Which rifle should I take on my Alaskan moose hunt in September?

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

People are so emotional on caliber selection, makes me chuckle. Here is my .02.

I stopped counting the number of moose I or my kids have shot at 28 and that was a few years ago. I have killed them with a cheap savage American youth model 7mm-08, .270, .308, 30-06 and .300 WM. All of those rifles did fine on moose and the 7mm-08 turned a charging Grizzly at 30 yds (did not have to kill him though).

Interestingly out of all the calibers the .300 WM took the most shots to kill a moose once. I was using Hornady hot loaded ballistic tips and shot a moose at 50 yds, he didn't even flinch. I thought there is no way I missed that thing and proceeded to shoot the thing a total of six times before it just fell over. Went up to the moose and counted six holes right through the lungs the diameter of a ball point pen (entry and exit), the bullets never expanded just passed right through.

Frank Glaser loved the .220 swift for moose, caribou and sheep and he shot more of those three species than any of us ever will.

Use the rifle you are comfortable with and like shooting. For me I walk a lot when hunting and choose the lightest rifle available in a reasonable caliber.

My favorite ammo is Remington Core-Lokt. Cheap but I use it for everything from Sheep to Grizzly and have never had an issue with it.

The only caution I would give on the 6.5 is that it is light for a charging grizzly. On a hunt a couple of years ago we had a rather large mountain grizzly storm our camp and I shot it twice through the lungs with a 30-06. Should have waited longer, but we were moose hunting and had a 6 hour hike ahead of us to move to a new spike camp. I knew he was hit really hard so we went in the dwarf birch after him. A blind man could have followed that blood trail, he easily lost about 2 gallons of blood. Sure enough 20 yds into the bushes I hear the huffing and see the bushes rattling hard, he was in a full death charge, between me and my 2 hunting partners we put 5 bullets into him and he died about 4 feet from one of them. Anyway, the guy closest to the bear was using a 6.5 and we found two of his bullets, one penetrated the hide on the lower front ankle and literally stopped on the bone, the other penetrated a little higher and only made it about 2 inches, neither would have remotely stopped the bear.

Wish you well on your hunt and hope you are successful.

Not an argument but what bullet was the guy using in his 6.5? I ask since not all bullets are the same.

 

[alaska80]

Not an argument but what bullet was the guy using in his 6.5? I ask since not all bullets are the same.

They were something very close to the Hornady 143 grain precision hunter. I do not remember exactly though.

 

[Muskykris]

People are so emotional on caliber selection, makes me chuckle. Here is my .02.

I stopped counting the number of moose I or my kids have shot at 28 and that was a few years ago. I have killed them with a cheap savage American youth model 7mm-08, .270, .308, 30-06 and .300 WM. All of those rifles did fine on moose and the 7mm-08 turned a charging Grizzly at 30 yds (did not have to kill him though).

Interestingly out of all the calibers the .300 WM took the most shots to kill a moose once. I was using Hornady hot loaded ballistic tips and shot a moose at 50 yds, he didn't even flinch. I thought there is no way I missed that thing and proceeded to shoot the thing a total of six times before it just fell over. Went up to the moose and counted six holes right through the lungs the diameter of a ball point pen (entry and exit), the bullets never expanded just passed right through.

Frank Glaser loved the .220 swift for moose, caribou and sheep and he shot more of those three species than any of us ever will.

Use the rifle you are comfortable with and like shooting. For me I walk a lot when hunting and choose the lightest rifle available in a reasonable caliber.

My favorite ammo is Remington Core-Lokt. Cheap but I use it for everything from Sheep to Grizzly and have never had an issue with it.

The only caution I would give on the 6.5 is that it is light for a charging grizzly. On a hunt a couple of years ago we had a rather large mountain grizzly storm our camp and I shot it twice through the lungs with a 30-06. Should have waited longer, but we were moose hunting and had a 6 hour hike ahead of us to move to a new spike camp. I knew he was hit really hard so we went in the dwarf birch after him. A blind man could have followed that blood trail, he easily lost about 2 gallons of blood. Sure enough 20 yds into the bushes I hear the huffing and see the bushes rattling hard, he was in a full death charge, between me and my 2 hunting partners we put 5 bullets into him and he died about 4 feet from one of them. Anyway, the guy closest to the bear was using a 6.5 and we found two of his bullets, one penetrated the hide on the lower front ankle and literally stopped on the bone, the other penetrated a little higher and only made it about 2 inches, neither would have remotely stopped the bear.

Wish you well on your hunt and hope you are successful.

Surprised to hear those ballistics didn’t grenade on impact

 

[alaska80]

Surprised to hear those ballistics didn’t grenade on impact

Yeah, guess it could have been some lot defect. Definitely rattled my buddy though as the bear was headed straight for him and died in a pile literally less than a paw swipe away. He wont take anything less than a .308 now.

 

[amassi]

Take your light 308 and eld-m load. Your golden

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[PA Hunter]

I am partial for the .300 RUMS especially in Alaska not just for moose but the occasional carnivore that you may run into. I am also partial to the .200 gr Accubonds.

