Michael Eichele
Well-Known Member
My cousin Rex decided to come up on a backcountry moose hunt. Lets just say it was long and exhausting but we both killed bulls. We took both my 308 and 338 Edge. I only took both in case we split up. The idea was that we would use the Edge. As luck would have it we both went after bulls at the same time 2 miles apart. I was giving him hand signals on another bull that he didnt get. I lost track of him and later I found a bedded bull and went after it. While I was stalking mine, I heard him shoot. Obviously, since he had my Edge, I grabbed the 308. My load for it was the 208 AMAX. This is not my 1st choice for moose but after a long sheep season I didnt have time to mess with another load for moose.
Now the 208 certainly did the job but I wouldnt recomend it for moose. Of course I knew this already but now it is confirmed. He only offered me a neck shot so I took it. It did drop him in his tracks but I could tell he needed a finish shot. A point blank head shot did the trick. I never did find any bullet in the neck. I either couldnt find it or it desintigrated on the heavy bone. There was no evidence of a pass through. The shot was 20 yards and the velocity was 2600.
Now the Berger 300 grain pill. I wasnt there but saw the exit wound when I went with Rex to the kill site to help him pack out his bull. The exit wound was a legitimate 3". Overall, the bullet fragmented. This was determined by the massive amounts of copper jacket found during the meat cutting and wrapping proccess. A few lead fragments were also found but mostly copper jacket. Judging from the exit, I think most of the lead exited. The shot was 70 yards and the bullet struck the rib cage only and passed through the lungs. Muzzle velocity was 2710. My take is that at the close range, if a major bone such as the front leg is involved it may be very ugly. For a lung shot it did fairly well. I think next time, I will have my rifle sighted and fouled for the Berger 300 grain and if a long shot is needed, I will use it. If it will be a very close shot I will be using an ACCUBOND, Partition or Barnes TSX bullet. For such close quarter shots, The accuracy is going to be good enough.
Unfourtunatley, we didnt get any wound photos. For my bull there was nothing worth taking and for his bull, he didnt know I wanted some and when I got there we were under the gun to keep his meat from spoilage and just didnt have the time or even think about it at that point. We were very focused on getting the bull out. Part of this was due to the fact that 400 yards from the kill site, we jammed a stick through the radiator of one of our 4-wheelers and had to get her patched up and limpped 5 miles back to base camp most of which is un-trailed country. Sorry for the lack of pictures
Regards!
M
Now the 208 certainly did the job but I wouldnt recomend it for moose. Of course I knew this already but now it is confirmed. He only offered me a neck shot so I took it. It did drop him in his tracks but I could tell he needed a finish shot. A point blank head shot did the trick. I never did find any bullet in the neck. I either couldnt find it or it desintigrated on the heavy bone. There was no evidence of a pass through. The shot was 20 yards and the velocity was 2600.
Now the Berger 300 grain pill. I wasnt there but saw the exit wound when I went with Rex to the kill site to help him pack out his bull. The exit wound was a legitimate 3". Overall, the bullet fragmented. This was determined by the massive amounts of copper jacket found during the meat cutting and wrapping proccess. A few lead fragments were also found but mostly copper jacket. Judging from the exit, I think most of the lead exited. The shot was 70 yards and the bullet struck the rib cage only and passed through the lungs. Muzzle velocity was 2710. My take is that at the close range, if a major bone such as the front leg is involved it may be very ugly. For a lung shot it did fairly well. I think next time, I will have my rifle sighted and fouled for the Berger 300 grain and if a long shot is needed, I will use it. If it will be a very close shot I will be using an ACCUBOND, Partition or Barnes TSX bullet. For such close quarter shots, The accuracy is going to be good enough.
Unfourtunatley, we didnt get any wound photos. For my bull there was nothing worth taking and for his bull, he didnt know I wanted some and when I got there we were under the gun to keep his meat from spoilage and just didnt have the time or even think about it at that point. We were very focused on getting the bull out. Part of this was due to the fact that 400 yards from the kill site, we jammed a stick through the radiator of one of our 4-wheelers and had to get her patched up and limpped 5 miles back to base camp most of which is un-trailed country. Sorry for the lack of pictures
Regards!
M
