Favourite caliber for elk?

[stob]

Originally Posted by Salavee

These mid-bores are great Elk cartridges.

.338-06, .35 Whelen , 9.3 x 62 , .375 . Dead is dead but overkill is under rated.

x2, mine have been a 308 with a 165gr fusion (200m) and a 300wsm with a 190gr Nosler LRB (50m)

[stob]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

My next elk hunt I will be shooting a rifle chambered in.303 British
Cat

yeah.!!!!.. anyone got one of those .303 Rugers Clay put together that they want to sell...pls

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by stob

yeah.!!!!.. anyone got one of those .303 Rugers Clay put together that they want to sell...pls

Mine isn't one of the factory jobs!
Cat

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by stob

yeah.!!!!.. anyone got one of those .303 Rugers Clay put together that they want to sell...pls

For the record Clay didn't put nothing together other than a phone call or two to Lipsey's, who actually built the run of #1's in .303 British.

You however are about 2 years too late on me selling mine.

Try over on CGN, they crop up there far more than here.

[brewster29]

I have killed a boxcar load of elk here in BC under much different conditions than most you would find in Alberta. Our regs call for 6pt or better Bulls. I have shot them with a 6mm Rem, 7 Rem mag, 30-06, 300 Win mag, 340 Wby mag, and 350 Rem mag. My go to rifle since 1988 is a custom Rem 700 chambered in 340 Wby (built by the late Ron Propp) launching 250 Nospart pills at 2960 fps. It will pretty well shoot through an elk from any angle. Here we hunt in thick brush a lot and need to take whatever shot presents itself. It is also serious grizzly medicine should it come to a shootout. The 340 has not let a single one get out of sight. Yep, it has some recoil, but it is not unmanageable. Many hunters around here like the 338 Win mag as well.

[sioux 1876]

30/30 Henry octagon barrel

[Kurt505]

Favorite is a 450gr arrow in mid September.

260rem, 308, 280rem, 280ai, and 300wsm have all worked for me. Elk aren't magic, just tuff but if they lose enough blood or air, they die.

[Diesel_wiesel]

Originally Posted by Macdsl

I've always wanted to get a RUM, but never shot one and I admit that the recoil has me concerned. How bad is it really? And what about the barrel life?

it depends on the weight of the rifle
how it fits
muzzle brakes help but blow yer ears to heck
I've always had them in the sendero model so never had a recoil problem or used a muzzle brake
I'm kinda weird I guess
I like recoil the more the better
strong back weak mind to carry it all day
I haven't ever worn out a barrel but had to get the throat re reamed on one

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Depends on the Caliber i am hunting with that day/hunt.

300WM new since 1997 with 180gr Accubonds have been my medicine since 2004.

270WSM with 140gr Accubonds and 338-06ai with 225gr Accubonds or TTSXs.

My main go to rifle has been my 300wm.

For yourself, whatever caliber you can shoot accurately and fits the best is what I would choose. Bigger doesn't always mean better .

[oldgutpile]

I tend to hunt in the heavy bush. usually close called-in bulls in the early rut. My first couple of bulls were with iron sighted .348, and the last few with a .338wm. With the .338, usually the feet just kinda fall out from under them!

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by oldgutpile

I tend to hunt in the heavy bush. usually close called-in bulls in the early rut. My first couple of bulls were with iron sighted .348, and the last few with a .338wm. With the .338, usually the feet just kinda fall out from under them!

.348 model 71 is on my bucket list. In the meantime I have two; 30/06 & .58 round ball.

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

Favorite is a 450gr arrow in mid September.

260rem, 308, 280rem, 280ai, and 300wsm have all worked for me. Elk aren't magic, just tuff but if they lose enough blood or air, they die.

True enough , just about any cartridge will kill them.. but I think most of us like to choose the spot where they die. That's where the bigger calibers come in to their own.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Salavee

True enough , just about any cartridge will kill them.. but I think most of us like to choose the spot where they die. That's where the bigger calibers come in to their own.

My fastest kill was with my 308 heart shot, longest track (and an agonizing wait for it to die because it it was well past legal light when he finally couldn't go on any longer) was with my 300wsm and a single lung shot. Same caliber I suppose, but the 308 was a bit over 400yd shot, the 300wsm was about 200yds.

I've seen a deer get hit 4 times with a 30-378 and some Barnes TSX bullets before it finally fell down to die. I've watched a moose hit the dirt like it was hit with Thor's hammer from a Nosler 26. I'm not a believer in big magnum calibers myself. I once shot a bull moose at 509yds with my 280rem and it took about 4-5 steps up into the air and flopped over dead.

