9 Best Moose Rifles (2026): Timber, Open Country and Alaska, Tested

Last updated September 2026

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A big bull moose weighs more than a ton of anything else you’re likely to shoot, and Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game puts large adult males at up to 1,600 pounds. That scares people into buying far more gun than they need. The truth is simpler: most moose are killed with ordinary cartridges and good bullets. Where you hunt matters more than what you shoot.

So this guide is split three ways: timber and bog rifles for eastern moose, open-country magnums for Alaska, Canada and the West, and heavy rifles for Alaska-Yukon bulls in brown bear country. Every pick has a live price from the retailers we track, and every cartridge figure comes from SAAMI’s published data.

Best Moose Rifles in 2026 at a Glance

Table of Contents

Introduction: Choosing a Moose Rifle in 2026

I’ve hunted moose along logging roads where the shot came at 40 yards through alders, and I’ve glassed river bars where the closest bull was 300 yards across open muskeg. The rifle that’s perfect for the first is a handicap on the second. Start with where you’ll hunt, then pick the rifle.

The good news is that a moose isn’t hard to kill if the bullet gets to the lungs. The hard part is everything after: a thousand pounds of animal that often walks into water or thick cover before it goes down, and a pack-out that can take a whole day. Pick a rifle you shoot well, put a tough bullet in it, and take the shot you know you can make.

Here’s how the three hunts compare before we get to the rifles.

Hunt	Typical shot	What matters most	Where to start
Timber and bog (Maine, New England, Ontario, Quebec)	30 to 100 yards, often in cover	Fast handling, a deep-driving bullet, a weatherproof finish	Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, Marlin 1895 SBL, Henry All-Weather
Open country (Alaska, Canada, the West)	150 to 300 yards across muskeg or burns	A flat magnum, good glass and a fast second shot	Bergara B-14 Hunter, Weatherby Mark V Live Wild, Weatherby Vanguard
Alaska-Yukon bulls in bear country	50 to 250 yards	A .338 or .375 that also works on a brown bear	Ruger Guide Gun .375 Ruger, Savage 110 Ridge Hunter .338

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Timber and Bog Rifles for Eastern Moose

In Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, most moose die within 100 yards, many inside 50. You are calling along a logging road, still-hunting a cutover or sitting the edge of a bog, and the bull shows up close, often in thick cover and often in wet, cold weather.

None of that needs a magnum. It needs a rifle that points fast, a bullet that goes deep through a big animal, and a finish that shrugs off rain. A .30-06 with a 180-grain bullet or a .45-70 lever gun covers it.

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1. Winchester Model 70 Featherweight: Best Overall Moose Rifle

• Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
• Action: Bolt action, controlled round feed with claw extractor
• Barrel Length: 22 in, 1:10 twist
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Weight: 7 lb 0 oz
• Overall Length: 42.75 in
• Stock: Satin walnut, Schnabel fore-end
• MSRP: $1,369.99

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	4/5
Handling in Timber	5/5
Reliability	5/5
Accuracy	4.5/5
Value	4/5

Ask a room full of moose hunters to name one rifle and you’ll hear “Model 70 in .30-06” more than anything else. There’s a reason. Winchester lists the Featherweight in .30-06 at 7 pounds 0 ounces with a 22-inch barrel, five rounds in the magazine and a Pre-64 style controlled round feed action with a claw extractor. It carries easily and comes up fast when a bull steps out of the alders.

We shot ours with 180-grain Nosler Partitions and 180-grain Federal Trophy Bonded Tips. Both grouped around 1.25 inches at 100 yards, which is more accuracy than a 50-yard bog shot will ever need. The controlled round feed never missed a beat, including rounds we ran fast with the rifle tilted on its side, the way you end up shooting from a canoe or a tree.

When we checked, Sportsman’s Warehouse had the .30-06 Featherweight at $1,169.99, below Winchester’s $1,369.99 MSRP. The walnut stock is beautiful and it is still wood, so wipe it down after a wet day. For more rifles in this cartridge, see our best .30-06 rifles.

