Favorite Mid to Long Range Elk Cartridge

[spencerhenry]

going light is fine, i have light rifles for my sheep, goat and high country buck hunting.

but, comparing apples to apples, 300wsm vs a 300wm in the same type of rifle the difference is very slight. 1/2" in length, and maybe a few ounces in weight. an ounce or two and 1/2" overall length would not sway my decision on what caliber to use. cut a couple inches off the barrel will save about the same weight and much more length.

if weight is the primary concern, go with a short action, slim contour barrel, relatively short barrel, no bottom metal etc...

i hunt high country frequently, if i am feeling wimpy or if my pre-season scouting has not located the animal i want and i will need to cover a bunch of ground to find one, i take a kimber 84m 243 that weighs a little over 6 pounds with a scope. if i know where i am going to find the animal, i will take my 300wsm that has a 26" barrel, big scope, and weighs probably 50% more.

 

[jsthntn247]

One problem with the 300 wsm and big elk sized bullets on a short action is you end up with a single shot. I'd build it on a long action where you could seat the 190-215 grain bullets out longer and still mag feed.

 

[spencerhenry]

personally i prefer the 165gr.
i have only used it on big game twice, both times the animal died.

do most 300wsm rifles have twist fast enough to stabilize a 200gr or larger?

 

[rudysts]

One problem with the 300 wsm and big elk sized bullets on a short action is you end up with a single shot. I'd build it on a long action where you could seat the 190-215 grain bullets out longer and still mag feed.

You cant go wrong with a long action

 

[Chanse301]

280 improved with a 168 gr bullet will do you just fine

Have to take a look.

About weight. I probably would opt for a heavier gun, as the only time it'd be used for hunting would be once a year when my father takes it. But at the same time, he's getting older and it does make sense to go lighter for his aging back. No sense in choosing a caliber he can take elk hunting if he can't actually physically withstand taking it elk hunting lol. I guess we'll decide this coming week (spring break! Finally some time to get out of town).

 

[6xcshooter]

you can't go wrong with the 280 improved . not sure how heavy a gun you want? some thing with the muzzle end at .750 26 in length will be plenty heavy. the 280 imp gives you with in 100 fps as the 7 rem mag. with less powder. the 165 or 168 gr bullets are ballistically superior than the 30 cal even if you go to the 180 gr in the 30 cal. these 168 bullets are killer on elk. I have a 280 imp. in a cooper excalibur. like i say you wont go wrong with this choice of caliber.
Any particular reason that your wanting just the 308 or 300WSM? , look at the ballistics between the 300WSM shooting a 210gr Berger and the 280 Ackley shooting s 162 gr A-max , the 280 wins the drop and wind drift and still has plenty of thump to kill deer at 1K all this with less recoil ,

 

[mattri]

Do you reload?

 

[cmillard]

well, if you already have a .30-06, what is wrong with that? properly loaded and with the right projectile, there should be nothing wrong with whacking an elk with that

 

[Chappy]

going light is fine, i have light rifles for my sheep, goat and high country buck hunting.

but, comparing apples to apples, 300wsm vs a 300wm in the same type of rifle the difference is very slight. 1/2" in length, and maybe a few ounces in weight. an ounce or two and 1/2" overall length would not sway my decision on what caliber to use. cut a couple inches off the barrel will save about the same weight and much more length.

if weight is the primary concern, go with a short action, slim contour barrel, relatively short barrel, no bottom metal etc...

i hunt high country frequently, if i am feeling wimpy or if my pre-season scouting has not located the animal i want and i will need to cover a bunch of ground to find one, i take a kimber 84m 243 that weighs a little over 6 pounds with a scope. if i know where i am going to find the animal, i will take my 300wsm that has a 26" barrel, big scope, and weighs probably 50% more.

Like I said, YMMV. But I hunt in an environment where one moment I busting balls through deadfall and juniper patches trying to catch up to a bull I bumped out of his bed in dark timber where shots are well under 50 yards to where I'm resting the rifle over the pack and getting ready to take a shot across a canyon. I need a rifle that is light enough with a good scope that has low enough magnification for shots close in and enough magnification for shots a ways out there. I can't be dealing with a long barrel catching on every other branch, I don't want to be hauling around a rifle weighing more than 7.5-8 pounds, a pack with less than 15 pounds, a sidearm in case I run into a problem. On average in one day of elk hunting, where it's slow, I put in 5-7 miles. If I'm on a hot track, I have tracked it all day for a little under 10 miles before I was successful.

 

[Chanse301]

you can't go wrong with the 280 improved . not sure how heavy a gun you want? some thing with the muzzle end at .750 26 in length will be plenty heavy. the 280 imp gives you with in 100 fps as the 7 rem mag. with less powder. the 165 or 168 gr bullets are ballistically superior than the 30 cal even if you go to the 180 gr in the 30 cal. these 168 bullets are killer on elk. I have a 280 imp. in a cooper excalibur. like i say you wont go wrong with this choice of caliber.
Any particular reason that your wanting just the 308 or 300WSM? , look at the ballistics between the 300WSM shooting a 210gr Berger and the 280 Ackley shooting s 162 gr A-max , the 280 wins the drop and wind drift and still has plenty of thump to kill deer at 1K all this with less recoil ,

Definitely look into it. Only looked at the 308 and 300 cuz they are familiar to me. Grew up with cousins, uncles, dad etc having them.

Do you reload?

Pops n I are gettin' a bench set up when I go home next week for spring break. Any suggestions for quality equipment?

well, if you already have a .30-06, what is wrong with that? properly loaded and with the right projectile, there should be nothing wrong with whacking an elk with that

I agree whole-heartedly, but that rifles my dads, and I believe that's what he was carrying with him last season. I just wanna get a new rifle of my own that he can take with him. I'll be using it mainly to plink, which is why the .280 ai sounds appealing to me. Less kick, more play with less pain, especially for my father (bad back). Kinda puts me in a conundrum when deciding light vs heavy. Light for him, heavy for my plinkin.

