Alaska maybe

[redneck2]

i have a very outside chance of an Alaska hunt next year. Moose maybe. Thinking ahead to the proper firearm combo.

I've got a Savage 99 in .300 Savage. Dunno that I want to take a 66 year old wood stocked gun. Thinking maybe a Tikka lite in .260 Rem with a Leupold VX-6 2-12x42. I could use it for deer here in Indiana. Moderate recoil with adequate punch with the correct bullet.

Thoughts or ideas?

 

[Coyote3855]

Never shot a moose. I'm sure you will hear from those who say shot placement is everything, and they are correct. If I were going after moose and limited to the firearms I own, I would use my Model 70 .30-06 with 220 grain bullets. If I were buying a new gun for the venture, I'd consider the .338. Just my opinion, but I think the Savage is pretty light. I have no experience with the .260; it may be adequate for a 2000 pound animal.

 

[Robert]

I'd take a Winchester M70 Safari Express in 375H&H with a 2.5-8x36 VX3 if it were me. But then I own one...

 

[Japle]

A 7mm or .300 mag will do the job and you can always load it down to more comfortable levels for deer.

A 140 gr bullet in the 260 is light for moose. I mean really light. I know Jack O’Connor shot moose with 130 gr bullets in his .270, but I’d take something more powerful. A .280 Remington with 160-175 gr bullets is about as light as I’d want to go.

 

[Sunray]

The only issue with a Savage 99 in .300 Savage is that you will not find ammo anywhere should your's go missing. Airlines lose stuff all the time. Mind you, you probably won't find .260 Rem either. Best to ask your outfitter. The Walmart Test applies in some parts of Alaska though.
No driving through Canada with a firearm without our permits either. Not as big a deal as it sounds, but it's a $25Cdn expense.
The 2-12x42 is too heavy to lug around. Too much magnification too, but it's primarily the weight of the scope. Even though it's only a pound and a foot long it'll get heavy by the end of the day. Mind you, if it's what you have, it'll do.
.30-06 with 220 grain bullets will do but you really don't need more than a 165. Bullwinkle has been killed regularly with .30-30's so he's really not that difficult to kill. Lot of 'up' in Alaska though.

 

[Orcon]

There's an heirloom 99F in my family chambered in 300 Savage, my uncle took his Alaskan moose with it back in the early 80s. Other family members have used it to take every manner of game available in the lower 48.

 

[jmr40]

The 300 Savage duplicated 30-06 loads of the 1940's. It'll do anything a 30-06 would have done 66 years ago.

The 260 is a ballistic twin of the 6.5X55 which has been killing moose and every other animal on the planet since 1891. The only reason I'd give using one a 2nd thought is concerns about meeting up with a big bear. And in that case the 375 recommendation Robert made makes sense. You don't need it for moose, but it would stop a 1200 lb bear better.

But I'd not touch a 260 right now. The 6.5 Creedmoor will kill the 260 in another decade. The rounds are very, very similar. The 260 was the darling of the 1000 yard target shooters for years, but they were having to tweak factory loads and build custom rifles to get it to do what they needed. The 6.5 Creedmoor was developed about 10 years ago to address the 260's shortcomings in both rifles and ammo. Hunters discovered it and it has really taken off. Companies are dropping 260 offerings and replacing them with the 6.5.

The 260 has never been popular, but you can readily find 6.5 ammo now anywhere. Walmart carries several different options for it. You rarely see 260 ammo anywhere.

 

[Charliefrank]

As large as moose are, it doesn't take a lot to kill them. Proper shot placement and don't push the distance of your particular cartridge. The 260? Depends on the range of your encounter. 270 or 30-06 out to 150 yards should do.

 

[herrwalther]

There is a family of homesteaders in Alaska who are almost completely self sufficient on their property. A few bear or moose a season will feed them for the majority of the year. Most of them still hunt with the Wincherster 70s 30-06 passed down through the family. The last couple generations have started to handload rounds for their weapons, although they don't reveal on the show what they use or it gets edited out.