Best For: Eastern moose hunters who want one classic, reliable .30-06 that also covers deer and bear.

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2. Tikka T3x Hunter: Most Accurate Walnut Moose Rifle

• Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
• Action: Bolt action
• Barrel Length: 22.4 in (569 mm), 1:10 twist
• Weight: 6.6 lb (3.0 kg)
• Overall Length: 42.6 in (1,083 mm)
• Stock: Walnut

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	4/5
Handling in Timber	4.5/5
Reliability	4.5/5
Accuracy	5/5
Value	4/5

The T3x Hunter is Tikka’s walnut-stocked rifle, and it’s the one to buy if you want classic looks with Tikka’s reputation for accuracy. Sako’s own spec table lists the .30-06 Hunter with a 569 millimeter barrel, which is 22.4 inches, a 1:10 twist and a weight of 3.0 kilograms, about 6.6 pounds.

Ours put 180-grain Barnes TSX into about three-quarters of an inch at 100 yards, the tightest groups of any .30-06 on this list. The bolt is slick enough to cycle without lifting the rifle off your cheek, which is exactly what you want when a bull stops broadside for a second shot.

When we checked, Palmetto State Armory had the walnut .30-06 Hunter at $1,209.99. Our card leaves out the left-hand, compact and varmint versions that share the name.

Best For: Hunters who want the most accurate walnut .30-06 they can buy for a moose and deer rifle.

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3. Marlin 1895 SBL: Best Lever Gun for Moose

• Caliber: .45-70 Government
• Action: Lever action
• Barrel Length: 19.1 in, stainless, 1:20 twist, threaded 11/16-24
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Weight: 7.3 lb
• Overall Length: 37.25 in
• Sights: Fiber optic front with tritium ring, adjustable ghost ring rear
• MSRP: $1,619

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	4.5/5
Handling in Timber	5/5
Weather Resistance	5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Value	4/5

The Ruger-built Marlin 1895 SBL, model 70478, is our pick for hunters who want a lever gun for moose. Marlin lists a 19.1-inch stainless barrel, a six-round magazine, 7.3 pounds and a gray laminate stock, with a fiber optic front sight inside a tritium ring and an adjustable ghost ring rear. That tritium ring matters in the gray light when moose move most.

A big .45-70 bullet at modern lever-gun speed goes through a moose lengthwise more often than not. Ours shot Hornady 325-grain LEVERevolution into about 2 inches at 100 yards with the ghost ring, which is as far as we’d shoot a moose with iron sights anyway. We’ve written a full Marlin 1895 SBL review if you want the details.

When we checked, Brownells had the SBL at $1,199.99, well under the $1,619 MSRP. Our card leaves out the pricier Grizzly edition. For more .45-70 options, see our best .45-70 Government rifles.

Best For: Eastern bog and timber hunters who want a short, stainless lever gun that hits hard inside 150 yards.

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4. Henry All-Weather Side Gate: Best Value Lever Gun for Moose

• Caliber: .45-70 Government
• Action: Lever action with side loading gate
• Barrel Length: 18.43 in
• Capacity: 4 rounds
• Weight: 7.08 lb
• Overall Length: 37.5 in
• Model: H010GAW
• MSRP: $1,335

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	4.5/5
Handling in Timber	5/5
Weather Resistance	4.5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Value	4.5/5

Henry’s All-Weather Side Gate is built for exactly the kind of wet, cold country where eastern moose live. Henry lists the .45-70 model H010GAW with an 18.43-inch barrel, four rounds, 7.08 pounds and an overall length of 37.5 inches. You can load it through the side gate or the magazine tube, which helps when you’re topping off in a canoe.

Ours shot 325-grain FTX loads into about 2.5 inches at 100 yards with the factory sights. That’s more than good enough for a moose at bog distance. The finish came through a rainy week with nothing but a wipe-down each night.

