Elk calibers

[Alex Wheeler]

Doesn't the noise happen after the bullets out of the barrel?

 

[drover]

Doesn't the noise happen after the bullets out of the barrel?

Yes but your mind knows it is going to happen, so when it happens is not really relevant.

drover

 

[22DASHER]

A monster bull would make me flinch a hell of a lot more than the freaking muzzle break.

 

[luckeeshot]

SPJ do you hunt elk now ?

 

[luckeeshot]

a .270 win is still a good bet ,, but not as good as a good friend to hunt with ,I moved here from FL in 96 hiked all over the hills east of here , Ive seen elk all over the place but never when I had a tag ,, so my advice is not to worry about the caliber of the rifle and worry more with the prey and put yourself where you know you can make a kill shot and oh yes that good friend you'll need him to help load the game

 

[jimmymac]

I have seen first hand in 1990 how hard a bull elk can be to anchor once they get some adrenolen going. I will never forget this hunt in NW Colorado. There were three of my family members stitting in different spots looking over the same ravine to another mountain side. Each one of us could see different “parks”. Local term for small grassy feeding areas for elk surrounded with think Aspen trees. One morning I saw a 4x4 and a 4x5 come out about 300-350 yards from me. Medium body size, nothing large. I was looking for something bigger since this was the first day. They continued walk toward the view of one of my hunting partners. He was using a 300 Win Mag. I was viewing the elk with my binoculars when all the sudden I saw a hole punched directly in center chest, I could see a large vapor of blood blow out the opposite side of his chest for several feet. The elk just stopped, still standing. Then I saw another hole just like the first punched in the bull, just inches from the first. The bull, still standing dropped his head, started wobbling and looked like it was going to topple any time. All the sudded, the bull raised his head, appeared alert, and took off in a fast walk like it had never been shot! My hunting partner continued shooting until he had shot all of the 20 rounds of his 300 Win. Mag. By that time, I had walked over their. The elk had finally collased about 350-400 yard from us. For good measure, our guide put two more 180g parttion rounds in its neck and chest from a 30-06, too make sure he did not get up. I kid you not, after just a few minutes, the elk raised his head, stood up, and started walking toward the Aspen forest like he had never been hit. The guide finally asked me to put him down. Quickly, I aimed my .338 Win Mag about level with the top of the shoulder. It was loaded with 210g Nosler Partitions. I pulled the trigger, a second later we heard a big “whoomp”! The bull buckled up, fell, and never moved again. The guide did have me put another round in his chest for safe measure. All in all, after cleaning it, the bull had 11 rounds in his neck and chest! After that, I personally will never be without my .338 WM elk hunting. The down side is it is hard to manage the recoil for a lot of people. Mine has a large wide recoil pad, the buttstock has no drop. It is very managable. I have actually shot a narrow stocked, light .270 one time that hurt me worse than my .338! So, shoot all you can manage. With heavy, well constructed bullets! Samuel Hall

That’s quite a story. Thanks for sharing. Piss on the naysayers. You were living in the moment instead of arm chair quarterbacking it from behind a keyboard.

 

[Mulligan]

https://www.chuckhawks.com/elk_cartridges.htm

Takes a couple of minutes to read, but worth the time.
CW

 

[JRS]

www.rmef.org

Read what they say about hunting elk.

 

[Barlow]

Back when the ultra mags came out and were popular a group of hunters (at least 10) camped down the road from us in the Bighorns. Most of them acquired 300 ultras and similar magnum rifles convinced the could kill any Elk 500 yards away with no problems. After a few season of scopes loosening up and falling off, cut eyebrows, flinching so bad they didn't even want to sight them in themselves, the cost of ammunition, and chasing wounded Elk up and down the hills, they all drifted back to their old 06's, 270's, 308's etc and talked about shot placement. They were 11 for 11 this year, (6 bulls and 5 cows) best year they ever had. I'm not dissing magnum cartridges, if you can tolerate them and shoot them well, go for it. If you can't, you are imo better off without them. Hunt with a rifle you are familiar with and are comfortable shooting, no Elk will survive you. Be ethical, don't take shit shots with any rifle. Barlow

 

[Bc'z]

Thx
That's a good read, I suppose when the time comes they'll be plenty of Elk rifles available until then my 308 will be fine on Mule deer. I'm a pretty decent shot with it..
Regards
Jim

If a 150 coming out of a 270 @3000 fps works.
Wouldn't you think a 150 coming out of a 308 @ 2850 have the same effect?
Not saying you'll be shooting cross cannons, but you'll have plenty enough to get er done.

 

[JRS]

If a 150 coming out of a 270 @3000 fps works.
Wouldn't you think a 150 coming out of a 308 @ 2850 have the same effect?
Not saying you'll be shooting cross cannons, but you'll have plenty enough to get er done.

The 150Gr .270 has better SD.

 

[JimT]

The 150Gr .270 has better SD.

I heard that 90% of elk surveyed said they could not tell the difference between being shot with a .277 150 grain bullet as compared to a .308 150 grain bullet. Of course, they could have been lying.

 

[Mulligan]

I heard that 90% of elk surveyed said they could not tell the difference between being shot with a .277 150 grain bullet as compared to a .308 150 grain bullet. Of course, they could have been lying.

^^^^^^ that right there is funny^^^^^^^^
CW

 

[Bc'z]

The 150Gr .270 has better SD.

