What cartridge would you choose for hunting Bull Moose in Canada?

35 Whelen is the only thing, anyone needs for moose!

Boyd Brooks said:

35 Whelen is the only thing, anyone needs for moose!

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Boyd Brooks said:

35 Whelen is the only thing, anyone needs for moose!

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My father, now passed, hunted moose and black bear in Canada annually. He started with his 7.7 Arisaka war trophy, then ended with a 7mm Rem Mag. I remember lots of meat on our supper table and I now have both rifles. Don't over think. Every gun you listed will do the job, my two cents here just told of two calibers that work.

JG26Irish_2 said:

I am planning a Fall 2026 Bull Moose hunt in Canada. I have never hunted moose but know them to be larger than an Elk and a bit harder to kill. I know that a good bullet and good bullet placement is more important than the rifle and cartridge used but I also know that using enough gun can prevent longer tracking jobs and that using a flatter shooting gun can make taking longer shots less of a guessing game. Our tag also gives us the option of a Bull Elk if one is found. The terrain is mostly flat and open where we will be hunting so, spot and stalk using terrain and limited cover is the plan and longer shots are expected in some cases.

I am blessed to own multiple rifles all capable of taking moose. I will likely limit my ranges to 300y or less and endeavor to be inside 200y if at all possible so we do not need a long range precision rifle for this hunt but accuracy builds confidence and confidence makes taking the shot when presented less of an issue. Here are my current options:

• 308 FN Browning - 180g Fusion bonded a proven killer in Africa. Has never failed to result in a 1 shot kill for me. Light and handy and good out to 300y. I know it can work but think it a bit small for this job. Not my 1st choice.
  
  
• 30-06 Husqvarna - 180g Swift Scirocco bonded or Barnes TTSX. One of the most accurate rifles I own and the one I would choose if I had to shoot over 300y due to its extreme accuracy. Shoots sub MOA out to 400y. How good is the 06 on Moose? This one is a maybe.
  
  
• 7mm Mag 175g Fusion or Barnes TTSX - Fierce Firearms CT Edge. A true 1/2moa hunting rifle that is also light in weight and capable of running a suppressor. Has a nice 3.5-16c Swarovski on it and is also a 400y rifle. How effective is the 7mm on Moose? I have killed deer with it but nothing this large.
  
  
• 338 RCM - Ruger's light and handy little Compact Mag. The only ammo I can get for it is the Hornady 225g SST. Works great on deer but is the SST the best choice for Moose? I love this rifle but it is at best a 1.5-2.0" gun at 100y and at anything over 200y I would struggle with it. That and the ammo limitations disqualify it unless I reload for it and can load a 225g TTSX and get under 1" performance - Two very big "If's". This one is lowest on my list.
  
  
• 338wm - Sako 85. This is the one I like the best for this job but it too is less than a tack driver but I can get Barnes 225g TTSX ammo for it and it shoots about 1" at 100y with them. At the moment, it is my front runner. Enough velocity and energy to reach out to 400y but not enough precision to suit me for such long shots. Keep it inside 200y and it is money. Current front runner.
  
  
• 375HH - ER Shaw Custom P14 Enfield. My DG rifle. Super accurate and capable of 400y accuracy but does not have enough oomph in my opinion for shooting game out past 250 or maybe 300y. Still a great choice for Moose but a load to pack around all day. Heavy. TSX might not expand well out past 250y. I have TBBC and Nosler AB ammo for it too but all are running under 2000fps out past 250y. Better for closer range shots but we may be force to shoot out there on this hunt due to the terrain.

One of my hunting partners is bringing a 300wm. In many ways the 7mm Mag out performs the 300 once you get out past about 300y. Would I be better off to hunt with the 7mm which is several pounds lighter than my larger options? Or bring the big boomer and be done with it? Some of you knowledgeable Moose slayers out there please chime in. Pic of the 7mm below.

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I used a .300 WM with 200 grain AccuBonds in BC. Bull died. I liked the combination. Many, many moose have been taken with the ..30-06 and I took mine as a backup rifle but didn't need it. I also have a 7mm RM but chose not to use it. Mine does not group bullets heavier than 140 grains very well. Works great with 140s and many deer and a couple of pronghorns have fallen but it wasn't my idea for a moose rifle. I don't think a .308 would be.my first choice either. I don't own a .338, but I know a lot of people swear that it's the ultimate moose gun, along with any irate grizzlies that might show up.

