Bullet choice for moose
- Thread starter Takni
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Takni
Active Member
Sorry I can't go into a lot of details because once we got him it took several days for the excitement to go away and I didn't really spend anytime while boning him out looking at the performance.
But I can tell you the bull was quartering slightly away and the bullet entered just behind the front shoulder and made a mess of his lungs and exited thru the offside shoulder. The off side shoulder we did have an exit hole roughly 1-2 in diameter.
Takni
Active Member
No...it was roughly 60 miles ATV ride out in the wilderness. A road would have been nice!
Takni
Active Member
I shoot them at a MV 3150. My barrel just loves that velocity because the 170 Bergers shot best at 3130. I also use a BC of .6 G1 since I use an old Horus kestrel.
So at that distance velocity is roughly at 2250
So at that distance velocity is roughly at 2250
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
Wow!!! That is very exciting. I am really happy for you. Almost as good as being there for me.
Steve
Steve
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
I forgot to mention that I believe you have the record for the longest Hammer kill. I had a cow elk last year at 685y. Unless there is one I don't know about you own the record. And on a spectacular trophy to boot. Wow!
Steve
Steve
That's impressive penetration for an expanding bullet on a bull moose. I had a 210gr Barnes X bullet fail to exit with a broadside shot on a bull moose at 615yds. The bull was perfectly broadside. Bullet entered the middle of the ribs behind both shoulders. Cartridge was the .338-378 Weatherby Magnum, and I was launching these bullets as fast as I could from a Ruger single shot with a 30" barrel. Back in the days before laser range finders so I'd shoot a lighter bullet at high speed to minimize the holdover guestimation. The Barnes shed two of its four petals and was caught under the offside hide. Less distance to pass thru and thru based on the description of your shot, and my bullet never hit either meaty shoulder. I never expected your bullet to exit.
Gorgeous moose, and great shooting! I'm impressed with that Hammer bullet! I've never shot a moose, or anything as "big". I have, however, shot a lot of Plains Game like Zebra and Wildebeast, Kudu and similar sized...tough thick skin, dense, muscled up critters. I liked the way the Barnes X and the old Winchester Failsafe worked for us. We never shot anything over 375yds though, and that was in Namibia. In South Africa ( northern Transvaal) my furthest shot was 150yds. I do think these kind of critters take a heavier conventional bullet or a mono of some type. I gave a missionary friend of mine over there a 30-06 with a bunch of the old Federal High Energy factory 180 Partitions ( they clocked at 2970 out of that 23" douglas barrel) He ran into trouble with Wildebeast ( only because the first shot was a bit too far back, then the "race was on", ha) and an Eland, both up close. He got both animals, eventually, but their thick skin had ripped that front off the Nosler "too early" and the shank just went through to other side, no exit, small wound channels. Don't you just love this kind of stuff? lol
tankgijohn72
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbiepGj2KuQ
Watch from 3:44 on. Don't know how fast the 170s are being pushed, but probably a bad option for moose.
Watch from 3:44 on. Don't know how fast the 170s are being pushed, but probably a bad option for moose.
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
That's not a bullet issue it's a shot timing and placement issue, shooting through the brush and putting in low shoulder is bad juju, I've seen a lot of elk shot with that placement and not make it into the chest, Barnes, Accubonds, Partitions, don't matter, shoot an elk there with a small cal and you run that risk.
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
I'd say the first shot was a bit forward but not terrible. Second shot looked perfect.
Maybe the 3rd shot was with a hunting bullet.
Steve
Maybe the 3rd shot was with a hunting bullet.
Steve
HammerB1
Official LRH Sponsor
As I see it, first shot at that distance should have put her down. Maybe hit big shoulder bone but a 170 grain hunting bullet should have penetrated far enough to hit vitals.
Maybe this guy didn't put time into this bullet before loading to make sure everything was perfect. Make sure copper jacket was open at meplat and make sure lead wasn't all the way to hollow point??
Lastly, why did this video get linked in this post??
Maybe a new thread should get started?? title: Berger Failure???
Maybe this guy didn't put time into this bullet before loading to make sure everything was perfect. Make sure copper jacket was open at meplat and make sure lead wasn't all the way to hollow point??
Lastly, why did this video get linked in this post??
Maybe a new thread should get started?? title: Berger Failure???
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
Watch the second shot again, looks awesome but wasn't, the trace comes from the right of the video so she was quartering to the shooter, exit was forward and a couple inches high on the of side so shot was to far forward. I hit my last cow with a premium bullet almost identical but the other direction and it didn't frag enough to hit a dang thing that was going to kill that elk, shocked her spine is all so I had just enough time to shoot a second one in her. It's much easier to blame a bullet for crappy shooting, been there!
Look at the first shot Brian in slow motion, no bullet made on this planet will kill an elk hit that low after going through brush, hit nothing but fur and fat at the brisket.
Got linked because it was a 170 Berger, the OP was asking about a 170 Berger so it pertains to the OP.
Look at the first shot Brian in slow motion, no bullet made on this planet will kill an elk hit that low after going through brush, hit nothing but fur and fat at the brisket.
Got linked because it was a 170 Berger, the OP was asking about a 170 Berger so it pertains to the OP.