Didn't know elk read load info.
Run a 150 partition, hit em in heart lungs.
You'll be eating good.
As a person that's spent most of his adult life bowhunting. If you can't get closer is it really hunting, or long range target shooting.
I know I'm gonna piss people off but I really dont care at this point.
The freakin Indians used hand made bows with strings made of sinue.
All this talk of killing animals at long distance isn't hunting in my book period.
A person can punch all the paper they want at distance, but quite frankly show the animals some DAMN RESPECT.
Do what it takes to get closer. Or stay home drink beer n watch the hunting channel.
NO I've never killed an elk..
Have I had ass scratching branch bulls whipping the shit out of a poor defenseless tree at under 20 yards and not be able to shoot cuz of cows or brush?
You can bet your bottom dollar on it!!!
I got memories/stories of some truly amazing animals and hunts.
Last thing I want to hear is all the should a, could a, would a's at hunting camp. About lost or wounded animals.
People claim cuz they spend so much on their gear, cost of hunt, time off work, whatever. None of that means shit to me.
Cuz I've spent a fortune.
Learn to hunt, get close, be ethical!!
And yeah this post made my mind up in how I'm gonna chamber this .30cal blank.
30-06AI.
Bring on the hate mail!!!

 

[ryanjay11]

Respect for the animal is knowing your limitations, regardless of what you are using.

It would be awesome if bowhunters held themselves to the standards that they put out there for rifle hunters. There are countless dead animals laying in the woods when rifle season starts from poor archery shots, that were probably taken inside 40 yards.

I find it humorous how archery gets interjected into threads that have nothing to do with it whatsoever, almost every single time hunting caliber/bullet/cartridge thread comes up. How ridiculous would it be for me to offer up my rifle cartridge recommendation when someone is asking about what arrows or broadhead to use?

This is not an us vs. them thing, is it? Do you wish they would get rid of rifle season? Be honest.

 

[Bc'z]

Respect for the animal is knowing your limitations, regardless of what you are using.

It would be awesome if bowhunters held themselves to the standards that they put out there for rifle hunters. There are countless dead animals laying in the woods when rifle season starts from poor archery shots, that were probably taken inside 40 yards.

I find it humorous how archery gets interjected into threads that have nothing to do with it whatsoever, almost every single time hunting caliber/bullet/cartridge thread comes up. How ridiculous would it be for me to offer up my rifle cartridge recommendation when someone is asking about what arrows or broadhead to use?

This is not an us vs. them thing, is it? Do you wish they would get rid of rifle season? Be honest.

Ahhhhhh I think you missed my point.
It's not an argument of archery vs rifle.
My argument is ethics.
So yes there are unethical bow hunters also.
My other argument is, is it truly necessary to shoot at distances with a heavy caliber just because of $ spent, or that once in a life time draw. Those are know reasons for not testing your abilities as a hunter to get closer and make good clean ethical kills. Period!!!!
It's about the hunt, not the kill. The kill is a bonus to the hunt.
I used my archery experience as a reference to being able to close the distance is all.
Just because I can drop arrows into a 2" spot at 70 yards doesn't mean I'd shoot at an animal at that distance.
It's about ethics hunting for the hunt and respecting your prey.

 

[North Fork]

I use a 300 win mag and a 308 and a 6 5 x47 they all work well

 

[dkhunt14]

Ahhhhhh I think you missed my point.
It's not an argument of archery vs rifle.
My argument is ethics.
So yes there are unethical bow hunters also.
My other argument is, is it truly necessary to shoot at distances with a heavy caliber just because of $ spent, or that once in a life time draw. Those are know reasons for not testing your abilities as a hunter to get closer and make good clean ethical kills. Period!!!!
It's about the hunt, not the kill. The kill is a bonus to the hunt.
I used my archery experience as a reference to being able to close the distance is all.
Just because I can drop arrows into a 2" spot at 70 yards doesn't mean I'd shoot at an animal at that distance.
It's about ethics hunting for the hunt and respecting your prey.

How is more ethical to shoot with a bow at 20 yards verses a rifle at 300. I can hold less them 2 inches at 400 yards. Killing is killing, whether its over a bait pile, with a dog, sitting in a blind, over decoys, out of a treestand, or glassing and shooting. Its just your opinion of what you feel is ethical.

Some guys cant hit a 10 inch plate at 50 yards and the next guy can hit one at 3 or 400 yards everytime. Which is more ethical? Matt

 

[JRS]

https://www.chuckhawks.com/elk_cartridges.htm

Takes a couple of minutes to read, but worth the time.
CW

Now google what Chuck Hawks thinks about the 25-06 for hunting elk. Seems he has a hard time deciding what he wants to say about suitable elk cartridges, although he clearly believes the 25-06 will certainly suffice So much for bigger is better.

 

[JimT]

How is more ethical to shoot with a bow at 20 yards verses a rifle at 300. I can hold less them 2 inches at 400 yards. Killing is killing, whether its over a bait pile, with a dog, sitting in a blind, over decoys, out of a treestand, or glassing and shooting. Its just your opinion of what you feel is ethical.

Some guys cant hit a 10 inch plate at 50 yards and the next guy can hit one at 3 or 400 yards everytime. Which is more ethical? Matt

Matt, as I have said in the past, I know and respect your accomplishments in benchrest! Could you explain the specifics and conditions you are referring to when you say “ I can hold less than 2 inches at 400 yards?”