 

[Skylerbone]

I can only speak to my single experience with moose hunting. I took a pair of 30-06s and because I got nervous about Canadian Law (ok my unfamiliarity with it and with my guide) I chose a factory loaded 180gr bonded from Winchester. One Model 70, one 700, a 3-9x which is what did the trick and a 4-16x which I didn't need.

The moose I got was considerably larger than my father's and dropped without much fuss within a few dozen yards while his made a short sprint despite being hit by a .300 Win Mag. The moose couldn't seem to discern the difference in .30 cal rounds and unlike whitetail they were all too eager to not fight dying.

With around 20 lbs of gear to haul around for hours each day I was ready for a lighter combo on day 5 but managed to suck it up without much trouble. I will say your outfitter should be a trusted resource for what to expect as another hunter in camp was simply driven from farm to farm to pick from moose that showed up while we 4-wheeled and walked through bogs, sat blinds, and even spent a day in a climbing stand in the middle of nowhere. If you're chancing a $20k hunt just be sure you are ready and willing to do what's necessary physically.

If I could do it over, caliber wise I'd probably pick 6.5 Creedmoor or a short magnum perhaps and 165gr with a 4-12x Leupold VX-2 or better. I'd ditch every piece of non-critical gear and carry that weight in extra water and snacks as burning all those calories makes for one serious appetite. The indispensable pieces of gear on my hunt were an accurate range finder and good binoculars. I'd probably invest in a nice compact digital camera as well, but alas I used my iPhone. Fingers crossed you get to go!

It's difficult to imagine the size of these things without some perspective (and this isn't Alaskan sized); The guide who was nearly 6'4" drove to that phone pole, climbed on top of a 5'+ 4-wheeler, and reached as high up as he could to attach the chainfall before hoisting the moose up to clean.


Glad I brought a second rifle!


Hunting a massive beaver dam over a lake and flats. Good binoculars were a must.


These fire lanes stretch for miles and look like something from a fable.

 

[mag1911]

Been a loooong time since I was in Alaska but there wasn't much resupply back then if you lost/broke something. I'd ask the guide what he recommended in view of that. I wouldn't go under gunned just to save money. Buy a rifle for Alaska and sell it later if you want something different around home.

 

[lemaymiami]

I'm not a hunter (except for two legged animals...) but my brother lives up in Alaska and does hunt moose (and caribou, and everything else..) every year. His idea of a rifle is a 375 H&H (he has three of them). In the interior of Alaska the bears have learned to associate a rifle shot with a feeding opportunity so he tries to always hunt with another hunter.... To give you a better idea of his type of moose hunting it's on foot in timber along hillsides - at fairly close quarters (entire too close from my perspective).

Since I'm a full time fishing guide (a long ways from Alaska) I'll second the advice to ask your guide what to bring. No one else will have a better handle on local conditions and circumstances... By the way, the one time I was up that way moose was the best eating game meat at the table (much better than caribou...) in my opinion....

 

[redneck2]

I’d be going with two other guys. One has lived there on and off for 20+ years. Other guy is a hard core hunter

 

[Armored farmer]

My only moose hunt I practice with my .30 06 out to 300 yds. Got to my hunting area in Ontario and couldn't see 100yds. I had just as well brought my slug gun. Seriously.

Know your terrain.
Best wishes.

 

[Gordon]

If I had to hunt moose with your .260 I would place this bullet in the right place and be assured of a fast kill. The velocity should be around 2500 FPS from the muzzle with a mellow load, that is a perfect range for penetration and you probably will get 1/2" expansion with this bullet- all the way thru ala Karamojo Bell
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-160-grain-weldcore-protected-point-box-of-50
260 Remington
.264" 160 GR. Hornady RN, COAL 2.800"
Remington brass, Remington 9 1/2 primer
Powder Charge Velocity Pressure
IMR 4350 40.5 2520 57,400 PSI
IMR 4831 41.5 2520 57,200 PSI
IMR 7828 45.0 2580 58,100 PSI
be sure to sight in with this load !

