280 Remington for Moose

[salthouse]

I was fortunate enough to draw a moose permit for the upcoming season in Maine. I plan on hunting with my 280 Rem and am now having some second thoughts on bullet selection. Originally, I was planning on using the Hornady 139gr SST Light Mag, but I'm wondering if I should go with one of the 160gr options instead. Or perhaps I'm making a big deal over a small issue. I'm confident with my ability to place the 139 light mag exactly where I want it to go, and could probably get there with the heavier round with some practice. Also, no shot over 200yds is likely. Any opinions or advice?
Thanks in advance.

 

[BsChoy]

160 grain should be fine...take him through the lungs and you'll be ok...you'd probably break the on side shoulder but not make it through and through...oh and keep ranges to under 200 yards

 

[huntershooter]

The Hornady 139 gr. is too light for Moose in my opinion. I would doubt penetration on anything other than a perfect broadside/lung shot. My vote would be a 160 gr. TSX, Nosler Partition, etc.

 

[espanola]

I think you're a little light there, Salthouse--personally I'd be more comfortable with a larger caliber...

 

[stevelyn]

The .280 is fine. You should consider a heavier stronger bullet though.

If you want to stick with Hornady, their Interbond would be the way to go. Otherwise a Nosler Partition would be my first choice. Remington and Federal both load premium bullets in their premium lines of ammo as does Winchester.

Dozens of moose drop to .270s up here every year, so you're not undergunned by any means and Maine meese are smaller than ours. Just don't take marginal shots and you'll do fine.

 

[priv8ter]

For what it's worth...

I don't think there is anything wrong with the caliber...but I think the 139gr bullet is a little to light, even driven at Hornady's light magnum velocities.

If it was me, I think I would go with the 160gr Nozler Accuframe load that Federal puts out for moose sized game. I don't think I would use the 139 on elk, let alone moose.

Congratulations on the special draw.

greg

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Go with a 160 or heavier and you'll be fine. You need penetration

 

[musher]

Hey, in case anyone hasn't mentioned it, you should go with the 160 in some sort of corebond or controlled expansion (partition) type bullet. 139 is light for a moose type critter.

 

[30-06 lover]

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http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=648524


These two would get my vote. Accubond is very accurate, hits hard retains weight and penetrates deep. Partition = enough said.
-Mike

 

[Byron Quick]

I've never had a chance to hunt moose so I won't give you advice on adequate or inadequate bullets.

You did make a comment about proper bullet placement though. And that brings up my personal hunting philosophy regarding caliber. I prefer using a caliber and bullet that can do the job with less than proper placement.

Ever had an animal take a step at the very instant the trigger broke? I have. I was aiming for a diagonal shot through a front shoulder, both lungs, and exiting around the far short ribs. What I got was a shot that hit the short ribs and exited the far rear hip. But the .35 Whelen knocked the deer down, shocked its spinal cord, and it didn't go anywhere before I got another shot into it.

I've seen people make similar shots with calibers that were suitable for the game but only with perfectly placed shots...wind up tracking wounded animals for extremely long distances through very bad weather. This is an aspect of hunting I avoid if at all possible.

 

[mete]

Byron, you're absolutely correct. Elmer Keith said the most common shot on elk he had seen was a quartering away shot. That needs much more penetration than the broadside shot and tha's why he preferred things like the 35 Whelen .....Or you could do it like they do in Norway ! www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1357411.ece

 

[WYO]

I'll probably never acquire enough points to draw a moose tag, but I'd be more than happy to pursue one using 140 grain 7mm Barnes Triple Shocks in a rifle I was comfortable with. The Alaska contingent over at 24 Hour Campfire uses 120 grain TSX's fired from 7mm-08's against some rather large critters, and they report excellent results. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=798024&an=0&page=0#798024

 

[pete f]

175 grand slams work nicely too.
the 160 partitions or failsafes are very good too.

A 175 from a 7 mm is similar in SD to a 200 from a 30-06 and they kill plenty of moose.

Moose are tough animals but they are not tough to kill like big bears or some big elk. They just do not have that drive that some other species have.

Just make sure you have some dedicate help when you get one, REALLY big when you stand next to one and you realize "damn, I have to cut this thing up."

 

[Twycross]

Another vote for a heavier, stronger bullet.

