New moose rifle? .300 WM vs .338 WM

[mtnhmr]

If you're comfortable and confident in shooting 300-500 yards, the .300WM is a solid choice as you will have the velocity and energy to finish the job nicely. Anything under 300 yards, you will see the .300WM easily penetrate (through and through) but also create a lot of muscle trauma due to the velocity on well placed and misplaced shots. I know a few lads who launch .300WM shots at 700 yards on moose, unfortunately they won't stop shooting until the animal has been punctured multiple times.

/vote .375H&H or something similar +/-... big bore guns for big AK/Yukon moose all day. They're too large and I surely dislike following an animal into the musky marshes they joyfully frequent. This is of course for anything 250 yards or under.

PS: .300WM = slap / .375H&H = punch

 

[mtnhmr]

Or, save yourself the cash and become attuned with the 30-06 as any lung or vital shot will also do the job. Confidence in your tool makes up for the lack of confidence by increasing your firepower.

I'm seeing too much trauma from the .300WM and use a .366 250gr to break bone/immobilize moose/bear/bison.

 

[duckhunter175]

.338wm! Great bullets available (210gr TTSX, 225gr NAB, 250gr NPT) and with the right rifle the recoil is completely manageable. I'm not sure how it will feel in a Kimber but my CRF Model 70 with a 24" barrel weighs in around 9.25lbs (with a fancy walnut stock) and can be shot all day without issue.

I like the idea of a .375 of some form but I've never hunted in grizz country. I feel the draw back is that rifle will be less useful outside of that particular hunt than a .338wm in a good platform.

I owned a Kimber .280ai select grade-- it, like mcseal said, was not a dream to shoot. However the results were hard to argue with. I traded that gun off but I'm considering a synthetic version...

 

[FLAK]

I'm a 300 Win Mag guy. BUT
The .338 Would be a great all round gun, esp. if yo uhave
the 06 already.
I might would even jump up to the 375 Ruger.

 

[Fullfan]

I have two Montana's in 300WSM. Like mentioned above I would not want to shot either. Friend of mine has a Montana in 300Wm even with the brake it is not fun to shoot. My WSM is not bad for recoil and with hand loaded 180 TTSX at 3000 fps it can shoot better than I do. Good luck in your choice.

 

[mcseal2]

If you're comfortable and confident in shooting 300-500 yards, the .300WM is a solid choice as you will have the velocity and energy to finish the job nicely. Anything under 300 yards, you will see the .300WM easily penetrate (through and through) but also create a lot of muscle trauma due to the velocity on well placed and misplaced shots. I know a few lads who launch .300WM shots at 700 yards on moose, unfortunately they won't stop shooting until the animal has been punctured multiple times.

/vote .375H&H or something similar +/-... big bore guns for big AK/Yukon moose all day. They're too large and I surely dislike following an animal into the musky marshes they joyfully frequent. This is of course for anything 250 yards or under.

PS: .300WM = slap / .375H&H = punch

Just curious do you still see this with the all metal bullets like a Barnes X or Nosler E tip? I have only seen the 2 moose shot and they were at 300 and 500yds, so I don't know about closer. I plan to use this bullet for mule deer and elk since it shoots so well and am curious. Thanks.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

Unless you have a particular reason for the high velocity, 338 wm all day. Great factory ammo options in AK, great bullet and loading options if you handload, and more efficient powder usage if you wanted a shorter barrel. Or, like others have suggested, go to a 375 for really cover some bases. People who've seen many more moose hunted than me usually say there's not much difference in effect from a 270-30 cal until you get up around .358 cal and higher. But there is the weight penalty when you get to the 375's. If you by chance, hand load and like cup and core bullets, I suggest a nice lightweight 358 win, 35 whelen, or 9.3x62 and don't look back. Or just use your 30-06 as most do in AK.

 

[North61]

For moose it's shot placement not bullet displacement (within reason)! I haven't found much difference between the different calibers when a good bullet goes through both lungs of a moose. I think 30 caliber is a good place to start and it would also be a good place to end for a good moose round. That said I use a 348 Winchester for my moose hunting because of the extra style points of the old 71 in the canoe.

