A buddy and I are headed to the wilds of Alaska for a moose hunt this year. Because of weight issues we will be taking one rifle (338 Win) and a 44 mag pistol.

We intend to use the pistol for both bear defense (Grizzly) and as my preferred method of dispatching a moose.

Question: What bullet will work best for both of these applications? Of course we are far more likely to shoot a moose with the pistol than a grizzly, but don't want it to fail to do the job when we really need it.

Some possibilities:

Nosler Partition Gold
Cor-Bon hard cast
Barnes handgun
Swift A-frame

I used Cor-Bon bullets in the past on a buffalo "hunt" (more of a shoot) out of a .454 Casull. Both buffalo that we shot were pretty slow to die and one of them might still be alive if we hadn't found it 20 minutes later (hidden in the herd) laying down and chewing it's cud like it didn't have a care in the world. That one my buddy shot a bit far back, but did double-lung it. Just no expansion/energy transfer. Mine was shot through the front near-side leg and across the top of the heart nicking at least one lung. He hit the dirt after nearly a minute of stumbling.

That said, I'd hate for my moose to climb a hill or swim a lake while I'm waiting for it to die.

Go with hard-cast and shoot for the shoulder bones?
Go with an expanding bullet?
Load the revolver with 2 expanding bullets (which one?) and then 4 hard-cast (bear medicine)?

Thanks for the help.

oregonhunter,
you are asking at least in my experience about two different things.

Yes, with moose you do want penetration and hardcast will do that well for you. With Mr. Bear, you need penetration as the only way to STOP him if he wants to play slapsies with you is a brain or spinal column hit. All the bullets you listed are good for what you want to do.

My advice, use the rifle for your moose. They tend to wander a bit (59 seconds or so) after shooting. They can and do get into the dangedest places too.

I want to shoot a moose in a different (more challenging way). I used my .338WM last year. Using 210gr. factory Nosler Partitions, I used 3 shots when I only probably needed the one (never can be too dead though). I had through and through penetration from a quartering on shot and then one in each side behind the shoulder. He died 25' from where he had been bedded down.

All in all, he didn't seem that tough, but a .338 generates a lot more energy than a .44

Sir, with all do respect, most of us Alaskans would say crazzy. It seems that you do not have alot of experance with big bears. I have watcher Brownies and Grizz slamed with fatel well placed shots from .375, .416, & .458's and still live long enough to kill a man that could not break them down as they charged. A man I new put 2 well placed shots with a .458, that took out base ball sised pices of meat on the far side of the bear and was still mauled. I would encourage you to pack the extra weight of your .338 or a good slug gun, as there are no second chances when one has been turned into a pile of bear scat. At the very least file that front sight off that .44 so when the bear shoves it up your butt, it wont hurt so bad. I hope I don't read about you in the news!

Good Luck & Say Your Prayers, Leon

I have no experiance with moose or grizz. I think I would side with the above posts if I were able to make such a hunt possible.

Rabbit or moose, the game deserves the same respect. You are in thier house. I like to take them when they don't know I'm there. Hit them once HARD, and the hunt is over with little or no pain. I think adrenaline in the bloodstream of a paniced animal has an effect on the taste of the meat. I would say the same thing about domestic animals taken to a slaughter house(prosessing plant). They can hear and smell the death of thier own kind. It causes panic and distress. The same animal killed clean and unaware will make better table fare.

As to the grizz thing? I would for sure have it with me! Also the .338. If you have a bud with you he should be armed as well. Trouble always comes from "nowhere".

I wish you a good hunt.
Cheezywan

Bring the 44 with a very heavy for caliber cast bullet. 300 grains on up. I have taken Moose with handguns in the past and they die very easily. As for the bear issue, I have a hunting partner that put down a big sow with one shot from his 44 loaded with a Wilson 305 grain cast bullet. The bear would not leave his camp site and one day it decided that things looked better in the tent then outside of the tent. She came running up to the tent, he shot her in the left shoulder and the bullet went completely through her lengthwise. It exited out the right ham. She turned away and dropped dead about 30 yards from the tent.

Allen, this is the sort of thing that really illustrates a lot of what different people are asking about. Will a handgun of sufficient size stop a bear? Was this a brown bear or black bear? How big of a bear was it?
There have been discussions here about large caliber handguns and what you can and can not expect them to do to an animal "Right Now" like in your example.

I'm glad that you guys were okay. So far I have not had a bear decide to come into the tent but we do talk about it and are just thinking ahead.

30 yards.
90 feet.
Bears aren't slow. I'm just glad it turned and went 30 yards away, not forward into the tent. A good brain or spine hit is still the only way I know to put an animal down immediately.

I will freely admit my ignorance in matters of big carnivores. Self defence is one thing, hunting is another. A brain or spine shot with a .22 will kill any animal that I know, Including a one ton bull! I have read of a .22 taking down an elephant with a brain shot. It was a stunt performed by a very skilled hunter that made one very well placed shot. A miss could have been a very bad day for that man.
If you KNOW that you can do it, Do it! The animal won't know the difference.
Cheezywan

A buddy and I are headed to the wilds of Alaska for a moose hunt this year. Because of weight issues we will be taking one rifle (338 Win) and a 44 mag pistol.

We intend to use the pistol for both bear defense (Grizzly) and as my preferred method of dispatching a moose.

Question: What bullet will work best for both of these applications? Of course we are far more likely to shoot a moose with the pistol than a grizzly, but don't want it to fail to do the job when we really need it.

Some possibilities:

Nosler Partition Gold
Cor-Bon hard cast
Barnes handgun
Swift A-frame

I used Cor-Bon bullets in the past on a buffalo "hunt" (more of a shoot) out of a .454 Casull. Both buffalo that we shot were pretty slow to die and one of them might still be alive if we hadn't found it 20 minutes later (hidden in the herd) laying down and chewing it's cud like it didn't have a care in the world. That one my buddy shot a bit far back, but did double-lung it. Just no expansion/energy transfer. Mine was shot through the front near-side leg and across the top of the heart nicking at least one lung. He hit the dirt after nearly a minute of stumbling.

That said, I'd hate for my moose to climb a hill or swim a lake while I'm waiting for it to die.

Go with hard-cast and shoot for the shoulder bones?
Go with an expanding bullet?
Load the revolver with 2 expanding bullets (which one?) and then 4 hard-cast (bear medicine)?

Thanks for the help.Try http://www.garrettcartridges.com a friend uses them in his 44 mag.Corbon hard cast bullets I believe come from http://www.castperformance.com.

Those of you who have been looking at this forum and consedering a 44 Mag to hunt Alaska, you ought to check out the forum that was posted on Alaska Hunting a little further down the Web page. Their is a good one that talks about how hard a grizz can be to stop when it is charging. Makes me want to go right out and buy a 44 Mag as my hunting firearm of choice here in Alaska, expecially if I do not have sombody to back me up with a good long gun of some sort.

God Bless, Leon