I don't have those, but I did load the Berger 245 Elite Hunter which is second choice.
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Choice of bullet for Moose hunt
- Thread starter topcat265
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matt_3479
Well-Known Member
I would have 0 issue using the 215's or 245's if I didn't have the 230's
memtb
Well-Known Member
Not trying to be argumentative here….I'm actually (believe it or not) attempting to be serious. This question is posed to those advocating highly accurate, relatively thin jacketed, cup and core bullets for a moose or any other large bodied, big game animal.
The OP is obviously a non resident, likely paying very big money on a guided…..perhaps "once in a lifetime" moose hunt!
With those qualifications understood…… this is the scenario. The "hunter" has only one brief opportunity to make a shot, and that one shot is a very steeply angled shot from the rear of the animal.
This shot would necessitate placing the bullet just forward of the hindquarter…..requiring the bullet to penetrate a long way through lots of tissue/organs that very likely will not cause immediate or nearly so, death! The bullet path may encounter a paunch full of wet, densely packed foliage.
So….. are you sufficiently confident it the ability of some of the aforementioned, super accurate, fast expanding cup and core bullets to reach the vitals ( diaphragm, lungs, possibly the heart, and continue on to break the off shoulder), on this "once in a lifetime", very expensive hunt?
Or, do you pass on that shot, go home empty handed, suspecting that you will "never" get to make another moose hunt?
I truly believe that this is a valid question that should be addressed! JMO. memtb
The OP is obviously a non resident, likely paying very big money on a guided…..perhaps "once in a lifetime" moose hunt!
With those qualifications understood…… this is the scenario. The "hunter" has only one brief opportunity to make a shot, and that one shot is a very steeply angled shot from the rear of the animal.
This shot would necessitate placing the bullet just forward of the hindquarter…..requiring the bullet to penetrate a long way through lots of tissue/organs that very likely will not cause immediate or nearly so, death! The bullet path may encounter a paunch full of wet, densely packed foliage.
So….. are you sufficiently confident it the ability of some of the aforementioned, super accurate, fast expanding cup and core bullets to reach the vitals ( diaphragm, lungs, possibly the heart, and continue on to break the off shoulder), on this "once in a lifetime", very expensive hunt?
Or, do you pass on that shot, go home empty handed, suspecting that you will "never" get to make another moose hunt?
I truly believe that this is a valid question that should be addressed! JMO. memtb
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Gary in MD
Well-Known Member
Been considering a Noofy moose hunt also.
Please make sure that you post up your hunt details and results.
Put me in the Barnes camp for this one.
Please make sure that you post up your hunt details and results.
Put me in the Barnes camp for this one.
memtb
Well-Known Member
topcat265,
I also failed to mention a potential issue with your Barnes inaccuracies.
This is not nearly as prevalent as with the "original" Barnes X bullet of the early '90's. This has been nearly/mostly alleviated in the newer Barnes Bullets
Before Barnes started grooving their bullets……having your rifle bore completely clean of the "gilding" metal alloy residue from conventional cup and core bullets was pretty critical. This was especially so with a bore that was less than perfect. Example: my "match grade" barrel seemed to transition from cup and core to Barnes without issues. My wife's standard factory mass produced barrel would shoot the Barnes quite good if all residual from previously used cup and core bullets was removed/cleaned! If she shot the Barnes behind cup and core with no cleaning……she was lucky to get 3" groups @ 100 yds.
Just a thought as to your issues with Barnes inaccuracies. This is "not" likely to be the problem with today's Barnes bullets but, strange things can happen! memtb
I also failed to mention a potential issue with your Barnes inaccuracies.
This is not nearly as prevalent as with the "original" Barnes X bullet of the early '90's. This has been nearly/mostly alleviated in the newer Barnes Bullets
Before Barnes started grooving their bullets……having your rifle bore completely clean of the "gilding" metal alloy residue from conventional cup and core bullets was pretty critical. This was especially so with a bore that was less than perfect. Example: my "match grade" barrel seemed to transition from cup and core to Barnes without issues. My wife's standard factory mass produced barrel would shoot the Barnes quite good if all residual from previously used cup and core bullets was removed/cleaned! If she shot the Barnes behind cup and core with no cleaning……she was lucky to get 3" groups @ 100 yds.
Just a thought as to your issues with Barnes inaccuracies. This is "not" likely to be the problem with today's Barnes bullets but, strange things can happen! memtb
Playtimefun
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Do you happen to know how far he seats them off the lands?
I have heard that the Hammers are basically exactly the same (as Barnes) in terms of how you need to reload them.
memtb
Well-Known Member
I think (from what others have said) that they are a bit easier…..more forgiving. And…..also manufactured to much higher tolerances! memtb
Playtimefun
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Ok. I have never tried them. I have a ton of Barnes bullets but I want to try them. Especially if I re-barrel my 25-06 AI to a faster twist.
Playtimefun
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@topcat265
One option that may work is to pick up a box of Barnes factory 208 grain (I believe is the weight) LRX and try them. They would have a fairly big jump off the lands as Barnes themselves say they reload them that way.
One option that may work is to pick up a box of Barnes factory 208 grain (I believe is the weight) LRX and try them. They would have a fairly big jump off the lands as Barnes themselves say they reload them that way.
I do the reloading for him and If I remember correctly I seated them .0020 off the lands.
1wildcatfan
Well-Known Member
Moose do not like my 35 Whelen spitting out 250 gr partitions.
Memtb
You are right on most of that. Unfortunately, it is my second reasonably expensive guided moose hunt to Newfoundland. On the first hunt, I organized a group of four of us and the three of them all came back with nice bulls, and I did not even see a bull moose. That outfitter was near civilization, as one of my friends needed to maintain cell service.
So this trip is with another friend. It is a helicopter in, to the middle of nowhere camp, where, hopefully, Moose will be plentiful.
The hammer bullets will be delivered on Tuesday. I will work up 20 of those and see how they shoot. I will also work up the Barnes further off the lands. Departure date is October 4, so I have a little bit of time.
My preferences, a monometal bullet.
I thank everyone for their assistance. Great educational forum…
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