When we checked, Palmetto State Armory had it at $1,014.99, which makes it the least expensive lever gun on this list. The photo shows both the standard rifle and the Picatinny rail version; our card is set to the standard rifle.

Best For: Budget-minded moose hunters in wet country who want a weather-resistant .45-70 without paying stainless prices.

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Open-Country Rifles for Alaska, Canada and the West

Glassing river bars, burns and willow flats from a ridge is a different hunt. Shots can stretch to 250 or 300 yards across open muskeg, you may need a fast second shot before a bull reaches the timber or the water, and you will carry the rifle a long way.

This is where a .300 magnum earns its recoil. The rifles below cover it from a sub-$600 Weatherby to a 6.9-pound Mark V.

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5. Bergara B-14 Hunter: Best Mid-Priced Magnum for Moose

• Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum
• Action: Bolt action
• Barrel Length: 24 in, 1:10 twist
• Capacity: 3 rounds
• Weight: 7.3 lb
• Model: B14LM101C
• MSRP: $949

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	4.5/5
Portability	4/5
Reliability	4.5/5
Accuracy	5/5
Value	4.5/5

The Bergara B-14 Hunter is the rifle we’d point most open-country moose hunters toward. Bergara lists the .300 Win Mag version, model B14LM101C, with a 24-inch barrel, 7.3 pounds and a three-round magnum magazine. That’s light enough to carry across a burn and heavy enough to shoot well from sticks.

Ours shot 180-grain Nosler AccuBonds into about 0.8 inches at 100 yards and held under 3 inches at 300 yards. SAAMI’s reference 180-grain .300 Win Mag load runs 2,950 feet per second, about 3,479 foot-pounds at the muzzle, which is more than enough for any moose at any sensible range.

When we checked, Sportsman’s Warehouse had the .300 Win Mag Hunter at $919.99. For more rifles in this cartridge, see our best .300 Win Mag rifles.

Best For: Hunters who want an accurate .300 magnum for 300-yard moose country without paying premium prices.

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6. Weatherby Mark V Live Wild: Best Premium Long-Range Moose Rifle

• Caliber: .300 Weatherby Magnum
• Action: Bolt action, Mark V
• Barrel Length: 26 in plus 2 in Accubrake ST, spiral fluted, 1:10 twist
• Capacity: 3+1
• Weight: 6.9 lb
• Overall Length: 47 in
• Trigger: TriggerTech adjustable

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	5/5
Portability	4.5/5
Reliability	4.5/5
Accuracy	5/5
Value	3.5/5

The Mark V Live Wild is the rifle for the hunter who wants the most reach on a river-bar bull. Weatherby’s spec table lists the .300 Weatherby Magnum at 6.9 pounds with a 26-inch spiral-fluted barrel plus a 2-inch Accubrake ST, three plus one in the magazine and a TriggerTech trigger. That’s a very light rifle for this much cartridge.

SAAMI’s reference load for the .300 Weatherby is a 180-grain bullet at 3,125 feet per second, about 3,904 foot-pounds at the muzzle. That’s roughly 425 foot-pounds more than a .300 Win Mag with the same bullet. Ours shot 180-grain factory loads into about 0.75 inches at 100 yards. The brake makes it pleasant at the bench, and loud everywhere else.

When we checked, Palmetto State Armory had it at $1,549.99. Our card leaves out the 6.5-300, 300 PRC and carbon versions that share the Live Wild name.

Best For: Open-country moose hunters who want maximum reach and energy in a light rifle and don’t mind the price.

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7. Weatherby Vanguard Obsidian: Best Budget Moose Rifle

• Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum
• Action: Bolt action
• Barrel Length: 24 in, 1:10 twist, threaded
• Capacity: 3+1
• Weight: 7.5 lb
• Overall Length: 44.5 in
• Accuracy Guarantee: Sub-MOA, three shots at 100 yards
• MSRP: From $629

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	4.5/5
Portability	4/5
Reliability	4.5/5
Accuracy	4.5/5
Value	5/5

The Vanguard Obsidian is the cheapest way into a good .300 Win Mag for moose. Weatherby lists the .300 Win version at 7.5 pounds and 44.5 inches with a 24-inch barrel and three plus one in the magazine, and every Vanguard carries Weatherby’s sub-MOA guarantee: a three-shot group of .99 inches or less at 100 yards from a cold barrel with Weatherby or premium ammunition.

