41 mag on Moose? And can I fly that revolver on a plane to Alaska?

[6.5BR]

My cousin came to town today from Alaska-been discussing a trip, possibly a Moose hunt....and how do you guys feel about a 41 Mag, top loads....would you guys feel comfortable considering bears are around? 

Oh, OM Blackhawk in 4 5/8".

I may buy this back from my brother....alloy frame makes it lighter the new 44 special on the 357 frame.

Joe Mack??  Where are you?  Won't that Ruger spin a 275 well?  Who's mfg. them?  H110?

My other option, contemplated a 45 Colt, heavy bullets....know it's likely better, but would the 41 be enough?  Had 44s and like the special, just prefer a 41.....and heard lots of good things on the 45LC.  I don't think anything more powerful would be in my best interest due to shootability....recoil tolerance.

Sight recommendations.  What about a gold bead and v notch rear?  Precise?  Should be fast.  Who makes them rears?  Thanks to all.

I am thinking a handgun hunt on Moose would be a real thrill, much more than a rifle...not Robin Hood so I'd rather my tool is steel and not a stick.

[Ak.Hiker]

Its pretty easy to take a handgun to Ak. Double check with your airline in advance just to make sure the rules have not changed. The handgun will need to be in a seperate checked bag from the ammo. I always put my handgun in a locked case inside of the suitcase. The TSA guys will want to check it. You will need to declare the handgun at the ticket counter and sign that it is unloaded. Do not put the ammo in the same bag as the handgun. The ammo also needs to be in the factory package or an approved ammo carrier. I will leave the moose hunting with the 41 Magnum to others. I had a 4 5/8 inch 41 Magnum Blackhawk for many years. I passed it on to my son. I carried it on hikes for bear protection. It seems to hit about the same as the 44 Magnum with the same kinds of loads. The 250 grain CorBon cast load looks good. When I had my 41 I carried either the 250 Federal CastCore or a heavy handload. I have done lots of penetration testing with the 41. The old CorBon 265 grain cast would penetrate almost the same as the same companies 320 grain cast load in spruce wood. A big bull moose is a very large animal. If I was going to hunt one with a handgun I would opt for my 454. A handloader in town set up one of his clients with a full power 454 loaded with the 300 grain Hornady XTP for a moose hunt a few years ago. No problem with that load. The guy got his moose.

[corbanzo]

Good information above on all the airline info. 

The .41 mag I consider to be a great black bear round for hunting.  For moose.... not so much.  I mean, yes, it would work.  If you took a shot at the lungs/heart through the ribs, you could drop him.  Where he would drop, if he would trample you first, and if you could find him would be the questions.  I think I would feel about the same with either the .41 or a bow.  If you mess up, even a little, and hit the should/some other bone, might end up a bad day.

[Ken ONeill]

No problem transporting a revolver to Alaska. However... The last time I hunted in Alaska (2000), a license for Moose was $500. It's probably higher now. I'm not even sure a non resident can legally hunt Moose in Alasksa without a Registered or Master Guide. Is your cousin one ? If not, you're probably looking at about $8000.
An Alaska-Yukon bull Moose is a big dude, much larger than the Shiras Moose in the western states. He lives in dense, watered cover and has a long stride. The 4 5/8" .41 Mag. is toward the bottom of the list of what I would personally choose to hunt them. My own choice is a .475 Linebaugh, any of the .500's (mine are WE's), or a T/C in .375 JDJ or .45-70.
There's potentially a lot of time and money invested in hunting moose. In my view, the person who's serious about doing it, can also invest in a powerful enough handgun to do the job properly.

[Pistolero45]

I guess my question would be, "what is your goal?"

If the goal is to shoot a moose, then using a big enough gun/caliber is the smart way to go.  Especially when you figure the amount of time and money involved in the hunt.

However, if your goal is to take a moose with a .41 magnum, and you think the bullet will have enough penetration, and you can shoot accurately enough, then go for it.

But with that said, please be respectful of the animal/your hunting partners and do not take any marginal shots.

