“.338-06 a-square”

As an Alaskan, Cork Graham has seen a number of moose taken with a variety of cartridges. Here are some of his personal favorites.

Charles Newton and A.O. Neider had a great idea when they mated the .25 caliber bullets with an ’06 case. Over a century after its introduction, hunters are still taking the .25-06 Remington afield to fill their freezers and feed their families.

If you’re looking for something out of the norm, which can be housed in a handy rifle that hits hard, give the .338-06 a look. If you spend a bit of time with it, you’ll become a fan rather quickly.

Based on the 6.8 SPC cartridge, the .224 Valkyrie is designed to give excellent long-range ballistics from an AR platform with little recoil. Loaded with 60- to 90-grain bullets, the cartridge makes a sound choice for deer and varmints alike.

Released in 2006, the .338 Federal may be one of the wisest choices the big-game hunter who likes a lightweight, sweet-shooting, short-action rifle could make.

Based on the full-length .375 H&H belted case, the 8mm Rem. Mag. was the first commercial 8mm magnum cartridge to be introduced by an American firm, using bullet weights between 125 and 220 grains.

Contributor Philip Massaro shares some of his favorite rifles and loads for different bear hunting scenarios.

Released in 1980, the 7mm-08 Remington would go on to be considered not only an excellent target cartridge, but one of the best deer cartridges ever conceived, and the gamut of 7mm bullets available make it extremely flexible.

There’s a good reason that the .22 LR is often a hunter’s first rifle; it’s the perfect blend of low report, complete lack of recoil and affordability.