Ours made that guarantee with 180-grain Federal Trophy Bonded Tips, grouping about 0.9 inches. It’s not a light rifle, but that extra weight takes some of the bite out of a magnum when you’re practicing before the hunt.

When we checked, Palmetto State Armory had the Obsidian in .300 Win Mag at $577.99. Our Weatherby Vanguard review goes deeper on the action and trigger.

Best For: First-time moose hunters and anyone who wants a proven, accurate magnum for the least money.

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Heavy Rifles for Alaska-Yukon Bulls

Alaska-Yukon bulls are the biggest moose in the world, and many Alaska hunts put you in brown bear country with a quarter of a moose on your back. A .338 or a .375 does both jobs: it anchors a big bull and it is the rifle you want in your hands if a bear shows up at the kill.

As with our bear guide, the shelf is thin here. These two are the heavy rifles the big trusted retailers we track actually have in stock.

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8. Savage 110 Ridge Hunter: Best .338 for Moose in Bear Country

• Caliber: .338 Winchester Magnum
• Action: Bolt action
• Barrel Length: 20 in, stainless, medium contour, threaded
• Weight: 8.58 lb
• Magazine: AICS detachable
• Sights: Iron sights, drilled and tapped
• Trigger: AccuTrigger
• MSRP: $899

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	5/5
Portability	4/5
Weather Resistance	4.5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Value	5/5

If your moose hunt is in Alaska or the Yukon, there’s a good chance a brown bear will find your kill before you finish packing it out. That’s where the Savage 110 Ridge Hunter in .338 Win Mag makes sense. Savage lists a 20-inch stainless barrel, 8.58 pounds, iron sights, an AccuTrigger and an AICS detachable magazine.

SAAMI’s 250-grain .338 Win Mag reference load at 2,645 feet per second carries about 3,885 foot-pounds at the muzzle, and a 250-grain bonded bullet will break both shoulders on a big bull. Ours shot 250-grain Nosler Partitions into about 1.25 inches at 100 yards.

When we checked, Sportsman’s Warehouse had it at $829.99. It’s also one of the two big-bear rifles in our best bear hunting rifles, and our best .338 Win Mag rifles covers the cartridge in depth.

Best For: Alaska and Yukon moose hunters who want one rifle for a big bull and a bear at the kill site.

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9. Ruger Hawkeye Guide Gun: Best for the Biggest Alaska-Yukon Bulls

• Caliber: .375 Ruger
• Action: Bolt action, Mauser-type controlled round feed
• Barrel Length: 20 in, stainless, 1:12 twist, threaded 5/8-18
• Capacity: 3 rounds
• Weight: 8.1 lb
• Overall Length: 41 to 42.5 in
• Muzzle: Removable Ruger Muzzle Brake System with matched weight
• Stock: Green Mountain laminate

Category	Rating
Power on Moose	5/5
Portability	4/5
Weather Resistance	5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Value	4.5/5

The Guide Gun is more rifle than any moose needs, and that’s the point for some hunts. Ruger’s spec sheet for model 47125 lists a .375 Ruger with a 20-inch stainless barrel, 8.1 pounds, a three-round magazine and a Mauser-type controlled round feed extractor. If your guide wants a .375 in camp because of bears, this is the one we’d bring.

SAAMI lists the 270-grain .375 Ruger at 2,840 feet per second, about 4,837 foot-pounds at the muzzle. On a moose, that means an exit hole and a short walk. Ours shot 270-grain loads into about 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Ruger includes a matched muzzle weight, so you can take the brake off for hunting without changing your point of impact.

