Northwoods Sporting Journal > Articles > Featured Articles > Best Moose Guns

Best Moose Guns

BY Tom Kelly

 

Well, it finally happened! I have finally been fortunate enough to have been chosen for a moose permit. It is to be an antlerless permit in Zone 4 at the end of October. I have guided hunters on moose hunts. I hunted with Hal Blood when I was producing the S&W TV show many years ago. I was also fortunate to have been a sub-permittee and shot a moose. I have also hunted twice in Newfoundland taking two moose on separate occasions. I have been very fortunate in that respect. This time, however, I am the permittee. So, I would like to make the most of the experience. In past hunts, I have shot moose with a S&W .460 handgun and two in Newfoundland both with a .7mm Remington Magnum about 10 years apart.

This time however, I am choosing a slightly different path. A few years ago, I set up a rifle for an elk hunt. It was successful and I really liked the rifle. I have taken a few deer and one bear with it. The reason I chose this set up has a lot to do with the time of year and the timing of the hunt. By the time the late antlerless season rolls around, the cows will have seen truckloads of road hunters, campers and ATV riders. This will mean there will be a likelihood of longer shots on big bodied mature cows – (hopefully). I felt I needed a fairly heavy, well-constructed bullet with a fairly flat trajectory. It should have substantial energy to drive that bullet deep into the vitals of that moose. The trajectory should be flat enough to allow a close range shot without major adjustments. The optics are tried and true, but simple. A 3X9 power Leupold scope has always been one of my favorites for a wide variety of hunting situations.

The Gun

Unfortunately, the rifle I have chosen is not currently in production. It is a Ruger Hawkeye M77 Compact chambered in .300 Ruger Compact Magnum. This caliber was designed to wrench long-range performance from a shorty compact rifle. It shoots a 180 gr. bullet achieving 2900 feet per second with a muzzle energy of 3323 foot lbs. of energy. At 200 yards it still maintains 2551 feet per second with 2631 foot lbs. of energy. Very capable of driving deep into the vitals of the biggest moose at any range. The trajectory is very flat as well. Sighted dead on at 100 yards, it puts a 180 gr. slug 1.4 inches low at 200 yards. Comparing this performance with the .30/06, the benchmark for most hunting comparisons, it’s impressive. A .30/06 shooting a 180 gr. bullet starts at 2700 feet per second with muzzle energy of 2913 foot lbs. At 200 yards the velocity is 2330 feet per second with 2117 foot lbs. of energy. A significant distinction. This total package worked well on elk and bears for me. I used a 150 gr. bullet on long range hayfield whitetails as well. It has proven its effectiveness to me on many occasions. My sub-permittee will be using his well vetted 7mm Remington Magnum. Packaged in a Savage Model 110. I am writing this article in July so, at least this part of the planning is done. The practice needs to happen as well as scouting and preparing the travel trailer etc. Exciting stuff for sure. Bear baiting and bear season also precede the moose hunt so things will be happening in the old log cabin for sure. If you have the ability to partake in any of these types of adventures, please include a youngster, new hunter or a shooter in them. And don’t forget to thank a veteran for protecting our freedoms.

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