While on moose caliber topic...

[Marlin32]

Probably won't elk hunt this year, more likely next. But still has me thinking on guns and calibers.
Although I think my 338ME XLR (and we shall say "value added" work done by Mic McPherson)
will do the trick. (did on my moose) I am still not 100% sold on it. I do not load my own, yet, so at mercy of commerical ammo. What I would really like to see in this caliber is a 220 grain Nosler Partition or something similar. Have notions to get the Hawk 215gr bullet loaded in it.
Or maybe a 180gr+ Barnes tsx type bullet would work for me too.

Anyway, I am stuck on 8mm at the moment. As everyone knows, not a favorite over here.
I would like to see Browning make the BLR in 8x57mm. Probaby not a huge performance difference than my BLR 308, but there are some good loads from RWS in that 8mm that surpass the 308 easily. (for that matter a savage in 8mm sounds good too)

BLR in 325wsm interests me, but I am afraid of recoil in that set up.
I prefer to use the levers when hunting, don't know why, just used to them I guess, I feel more confident and comfortable. So excuse me if I keep trying to turn a lever into some bolt action type performance. It is my goal (and was Hornady's/Marlin's)
BLR in 338 federal might be the directions to go.

Long post, but bottom line, if I need to go to the BLR route, what and how and who would/could convert a BLR to say the 8x57, or 338 fed? I would think either would be easy, in that the barrels are already made, and the 338 Fed and 8mm should work through short action BLR without much alteration??

[walks with gun]

My all time favorite in the BLR is the .358, if he could find a used one, he would have a fantastic moose rifle even ready for a scope for older eyes dim light. Savage even made some 99's in .358 if a person could find one.

[M. M. Wright]

+1 on the BLR in .358

[Les Staley]

Got one of each, a BLR and a Savage 99 both in 358. love 'em.. Lucky to find each of 'em. Whitetails don't like 'em much..

[stinson]

You don't need a big gun for moose, but you do need premium bullets to get adequate and reliable penetration. I've shot moose with calibers from the .270 Weatherby to the .30 WCF to the .375 H&H, and the Weatherby kills them as quickly as anything. That said, if you want an 8mm, my vote is for the BLR in .325 WSM. It will do everything that you need it to do on any North American animal, in a light, accurate, compact package. Mine is a stainless takedown model, and I love it. I don't find its recoil objectionable, but you could load it down a little to reduce the recoil if you wanted. Given the limited selection (and ferocious cost) of factory rounds, it's a handloader's cartridge. If you don't want to go that route, the .300 WSM is a better choice.

[86er]

I really like the 325 wsm. I messed w a BLR and it was great but the 20" bbl lost some velocity. Just 2" more bbl seemed to find another 165 fps! I did not get a BLR but I still like the 325 wsm and would enthusiastically get a 22" BLR in that caliber if one came along under the right circumstances.

Outside of 8mm, the '06 BLRis easily converted to 35 Whelen and I have a great recipe for 250 gr NPs @ 2600 fps.

As far as moose, they are not as tough as elk but their nervous system seems to react slower. I think something bigger than 270 win puts you squarely in the adequate category instead of marginal. When you go a long way and want the best bull you can find with possibly one chance, you want a large comfort level. If you want any moose, cow or calf or if you are a resident of moose county w multiple opportunities over the years the caliber is less essential. A well hit moose is likely to be recovered where an elk that is marginally wounded or hit with limited effect (due to light caliber) it is unlikely you can recover it easily. Another consideration is a bull in rut while not inherently dangerous, often wrestle w cars and even trains. Depending on where you hunt, the range will vary from under 100 yds to 300 yd norms and the animal size can double between a Shiras and a Yukon. In thick or damp country I like big frontal bullet diameter and serious penetration for good blood trails. Also, to keep a moose from making it to water wounded, a little extra oomph don't hurt you any. Personally, a 308 or '06 w 180's or200's , most 8mms, 35's above Rem would all be versatile moose cartridges. I like the levers and pumps because w such a big target I tend to shoot multiple shots quickly if I still have a safe zone of fire.