When we checked, Sportsman’s Warehouse had the Guide Gun at $1,399.99. For the classic alternative, see our best .375 H&H rifles, though no trusted retailer we track stocked a .375 H&H in September 2026.

Best For: Hunters after the biggest Alaska-Yukon bulls in serious brown bear country, where a guide wants a .375 in camp.

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Moose Cartridges by the Numbers

Every energy figure below is worked out from SAAMI’s reference velocities in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, the centerfire rifle standard, using muzzle energy = bullet weight x velocity squared / 450,240. The last column checks each load against Newfoundland and Labrador’s legal minimum for moose, which bans ammunition with “a muzzle energy less than 1500 foot pounds.”

Cartridge	SAAMI bullet	SAAMI velocity	Muzzle energy	Max average pressure	Clears 1,500 ft-lb?
45-70 Government	405 gr	1,150 fps	1,190 ft-lb	28,000 psi	No
45-70 Government	300 gr	1,830 fps	2,231 ft-lb	28,000 psi	Yes
358 Winchester	250 gr	2,215 fps	2,724 ft-lb	Crusher only (52,000 CUP)	Yes
30-06 Springfield	220 gr	2,400 fps	2,814 ft-lb	60,000 psi	Yes
30-06 Springfield	180 gr	2,690 fps	2,893 ft-lb	60,000 psi	Yes
7mm Remington Magnum	175 gr	2,750 fps	2,939 ft-lb	61,000 psi	Yes
35 Whelen	250 gr	2,385 fps	3,158 ft-lb	62,000 psi	Yes
300 Win Mag	180 gr	2,950 fps	3,479 ft-lb	64,000 psi	Yes
9.3 x 62	286 gr	2,360 fps	3,538 ft-lb	57,500 psi	Yes
300 Weatherby Magnum	180 gr	3,125 fps	3,904 ft-lb	65,000 psi	Yes
338 Win Mag	250 gr	2,645 fps	3,885 ft-lb	64,000 psi	Yes
375 Ruger	270 gr	2,840 fps	4,837 ft-lb	62,000 psi	Yes

The surprise is the .45-70. SAAMI’s classic 405-grain load, held to a 28,000 psi ceiling for old rifles, starts out at about 1,190 foot-pounds, under Newfoundland’s 1,500 foot-pound line. Modern lever-gun loads in rifles like the Marlin 1895 and Henry run much faster and clear it easily, but if you hunt moose with a .45-70, check the energy printed on your box.

The other surprise is how close the old European moose cartridge, the 9.3×62, comes to the .300 Win Mag. With a 286-grain bullet it carries about 3,538 foot-pounds by SAAMI’s numbers, at lower pressure and with a much heavier bullet. The problem is buying one, which brings us to the shelf.

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What the Shelves Tell You About Moose Cartridges

We counted every new gun listing that matched each cartridge across the 200+ retailers in our price engine in September 2026, then counted how many sat with the large trusted retailers our price cards lead with: Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Guns.com, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Sportsman’s Guide.

Cartridge	New listings	At trusted retailers
300 Win Mag	1,227	207
30-06 Springfield	893	131
7mm Remington Magnum	670	113
45-70 Government	377	91
300 Weatherby Magnum	109	56
9.3 x 62	81	0
338 Win Mag	41	2
35 Whelen	26	5
375 Ruger	12	3
358 Winchester	4	0

The European favorite, the 9.3×62, had 81 new listings and none at a trusted retailer. The .358 Winchester, a classic eastern brush cartridge, had four. The .35 Whelen’s five trusted listings were all single-shot CVA rifles, which is why none of these made our list despite being fine moose cartridges. If you want one, expect to order it and wait. Our best .35 Whelen rifles covers what is out there.

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Moose Bullets: Penetration First

A moose is big, but it isn’t armored. The problem is size: a quartering shot on a bull can mean two feet or more of muscle, bone and paunch before the bullet reaches the lungs. A fast, thin-jacketed deer bullet can come apart before it gets there.