[Redhawk1]

No problem transporting a revolver to Alaska. However... The last time I hunted in Alaska (2000), a license for Moose was $500. It's probably higher now. I'm not even sure a non resident can legally hunt Moose in Alasksa without a Registered or Master Guide. Is your cousin one ? If not, you're probably looking at about $8000.
An Alaska-Yukon bull Moose is a big dude, much larger than the Shiras Moose in the western states. He lives in dense, watered cover and has a long stride. The 4 5/8" .41 Mag. is toward the bottom of the list of what I would personally choose to hunt them. My own choice is a .475 Linebaugh, any of the .500's (mine are WE's), or a T/C in .375 JDJ or .45-70.
There's potentially a lot of time and money invested in hunting moose. In my view, the person who's serious about doing it, can also invest in a powerful enough handgun to do the job properly.

No guide is needed for Moose in Alaska, only Grizzly/Brown Bear, Sheep and Goat require a guide..

As for the gun, a 45 Colt would be a better choice in my opinion. My self, I would choose 454 Casull or larger. That is just my opinion.

[6.5BR]

Great info on the airlines, etc.  I realize they are large and hard to put down.  Also, I would only shoot a handgun of any kind at very close range for many reasons.  I would also select shots or pass any questionable shot and use a rifle or just pass.  I do respect animals I hunt, and agree a 45 cal would be better. 

Thanks again to all posters.

[pastorp]

Great post AKHicker. Only thing different in my experience is the gun ammo thing. As long as the gun is in a locked hard case I have traveled with the ammo in the same duffel bag. As long as the ammo is not in the locked hard case I've never experienced a problem with it being in the same duffel bag.. And I fly instate several times a year with a firearm.

Its been about 3years since I flew out of state with a handgun but had no problems at that time with them both in the same duffel. Just make sure the handgun is in a locked hard case when put in the duffel. And don't land in Canada. Regards

[millwright]

          The moose in Alaska are bigger than here in Maine, but I can vouch for the 44 mag with hard cast bullets on Maine moose, have seen it more than once but you must shoot responsibly.

[Dand]

I live in the Bristol Bay area and carry a 41 mag for bear defense. I've never had to use it for that and its probably on the light side.  I have taken one very small caribou with the 41 from a 7.5 in redhawk at about 60 yds. I wasn't shooting well and had to shoot several times. When I got him thru the shoulders he stayed down.   I was using the Corbon 265. In that case I think the bullets were too heavy and an expanding XTP might have performed better. Main problem was  my marksmanship and I haven't hunted with it since - need to get better first.

I hesitate to try my 41 for moose. The one time I had a 41 on me when a legal bull appeared, the animal gave me no chance to consider the options. I'm glad.  It wasn't a good situation to take him and he was easily 50+ inches.

I'm sure the 41 penetration would be sufficient given heavy bullets and close range. But I've seen moose drop at 1 shot from a 30-30 and I've seen them soak up 4 shots from a 300 magnum then take  a few minutes to decide to die. Its hard to know how the next one will behave.  If you have taken a lot of good sized deer, I'd say MAYBE try for moose with the 41.  If you have minimal experience, I'd say its probably not a good idea unless you have a very experienced person backing you up. Often the brush is so thick (where I hunt) that a huge moose can disappear in 2-3 steps. Tracking can be extremely difficult - especially if its raining hard.  And out here its often raining hard. 

So, pack along the 41. Practice with it A BUNCH. But carry an adequate rifle and only try the 41 if you end up in an ideal situation: in a wide open area, close moose, good back up, plenty of time to pick the shot and reasonable opportunity for followup shots. I'd expect to try to pump several into it quickly - but make the first one count.

Read up on Alaskan moose hunting, read up on the regulations, and don't shoot one far from easy transportation. In our area, nonresidents must watch a moose hunting video before getting a tag. All meat must be transported from the kill site BEFORE the antlers are moved. Much of the meat must remain on the bone until its out of the field - that can be a killer if you shoot one in a bog a mile or more from the road or river. Take a good look at an 600- 1200 pound horse - that's what you'll have to deal with.  I've heard several successful nonresident hunters say that it was a good thing they saw the video first as they really weren't ready for what it takes to handle a dead moose. 

When I say bogs and tundra - imagine wearing hip boots carrying 80 to 150+ pounds of meat on your back while you hike a mile on a soft bed.  I've met guys who are good hikers in hard ground but get wiped out very quickly in soft tundra. One guy refused to hike on it at all after the first day. All we could do was drift the river until something showed on the banks. Actually it wasn't bad as he got his caribou on a gravel bar and it was a very easy clean up.  That's how a lot of locals hunt actually.

Go prepared and you'll have a great time. Unprepared could be a painful expensive mess.