Look hard at that 325 Win again or borrow my 35 Whelen to see if you like it.

[86er]

One more thing. In many Afrcan countries, Eland are caliber restricted. Some are .366 up w/ 3500 ft/pds energy and some are .375 up (only excluding 375 Win). They are 1200 - 2000 pounds depending on sub species, much like moose. Someone decided this was in the best interest of the hunter and the eland. We've recently taken Eland w 30-06 (180 NP) , 45-70, 375h&h , all good moose cartridges too.

[Marlin32]

Thanks '86er, you commented earlier about someone getting some weight added to his BLR also. I would be interested in that if I went that route. Like you, I would be looking at finding a 22" barrel for it too! 22" barrel, and around 8.5#s, trigger slicked down a bit also and now we are talking.

Too get real crazy, I like the idea of the 348 Turnbull (which I believe to be essentially a 348AI), but want it in a Marlin. SO here goes; could the 470 turnbull (trimmed down 475 turnbull to fit in a marlin 1895) be necked down to .348? (or 358 for that matter)

This would be similar thought as the 348DC (made from 45-70 and trimmed to fit the Marlin 1895)

Or is the 348DC a lot less trouble for no more than I would gain? Thoughts everyone??

(I like the idea of a 35 Whelen in BLR with extra weight also)

Throwing Eland restrictions out also makes me think a bit. Added hurdle maybe. WHEN I get to Africa, main animal I am after is Eland. So will need enough gun, but then after I get this elk/moose round out of my system, can work on a new gun JUST for Eland and Africa trip!!

[stinson]

I'm certainly no expert on BLRs and their variations, but the stainless/takedown model in .325 WSM that I bought a couple of years ago has a 22" barrel. That seems to be the standard length, at least with newer rifles. I don't think that I'd want a shorter barrel with this cartridge. In my opinion, although I only own this one BLR among quite a few other leverguns, it is in a class of its own with regard to strength and accuracy. It's more like a bolt action, the way that it locks up.

As for weight, I guess it depends upon how you hunt, but as I get older, I'm less and less interested in lugging a heavy gun over hill and dale. And most particularly up mountains. Unless you have a gun that shoots cartridges the size of cigars, you're not going to notice recoil when shooting at game - and that would likely only be a shot or two after days of hunting - and walking. For shooting off the bench and for practicing, there are any number of effective recoil-reducing products, from shoulder pads, to buttstock pads, to lead-sled type devices, and so on. There are also commercial reduced-recoil ammo loads on the market, and of course the handloader can tailor practice loads to almost any recoil level. So I don't see the merit of hauling around a heavy gun just to tame recoil. A couple of extra pounds can really take a physical toll after a day of walking, particularly in hilly or mountainous terrain. I think that the 6.5 pounds of my iron-sighted BLR are just about right for a walking-around rifle.

[6pt-sika]

Lets see over the years I've done the 358 WIN in a Ruger 77R and wasn't overly impressed . Did the 325 WSM in a Winchester Model 70 Black Shadow and I liked it a good bit with the Nosler 180 BT bullet . Did a couple of the Marlin 336ER's in 356 WIN and liked them okay one with factory loads and the other with cast bullet handloads . Did a couple of the 338 Marlin Express in blued and stainless . Just shot factory in those two . They were okay with factory and I think they'd a been ebtter with handloads if I had kept them long enough to find out . And last but not least I did the 338 Federal in a TC Encore , without a doubt I liked this cartridge best of all those I've mentioned . I just wasn't overly enthused about the TC Encore . I always thought a Remington Model 7 CDL rebarreled to 338 Federal woulda been a very nice one !
And who knows somewhere down the road I may try and get a pair of Model 7CDL's ! One in 260 REM and another in 243 or 308 to rebarrel to 338 Federal .

As far as that goes I wouldn't mind getting a Model 7 CDL in one of the WSM chamberings and rebarrel it to 325 WSM also !