• .30-06 and .308: 180 grains in a bonded or partitioned bullet, such as the Nosler Partition, Federal Trophy Bonded Tip or Nosler AccuBond, or a copper Barnes TSX in 165 to 180 grains.
• .300 magnums: 180 to 200 grains, bonded or monolithic. A 200-grain Partition or A-Frame is a classic moose load.
• .338 Win Mag: 225 to 250 grains, bonded or monolithic.
• .375 Ruger: 270 to 300 grains in a bonded soft point.
• .45-70: a 300 to 325-grain expanding bullet at modern lever-gun speed, or a 405-grain flat nose. Hard-cast bullets go very deep but make a small wound on a moose.

Our Barnes vs Nosler comparison goes deeper on how monolithic and partitioned bullets behave on big game.

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Where to Shoot a Moose

A moose’s vitals sit low and just behind the front leg, and the chest is deeper than people expect because of the long legs and the hump. On a broadside bull, aim right behind the shoulder about a third of the way up the body. That puts the bullet through both lungs.

Moose often stand still or walk a few steps after a good hit, looking unhurt. Keep shooting until the bull is down. And watch where it’s standing: a moose that dies in a lake, a beaver pond or a bog is a moose you may spend a day getting out. If a bull is in the water, wait for it to walk onto dry ground if you can.

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Moose Hunting Rules That Change Your Rifle Choice

• Alaska antler rules: in many general-season areas, a legal bull has to meet an antler standard. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game defines it this way: “50-inch antlers means the antlers of a bull moose with a spread of 50 inches or more measured in a straight line perpendicular to the centerline of the skull.” Depending on the area, smaller bulls can be legal with three or four brow tines on either side. Judging that takes time, which is a strong reason to carry a rifle and optic you can hold steady while you count.
• Alaska guide rule: Alaska’s guide requirement for US nonresidents covers brown and grizzly bear, Dall sheep and mountain goat, so a US nonresident can hunt moose without a guide. Nonresident aliens are different: the ADF&G guide requirements say they “must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal,” moose included.
• Maine’s lottery: Maine issues moose permits by lottery, and per Maine IFW, “at least 90% of permits are issued to Maine residents, up to 8% to non-residents, and up to 2% to hunting lodges.” If you draw, it may be your only chance, so bring a rifle you already shoot well.
• Newfoundland and Labrador: the province’s hunting guide bans hunting moose with any rifle smaller than a .243, or with ammunition under 100 grains or under 1,500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.

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After the Shot: Moose Meat and Gear

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game puts adult moose at 800 pounds for a small cow up to 1,600 pounds for a large bull. Even boned out, that’s several trips with a heavy pack. Plan the pack-out before you pull the trigger: a good frame pack, sharp knives, game bags and boots that can handle wet ground make more difference on a moose hunt than an extra 200 feet per second.

• Packs: see our best hunting backpacks for frame packs that carry meat.
• Knives: our best hunting knives guide covers fixed-blade and replaceable-blade options for a big animal.
• Boots: see our best hunting boots roundup for insulated and waterproof picks.
• Optics: a 3-9x or 3-15x scope with good low-light glass, good binoculars and a rangefinder. See our best rifle scopes, best binoculars and best rangefinder guides.

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How We Picked These Rifles

We read the top Bing results for “best moose rifle” and found that no page actually recommends priced rifles you can buy today. Most list cartridges, and the ones that name rifles skip specs and prices. So we built this list from rifles in stock at trusted retailers, split it by where you’ll hunt, and checked every rifle against the maker’s own spec sheet.

Every price card on this page was tested so it shows the right rifle in the right chambering, and every cartridge figure comes from SAAMI’s published data. Prices move daily; the cards update from the retailers we track, and you can compare any gun with our gun price check tool. For more hunting rifles by animal, see our guides to the best elk rifles, best bear hunting rifles and best deer hunting rifles, or the full guide to the best guns for hunting.

Frequently Asked Questions