Caliber for under 500 yard shots and big bears/Moose

[Habbernator]

Evening All - Watching the long distance shooting shows most people are using a variant of a 7mm for 1000 yard plus shots and stopping game in their tracks. Most of us dont shoot that far at game but many of us have shots 300 yards or less and dont have game collapse like on TV. Recently Ive debated getting a Win 300 or 375 H&H for a future moose or large brown bear hunt to stop them in their tracks.

I already have a 30.06, 308, and 7mm Rem mag. Thinking that its the bullet construction and accuracy of the marksman rather than the caliber. I am more than confident with any of those rifles. Wouldnt any of those calibers be appropriate for brown bears or moose under 300 yards with an ETip, Partition, Accubond, or TBT? Trying to justify not buying another gun for a single or two hunts in my life.

Flame away! Thanks!

 

[sagebrush]

7MM RM will do it all.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

You should be fine with the 30-06 or 7MM Mag or perhaps the .308 for hunting purposes.

All will be close to the same with point blank range sighted in at 200 or 300 yards.

With Brown Bear, I would pick your shot more selectively as far as terrain goes and look at the anatomy of a bear (they are pretty different than moose/elk/deer) and go for the double lung shot.

As for close quarters Brown Bear none would be a great option. Trying to hold you chit and trying to chamber a round with a push feed can lead to problems. A controlled feed is the option for dangerous game. Trying to aim with a scope at close range can be a challenge. At close range a 12 gauge would be a better option. Bear spray is probably the best option for a bear charging you that you have not wounded.

As far as dropping power or shock power you can shoot one bear with a .270 and it will drop in it's tracks with a double lung shot and you can shoot the next one in the same spot with a .300 win mag and it can run off. The only real effective way to stop an animal in it's tracks every time is a spine or head shot that removes the animals motor coordination. Those type of shots are difficult and will probably lead to a clean miss or wounding, neither one is desired.

A premium bullet put in the vitals will do the job to humanely kill the animal with the calibers that you have listed. The key is to have the ability to put the shot in the vitals and then doing so.

 

[elkantlers]

30-06 with 180gr Partitions will handle everything you have listed.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

338 Lapua
Step up and shoot the big dog son

 

[Ben Lamb]

30-06 with 180gr Partitions will handle everything you have listed.

Or a 180 grain Nosler E-tip

If you want a thumper, get a thumper. 416 Ruger or Remington in a bolt, .405 Winchester in a 1895 Winnie or 450 Nitro in a Ruger #1.

 

[Habbernator]

338 Lapua
Step up and shoot the big dog son

at $5 a shell...

 

[MN Public Hunter]

Just send me the 308 because you don't realize it works for anything.... LOL

 

[jryoung]

Send your 06 to JES and rebore it to a whelen. The you're covered from .284 to .358

 

[sbhooper]

If you want another rifle, I would look at a 338 for the bears. The others should do, though, with a premium bullet.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

If you want another rifle, I would look at a 338 for the bears. The others should do, though, with a premium bullet.

This is what I was thinking. 338 win not lapua, also the contoled round feeding suggestion isn't bad. I think its usually overrated but for brown bears its something worth considereing in my opinion.

 

[hank4elk]

30-06,a good scope & 165's have worked just fine for me for 35yrs.Shoots out to 600. 400 farthest killshot. Elk,deer,wildpigs,bear.
180's for bears.

 

[A-con]

You will be fine with the calibers listed.
That being said, for under 500 yards, a .338 Win. in the boiler room causes most animals to drop in their tracks.
Accurate, easy to reload, and mild recoil compared to those super mags.

 

[BuzzH]

A-con has some good advice.

I shot a 338 for years and if I were going on a hunt specifically for grizzlies, I would probably dust off the .338 that has been sitting in my gun safe for the last 4 years or so.

However, I rarely experienced the "drop in their tracks" or "mild recoil"...but typically the animals I shot with them didn't go far...and blood trails were usually most impressive.

IMO, the .338 has too much recoil in a standard weight rifle for people that don't shoot much or those that are at all recoil sensitive.

But, A-con is right, they do kill big-game quite well.

 

[Gerald Martin]

"In their tracks, stopping power", is as much shot placement as anything. Shoot a critter in the lungs and he's going to run a little bit before he dies. Shoot him, straight up the leg where the shoulders/spine/lungs intersect and it's going down.

I agree with the guys who mentioned a .338 Win Mag for moose or bears. The .325 WSM is also an option with a bit less recoil. I was always pleased with the performance of mine. Still regret that I sold it, but when ammo hit $75 a box, my 30-06 looked more inviting to shoot.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

at $5 a shell...

If you're spending the $ on moose and bear hunts what's $5 a shot? Not much

 

[mtmuley]

If I were to recommend a cartridge for the game and yardage of shots the OP mentioned, the Lapua wouldn't even make the list. Especially when the rifles he has will work fine. mtmuley

 

[ida homer]

The high shoulder shot is what you see on TV.

But they usually forget to show the point blank finishing shot it can take.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

The high shoulder shot is what you see on TV.

But they usually forget to show the point blank finishing shot it can take.

And they also forget to show the shots that got a tick higher than the lungs and under the spine. Those animals bleed lime crazy for a while and then nothing. I personally don't like the high shoulder shot but I know guys that do that with good results.

 

[Mthuntinfool]

If you are handy, something fun to do is build your own. A .35 whelen will handle a moose or bear no problem, and if you can find a mauser 98 action, a good barrel will run you around a hundred bucks. add on a stock, trigger, and safety of your choice, and you have a rifle you will have built yourself.