Just won the Maine moose lottery, actually my buddy did and I'm the sub-permittee.I want to take my FA 454 and I am looking for a good hand load for this.I load for 6.5 JDJ,45-70,375JDJ,and 44 mag.I'm just getting started with the 454 and would like some input.Thanks.

Congratulations yosey! I would use at least a 300 gr. bullet like the Nosler Partition or the new bullet from Barnes, the Barnesbuster,,,I think it's called. It'a a 300 or a 325 gr. solid copper bullet which has almost no expansion to it. Sounds like it would do a good job on a moose. Good luck and good hunting.

When I drew a moose permit here in WY. I used a 335 gr LFNGC LBT bullet with a heavy load of H 110 in my FA 454.

I prefer a bullet with a bit more meplat but it worked very well on the moose I got.

The Barnes Buster has a lead core and a small meplat -- a bit too small for my taste. It's a nod to lever action rifles, I believe, to aid in feeding. That said, it is still one deeply penetratiung bullet.

For tough bulls, consider the Belt Mountain "Punch" bullet. It is made of brass with a lead core. Penetrates more than all other bullets I've tested. You could easily use a .44 mag on moose with this bullet.

In a .454, it is probably overkill for moose, though, so a good, heavy cast bullet at 300+gr would do the job as well (at a third of the price). I agree with Whitworth regarding the meplat issue.

congratulations! Moose, although are large in body size, they are pretty easy to put down. I have shot two Alaskan Moose with a handgun. One with a 44 mag and one with a 45 mag. Any good hard core constructed bullet will work. One warning, try not to take a front on chest shot. Moose have a lot of fat stored in their chest that makes it very difficult for bullet to pass through into the vitals. Good Luck! Except to see pictures this fall.

Ditto on what Whit said...

Another vote for the 300 cast!

Congrats on the draw! 300 gr Sierras are an excellent .454 bullet. They are pretty hard but will give some expansion on close shots and act like a hardcast on longer shots. They give deep penetration and are very accurate in all of my .454s.

When Freedom Arms sold loaded ammo I used their 260gr JFP cartridge in my 454 to take a Shiras moose at 60yds. He quartered away and the bullet took out the heart and stopped under the offside skin. If I was to do it over I would use the same bullet but in 300grs.....Best of luck.

I have taken a few moose with my gun of choice a 7 1/2" FA83 in 454. I like the Sierra 300 gn behind 26.0 gns of 2400 for a hard hitting big game load. I have taken3 moose, dozens of hogs, and probably 10 bears with tht exact load. It shoots really well at distance too. I have never had bullet failure, even tho its a fairly soft point. I almost always get full penetration. Oh, and my son likes it for disolving ground squirrels. Just my .02 cents worth.

How did your Moose hunt go??

I too am curious...

As am I...

Maybe the moose got him?

BAHAHAHA. man I laughed when I first read that...

Don't laugh, it happens. I've been charged but got away. This guy didn't fair to well. This was at UAA in Anchoragre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe5wVeEChTw

This old couple escaped with thier lives yesterday...
http://www.adn.com/2012/01/22/2277726/wife-stops-moose-stomping-with.html

adn.com and search on "moose attack". It happens all the time here in Alaska. They come in to town and about the time Feb rolls around thier kind of cranky.

http://www.adn.com/search_results?aff=1100&q=moose+attack&submit=find+%BB