What caliber to buy/use for both moose & deer...looking at the Sako A7 SS

[werner.reiche]

bushman - I think you misunderstood kdp89's post. He was making reference to 500 yard shots on game - in which case he is 100% right - you need to be a whole lot better than 4".

[bushman]

werner.reich. Maybe i did but i do not think so. He states you would have to be better than 4 in. group to shoot at any range,with that i disagree. Obviously the tightest group possible is the best and I agree 110% on 500 yd shots,for that matter even for shots half that far. How ever, would you agree or possibly even have witnessed 4 in groups by people and they are satisfied with that. As i said factor in age,older guns.open sights,experience or lack of it and i think you will find as many or more 4 in. groups as opposed to say 1-1/2 in. groups. A 4 in. group with slugs or open sighted rifles is plenty accurate at 100 yds. if that is the range most of your shots will be taken at. The right gun in the right hands with a good scope makes a 300 yd. shot on moose pretty much a given.I myself would not shoot at a moose at 500 yds.,too many things can go wrong and I have more respect than that for the animal. Not trying to turn this in to a pissing match but am curios as to how many other people have witnessed 4in. groups by say, open sighted rifles or shotgun with slugs or some one with poor eye sight or maybe a bit of a flinch.I have seen all of the above frequently over the years.

[werner.reiche]

werner.reich. Maybe i did but i do not think so. He states you would have to be better than 4 in. group to shoot at any range,with that i disagree. Obviously the tightest group possible is the best and I agree 110% on 500 yd shots,for that matter even for shots half that far. How ever, would you agree or possibly even have witnessed 4 in groups by people and they are satisfied with that. As i said factor in age,older guns.open sights,experience or lack of it and i think you will find as many or more 4 in. groups as opposed to say 1-1/2 in. groups. A 4 in. group with slugs or open sighted rifles is plenty accurate at 100 yds. if that is the range most of your shots will be taken at. The right gun in the right hands with a good scope makes a 300 yd. shot on moose pretty much a given.I myself would not shoot at a moose at 500 yds.,too many things can go wrong and I have more respect than that for the animal. Not trying to turn this in to a pissing match but am curios as to how many other people have witnessed 4in. groups by say, open sighted rifles or shotgun with slugs or some one with poor eye sight or maybe a bit of a flinch.I have seen all of the above frequently over the years.

No argument over the 4" group being adequate for shorter (under 100 yards).

[kdp89]

Sorry bushman, I guess I wasn't clear. 4" is fine if your only shooting 100 yards. I was making my comment in reference to shooting 4-500 yards like Werner understood.

i can see where I was unclear. By "any range" I meant any substantial range. Such as 400 yards.

[trimmer21]

bushman - I think you misunderstood kdp89's post. He was making reference to 500 yard shots on game - in which case he is 100% right - you need to be a whole lot better than 4".

Yep,I agree completely. Long shots at 500M require tremendous knowledge and skill,not to mention very good equipment. My Rugers are set at 200M under carefully controlled conditions on a range. Would I still attempt a kill shot in the bush past that range,maybe,but,not likely because as someone already mentioned,there's too many variables.

[skeeter1]

A 4" group at 100 yards with a rifle at a range of a rest is a going to be a whole lot bigger at 100 yards in the field, freehand while your heart is pounding. If we take on the responsibility of hunting with a high power rifle for big game we also have the responsiblity to be a good shot through practise. It has been my experience through communicating with others and from personal experience as well that there are too many out there that blow the dust off the old rifle and either don't try it out or just squeeze of a couple of rounds and are happy with that. One is too many in my eyes. I am taking from the OP that he wants a rifle that can perform as he wishes but not until after he has practised and has several years of experience before considering such extreme range shots.

[bushman]

kdp89- No problem and thank you. Misunderstandings happen frequently when you are texting or conversing on line instead of in person,happens all the time even with my wife and I LOL. And i agree with skeeter1 re 4 in. groups on the range becoming larger in the field. However a lot of people never go to a range,they check their guns off a tree or picnic table or over the hood of their vehicle,while not the best methods it is better than not checking them at all. If a 4 in. group is obtained with these methods it somewhat resembles shots in the field, ie,leaning off a tree,shooting sticks or a temporary rest of some sort. I know and have heard stories of people who can shoot very tight groups all day long at the range and miss a deer standing still at a 100 yds. I think its known as buck fever lol. It is very likely that most deer and moose,when averaged out overall are taken at ranges below a 100 yds.Of all the moose my friends and i have taken over the last 30 years 90-95% of them were less than a100 yds and none have been over 200 yds. To put 500 yds in perspective,think of shooting between 1/4 and a 1/3 of a mile.Now picture what a deer or moose would like standing there at that distance.

[skeeter1]

kdp89- No problem and thank you. Misunderstandings happen frequently when you are texting or conversing on line instead of in person,happens all the time even with my wife and I LOL. And i agree with skeeter1 re 4 in. groups on the range becoming larger in the field. However a lot of people never go to a range,they check their guns off a tree or picnic table or over the hood of their vehicle,while not the best methods it is better than not checking them at all. If a 4 in. group is obtained with these methods it somewhat resembles shots in the field, ie,leaning off a tree,shooting sticks or a temporary rest of some sort. I know and have heard stories of people who can shoot very tight groups all day long at the range and miss a deer standing still at a 100 yds. I think its known as buck fever lol. It is very likely that most deer and moose,when averaged out overall are taken at ranges below a 100 yds.Of all the moose my friends and i have taken over the last 30 years 90-95% of them were less than a100 yds and none have been over 200 yds. To put 500 yds in perspective,think of shooting between 1/4 and a 1/3 of a mile.Now picture what a deer or moose would like standing there at that distance.

It would look the same as some of the ducks and geese that get shot at, at Luther Marsh LOL

[bushman]

It would look the same as some of the ducks and geese that get shot at, at Luther Marsh LOL

skeeter1-Never hunted LUTHER MARSH,skeeter but i assume you are saying the ducks and geese when being shot at likely resemble bumble bees and wasps,lol. Same as a deer at 500 yds resembles a dog and a moose at 500 yds resembles a deer

[mbmellis]

308 180gr. in a Bolt - maybe XBolt or ABolt.