Oh, meant to mention that I have seen and bought some 265 gr hard cast LBT style 41 mag ammo sold at Mountain View Sporting Goods in Anchorage. I think the brand was Alaska Back Packer or something similar. Have no idea who loads it but it works fine in my guns. Another guy from the Soldotna area loads similar ammo under the name Bulletsmith I think - I've seen his stuff at gun shows in Anchorage. Northern Security in Anchorage often has Federal Cast Core in the 250 wfn and used to be where I got my Corbon 265 - don't recall seeing much Corbon 41 of any type there last time I was in town. Great Northern Guns sometimes has some Buffalo Bore 250 or 265 (forget exactly).  Sportsman's Warehouse in Anchorage sometimes has Federal Cast Core and may have Corbon ammo.

HTH

[Nate C]

Dand's advice is right on the money.  You need an 'exit strategy' when you drop an animal that size, regardless of caliber.  If you hypothetically were busted moving a mount or cape before the meat had been recovered expect to be in some hot water.  A 41 mag wouldn't be my first choice, but it can be done. 

Leadhead sells a 270gr Hard cast wide meplat bullet that would be as good as anything in this caliber.  If you talk to him ask for 'the state championship bullet'.  He's a great guy to deal with.

I wouldn't think about it with any jacketed/expanding bullet.  My 2c.

Good luck, enjoy you visit, be safe.

Nate

[6.5BR]

Thanks, yeah my cousin who lives there uses a winch and has alot of help when they pack one out.  It is a job I can tell.  Thanks again.

[handi243]

One BIG thing to remember a moose is going to try EVERYTHING in his power to make it to water. You need to put him down fast or at least stop him. A big moose in the middle of the lake or river is not what i would like to chance. I'm with the others on this a 44 mag or 45 colt with GOOD loads close range perfect shot placement. Practice is the best as always i would try to break down the front end first. Good luck post pics!!!!!!

[Racer X]

Leadhead sells a 270gr Hard cast wide meplat bullet that would be as good as anything in this caliber.  If you talk to him ask for 'the state championship bullet'.  He's a great guy to deal with.

My experience with Leadhead bullets is that they are brittle. Take a Cast Performance, Mount Baldy or Beartooth bullet and smash it with a hammer and it flattens; hit a Leadhead bullet and it will break.

Good bullets for target practice, but I would not shoot them into the shoulders of a moose.

[Ak.Hiker]

Leadhead sells a 270gr Hard cast wide meplat bullet that would be as good as anything in this caliber.  If you talk to him ask for 'the state championship bullet'.  He's a great guy to deal with.

My experience with Leadhead bullets is that they are brittle. Take a Cast Performance, Mount Baldy or Beartooth bullet and smash it with a hammer and it flattens; hit a Leadhead bullet and it will break.

Good bullets for target practice, but I would not shoot them into the shoulders of a moose.

I wonder why CorBon switched from CP to the Leadhead in their heavy handgun loads? I have a box of CorBon 335 grain cast loads in 45 Colt to use for woods walking. I have done the hammer test on the CP cast bullets and you are right they are not brittle.

[Racer X]

Leadhead sells a 270gr Hard cast wide meplat bullet that would be as good as anything in this caliber.  If you talk to him ask for 'the state championship bullet'.  He's a great guy to deal with.

My experience with Leadhead bullets is that they are brittle. Take a Cast Performance, Mount Baldy or Beartooth bullet and smash it with a hammer and it flattens; hit a Leadhead bullet and it will break.

Good bullets for target practice, but I would not shoot them into the shoulders of a moose.

I wonder why CorBon switched from CP to the Leadhead in their heavy handgun loads? I have a box of CorBon 335 grain cast loads in 45 Colt to use for woods walking. I have done the hammer test on the CP cast bullets and you are right they are not brittle.

The only Leadhead bullet I have tried was the 270 grain Keith for a 45 Colt and it was that bullet that flunked the hammer test. I do not know if they use a different alloy for Cor-bon.

