two choices for moose

[charger 1]

Accuracy isnt the issue here ,their both one hole wonders. I'm fixed on taking my ruger #1 up moose hunting. Its had a douglas 45/100 barrel put on. I got a saeco spitzer 410 grain only has a frontal of .163". I got a 425 grain from mountain with a .276" frontal. I may have to reach out to 250yds. Honestly I like the saeco more but worry bout that small frontal. Bigger meplats kill and tend not to swerve of a twig as bad. The saeco runs 67.5 grs of H4895 and the mountain 66.5 and they both creep over the 2200 slightly with water dropped wheel weights and 2% tin

Thoughts?

PS. I hates wounded critters,anyone ever killed with the saeco or similar small frontal?

[fishhawk]

having taken 2 NW Ontario moose with what some consider a sub caliber rifle (30-06) either of those boolits through the lungs is going to bring them down. with a good hit in the vitals a moose goes down quick. steve k

[JDL]

Well, you could make the spitzer a soft point if you are intent on using it. Some say moose aren't hard to kill but, they just take a while to die. I've never had the good fortune to hunt moose but, given the caliber, I would lean toward a flat nose such as Lyman 457193 or one of the RCBS designs. Best of all would be to paper patch a slug of around 450 grains with a little tin, say 5% or less.
JDL

Let me add: I saw some pics of a deer taken with the 457125 round nose + blackpowder and was impressed with the amount of tissue damage.

[ReloaderFred]

The only moose I've killed was with a Marlin 1895 .45-70, shooting Remington 405 grain JSP over 50 grains of IMR 3031, at about 125 yards. It sounded like a kettle drum when it hit him. He was dead on his feet from a heart shot and through both lungs, but it took him a minute to go down. Just for good measure, I put a second shot into him, which also went through the heart, but at a different angle. There was very little meat loss, nothing like the guys shooting .300 Winchester Magnum rifles, that had to shoot their moose several times.

I would go with the bullet having the largest meplate possible. While I don't have a .45-100, I do have a .45-120, but it's too heavy to carry on a long hunt. I found that out hunting elk with it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[charger 1]

The only moose I've killed was with a Marlin 1895 .45-70, shooting Remington 405 grain JSP over 50 grains of IMR 3031, at about 125 yards. It sounded like a kettle drum when it hit him. He was dead on his feet from a heart shot and through both lungs, but it took him a minute to go down. Just for good measure, I put a second shot into him, which also went through the heart, but at a different angle. There was very little meat loss, nothing like the guys shooting .300 Winchester Magnum rifles, that had to shoot their moose several times.

I would go with the bullet having the largest meplate possible. While I don't have a .45-100, I do have a .45-120, but it's too heavy to carry on a long hunt. I found that out hunting elk with it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I did this little number up. I got to thinking what about a real 250-300 yd cast gun. Ya I know their out there but you overhold this or that. Theres very few that can give you what modern ballistics charts call a point blak range out to the high 200's of yds. Just point and click. Or if they are you gotta drag em on wheels. So the action,ruger to take the blast. The longest straight wall high pressure brass offering I could find was starline 45/100, so thats the chambering in a douglas premium. Now for all rugers lack of ability to hold long range POI from outing to outing. Well the 1/4 rib goes. Leave a longer parallel section for the talley mounts right to barrel. relieve the forestock too. What ya get is a light weight,long distance cast stinger that holds POI for ever and ever. Mind you the loads I discussed in that little gun let you know when they go off:twisted:
http://usera.ImageCave.com/poopercooper/100_0388.jpg

[outdoorfan]

Accuracy isnt the issue here ,their both one hole wonders. I'm fixed on taking my ruger #1 up moose hunting. Its had a douglas 45/100 barrel put on. I got a saeco spitzer 410 grain only has a frontal of .163". I got a 425 grain from mountain with a .276" frontal. I may have to reach out to 250yds. Honestly I like the saeco more but worry bout that small frontal. Bigger meplats kill and tend not to swerve of a twig as bad. The saeco runs 67.5 grs of H4895 and the mountain 66.5 and they both creep over the 2200 slightly with water dropped wheel weights and 2% tin

Thoughts?

PS. I hates wounded critters,anyone ever killed with the saeco or similar small frontal?