 

[Robinhood21]

Heck just get a 300 RUM and be done

Funny you say that, I asked about the 300RUM vs the 300WM for moose on 24hourcampfire (I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER). Everybody thought I was crazy for wanting to take a RUM and even the 300WM... you would have thought I just cussed out their Grandmother. Basically telling me that the guides would think I'm a city slicker that doesn't know how to hunt if I took a 300RUM (I even stated in the original post that it was a DIY hunt and not guided LOL!) and was told to not buy a new rifle for my hunt that's 22 months away because it wasn't enough time to "know my rifle".

Even had people that were telling me to take my 6.5CM because that's currently the largest caliber I own and people automatically thought I couldn't handle recoil???

I tried firing back for a couple days but then realized it was useless as the whole thread got derailed because they couldn't read the original post and they tried to answer questions I didn't ask. It was quite comical really. I quickly realized why I don't spend much time there anymore...

 

[EastMT]

I would get the one that appeals to you the most. Anything from 243 up will do the job, I personally like to stick with 30 cal guns because I don’t have to stock so many different bullets. Your reasoning doesn’t even have to make sense, heck I own one rifle because I like the way the cartridge looks hahaha.


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[SLDMTN]

I tried firing back for a couple days but then realized it was useless as the whole thread got derailed because they couldn't read the original post and they tried to answer questions I didn't ask. It was quite comical really. I quickly realized why I don't spend much time there anymore...

That place is something else, I had a guy from a flat state argue with me about which tent someone should take to Alaska. Far as I know he’d never even been here, much less even hunted here. Probably the only time I’ve ever posted there. I’m sure there’s some good dudes but the keyboard war veterans with 25k posts are unbearable.

And for what it’s worth, I hate recoil, I’m a wimp I guess. I will second what BRWNBR said about stock design affecting recoil. My brother’s Kimber .338 WM kicks less than my Dad’s Ruger .338 WM. It’s just more pleasant to shoot.

One last note, I had a Rem 700 in .300 RUM for a little while. Forget that noise, sold it after about a season.

 

[Robinhood21]

That place is something else, I had a guy from a flat state argue with me about which tent someone should take to Alaska. Far as I know he’d never even been here, much less even hunted here. Probably the only time I’ve ever posted there. I’m sure there’s some good dudes but the keyboard war veterans with 25k posts are unbearable.

No doubt, and I thought archerytalk was bad...


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[SLDMTN]

I’d suggest sticking to the classics that every store up here has 30-06, 300 WM, 338 WM, 375 H&H.

 

[AK Troutbum]

One thing to consider, call me paranoid but you can’t fly guns and ammo in the same case.

Is that something new Kyle? I’ve always put my ammo with my firearm, in the same case, when I’ve flown commercial. It’s been a little over a year though since I’ve done it.


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[SLDMTN]

Is that something new Kyle? I’ve always put my ammo with my firearm, in the same case, when I’ve flown commercial. It’s been a little over a year though since I’ve done it.


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Not sure honestly but I didn’t think it was new. They checked when I flew to Kodiak in August. I’m much less experienced flying guns than you are. Maybe I got the one TSA dude that interpreted the rules wrong?

 

[AK Troutbum]

Not sure honestly but I didn’t think it was new. They checked when I flew to Kodiak in August.

That was my last comm. flight as well but it was a year ago Oct. I’m pretty sure TSA checked my rifle case, while I waited (if memory serves me), and I had several boxes of ammo in with it, and nothing was said. I don’t think I’ve ever carried the ammo separate from the firearm when I’ve flown.

Anyway, sorry for derailing the thread.


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[Yellowknife]

I flew ammo in the rifle case multiple times this summer. Have done it that way countless times in the last 15 years. Only TSA rule is that the ammo has to be in it own box (ie not loose or in mags).


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[SLDMTN]

Anyway, sorry for derailing the thread.

Shoot it’s good info no matter what. I’ll be flying down with a gun again in April so it’s helpful for me at least.

 

[AKDoc]

I flew ammo in the rifle case multiple times this summer. Have done it that way countless times in the last 15 years. Only TSA rule is that the ammo has to be in it own box (ie not loose or in mags).

Exact same experiences that I have had as well flying out of ANC to/from Bethel, Kodiak, etc.

 

[AKDoc]

...Anyway, sorry for derailing the thread.

...to the OP, me too.