Rifle for moose

[Tim Pierce]

I have booked a trip to Newfoundland for moose in September. I have a .270 Savage and a 308 Savage, but the outfitter tells me both are inadequate for moose past 150 yards. He recommends 30-06, 300 win mag, or 7mm rem mag. I don't want to spend a lot, so I narrowed the gun down to Savage 110, Tikka T3x, or Howa. Which would you choose and why? I will invest in a a good scope for the rifle.

 

[Varminterror]

Personally, of those 3, I’d get a 300wm, but not due to any fault of the .30-06 or 7rm. Since you already have 2 Savages, it could be wise to get another Savage for the familiarity. Alternatively, it may be interesting for you to experience a different model. In principle, I’d recommend the former, keeping a familiar fit and manual of arms. In practice, I end up buying a lot of varied rifle models.

 

[someguy2800]

I like the tikka. They are very smooth and accurate rifles, very light, and the polymer stocks are some of the best polymer stocks available. I like the howa action but don't really care for the stocks.

On a side note it kind of humorous to me that someone would say a 308 is inadequate but a 30-06 is. That seems to me a sentiment made in feeling and not logic, but if that's what he wants its probably best to appease him.

 

[climbnjump]

Personally, of those 3, I’d get a 300wm, but not due to any fault of the .30-06 or 7rm.

Personally, I have and am partial to a 7mm RM but don't have a 300WM to compare it to (although I've shot a couple). But I think I would agree with the choice of 300WM if you are buying one of those three for this hunt. While a 7mm RM (and .30-06) will certainly kill a moose, I think you'd have a better selection of heavier bullet loads in the 300WM. Just my opinion...

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Tikkas are pretty much King here in Alaska as far as price, accuracy, weight, and features desired (stainless and weatherproof).

If you're buying a new one, might as well go 300 win.

 

[redneck2]

Since it’s a Savage, could you screw on a .30-06 barrel? Unless you really want a new rifle

If I were buying new, I’d get something bigger than the .30-06 simply because it’s so close to the .308. I personally would use a 7 mag simply because I have one and it will do more than .270, .308, and .30-06 and be very close to the .300 WM.

 

[adcoch1]

You can't go wrong with any of the rifle brands, tikka probably has less problems with accuracy as a company than the other two, but they all make good shooting rifles. Personal pick is a tikka in stainless.

I would also say 30 cal ( or bigger) over any of your other options, but if the range isn't crazy your 308 would work perfect. Otherwise the 300WM.

 

[troy fairweather]

I'd go for a 7rm tikka, but all are fine. Savage have been spotty the last 5 years or so.

 

[Garandimal]

A .270 WCF and 150 gr. NP, or 140 gr. TSX, will take North American Anything to 300 yards... if you do your part.
(and if you don't, a larger caliber won't help you any)

They have the SD of a 180 gr. .30 cal., over 1500 lb-ft of energy at 300 yds., and only ~ 7" of drop at that range when sighted in at 200.

All with lower recoil in a rifle you already own and shoot.


Spend your money on good ammo and marksmanship.




GR

 

[Robert]

Me, 30-06. Or my 375 H&H

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Just to be clear, you have 2 Savage rifles... One on .270 Winchester and one in .308 Winchester??

Because both would do the trick with good ammo, even though they wouldn't be my first choice.

But, if you're dropping coin on a hunt, and you want an ideal round, I'd still go 300win in a Tikka as I posted before

 

[jmr40]

Your guide may know moose, but he is clueless about rifles.

If he refuses to let you take what you have then pick one. I like Tikka the best and I like 300 WSM a lot more than 300 WM. The 30-06 would normally be my pick, but it isn't really a step up over your current 270.

Your 308 loaded with a good 180 gr bullet or your 270 loaded with good 150 gr bullets will kill a moose just as well as anything. In most of Europe the 6.5X55 is a popular moose cartridge.

 

[d2wing]

I am a Tikka fan but Howa makes a decent rifle. I like the 30-06 because of bullet choices but any of those is fine. Out to 300 yards I can't tell much difference between the 7 MM and 30-06 and I doubt you will take shots on moose that far. 300 WM is great but I can't take the recoil anymore. I don't think any of them is a bad choice. I am very fond of my Tikka 7-08 but nobody gets to tell me what to shoot. Tikka 30-06 gets my vote. But I also think your 308 would be fine.

 

[illinoisburt]

Honestly buy a cuple boxes of old Remington 180 grain corelokts for the 308 and sight in 2 inches high at 100 yards then go hunt. The factory spec is 2620 fps for 308 versus 2700 fps for same bullet in 30-06. Within the 300 yards, there won't be any real difference in terminal performance.

