Moose hunt, a question for the shooters

[b_mason]

I'm preparing to start collecting the stuff for my hunting trip. Some thoughts and questions arise as I make my lists. My prefered hunting method is as follows.

inside of 150 yrds - 30.06 loaded with 220gr round nose

inside of 80 yrds - 12 gauge loaded with 400 grain slugs/full rifled barrel and
.50 blackpowder with 350 gr bullet pushed by 150gr bp.

inside of 30 yrds - bow and arrow set at 70lb draw with 450gr arrows point cut broadheads.

my question is what if I want to make a 200 yrd shot. What is the best caliber that could also be used for deer or bear, shoot flats, carries enough down range energy to be effiecent for one shot kills, but not break the bank. (banks are different for all) I thought about the 7mm mag due the range of loads available making it a small game(coyote) to the Elk range. Any other Ideas I would love to hear.

[JEnfield]

I personally would just us my 30/06 well capable of killing even a moose at 250 to 300 yards without a problem with proper bullet placement. If you want drop it in its tracks 7mm mag or a 300 win mag my first choice is the .300 win mag with 125 gr nosler balistic tips great big ground hog, coyote, deer gun with my load I am shoving the 125 3900 fps. Bear , moose , elk and what ever else is in North America load accordingly to animal and bullet wieght. If I was to go to Maine and hunt I would bring my marlin .45/70 with 250 grain leveralution ammo I have shot deer at 200 and nocked them down not dropped them. Brent if you have any questions on reloading or anything to do with what is what drop me a line I will do my best to help out. But your old 06 will more then drop what your hunting at the desired range. What optics are you useing? and what is your zero 100 yrds should give you 5.6 to 8 inches of drop to 200 I could work up a load that would give you about 4 inches and if you zeroed at 150 it would be like 2.2 inches low at 200 and 2.6 high at a 100 we need to get you to the range and show you what you are capable of doing with a rifle.

Jimmy

[b_mason]

Jimmy,

I am currently using a simmons Aetec(sp?) scope. It was a very good scope, until the recticle came loose enough to change my point of impact(poi) when changing power from 4x to 10x. I am currently looking at the Leupold scopes in the 4x-10x range. I can fit a 45mm objective with out high rise rings. I really do love the 30-06's range of versitility. In Maine my typical zero is only 100yrds. I mostly use my 30-30 due to the heavy brush and swampy areas to hunt. On my last moose hunt I believe I used the wrong bullet. I love the nosler ballistic tips, but I could only find 185gr. Now that Cabelas is here I'm going to look for the heavier 200gr nosler or round nose. I'll set my zero for the maximum distance I am willing to shoot. In logging areas the range cold be 200-300 yrds. Bogs could be much greater, but I don't like the idea of dropping on in the bogs. I favor the horandy light magnums in the 155gr for deer, I would like to know if they make that in the 200. My current idea is to find the round I want to use, get its flight data and trajectory and load a lighter round that matches the same path. I know the lighter will be affected by wind more, but it will allow me to shoot more rounds for longer. I plan on shooting the last month with the 200gr so I am use to its flight and drift. The weather is guite unstable up north in September.

I have been looking at the .300 win mag but never thought about using it. Not sure the wife will let me get a new gun and the exhaust for the sprint. Atleast a scope and ammo won't break the bank. What scopes do you prefer?

[JEnfield]

I use Sheppard Rangefinding scopes built for the specifc round I am shooting. The .45/70 I use a red dot adco sight works for me and you dont end up with a half moon tattooed on your forehead. Man one of these days I will get to whack a moose hopefully it will be with a rifle and not my bike or truck LOL. I love a 30/06 what an awsome round works for anything and accurate as hell.

Jimmy

[Hedge]

Jimmy - why don't you go on this hunt with Brett? You 2 would be perfect for this lucky lottery drawing!

[JEnfield]

I only hunt squirrels and beer know but not at the same time. I would love to hang out in hunt camp but I am affraid I wouldn't be much help with the big game anymore RETIRED.

Jimmy

[Hedge]

I'm gonna bet that your life won't be complete until you take a full stag Moose down! Besides I will cook up the ribs!

[b_mason]

Ok guys another silly question.

if a bullet has a Ballistic Coefficient (B.C.) of 0.452 and another bullet has 0.523, the .523 has a higher velocity and engery down range, has a flatter tragectory by about .5 inche to 1.5 inch. does the higher B.C. equate to a better bullet and better ability to slip through the air?