My group that I grew up hunting moose with have killed 35 or 40 moose between us. I shot my first 9 with my 7mmRM and the last two with my .308. None went farther than 30 yards. My wife shot her only one with my 7mmRM as well. All of the others were .308s and .30-06s. One of my best friends is a moose and elk killing machine and he’s killed them all with his.308 in his old Remington 788. All my in-laws in Newfoundland use .308s as well. Grizzlies are not a factor where we live.
Out of your list I’d likely pick your .30-06. As for you I think you should use whichever one gives you the most enjoyment. And good luck!

I’d pick the 7RM , it will work fine for moose, and if you get a chance at an elk it might be a longer shot across farmland so the range and accuracy of your 7 would come in handy.

When I lived in Ontario, my hunting friends almost exclusively used the 308 or .30-06 and smiled somewhat mockingly at my 9.3x74r. In Sweden, where I now hunt moose, the 6.5 x 55 is also popular for moose hunting.
With the exception of Alaska or Russia (also because of possible bear encounters) where I would prefer the 338 Win Mag, weaker cartridges are also sufficient, and I would base my choice on the handling of the rifle and the respective rifle scope.

i'v hunted moose for 45 years, guided em for 6. i have killed many moose and been in on many more with calibers from 6.5 mm to 375.

the 338 and 375 are better on moose than the smaller guns. will the smaller guns kill em? yep. just like a 7x57 will kill an elephant. most would agree, it is NOT an elephant gun.

the bigger guns deliver heavier bullets, make deeper wounds and just put a moose down quicker. on broadside shots smaller will work. with quartering shots, the bigger rifles penetrate more and give a nice cushion of performance.

7RM 175gr will do just fine.

JG26Irish_2 said:

I am planning a Fall 2026 Bull Moose hunt in Canada. I have never hunted moose but know them to be larger than an Elk and a bit harder to kill. I know that a good bullet and good bullet placement is more important than the rifle and cartridge used but I also know that using enough gun can prevent longer tracking jobs and that using a flatter shooting gun can make taking longer shots less of a guessing game. Our tag also gives us the option of a Bull Elk if one is found. The terrain is mostly flat and open where we will be hunting so, spot and stalk using terrain and limited cover is the plan and longer shots are expected in some cases.

I am blessed to own multiple rifles all capable of taking moose. I will likely limit my ranges to 300y or less and endeavor to be inside 200y if at all possible so we do not need a long range precision rifle for this hunt but accuracy builds confidence and confidence makes taking the shot when presented less of an issue. Here are my current options:

• 308 FN Browning - 180g Fusion bonded a proven killer in Africa. Has never failed to result in a 1 shot kill for me. Light and handy and good out to 300y. I know it can work but think it a bit small for this job. Not my 1st choice.
  
  
• 30-06 Husqvarna - 180g Swift Scirocco bonded or Barnes TTSX. One of the most accurate rifles I own and the one I would choose if I had to shoot over 300y due to its extreme accuracy. Shoots sub MOA out to 400y. How good is the 06 on Moose? This one is a maybe.
  
  
• 7mm Mag 175g Fusion or Barnes TTSX - Fierce Firearms CT Edge. A true 1/2moa hunting rifle that is also light in weight and capable of running a suppressor. Has a nice 3.5-16c Swarovski on it and is also a 400y rifle. How effective is the 7mm on Moose? I have killed deer with it but nothing this large.
  
  
• 338 RCM - Ruger's light and handy little Compact Mag. The only ammo I can get for it is the Hornady 225g SST. Works great on deer but is the SST the best choice for Moose? I love this rifle but it is at best a 1.5-2.0" gun at 100y and at anything over 200y I would struggle with it. That and the ammo limitations disqualify it unless I reload for it and can load a 225g TTSX and get under 1" performance - Two very big "If's". This one is lowest on my list.
  
  
• 338wm - Sako 85. This is the one I like the best for this job but it too is less than a tack driver but I can get Barnes 225g TTSX ammo for it and it shoots about 1" at 100y with them. At the moment, it is my front runner. Enough velocity and energy to reach out to 400y but not enough precision to suit me for such long shots. Keep it inside 200y and it is money. Current front runner.
  