 

[H&Hhunter]

If I had to hunt moose with your .260 I would place this bullet in the right place and be assured of a fast kill. The velocity should be around 2500 FPS from the muzzle with a mellow load, that is a perfect range for penetration and you probably will get 1/2" expansion with this bullet- all the way thru ala Karamojo Bell
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-160-grain-weldcore-protected-point-box-of-50
260 Remington
.264" 160 GR. Hornady RN, COAL 2.800"
Remington brass, Remington 9 1/2 primer
Powder Charge Velocity Pressure
IMR 4350 40.5 2520 57,400 PSI
IMR 4831 41.5 2520 57,200 PSI
IMR 7828 45.0 2580 58,100 PSI
be sure to sight in with this load !

If I was going to shoot a 6.5 Creedmore on this hunt I'd be looking at a 160 gr bullet as well. AKA the 256 Manlicher that Bell used as mentioned above. But I'd be more apt to use a 160 gr Woodleigh than a Hornandy. The Woodleigh is a bonded big game bullet. The Hornandy is a thin walled cup and core bullet. Not that it would matter much at the velocities we are talking about but, I'd want all the advantage I could get with this little bugger. The Woodleigh might just bust through some tough bone that might stop the softer Hornandy.

The last moose I killed was at 269 yards and the only shot I had was straight on facing me in a big bodied bull. I was real happy I was shooting my .375 H&H with good bullets. I needed about 3 feet of penetration through heavy neck and shoulder muscle just to get to the vitals. I am NOT saying you need a medium bore rifle to kill moose, but it sure increases your shot opportunities and confidence in making them count.

 

[MidRoad]

Why not just grab a 30-06? Wouldn't have to worry about ammo availability, and it's got more snap than a 260. Not that the .260 wouldn't do the trick,but wouldn't you rather have more behind the bullet in case your ONLY chance of a moose was a marginal shot,rather than walk away empty handed. Not to mention many more rifles are available in 30-06. As for bears i would think 30-06 is a good start,but I have no experience there. I hope your guide would have a 375 or a 45-70 loaded hot that is ready to put the hammer down.

As Robert said a vx3i 2.5-8 would be a great scope. Alot cheaper than that vx6. Moose are huge, don't think a ton of magnification is needed to get you in the kill zone even if you were 500 yards away. Maybe grab a good set of binoculars for spotting. You could buy or make up alot of ammo for the price differences in those scopes too. Or buy a better rifle,than origionaly planed.

 

[Gordon]

That was the Woodliegh 160 bullet I linked to H&H

 

[H&Hhunter]

This one;

http://www.woodleighbullets.com.au/bullet-lists/traditional/264-333-list

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Use enough gun, have a synthetic stock & don't go overboard on the scope. Get a new Redfield - Leupold. Have iron sights on your rifle that are regulated incase your scope goes south. Leave the old Savage at home. Personally I would take nothing less than a .30-06, but moose have been killed by skilled hunters with .30-30's and less, but these were meat hunters.

 

[Armored farmer]

The indispensable pieces of gear on my hunt were an accurate range finder and good binoculars.

+1. Everything looks like a moose at dawn and dusk.
In my case a savage24 in .22lr/410. Was instrumental in putting grouse on the table. (Almost as much fun as moose hunting)
I was a greenhorn and had a backpack full of gear. It about killed me on the first day. My so-called guide was a part time trapper, full time hermit that lived in the Canadian bush. He told me that all that emergency gear was a good way to create an emergency.
Gun, ammo, permit, knife, bic lighter, compass, flashlight.
I have day-hunted like that ever since.

 

[DM~]

Best I can remember, I've shot 25 or 26 moose, and I've seen a lot more shot, with all kinds of different cartridges...

30-06's are so cheap, I can't see why you can't pick one up now, and get practicing with it!

It's STILL the best all around big game cartridge ever created, even for Alaska!

DM

 

[Nature Boy]

An Alaska hunting trip would be all the excuse I’d need to get my first .375 H&H

 

[CaliCoastie]

I have the wife running a 30-06 looking at getting a savage 99f in 300 savage together for her. It's not that hard to find 300 savage up here.
She also got her bow course completed, will be putting in for those hunts top.
Remember a lot of people bow hunt these animals. Firearms give you a huge heads up over that.

 

[redneck2]

getting a savage 99f in 300 savage together for her.

I think that's what mine is. Dunno. Built in 1952. Just a plain old 99.