If your dead set on your selection it would be the .308 with Accubonds.

 

[wildwilderness]

I don't know why you aren't taking an AR with 77 TMKs?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

/\ this with a red dot mounted at a 45 on the rail for the upclose and personal shots

 

[atmat]

Another vote for .308.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I don't know why you aren't taking an AR with 77 TMKs?

Seriously - I am not a huge AR guy, but have a complete lower sitting in the safe that needs to be finished. Maybe thats the ticket.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I just sold the 6.5 CM and 308. The 308 is what I was leaning towards taking. Thinking about replace those with the new Ridgeline FFT in either 308 or 280ai. Heavily leaning towards 280ai. I’ll throw the NXS 2.5-10x42 on it. Anybody used a 280ai on moose? I’d probably shoot the 162 eldx or the 168 or 175 berger out of it.

 

[VernAK]

I just sold the 6.5 CM and 308. The 308 is what I was leaning towards taking. Thinking about replace those with the new Ridgeline FFT in either 308 or 280ai. Heavily leaning towards 280ai. I’ll throw the NXS 2.5-10x42 on it. Anybody used a 280ai on moose? I’d probably shoot the 162 eldx or the 168 or 175 berger out of it.

The 280AI cartridge is an excellent choice in a trim light hunting rifle. Think 7RM!

 

[S-3 ranch]

I just sold the 6.5 CM and 308. The 308 is what I was leaning towards taking. Thinking about replace those with the new Ridgeline FFT in either 308 or 280ai. Heavily leaning towards 280ai. I’ll throw the NXS 2.5-10x42 on it. Anybody used a 280ai on moose? I’d probably shoot the 162 eldx or the 168 or 175 berger out of it.

The .280 & 280AI are nice handi rifles , still not a fan of ELD & berger
for penitrating bone and muscle, but everything is debatable?? They are probably fine @ 250-300 meters velocity

still baffled by your scornful attitude towards penetrating bullets on moose,

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The .280 & 280AI are nice handi rifles , still not a fan of ELD & berger
for penitrating bone and muscle, but everything is debatable?? They are probably fine @ 250-300 meters velocity

still baffled by your scornful attitude towards penetrating bullets on moose,

Man, so I went the rounds with bullets for a decade. i loaded barnse tsx, ttsx, accubonds, partitions aframes etc in 300 wbys, 300 rums 7mm RMs. They will kill, and often has pass throughs, which was good because they often ran a long ways and I had to track them. I went to a 215 berger in the 300 rum and a 168 in my 7mm and it was a game changer - big bull elk taking a wobbly step and tipping over after one shot. Heard Amax were less sensitive to seating depth, but functioned the same way as the berger, so I started loading those and had the same quick kill results. ELDM is the amax with the heat resistant tip, so went that direction. Everything shot has had the same results - one or two wobbly steps and down like a ton of bricks. No more running, no more tracking, no more multiple shots. They just work for me.

 

[Panhandler80]

This thread hurts my round thing on top of the neck.

I will say this, the mock bear charge with bolt action was revealing.

 

[Mangata]

Lol, I just got a 280 AI, and have four boxes of the 162 gr ELDx loaded for Kodiak goat & blacktail. I figured that it would go in the boat for moose this season as well. The thread has made a loop !!
(Will still have my WWG .457 Copilot in the boat as well…)

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Lol, I just got a 280 AI, and have four boxes of the 162 gr ELDx loaded for Kodiak goat & blacktail. I figured that it would go in the boat for moose this season as well. The thread has made a loop !!
(Will still have my WWG .457 Copilot in the boat as well…)

Yeah, sorry…its been a rollercoaster ride for sure. Didn’t think my bullet choice would take it over. I feel like I ended up in a good spot though. My 280 AI should be here next week and hopefully I can track down some ammo for it by September I personally don’t see the difference between a 162gr bullet out of a 280AI and a 168gr bullet out of a 308 out to 3 or 400 yards. Seems like the 280 AI is getting more love and acceptance for moose tho…lol. I am excited, I have been wanting a 280 for a while.

 

[Mangata]

I used Choice Ammunition. They show the ELDx loads out of stock currently however.
I cow call exclusively. My bulls are all under 100 yds & coming in hot!! If you are planning more mountainous country then 3-400yd shots may come into play.

 

[Panhandler80]

I used Choice Ammunition. They show the ELDx loads out of stock currently however.
I cow call exclusively. My bulls are all under 100 yds & coming in hot!! If you are planning more mountainous country then 3-400yd shots may come into play.

I am bringing a 300 Win mag with choice ammo shooting a barnes 180 TTSX.

I’m confidence out to about 400.

I have shot better guns. And better combos. But this makes sense to me on the moose and my first time moose hunt.

I am no expert. Just went for a run of the mill combo the people seem to support

 

[thinhorn_AK]

This thread hurts my round thing on top of the neck.

I will say this, the mock bear charge with bolt action was revealing.

What?!?!?? C’mon!!! Nobody has ever survived a bear charge without a semi auto rifle!!!.