take my Browning BAR or purchase a Tikka T3x for Newfoundland Moose

[awaldro7]

I currently have a Browning BAR Safari w/ Boss in 300 win mag with an older leupold vx-III scope. I have killed a lot of deer and a timberwolf in Ontario Canada with the rifle and it has never jammed or failed me in any way. I have hunted whitetail all of my life and I am new to "active" hunting. By saying "active" hunting I mean that the way we hunt whitetails is you walk 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile off of your truck or ATV and sit in a treestand. This fall we are going on a Moose Hunt in Newfoundland with Effords outfitters and I am trying to decide if my browning is going to be sufficient. The rifle shoots about 1.25MOA The rifle is around 10 pounds with the scope and is blued/walnut. I have decided that if I buy a new rifle it will be a Tikka T3x in 300WM or 7mm RM with a leupold vx3i. Obviously I would like to purchase the new rifle, however, the hunt, flights, clothing, and other things are stretching my budget thin as it is. I just dont want to be handicapped with the BAR. What are your opinions on this rifle for this type of hunting? I also have a ruger american rifle in 7-08 and an AR-15 in 6.5 grendel but I dont feel that either one is a sufficient cartridge considering that this may be my only moose hunt in my life. If I do buy a rifle it will be used later on (hopefully) for Brooks Range Caribou and Elk.

P.S. If anyone has a Tikka or similar rifle that they would be interested in trading for a like new Glock 43 with cash we might work a deal.

 

[mtswampfox]

Betting some say take the 7-08.....

 

[JWP58]

I'd take the 7-08....

 

[luke moffat]

If you want a new rifle by all means get a new one. If not the BAR or the 7-08 will work fine. Of course last time I suggested that cartridges in lesser power than a 300WM also work on moose I was told I was a bad guy and they wouldn't wanna share a campfire with me.

 

[Felix40]

I cant imagine why the BAR wouldnt be fine. Maybe take a little cleaning kit with you incase it gets dropped in a river or something.

 

[awaldro7]

I agree that the 7-08 with a hot load behind a nosler accubond or partition would likely do the job, however, I don't think that I am willing to take it. I am afraid that when the moment came for a shot I may doubt the cartridge's ability and hesitate to make a shot that I would take with a larger cartridge. And no I dont plan on shooting a moose in the rump with my 300WM either! haha. I would just be sick if I made a bad shot and lost the Moose. I would always wonder if a larger cartridge would have done the job. Is it typical to hunt moose with cartridges similar to 7-08? I know that people do hunt them with .308 and 6.5x55. I think I may have a case of Magnum-itis that I need to get rid of.

Felix40 thanks for the suggestion. I do plan on taking a small cleaning kit with me no matter what rifle I take.

 

[realunlucky]

I'd wager more moose have been killed with non magnum calibers​ than with.
If your more comfortable with the 300 of course that's the one you should reach for everytime. A great hunting trip isn't a time to second guess yourself

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[Mad Mountain Mike]

^^^^^^In Newfoundland more moose have been killed with army surplus 303 British than any other rifle or cal. Period, by a long shot.

 

[wyosteve]

I think the only downside of the BAR is if you are walking long distances. They are pretty heavy rifles. But either the BAR or 7mm-08 will be fine. In my experience, moose hurt easy, but sometimes die hard.

 

[16Bore]

Another case where a rock solid 30-06 would take care of everything.

If you're not satisfied with what you've got, have you considered borrowing a rifle from a friend?

Just remember: Rinella borrowed a rifle to shoot a buffalo. Then wrote a great book about it.

Food for thought.

 

[Brodie]

Can't hunt with an AR-15 in Canada. The BAR will be fine.
Also where did you shoot Timberwolves in Ontario? The only actual wolf we have that people sometimes call a timberwolf is the Eastern wolf and there is only a small population around Algonquin park. Northern Ontario has Grey Wolves.
You sure they weren't coyotes? Those we have lots of all over, and sometimes people incorrectly refer to them as Timberwolves.
They have actually recently banned coyote hunting in some units around the park to apparently protect the eastern wolves. Much to the detriment of the deer I suspect.


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[Jimbob]

Timber wolf is a common name for grey wolves.

