took 5-10 min to expire and after 2 finishing shots when we came up on him.

Moose #2 was 180 yds, two .375 250 gr ttsx rounds. First hit mid lungs, second hit the CNS on the run.

Moose #3 was 420 yds, two .338 210 gr ttsx to the lungs. About 1 min from first hit to go down.

Moose #4 was 425 yds, two .338 210 gr ttsx to low lungs/heart area. First shot would have had him down in less than 10 seconds but I got the second one right before he went down.

Moose #5 was about 525 yds, two 6mm 112 Barnes Match Burners. The reaction was very similar to Moose #4 but this was a spike fork moose whereas #4 was a large bodied 55 incher. Very similar shot placement too. This was by a hunting partner last year. Impressive shooting and has inspired me to keep going down in caliber. Shot placement with a good bullet at appropriate velocity really is most important.

I really appreciate everyone's continued detailed info and experiences. Also the honesty of real life results and mindset.

I know all of the data is anecdotal and experiential at some level, but collectively it all adds up to some great information!

 

[D Lee]

30-06 w/200 gr Patitions - up close and personal. Never the wrong answer. Congrats to all who posted.

 

[Brontosaurus]

+1 on the 130 tmk too. I think it would destroy a moose.

It's not too far behind the ELD at distance either. My gun is lethal to 670 yards with the TMK. The ELD is lethal to 750 yards.

130 TMKs are devastating.

 

[rickyw]

I would be curious about shooting a moose with a .375, 270 grain Speer boat tail soft point.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

30-06 with partition is still a winning ticket for sure.

That’s what I used last year, it worked great. My biggest bull yet.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

30-06 w/200 gr Patitions - up close and personal. Never the wrong answer. Congrats to all who posted.

I used to only shoot 200g partitions out of my 30-06 but went back to the 180s for a bit more speed when I cut the barrel of my 06 to shoot with a silencer. In my m70 that still has a 22” barrel I shoot 200s and 220s.