Some people like big magnums, I don't need them.

[West O'5]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

Some people like big magnums, I don't need them.

LOL....shot my first elk upon moving to AB 6 years ago with .45 Hawken BP cap lock and 225gr Powerbelt @100yds broadside,double lounger and clipped the heart ,5x5 DRT.
If I'd known then what I know now about how damn many grizzlies live up on that same hill,I wouldn't of been up there hunting solo with 150yr old single shot replica lemme tell ya!! :0
.....ignorance is bliss,lol.
Couple more shot since since then with my trusty 'ol,32 year old,do-all deer/bear/moose....and now elk 30-06 Rem 760 pump.
That said,I plan to have a new .300WSM in a yet to be decided high end/semi custom bolt action in the very near future.

[Opa]

7mm Rem Mag - 160 Accubonds.

[Prairiewolf]

Originally Posted by Macdsl

What about the weatherby options? Any reason not to consider them?

If you mean Weatherby Magnum chamberings, sure consider them, but the same questions you had about a RUM (recoil and barrel life) will apply here, along with pricey ammo or a venture into reloading.

I'll be carrying a .308 Win with 165 gr. Nosler Partitions for my next elk hunt. I've historically used a 7MM RM but like the .308 more overall. I realistically have a 250 yd max for comfortable distance (and likely won't be presented with a longer shot than that anyways) so the .308 works fine.

[huntingfamily]

My current elk rifle is a 338-06. Prior to that it was a 300 win mag.

[6mm rem]

.350 rem mag 250 gr partitions

[kingrat]

Originally Posted by Macdsl

What about the weatherby options? Any reason not to consider them?

I shot several elk with my 338-378 and 250 gr interlocks and all reacted as if hit by lightning. By far the hardest hitting elk gun I've shot, also the heaviest, loudest, most expensive, I grew to hate it. Elk are by far the toughest animal we have so use as much gun as you can handle and shoot well.

[calgarychef]

I'm boring, I take out the 30-06 CZ point it at animals pull the trigger, it goes bang, and they fall over dead

[.300ultramag]

Originally Posted by Macdsl

The 6.5 definitely peaks my interest. Are they really as good in the real world as they are portrayed? And yes, the old 7mm, 30-06 and 300WM seem to be the main players. I'm just curious to see if there was a noticeable pattern...

The ballistic advantage in my opinion is only on the long range shooting side of hunting. The low muzzle blast and low recoil is what really really makes me reach for the creedmoor almost every time now. 2700 fps with the 143 eld-x at the muzzle is more than enough for elk all the way out to the 2000 fps @500 yards (with 1300 ft-lbs of energy)

No muzzle brake needed, easy on the shoulder.

[leo]

I've taken elk with
270 WSM
270 Weatherby mag
280 Remington
280 AI
308 Win
308 Norma mag
300 Weatherby Mag
340 Weatherby Mag
I've seen them taken with 25-06, 7mm Rem Mag as well.
Put a well constructed bullet in the vitals and that's it. 300 Weatherby is my personal choice. I've taken quite a few with it.

[Elkaholic338]

Having taken over a dozen bulls and having seen more than twice that many additional kills, I will say that you can kill them with nearly anything, as referenced in the What can't a .22 do thread, you can kill almost anything with a .22 even an elephant as evidenced by Capstick if you can believe it.
As far as elk are concerned though, I find that they have a will to live like no other ungulate available to us to hunt, and while we would always like to have perfect shot placement, and should be trying to make sure of it, things don't always go perfect. This is why I advocate shooting the rifle that provides the most ft. lbs. of energy at the distance you are comfortable shooting that you can still handle the recoil of. we have taken 2 bulls that had bullets lodged in them, one a .277 and one a .350 that should have taken the elk as they were shoulder shots, but the .350 hit right on the ridge of the scapula and did not make it through, and the .277 hit the humerus and failed to penetrate. While I do not know the circumstances of these shots, as far as distance etc. I still feel that a little more power should have equaled dead elk.
My recommendation for elk would start with a 300WM and go up from there but I have shot them with 30-06 as well. Dead is dead, but I think I owe it to the animal that I pursue to do my best to make sure that the death happens as fast as possible even when the shot doesn't quite go where you want because of a twig or the animal turns at the last second or whatever.
My go to for elk currently is my .338 RUM, which might be overkill, but like was said before me, overkill is underrated.