 

[freedom and guns]

There is one thing you should know ALL MOOSE ARE INSANE!!!!

 

[birddog]

Sounds like a great hunt. I think you should upgrade your caliber, though. I'm sure plenty of moose are killed with 280's and 270's, but how many more are killed with bigger (and IMO, more appropriate) calibers? Of course shot placement is critical, but upgrading a bit might be a smart move.

 

[ID_shooting]

You have gotten plenty of advice as for bullet wieght goes but I will offer you somthing else.

Start right now, practice shoot, and reload. Keep practicing for a follow up shot. Make it as fast as possible and second nature so as soon as you shoot, your work the bolt.

Moose is a strange creature, the biggest critter in the woods and they know it. They are the only ones I have seen charge the shooter if the shot didn't kill them right away. I have heard of buffalo do it but have yet to see it.

Shoot, then reload and get back onto target as quick as possible. No looking aorund to see what happened, no looking over to your buddies waiting for them to tell you how cool you are (they might all be running anyway). Shoot and immediatly get ready to shoot again.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

The SST (Interlock) holds together pretty well, in my experience (I load it into a .280 Ackley Improved). It's taken elk and whitetail for me, though they've all been headshots or heartshots.

Note, though, that the Interbond has the same exterior ballistics, but better terminal ballistics. If you can work up a similar load, it should shoot the same -- at least within the 200 yard window.

If you don't handload, such a tag might be special enough to warrant a call to Superior Ammo for a custom load. Have them match the Hornady load, and you shouldn't have to change the zero much.

 

[espanola]

Do be ready in case you need a quick follow up shot--

 

[grizz]

If you're going to use the .280 use the heaviest bullet you can get to shoot acceptably well. Moose = big. I wont even hunt elk with anything less than 180g.

In Alaska, not too many people hunt moose w/ anything less than a .30-06.

 

[killzone]

Enough said...

I vote 160G v-shock will do the shot.

 

[sumpnz]

The Hornady SST's that I'm familiar with (6.5mm) are too lightly constructed for anything much bigger or tougher than the average whitetail deer. I would personally stay away from that bullet type if the 7mm's are the same deal.

As others have said, 139gr is too light weight for moose as well. Perhaps a TSX in that weight would work OK, but I'd go for at least 160gr weight, and even then I'd want an XLC/TSX or other toughly constructed bullet to help ensure penetration. 175gr would not be unreasonable, so long as your rifle has a fast enough twist to stabilize it.

I've used 6.5mm 140gr XLC on elk (a large cow) with very good results. She only ran 38 yards (paced) before collapsing and expiring. That 140gr bullet has a SD of 0.287. The 160gr 7mm is very similar at 0.283. Scandinavians used the 6.5x55 to kill moose for a century, mostly using 155-160gr non-bonded bullets. Based on that I would not feel at all under-gunned with a .280Rem shooting a 160gr premium bonded or solid copper (a la TSX) bullets.

 

[T.R.]

There are literally thousands of native Cree who topple big moose each and every year with Winchester 30-30 carbines. The belief that moose are armor-plated is pure foolishness and I'll have no part of this marketing nonsense.

Use a heavy Nosler Partition and you'll be happy with the results. Plan to bring a sturdy wheelbarrow for moving those heavy quarters.

Good hunting to you.
Jack

 

[birddog]

The belief that moose are armor-plated is pure foolishness and I'll have no part of this marketing nonsense.

I don't think it's marketing nonsense to suggest that a bigger, powerful caliber is more effective. Just common sense. I've killed coyotes with a 22 magnum, but prefer to do it with a .30-06. I've killed lots of deer with the .30-30, but now prefer the .30-06 for them, too.

No dead is "too dead".

 

[Matt G]

You know, we were discussing .270s for moose over at The Firing Line about 6 months ago, and many were of the opinion that it was marginal, except under certain conditions with heavy bullets. I was (and am) one of those who felt so, and posted some examples of why I'd move up a caliber or two for a hunt of a lifetime.

Yes, I realize that we're talking about a .280 rather than a .270, here, but to those of us who've seen the data and drained coffeepots over discussions on the comparison of the two, I'd have to say that it's splitting hairs to try to find much difference between the two calibers' respective downrange performances.