24" or 26" 300wm barrel for elk

[284winner]

@ 284winner,.
When, I was much younger, I too, wanted, to shoot a big Magnum Rifle, across Canyons at Elk and built, a custom .338 Win Mag on, a lapped, squared, Wby MKV action, w/ a 25 1/2" Douglas Premium Barrel, Glass Bedded, trig work, etc. The Rifle "Clover leafed" 210 Nosler Part's and 225 gr Horn Spire pt's ! I never did get to shoot one, across a big Canyon ! It was, a "Killer" tho,.. on BOTH, ends ( Pre muzzle Brake era!) I sold it, for two Grand, when I started Bow Hunting and soon realized, how deadly, a sharp 3 bladed Arrow thru, the Heart/ Lung area was and decided that, a "reasonably good" Bullet, would "do" the SAME thing, if it Mushroomed and penetrated "well"! Thus, I went back to the 7mm R Mag ( 154 gr InterBond's at, 3,070 FPS ) and recently, to a 24" Tikka @ 7.5 pounds in .270 WSM, driving the wonderful, 140 grain AccuBond's at, 3,150 FPS, that's still going OVER 2,000 FPS at 750 yd's. Nosler says that, the AB will expand down to 1,800 FPS,.. IF, I ever needed to shoot, that far!

Nope. I'm not that magnum cartridge guy. In fact i don't think with today's bullet selection, magnums are as necessary as they once were. Other than for say ELR or the guy shooting truly LR BIG game, magnums are not needed (IMO). I own a couple and building a 338 LM imp but stricktly for ELR target shooting. I'm that guy that kills anything I personally hunt at 800 yards or less with non magnums using today's best LR bullets. Sure I shoot varmints beyond at times but not with magnums. I just know as I have buddy's that use them still and compensate for their lack of knowledge in reloading and ideal bullets for certain hunting situations. They buy box ammo and it serves them fine. Just doesn't offer alot of bullet options. For example, a .280 would be a great round loaded with the 162 eldx IF Hornady loaded that combo. Wouldn't need the 7mm magnum if they did. Just an example. I am partial to a longer tube on most of my rifles tho.

 

[vmaxpro]

Best advice I can give for offhand training is go get urself a spring piston airgun. Thousands of birds and squirell fell from me with one. I feel its the best practice. Not saying im an olympic shooter, but its helped me hit white tail at 600 yards offhand, many coyotes, and some hogs. Dirt cheap to shoot and a ton of fun!

 

[wbm]

Ah hell William quit worrying about the length of a barrel. Just go elk hunting. Of all the challenges you will encounter on an elk hunt, barrel length is somewhere near the bottom! Maybe lower even.