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by Macdsl

Sure, cartridge then. Guess I should have been more specific but that's what I was getting at.

I think they al figured it out cuz all your answers where just that, cartridges, its just right to learn the correct terms so the young uns know the difference

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

My fastest kill was with my 308 heart shot, longest track (and an agonizing wait for it to die because it it was well past legal light when he finally couldn't go on any longer) was with my 300wsm and a single lung shot. Same caliber I suppose, but the 308 was a bit over 400yd shot, the 300wsm was about 200yds.

I've seen a deer get hit 4 times with a 30-378 and some Barnes TSX bullets before it finally fell down to die. I've watched a moose hit the dirt like it was hit with Thor's hammer from a Nosler 26. I'm not a believer in big magnum calibers myself. I once shot a bull moose at 509yds with my 280rem and it took about 4-5 steps up into the air and flopped over dead.

Some people like big magnums, I don't need them.

This is not to start sumkinda dumb argument but your comments beg some clarification.
A single 400 yd shot through the heart with a .308 (Winchester I assume) killed a critter fast. .. Too be expected, I think.
Next, A single-lung clipped (Elk?) at 200 yds with a .300WSM and it left you some tracks to follow .. a pretty common occurrence with one good lung left to go on..
A Moose hit with a .26 Nosler , distance unknown .DRT .. all good.
Then, a Deer hit 4 times with a .30-378 before it died .. definitely not the norm for that round and certainly not a reflection of the cartridges capabilities.
A finally, Moose at 509 yds with a .280 Rem .DRT ..nicely done with a very capable cartridge.

I think it's probably premature to judge each cartridge's overall capability on the merits of a single instance, be it a Magnum ctdge or otherwise.
As you know, every Cartridge/bullet ever designed has it's specialties and it's limitations. Same with shooters.

[sns2]

All my elk have been taken with 7 Rem Mag or 300 WSM. Nosler Partitions and Barnes TTSX. All lung shots. I try real hard not to shoot them in the ass. So far it's worked.

OP, the moral of the story is shoot any legal cartridge, using well constructed bullets, and take good shots.

Reading these threads makes me want to get a 243 just to show the pictures afterward.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by sns2

All my elk have been taken with 7 Rem Mag or 300 WSM. Nosler Partitions and Barnes TTSX. All lung shots. I try real hard not to shoot them in the ass. So far it's worked.

OP, the moral of the story is shoot any legal cartridge, using well constructed bullets, and take good shots.

Reading these threads makes me want to get a 243 just to show the pictures afterward.

Although I know all about that "shot placement" jazz. Elk as any other game don't always present you with a broad side shot. A forward quartering elk does have thick shoulder bone to penetrate. Unlike deer, elk usually only offer a bit a longer range shot as they are very aware of your presence. And to top it all off, they have a will to live, much like a WT deer. Meaning that they could go a long ways when struck. Thus, I don't think a .243 is a good first choice. I prefer to hit them hard and not chase them into the wee hours. If you wish to simply need to shot an elk simply to show pictures, I honestly think that you need to re-visit that statement. Hunting ain't about Youtube and Facebook....

[Flight01]

Originally Posted by 6mm rem

.350 rem mag 250 gr partitions

Love it. Don't see them being used much.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Salavee

This is not to start sumkinda dumb argument but your comments beg some clarification.
A single 400 yd shot through the heart with a .308 (Winchester I assume) killed a critter fast. .. Too be expected, I think.
Next, A single-lung clipped (Elk?) at 200 yds with a .300WSM and it left you some tracks to follow .. a pretty common occurrence with one good lung left to go on..
A Moose hit with a .26 Nosler , distance unknown .DRT .. all good.
Then, a Deer hit 4 times with a .30-378 before it died .. definitely not the norm for that round and certainly not a reflection of the cartridges capabilities.
A finally, Moose at 509 yds with a .280 Rem .DRT ..nicely done with a very capable cartridge.

I think it's probably premature to judge each cartridge's overall capability on the merits of a single instance, be it a Magnum ctdge or otherwise.
As you know, every Cartridge/bullet ever designed has it's specialties and it's limitations. Same with shooters.

That sums up my point.

Bullets kill animals, not calibers or cartridges. While one can have a favorite for which ever reason it is, they all work, but none are a sure thing. I think the fit of a rifle is more important than the caliber or cartridge it's chambered for.

[Salavee]

I agree. Like "trucks haul gravel ".. Pick the payload you want and then get the truck that will haul it.