[Lloyd Smale]

I usually preach the big caliber speel but in my opinion your 41 will do just fine. Load it with a 250 cast lfn to about 1200 fps and it will kill a moose. You will need to place the bullet in the right spot but that doesnt change even if your shooting it with a 500. I havent killed a moose with a handgun but have killed 5 buffalo all that weighted about the same as a full grown moose. Ive killed them with everything from a 500 linebaugh to a 44 mag loaded with a cast 250 hollow point. The quickest kill was with the 44. Does that mean the 44 is a better gun then the 500. No way! But it did the job well. I have not doubt that if i was shooting a 41 with 250 lfns it would have had the same results. Now if you wound it and have to go after it, in that circumstance id be looking for a bigger gun but you said you will have someone with you and no doubt he will have a rifle anyway so that isnt a consern. All ill say is this. I have no idea what your skill level is with a handgun but if you are just a casual handgun shooter a once in a lifetime trip is no time to hunt with a tool you dont know intimately. Its just to easy to blow a shot under pressure with a handgun and ruin your trip by loosing a big moose or spending the who time tracking it down. Theres a time and a place even for me with handguns. I think if i was going on that trip id be carrying a rifle and have a handgun on my hip. If a nice easy shot presented itself id use my handgun. But i woulnt want to be resticted to only having a handgun on a trip like that.

[S.B.]

6.5BR, Here's a thread you may have interest in, be sure to read the last post by "dimrod". He says he has experience with the .41 and moose? HTHs.
Steve

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php?t=49957

[sixshot]

  I agree with Lloyd on the big caliber thing for moose, I used a Ruger 480 & 370 gr cast on mine. My buddy took his using one of my 230 gr softnose cast slugs in his Redhawk 41 magnum, the shot was about 65 yds as I remember, the bull was facing us & he hit it right at the junction of the throat & brisket, the cast slug went through the brisket, into the diaphram, got the heart & one lung, exited the diaphram into the intestines for something like 5' of penetration, yes a 41 will work, the real magic is putting the slug in the right place.

Dick

[Tonk]

6.5BR......A .41mag with proper bullet (hardcast) will kill and penetrate the vitals of a moose, provided you stay off the shoulder, they have big thick bones. However, hunting in Alaska for moose means bear country and I for one want someone standing by with a big caliber rifle just in case one of those furry critters happens by when I shoot Mr. Moose.

Bears in Alaska are nothing to take for granted, trust me on that one. I would want a good shot carrying a .375H&H, standing by my side just for grins and to keep my knees from knocking ok. Good Luck!

[Pistolero45]

One of my brother's friends moved to Alaska and had the bad luck of bumping into a irate grizzly bear while archery moose hunting.  He stopped the bear at 8 yards with several 12 gauge slugs.  The game warden who investigated said he should have shot much sooner.

[Larry Gibson]

6.5BR

"Had 44s and like the special, just prefer a 41..... I don't think anything more powerful would be in my best interest due to shootability....recoil tolerance."

Seems to me you've answered your own question.  If the .41 is what you are comfortable with and can use it effectively then by all means take it and use it.  You know your limitations and I don't need to tell you that you will be far more effective with a lessor cartridge that you can handle and are comfortable with than with a larger cartridge you are having "recoil tolerance" problems with.

I've not killed anything bigger than an elk with my 41s while hunting.  It was large cow. Shot was about 40 yards and she was slightly quartering away.  I put the bullet right behind the onside leg as she stepped forward.  The bullet angled forward, took the top of the heart out, severely damaged the thick part of both lungs and exited through the meaty part of the off side leg.  Expansion of the 210 gr Remington SP was quite evident.  Penetration was all that could be desired.  That was with a 6" model 57 some years back.  The load was over a now listed max of H110. Velocity was 1400 fps.  I now shoot the same load out of my 7 1/2" Bisley at 1450 fps.  Of course in your shorter barreled Ruger velocity would be less but I'm betting 1300+ fps.  I also have 3 .44s that i shoot as well as the .41 but I've not seen any real difference between the .41 and .44s on deer/B bear/elk.  If you do go one that moose hunt with it you might want your hunting partner to have an appropriate rifle in case you can't make a confident shot with the .41.  BTW; while I say "shot" in the singular it is also a good idea with a handgun to shoot as many accurate shots as you can.  Good luck hunting and enjoy the trip.

Larry Gibson

[Tonk]

6.5 BR.....Handguns are not really the solution to bears in your camp! I carried a .44mag teathered to my belt but seriously speaking, trying to stop a grizzly with a handgun is not something one should depend upon doing. I would much rather have a big bore rifle in my hands.

Now as far as killing a moose goes, the 41mag with heavy loads will do the job up close and personal like. My handgun was always a last resort if my rifle were to have a problem etc. However, with todays handgun calibers I would opt for at least a .454 Casul for bear duty or bigger.