  
• 375HH - ER Shaw Custom P14 Enfield. My DG rifle. Super accurate and capable of 400y accuracy but does not have enough oomph in my opinion for shooting game out past 250 or maybe 300y. Still a great choice for Moose but a load to pack around all day. Heavy. TSX might not expand well out past 250y. I have TBBC and Nosler AB ammo for it too but all are running under 2000fps out past 250y. Better for closer range shots but we may be force to shoot out there on this hunt due to the terrain.

One of my hunting partners is bringing a 300wm. In many ways the 7mm Mag out performs the 300 once you get out past about 300y. Would I be better off to hunt with the 7mm which is several pounds lighter than my larger options? Or bring the big boomer and be done with it? Some of you knowledgeable Moose slayers out there please chime in. Pic of the 7mm below.

View attachment 734265

Click to expand...

I shot few Moose a long time ago and used for that the cartridge 9,3x64 Brenneke and a 19g TUG bullet. It went without problem, but probably would have been just as easy with a smaller cartridge like the 30-06 Springfield for example and that another hunter used. The Moose did not seem to me as tough as an Elk. But there are often big bears in areas where Moose are hunted, so being a little bit better armed might be safer. For this reason I would take one of the rifles caliber .338 or even the rifle caliber 375 H&H Magnum.

i wopuld take my remington 700 classic in 300 weatherby with a good 180 gr bullet.

Any of big game calibers you mentioned, with good bullet, will work fine. Hunt close, shoot straight.

.338 Winchester Magnum loaded with 250Gr Nosler AccuBonds.

Although I’ve personally shot my largest bull moose with a .30-06 Springfield and 220Gr Remington Core Lokts. One broadside heart-lumg shot was all I needed.

Shot my moose with a 300 Win with 200 grain TBBC. Went right down. If I were to ever hunt moose again in the future I would be taking my 375H&H, 9.3x62 or my 35 Whelen. I do believe a larger caliber is better with such a large animal, if you can shoot them all equally well.

I vote for your 7 Rem Mag set up.

I greatly appreciate everyone's input. I was not aware that a Moose was easier to kill than an Elk. This hunt is sort of a hybrid hunt. Our main prey is Moose but both Elk and Mulies are included on the tag. Whatever I take would be a rifle that would work equally well on Elk. Even so, all of my options would kill an Elk without issue. Finally, while I did not mention it, we will be in Bear country so, my choice would be something potent enough to stop a Griz if required, although the guide would be there for backup.

As much as I like the 7mm and the 30-06, I am still leaning more toward the 338wm. The location we will be on is said to be mostly open, mostly flattish terrain, so it is not like Maine where you might not even see the Moose until he is within 50y. We will be glassing open terrain until we see a likely candidate and then using what little terrain we have to attempt to flank him and get close enough for a good shot. It means that really close shots are not likely and unless very lucky and the best we can hope for is a close enough shot. That is usually under 300y for me.

I do over think these things a lot but it is just part of the fun of planning and prepping for a hunt like this. I will spend hours of range time and load testing to find the combo that works well and then spend lots of time shooting off sticks at distances that exceed my limits to build the confidence needed to take a good shot without issue if/when one is presented. By the time we pull the trigger to end the hunt, I like for the outcome to be certain. 375HH Shaw rifle for eye candy.

M70375! said:

Big rifles for big animals, use your 338 win., why not ,you might as well use it on the moose hunt. It is an ideal moose cartridge , there is a reason it is the most common caliber in Alaska.

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I don't know that it is the most common caliber I see on my street, as the 300WM and 30-06 outsell it at every counter here, but I feel it would be more for the bears. Moose don't need artillery. Tyler Freel just proved a 22 ARC could do the job without fanfare. And the Swede has been doing it in Europe for decades.

We don't want to overdo it in the wrong direction when it comes to choosing a cartridge for shooting Moose. After all, the Moose is the largest deer in the world, and that should be taken into account when selecting a cartridge. Our Scandinavian members will confirm that many Moose have been taken with the cartridge 6,5x55, but I have also been told that often nothing else was available in the past and for this reason this cartridge was used, not because she was so exceptionally effective. Other, more powerful cartridges were certainly preferred if available, such as the 9,3x57 or even the 9,3x62. It is sure, bears in the hunting area should also be considered.

Flip a coin. Take one of these and have an excellent hunt. They are certainly all you need.

• 30-06 Husqvarna - 180g Swift Scirocco bonded or Barnes TTSX.
  
  
• 7mm Mag 175g Fusion or Barnes TTSX - Fierce Firearms CT Edge.