I'm getting a little confused while I'm researching loads and preloaded rounds. I have several other question but 1 at a time.

[JEnfield]

Brett the higher the BC the better the bullet travels based on less drag . Then you have to choose a bullet that retains its mass weight retention and uniform expansion based on the velocity in which you load. Here is a link to a load calculator are you sure you want to enter my world .

Jimmy


http://www.firearmexpertwitness.com/cus ... lcnrg.html

[b_mason]

Jimmy, it is something that I have been thinking about for a couple of years, I do alot of shooting with the 12g, .45 and the 30.06 I have about 200 30.06 brass and 400 .45acp brass. Now ith the prices going through the roof I have been thinking about getting into loading myself. I have been researching some factory laods and reveiwing my hornady loading manual. The loads I have found from winchester, Hornady show a muzzle velocity of 2750 to 2800fps with a 180gr bullett. So when I check the Hornady reloading manual the "safe load" providing the "safe chamber pressures" stops at 2700fps. My rifle is a ruger m77 bolt action. I have no idea what is safe pressures, this is nothing that I want to do before I go hunting, but it is something I want to get into. Have you seen this type of conflicting information before? I am going to go with the winchester and hornady light mag for testing next month.

[JEnfield]

Brett I load all hogdon loads if you go to hogdon.com you can log into all the reloading manuals. The max loads you see are safe for all current rifles that M77 will take any max load the manuals show. Keep your eyes out for a chronograph never go by what the books say. Your barrel length will determine the velocity for every inch below 26" you loose like 50 to 100 fps according to the weight and charge of load. When you get ready we will talk and assist you in aquiring what you need to get started with out over spending or making rockie mistakes. I love bikes but High power rifles are what I do best and I get into the reloading .

Jimmy

[b_mason]

Ok Jimmy please bear with me on this one. I love the two sites you gave me.

I understand that the higher the b.c. on a bullet the less drag(friction) the farther it will shoot, flatter is it will shoot, more accurate it will be. Then with that said it will also be less affected by cross wind with the exception of the bullets weight allowing cross wind drift. It will then carry more f.p.s. and more kinetic energy at any given range. It will also increase your effective kill range through sustained speed and energy.

So utilizing this information and knowing that the ammo is tested for the barrel length of 26" to acheive the maximum results. I need something that is designed to acheive my maximum velocity and kinetic energy for a 180gr bullet designed for heavy skin game, deep controlled penetration. all while using a 20" barrel. my Ruger M77 MKII has an overall barrel length of 22" from tip to chamber, giving me a 20" path for the bullet.
fps=2700-2798 kinetic energy=2900-3100

Are these speeds possible out of a 20" barrell? If so what load would you think is right? If I send you about 40 casing is this something you might interested in doing for me? What would the cost be? P.M. me for my cell number

[JEnfield]

Brett remember faster usually is not the most accurate. We will start with five round loads with different charge weights and the same bullet. I will get some info together of bullet prices and I have powder of different burn rates so that I have cover along with large and small rifle primers so that will be a savingsyou are shoting a M77 MarkII I will check with the crew and see who has one and work from down here and then transfer data to you. I case your wondering I have access to just about every firearm made in the last ten years . Yep from a Barrett 82A1 to a CZ 17hmr the gun range has seven hundred members some one will have one. I will email you here in a few minutes with my contact info. I would sugest Nosler partions for any skinned animal for hunting they are hard to beat.

Jimmy

[b_mason]

Hey Jimmy, just a little update. Further testing is still needed to verify results. I got a new scope to replace my malfunctioning scope. After bore sighting and then close range paper sighting. I moved to 70 yards to check sight. I was key holeing on the first two shots. Third was .25" away. This weekend I'm going to finish the sight in and then test some ammo at 150yrds for zero. I was surprised by the results of the new scope. I thought my other scope was changing POI but was never sure. I am sure now! My Ruger has never key holed before.

[JEnfield]

Cool let me know how you make out. I have been waiting to see if you got around to testing or if I was going to have to make a trip to maine. I have no right to bust on ya I have bought three new rifles and one assult rifle and haven't had the time to take them to the range either. Got an awsome 1951 winchester lever action 30/30 isn't worth a shit for anything over a 100yrds but sure is cool to play with. This will be the first year in 25 I haven't bought a hunting permit so keep me posted on the hunt. I have turned into a paper puncher I really want to buy a remington 798 in 7.62/39 so I can shoot really cheap. Good luck and keep me posted.

Jimmy