Never shot that cartridge or a moose, and I can say that I would definitely go with the bigger meplat.

[dakotashooter2]

Good lord. The Canucks successfuly shot moose for many years with various 30 cals. Even the ole 30-30. Like said they are dead it just takes them a while to realize it.

[ReloaderFred]

Charger 1,

Mine is built on a Browning B-78 action, with a heavy octagon barrel, but it's only 24" long. It's very barrel heavy, but like you say, it's a thumper. I'm loading it similar to your loads, with either IMR 4895 or H-4895, but I use Super Grex as a case filler. My RCBS 405 grain mold drops them at 420 grains with my alloy, and they're doing an honest 2,200 fps 15' from the muzzle. I use a tang sight on mine and it's sighted in dead center at 200 yards, and hitting the 300 yard gong by holding on the top edge is no problem.

Very few people want to shoot more than a couple of rounds from it, but I find it isn't that bad, but I have to wear a shooting glove that's padded on the back of the fingers on my right hand, or the lever beats up my knuckles during recoil. The tang sight also wants to stay in the same location when the rifle moves back, so I have to put it back up after each shot.

Great rifles and great calibers.

Fred

[Doc Highwall]

The last two moose that I shot were with a 30-06 hand loaded with a Hornady 190gr SPBT with the interlock and both took one shot each. If I was going to build a 200-300 yard cast bullet gun for hunting I would look at the .375 caliber for a usable high velocity 1800 fps with a 30:1 alloy with out the recoil of larger calibers. I think .375 cal has enough frontal area, sectional density and kinetic energy to shoot flatter. A 38-55 Win .375 Win with Lyman's 375449 would fit the bill. My 375449 weigh 290 grains lubed and gas checked. Almost forgot .375 JDJ would be good also.

[charger 1]

Good lord. The Canucks successfuly shot moose for many years with various 30 cals. Even the ole 30-30. Like said they are dead it just takes them a while to realize it.

Used to shoot a lot of our high country whitetails to. Used to wound a lot to. Less concern back then, more animals. I've heard it said around here (try to hear me sounding like an ol fart OK) the thirty thirty has killed more deer than anything...UH YA, for like 7 decades it was nearly the only gun in the bush. Its similar to me being the best driver in town if I'm the only guy in town that drives. Heres another. Babe Ruth's home run record. Did you know he also holds the strike out record. Now heres a saying of mine that no one has ever successfully argued. You ever see an animal thats "Too dead"? I've seen wounded from other guys. I've ruined a roast or two, but aint never had one "too dead"
The natives up here also walk around with sawed off cooey 22's and purposely gut shoot caribou to slow em down then herd him into town where they put another behind his ear, all so they havent had to carry an inch.
I like my way. My chum has a saying about me and my guns. He say's "theres Doug and an animal. Theres one of Dougs guns in between. Theres a terrible explosion. Doug and the animal fall down, but the winner is the one that gets back up, sooner or later":twisted:

[charger 1]

Charger 1,

Mine is built on a Browning B-78 action, with a heavy octagon barrel, but it's only 24" long. It's very barrel heavy, but like you say, it's a thumper. I'm loading it similar to your loads, with either IMR 4895 or H-4895, but I use Super Grex as a case filler. My RCBS 405 grain mold drops them at 420 grains with my alloy, and they're doing an honest 2,200 fps 15' from the muzzle. I use a tang sight on mine and it's sighted in dead center at 200 yards, and hitting the 300 yard gong by holding on the top edge is no problem.

Very few people want to shoot more than a couple of rounds from it, but I find it isn't that bad, but I have to wear a shooting glove that's padded on the back of the fingers on my right hand, or the lever beats up my knuckles during recoil. The tang sight also wants to stay in the same location when the rifle moves back, so I have to put it back up after each shot.

Great rifles and great calibers.

Fred

Hey Fred
Mine is 22 as well with a 22 twist

[dnepr]

Moose are an interesting creature , sometimes they die easy , they are still poached around here with. 22s , other times they soak up lead like sponges , I personally would go with the bigger meplat but Moose can end up being long range propositions especially if hunting clear cuts , don't let the hump confuse you on your aiming point , and don't be shy about popping a coupe de gras in a moose . my $0.02 worth