26 Nosler for Moose? |

Some of my readers are looking for info on 26 Nosler for Moose.

The 26 Nosler (6.5 mm) is ideally suited as a long range rifle/cartridge combo that is more geared to Elk, large deer, and most African Plains game.

YES, it is a capable North American moose and African Eland Cartridge but not the quote “best”, ceteris paribus, in my estimation, meaning, good, better, best.

Most moose are taken within 300 yards and often less than 100 yards. Truth is, 300 yards is short range for the 26 Nosler on elk and deer.

The reason to own a 26 Nosler is that you are going to do a lot of hunting at ranges from 200 to 800 yards after your moose hunt for game such as elk and deer or on an African Plains game Safari. The 26 Nosler is not a target rifle, it is a serious long range hunting cartridge/rifle.

The 6.5 caliber has exceptional Sectional Density (greater than .28 and up to .299), thus great penetration, especially the 140 -142 grain in a Nosler AccuBond bullet or the Long Range version of the AB.

It is NOT about “bullet speed” for moose however.

Killing moose is about shot placement.

If you own a 26 Nosler and can practice to 300, 400, 500 or more yards with a solid field rest such as the Bog Death Grip® tri-pod or Caldwell® Field Pod, then go for it.

However, if you can shoot “accurately” with a larger bore and a well constructed bullet with excellent Sectional Density then, I believe, you are better off. Moose don’t fall “often” at a killing shot and can run over 100 yards or more, maybe into a pond or down a hill in the wrong direction. I don’t favor field dressing a moose in a pond. Try to anchor him right then! Keep shooting till he’s down.

Larger bores and recoil aside, my go-to’s for a regular every year moose caliber would be a 30-06, 7mm Rem. Mag. with 160 grain bullets, 300 Win. Mag., both with 180 grain Nosler AB, .338 Win Mag with 225 grain Nosler AB and the 375’s in 260 to 300 grain. The 30-06 will limit your distance shots to say 150 yards or so. The .270 Winchester can, like the 26 Nosler and other 6.5’s, do the job but I like larger calibers that can reach 200 to 300 yards with 2000 to 3000 ft-lbs delivered. The rest of my list are good to 300 yards or more.

If big bears are also on the menu, or if you are on their menu, then I would opt for the .338 and .375 with good shot placement.

It is rare to kill moose at ranges over 300 yards.

Additionally, strong wind is a long range shot Achilles heel in the field, often 20 mph or more on a mountain thus windage will be a huge factor at those distant shots.

Recommended Reading below:

https://www.chuckhawks.com/want_better_sd.htm

My recent moose hunt.

I took a young 850 lb Newfoundland bull moose at 100 yards this past October with a .375 Ruger and Nosler 300 grain AccuBond traveling at 2500 fps.

Every day in our Newfoundland hunt was a challenge. The wind was blowing 20 to 40 mph everyday and wind chill was in the minus column. If you did not have a fleece or knit face mask, then you didn’t have a face!

300 grain Nosler AccuBond recovered from moose retained 231 grains, 77% of its original weight.

The bull was coming to a cow call, and was taken as it eagerly trotted toward me in a near whiteout snow squall(snow was blowing sideways) with 30 mph wind. I waited till the bull neared 100 yards. The bull veered to provide a quartering shot. I had already set up my BOG Death Grip tripod for sitting. At the shot, the bull stood for a few seconds, he looked bewildered, wondering what had just happened, and fell stone dead. The 300 grain bullet entered the shoulder (nicked the lower edge of the scapula bone on entry), double lung shot delivering 3500 ft-lbs and settled on the skin of the far side after blowing through a rib bone (the bullet mushroomed to more than 3/4 inch). No exit wound. I never felt the recoil and my face was numb as if at my dentist from the cold anyway.

Great eating! The meat froze quickly.

Good Hunting!