I know of a man who tried stoppping a 350-lb grizzly once with his service revolver. He fired 5 shots point blank into that bear but not before it chewed him up a bunch, bit his leg and snapped it like a toothpick. Those critters are very fast when they want to be and I hear tell from a zoology professor that a bear can cover 40 yards in less than 3.5 seconds. Now that is faster than L.S.U.'s star running back of the late 50's, Billy Cannon who could run the 100 yd dash in 9.4 sec...fact.

[Cayoot]

I know of a man who tried stoppping a 350-lb grizzly once with his service revolver. He fired 5 shots point blank into that bear but not before it chewed him up a bunch, bit his leg and snapped it like a toothpick.

What can you tell us about that service revolver?  Caliber/load/bbl length?

[Tonk]

Cayoot........The man in question, was a conservation agent at the time. His job was to transport problem grizzly bears outside of the present area. His story has been told in several magazines with pictures!

Now the service revolver he carried at the time was a .357 magnum, I believe it was a Smith & Wesson model. Those loads were reported as being 158 grain bullets, as far as brand or powder I don't know.

I can tell you that he stopped carrying the .357mag and went to a .44 magnum revolver shortly after his attack. I don't know what he carries nowdays, I have not been up to Kalipspell, Montana for several  years since.

[Cayoot]

Thanks Tonk.

[6.5BR]

Follow up after my last post.  Great advice by all, and appreciated.  Lloyd, I once was a devoted handgunner and a pretty good shot, having hunting small game with them, as well as a few deer.  Shot thru 44s and in TCs, 6.5/7tcu, 41s/44s, 30/30, 357 max, and the lowly 22.  Now, I onely shoot a few 41s for larger caliber handgun, but I have to catch up on much needed practice since those days in college. 

Head shots on squirrels were not uncommon w/my TC, a crow past 150, etc.  Many Turtles w/unscoped 22s as well as scoped 30/30, as well as a multitude of snakes swimming in creeks etc. but no experience on game bigger than deer and I realize it's different than punching paper as well.

That said, I feel if I get back to regular shooting and have the proper ammo and am given a good shot presentation, I feel I would be successful.  That said, a rifle will be with me and used if a good shot is not presented.

Bears.....my cousin has discussed that topic a few times.  So far a fishing trip is planned w/my younger son this summer.  The possible Moose hunt will come afterwards if I am fortunate, but it may have to wait another year.  In the meantime I need to start loading more ammo and get to shooting more.  My 657s are scoped and I really find I want to get back to irons.  And talk my brother out of the OM BH 4 5/8 I sold him

[Lloyd Smale]

if your counting on that gun for protection the scope has definately got to go. As you probably know a scoped handgun is pretty slow to put into service.

[millwright]

     I killed a moose here in Maine in 2008 with a 44 SBH with a 240 gr hard cast with 10 gr of unique.  The distance was 50 yd.  Broadside shot, complete pass through.  Not an Alaskan moose, but he did dress 830 lb.  The gun was scoped but we all agree that is not the fastest sight for a handgun.  My opinion is the 41 is fine.  Bullet placement is the thing.  The moose I shot took two steps and died.

[6.5BR]

Lloyd, no doubt, I never took a big liking to glass on my revolvers, just too lazy to take off yet....but thats coming.  Have had some fun w/2x glass on a 22 Ruger, but 3 out of 4 only have irons.  My TCs were 'worthy' of glass.  The 2x M8 showed me my current 657s potential, well as far as how well I can shoot them.

I believe my first 657 back in college was my best iron sighted large bore, though I did a fair job w/even a 629, four incher.....milk jugs at 100 and 150 yds.  Buddy called me up the next week who set them up at the range asking if I had a 6" bbl.  Said no, a 4", seems I got the first at 100 yds w/2nd or 3rd shot, and the one at 150 with my first try.  I was just as impressed, a 200 Noz w/a load of 296, four gr. under max, but sight pics often are easier to obtain under practice/range conditions so first shot 'hitting' is not always repeatable afield at the same distances I realize.

Thanks again guys.  Millwright, my first handgun deer was a M29 4", used 10 or 10.5gr of Unique/240 SWC, cut thru her like Hot butter!  Did the same on Willow Trees along the local Red River, about 8-10" across!  Would likely have killed a man on the exit side the way it hit the river!

I would like to change out my black ramps for a gold bead, maybe use a different rear blade, open to suggestions.