Does this exist? Varmint/elk switch barrel

[Mulligan]

As a long time elk hunter, I have tremendous respect for these magnificent animals and their ability to soa


My computer crashed so lets try this again. The elk deserves the utmost respect in that it is, as said above, a magnificent animal with an inordinate ability to soak up lead. An elk on a private ranch with no other hunters can be cleanly harvested with the 243 family of cartridges but an elk that has been stressed for months (bow, muzzleloader, hikers, 4-wheelers, etc.) on public land is a whole different animal. For that elk, I use a 300 Wby but any of the 7mmMags, 30-06, 300s will do a fine job. I understand your interest in switch barrels and think it might work. My respect for elk is such that I feel I must use a dedicated rifle with a quality scope (Leupold is my choice). My son joined me for our 2016 elk hunt on public land and we managed to find a nice bull which he hit 3 times at about 250 yds with a 260 using 140gr Nosler AccuBonds. All were good hits and went through the boiler room but the elk kept on going. As he was going through a saddle that dropped into a nasty canyon I decided I needed to help so I hit him with one 180gr in the 300 Wby. He went about 2 more yards and fell over dead. Could have been going down anyway but I do not like packing elk out of nasty canyons!

Bullet placement is still the best way to kill an elk but on pressured elk, I am an advocate of using enough gun as your shots are often less than ideal and on a moving target. Too many of these animals are wounded and escape to die later.

Just my 2 cents as an old, crusty elk hunter.

You are spot on in my opinion!

 

[unclefudd]

I agree with Logan and Mulligan and believe in clean kills and using guns you will PRACTICE with. That is short for shoot a lot.
I have grown up on a ranch in Wyo and hunted deer elk antelope (twice) and moose (once in 85 big bull one shot with my .243 thru the heart). Started hunting in 57 at age 14 and used a WCF 30-30 for the first three years. Killed all my game and never had to shoot twice. But I also NEVER shot more than 200 to 250 yds and if I had and my dad had seen it my hunting would have been over. You just didn't do it and its not that I wasn't tempted a few times.
My first gun that I purchased myself at 18 was a 257 Roberts and all my game until 1998 except my one moose I took with that rifle. Same results, only had to shoot my antelope twice.

Also for what its worth and before you recommend a long barreled, wheel mounted flame throwing thunder making boom stick, think about this.

I guided for several years up there and had folks from many states including a bunch from our neighbor Utah. So many turned out with these giant mags and had the bragging rites for so doing, but we proved many times they had their eyes shut when they pulled the trigger. NOT KIDDING.
We ALWAYS set up targets just out of camp, using the bottom of 5 gal buckets, the approx kill zone for game. Coming from other states with different altitudes and climates we wanted to insure the guns and sights were actually ready. I saw one guy with a 338 actually hit the target with first shot. NONE of the others in all the years were able to hit until they had shot a few rounds. The point is, if they have heavy recoil (and all mags do) they do not shoot them enuff to become familiar and thus accurate.

Many groups we wound up loaning a 270 or 7mm or even a 257 for guys to finally get their deer or elk. MANY. Can't count the number of elk missed completely with the mags. A few with other cals to be fair, but not close to the mags.

One other thing about the switch barrel guns. No one has mentioned the Blaser R-93 actions. I have one with three barrels and the scopes mounted to each. 223, 22-250 and 257R. I can switch barrels and be ready to shoot in less than 5 minutes. I have Leopold scopes on all and have NEVER had to re-sight one after changing barrels regardless of where I was shooting.
Those three calibers are easy and fun to shoot, will take any game short of a Griz and the ammo is available and inexpensive. I don't buy ammo as I load all of my own but I know most people do so ammo availability is important.

I am NOT a believer in magnums for everyone and have proven for so many years they are not necessary. It is far more critical to get the "hunters" out of their vehicles and into the trees to HUNT, not road hunt. Surprising how much game you can find in so doing. And have a rifle you are comfortable and accurate when shooting becomes necessary.

UF