 

[Gordon]

Honestly buy a cuple boxes of old Remington 180 grain corelokts for the 308 and sight in 2 inches high at 100 yards then go hunt. The factory spec is 2620 fps for 308 versus 2700 fps for same bullet in 30-06. Within the 300 yards, there won't be any real difference in terminal performance.

Here is the truth and the .300 Win mag only gets 300 fps better ! You know the muzzle velocity of a Daisy BB gun is 300 fps right ? Any way a .308 Winchester 180 grain Federal Premium Nosler Partition will most certainly work well to 300 yards + . Most moose's I ever heard are shot within that. If you want a new rifle , which you will need a quality scope and mounts then the Tikka is nice. To shut up that uniformed guide I would get a bigger bore, .338 Win mag or bigger .

 

[MrCleanOK]

I have booked a trip to Newfoundland for moose in September. I have a .270 Savage and a 308 Savage, but the outfitter tells me both are inadequate for moose past 150 yards. He recommends 30-06, 300 win mag, or 7mm rem mag. I don't want to spend a lot, so I narrowed the gun down to Savage 110, Tikka T3x, or Howa. Which would you choose and why? I will invest in a a good scope for the rifle.

Opinions on terminal ballistics aside; if your guide can't get you within 150 yards of a moose, you need a new guide.

Get a heavy bonded or solid copper bullet for that .308 and practice until you can empty the gun into a paper pie plate every time, no misses. Follow up shots on moose are a good idea and you should be practiced enough to do the deed from field positions. Practice ammo and range time is a lot cheaper than a new rifle, new scope, and practice ammo in a new caliber.

Two of my close friends do all their Alaska moose hunting with 7mm-08's. Swamp donkeys aren't hard to kill.

 

[Skylerbone]

Like your Newfie guide my guide in Alberta didn’t know a bolt action from a blue bird. He was near insistent that I use my father’s 300 WM instead of the 30-06 I brought. I simply told him they were the same thing (he’d never fired a centerfire rifle) and he was finally content to let me kill a moose.

Flip a coin and pick from what you already own.

 

[Garandimal]

...To shut up that uniformed guide I would get a bigger bore, .338 Win mag or bigger .

A 9.3x62mm cartridge compared to a .308 Winchester



​

GR

 

[gotboostvr]

If a -06 is G2G, so is a 308win.

I'd be hesitant to pick up an -06 just cause they're so close in performance to what you already have.

I'd either talk him into letting you use heavy bullets in the 308, or step up to something considerably more powerful if you can handle it.

 

[entropy]

I'd be looking for a new guide; his lack of knowledge about cartridges makes me wonder what else he knows little about.

 

[DocRock]

His hunt, his rules, but the idea that a 308 win with 175 grs Berger, for example, “isn’t effective beyond 150 yards” is a silly thing to say (and I’m a 30-06 loving 308 basher!). And, I predict you will bag your moose at under 150yards in moderate to heavy cover.

Since you have the misfortune of owning a 308 rifle rather than a 30-06, I agree with others above: 7mm Mag. I’d get it in a Savage as closely configured to your 308 rifle as possible.

It will be a great time. Stay away from the Screech and have a good hunt!

 

[Demi-human]

(he’d never fired a centerfire rifle) and he was finally content to let me kill a moose.

Shouldn’t using a firearm be a prerequisite to guiding others to hunt with a firearm?

Strange. But at least you went!

 

[hq]

I have booked a trip to Newfoundland for moose in September. I have a .270 Savage and a 308 Savage, but the outfitter tells me both are inadequate for moose past 150 yards.

FWIW, the vast majority of 55.000-60.000 moose downed in Finland annually are shot with .308. The caliber is so common it's almost synonymous to "moose rifle". In case of a mediocre or marginal shot a more powerful caliber reduces the probability of a lengthy tracking job slightly, but I wouldn't feel the slightest bit undergunned with one.

If you WANT another rifle, go for it, but don't do it just because your outfitter has an opinion.

 

[DM~]

How much recoil can you stand?

I don't like recoil, so if I had magnum-idis, I'd pick the 7 Rem. mag EVERY time! It definitely has less felt recoil than a 300 Win. Mag..

I don't like recoil, so I would pick the 30-06, if it was me, with your choices…

DM

 

[Laphroaig]

I got back from my second Newfoundland moose hunt this October. I killed a bull both times with a 30-06, 180 Partitions. I don't agree with your guide at all. Moose tend to die easy, elk die hard. I'd use either of you rifles for elk, and have no qualms using them for moose.

BTW, my shots were 275 and 150 yards.



Got this fellow the morning of the last day. It was tough hunting this time! Before you bust me for the size of the rack, I'm totally happy with the meat. He's much more tender than the last one.