Of course the BAR will work but you have to carry it. The 7mm-08 will work great. My brother has taken a bunch of moose with his .308 and still hunts moose with it. If you want a new lighter weight rifle then go for it but you don't need it.

 

[awaldro7]

Can't hunt with an AR-15 in Canada. The BAR will be fine.
Also where did you shoot Timberwolves in Ontario? The only actual wolf we have that people sometimes call a timberwolf is the Eastern wolf and there is only a small population around Algonquin park. Northern Ontario has Grey Wolves.
You sure they weren't coyotes? Those we have lots of all over, and sometimes people incorrectly refer to them as Timberwolves.
They have actually recently banned coyote hunting in some units around the park to apparently protect the eastern wolves. Much to the detriment of the deer I suspect.


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Considering that the wolf is now a full body mount in my living room, I assure you that it is not a coyote.

 

[awaldro7]

Another case where a rock solid 30-06 would take care of everything.

If you're not satisfied with what you've got, have you considered borrowing a rifle from a friend?

Just remember: Rinella borrowed a rifle to shoot a buffalo. Then wrote a great book about it.

Food for thought.

I didnt know that Rinella borrowed a rifle for the Buffalo. I did watch that episode recently where he hunted buffalo but I missed that detail. I am currently reading his book "Meat Eater Adventures from the life of an American Hunter". I wish there was more TV content similar to Meat Eater.

 

[awaldro7]

^^^^^^In Newfoundland more moose have been killed with army surplus 303 British than any other rifle or cal. Period, by a long shot.

I just wonder how many were also wounded with a 303 British or similar? I am not doubting the capability of the cartridge because I do not have the experience with Moose or the 303 British to do that. I just know that being a local and knowing that you can try again the next week or season is different than what is likely a once or twice in a lifetime trip.

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

Sorry, I was not suggesting that you purchase a trusty 303. Merely that there are alot of moose in NFLD and that the weapon of choice of the Newfies I know is the 303. You can't legally hunt with an AR in Canada so that's out. Out of the cals. that you mentioned I'd choose the 300 everyday of the week for moose. Better than average chance your hunt will see alot of rain and humidity so if you were to buy new I'd suggest stainless, synthetic or stainless, laminated.

 

[GKPrice]

"MY" perspective ..... BAR's are good guns BUT cold to carry in hand, heavy and if they malfunction they often do it "good" - tree stand hunting is one thing and the BAR will serve you ok in that venue but in a world where you might do that one year, a NF moose hunt this year and who knows ? an elk hunt next year, I'd solidly keep the 7-08 (I would not hesitate to kill a moose with it, I've killed and watch others kill elk with them shooting 140's, ELK are every bit as tough as moose albeit not quite as big) IF you just ponied up and got yourself a T3x tikka superlight 30-06 and put a Leupold FX3 6x with wide duplex ret. on it I'd bet you'd have a "favorite rifle" for life

 

[ljalberta]

Take the BAR or the 7-08. Both will kill a moose. Both might drop it one one shot, both might take a couple shots. Either way, i don't think you'll be handicapped. In my more limited moose hunting experience, I've found them significantly easier to close the gap and get in close to as opposed to deer or elk.

 

[Curvebow]

I hunted Newfoundland in fall of 2015 and killed a small bull. I brought a Rem. Model 700 in 7mm Rem Mag and a Rem. Model 7 in 7mm SAUM with a synthetic stock that I got off Ebay. When we got there and had to hike a mile into the camp (large gear went in a trailer behind a machine), I took the Model 7 SAUM as it has a 2" shorter barrel and was over a pound lighter. I preferred a magnum because 2 other friends that had been to the same outfitter, had experienced shot opportunities to almost 500 yards. 2 friends that accompanied me used 308's. I used 160 grain Nosler Partitions as did my buddy who killed a cow moose that was much larger than the bull I shot. The other friend had no shot opportunities.

As it turned out, we shot both moose at about 60 yds for the bull and 70 yards for the cow. I have no doubt that either animal was dead after the first shot, but because they were still standing & moving, they got shot more.

When it comes to hiking around, I'll always default to a lighter weight rifle.

 

[16Bore]

On second thought, you probably need a Remington XCRII in 7Mag. It just so happens I have one in the classifieds.....