Hunting moose with a shotgun?

[wabbles]

Hello all,
I just got picked for a moose permit and am going through my firearms that would be appropriate for hunting moose. The shots will be within 100yrds. Basically it was my M1 Garand (legal where I will be hunting) and my shotgun.
I have found no information on hunting moose with a shotgun so assume this is because it is not done, but I will ask anyways. It has a fully rifled barrel, scope and is 3" accurate out to 100 yrds with Winchester 400 gr. Platinum Silvertip sabots.
My Garand only shoots 150 gr bullets well. The will shoot inside 3" at 100yrds. The wildlife management agency that issued my permit recommended 150 gr. bullets as a minimum. I have founds bonded bullets in that weight for the Garand.
So would you recommend either of these, or do I need to acquire a new firearm?
Thanks.

 

[ArmedBear]

Some people swear by the Barnes all-copper bullets.

Also, wasn't 165 grains the standard .30-06 load as used by the Garand?

I've been impressed with what a slow, heavy, big bullet can do on large game, and if I REALLY wasn't going to shoot past 100 yards, the shotgun might be pretty tempting.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, I would think if a 400 grain sabot slug at 1,700 FPS through the boiler room wouldn't kill it, a 30-06 probably wouldn't either.

A little untraditional perhaps, but I think it will do the job.

I would check into magazine capacity laws where you will hunt before deciding on the Garand.
There is a 5-shot capacity limit for hunting big game in many places.

rcmodel

 

[LB7_Driver]

Both will work well.
Between the two, I'd take the shotgun with premium slugs.


ETA:

Also, wasn't 165 grains the standard .30-06 load as used by the Garand?

Nope - the std M2 ball is a 147 or 150 grain bullet with a fairly fast rifle powder (IMR-4895).
Match ammo for the Garand used slightly heavier bullets (165-175 grains)

 

[ArmedBear]

A little untraditional perhaps, but I think it will do the job.

Actually, it's quite traditional.

Before we discovered the joys of flat-shooting rounds, the .45-70 killed lots of large game, dead. One-shot kills were necessary to make commercial hunting economically viable.

If you can deal with the trajectory, the .45-70 will still do what it always did, and it doesn't take fancy bullets to do it, either. Hardcast round nose lead bullets will kill anything in North America, if they're big and heavy enough.

This "shotgun" with its fully-rifled barrel, shooting 400 grain slugs, is very similar to the old .45-70, ballistically.

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW there's plenty of info out there about using .45-70-405 on moose, when I put that into Google.

 

[rcmodel]

Actually I didn't mean to imply that a big slow heavy bullet was untraditional for moose hunting.

Model 70 .375 bolt guns and .45-70 Marlins are probably a dime a dozen, but shotguns?

What I meant was, how many shotguns do you see in the far north moose woods & marshes during hunting season?

I just don't know?

rcmodel

 

[ArmedBear]

Well, a gun with a fully-rifled barrel that sends a 400 grain slug out at 1700 fps isn't really a shotgun.

It's only a "shotgun" if you live in one of the silly states that require that you hunt deer with something labeled "gauge" instead of "caliber".

By function, and by the dictionary definition, it's a shotgun frame converted to a big-bore rifle, I figure.

When I first saw the post title, I thought he was asking about a shotgun, as in something with a smooth bore, that shoots a bunch of balls.

 

[rcmodel]

More closer to a Paradox really!

Anyway, I do agree with you.
A sabot slug gun should kill a moose deader then Bullwinkle!

rcmodel

 

[moooose102]

well, for me, a moose hunt would be a once in a lifetime hunt, that will probably never happen. but if it did, i really dont think i would use the shotgun. i would work up some really good 200 or 220 grain loads for the 30-06. that is just my opinion, i am certain some people would swear by the shotgun. but i like rifles. i think you would get better penetration.

 

[Cypress]

There is not much better penetration available than a shotgun slug!!!!

 

[wabbles]

This is great feedback all. Thanks. You can always trust on THR for informative info.

 

[Angry Beaver]

3" at 100 yds. might do it but shot placement is important when hunting moose or other large game. I hunt moose with a 45-70 I can hold a group with in 2" at 100 yards. and at least one clean shot where I want it.
when you see that big guy and you start breathing fast and your hart is pumping I want something that will put it down with one shot.

 

[S&WKING]

Its a good excuse to buy a new gun you always wanted