 

[mattri]

Sometimes the simplest answer really is the best, sounds like a 300 win mag would be a great fit for what you're describing.

Its a proven round for elk, recoil is stout but manageable with a little more boiler room than a wsm for the heavier bullets.

When you get set-up to hand load there's tons of load data out there and it isn't a wildcat or anything too esoteric.

In the meantime there's lots of factory ammo available.

 

[Chanse301]

Sometimes the simplest answer really is the best, sounds like a 300 win mag would be a great fit for what you're describing.

Its a proven round for elk, recoil is stout but manageable with a little more boiler room than a wsm for the heavier bullets.

When you get set-up to hand load there's tons of load data out there and it isn't a wildcat or anything too esoteric.

In the meantime there's lots of factory ammo available.

Gotta agree to a point. I feel like I'm making it harder than it needs to be. The fact that both the 308 and 300 WM have so much data available is really what pushes me towards them. They're tried and true rounds that would be easy to start with.

At the same time, there's no point in going with the comfortable route either. Gettin' out of the comfort zone is best way to improve I'd say.

 

[dkhunt14]

Sometimes the simplest answer really is the best, sounds like a 300 win mag would be a great fit for what you're describing.

Its a proven round for elk, recoil is stout but manageable with a little more boiler room than a wsm for the heavier bullets.

When you get set-up to hand load there's tons of load data out there and it isn't a wildcat or anything too esoteric.

In the meantime there's lots of factory ammo available.

If you throat the WSM to a .280 freebore for the 230 Berger a WSM will run a 230 at 3000 plus with 7828SSC. The WSM I feel is way easier to get shooting and the brass is much better. I doubt a 300 WIN can push a 230 Berger any faster. I have shot both in 1000 yard BR and the WSM is just way better and the throat doesn't move like the WIN or Weatherby Mag does. The WSM has made the other Magnum cartridges disappear on the firing line in 1000 yard BR. Matt

 

[bheadboy]

out to 400 yds the 270 and 30-06 have taken all the elk you can say grace over, the mags are fine, any thing that give a 160 3000 fps will do all you need. beyond 400 few shooter will or should take the shot.

Bob

 

[fredo]

Haven't kilt an elk with a rifle, but have with a bow. Been accumulating preference points in a few western states to burn on rifle hunts for both elk and mule deer. When the time comes, I'll be having along my 6.5SAUM. Have kilt a few deer at extended range with both 130HVLDs and 140JLKs, and would have full confidence in either for dispatching a big bull from as far as I'd care to kill one.

Ask any bowhunter how long an elk takes to die with holes poked in the right spots, and you'll realize that you don't need to knock one off its feet with an uber-magnum in order to kill one. Just need to be able to penetrate the vitals with a good bullet & let the air out. In that regard, I'd sooner opt for a mild mannered cartridge that is easy to shoot well from a modest weight rifle, over a super lightweight rifle packing a magnum punch that over-kills at both ends.
More power to whomever enjoys shooting a big 30 cal from a ~6lb. rifle, but that ain't my idea of fun. I'd rather tote an 8-9lb rifle that is a joy to shoot, and can spot hits thru the scope. A rifle that's fun to shoot will get shot more, and that's never a bad thing. And I'll suffer an extra lb or two for the benefit of recoil reduction and better hold on target ability that the extra mass allows for.

My reasoning is: hit the gym, treadmill, or track & drop an extra couple pounds off your waist before the hunt, and don't sweat pinching pounds from the rifle!

If wanting to stick with factory chamberings/ammo for convenience and/or practicality, a 7RemMag would be high on the list, along with the 300WSM. I doubt stepping up to a 300WM would kill one any more deader-er than either at reasonable distance.

For conversation...

 

[swampshooter]

For normal elk hunting a can is just too long to be feasible. I would pay more attention to how much recoil your father can handle comfortably and keep in mind that that level of recoil diminishes as he gets older.
I'm 69 years old and my primary elk rifle was a 300 mag. (a 30/8mm) but I don't like the recoil any longer. I also have a .338 WM that I have used. It's a great elk rifle and hits noticeably harder than a 300 mag, but again recoil has became a problem.
I have gone back to the 30/06 and 7 RM for elk hunting. They both work well and are comfortable to shoot at my age. The results are still elk steaks on the grill.
IMHO a .308 would also be fine with the right bullet.

 

[Barlow]

out to 400 yds the 270 and 30-06 have taken all the elk you can say grace over, the mags are fine, any thing that give a 160 3000 fps will do all you need. beyond 400 few shooter will or should take the shot.

Bob

I agree. I have a buddy that has taken right at 30 bulls with a 30-06 and 165 grain Nosler PTs. Longest shot 400 yards, ( he's a surveyor and forester) and every distance between, and has never lost one. Barlow

 

[rwk]

338 win. mag.

 

[CSM19Z5M]

At those ranges I use a 300 Win Mag. If I am hunting where the shots will be no more than 300 yards then I use my 7mm Rem Mag. Both are great elk calibers. But the 300 will punish you a lot more. Elk are tough animals and you need to hammer them with a flat shooting rifle.

 

[Chappy]

At those ranges I use a 300 Win Mag. If I am hunting where the shots will be no more than 300 yards then I use my 7mm Rem Mag. Both are great elk calibers. But the 300 will punish you a lot more. Elk are tough animals and you need to hammer them with a flat shooting rifle.

Flat shooting isn't really much of a consideration till past 5-600 yards. I think the better term is heavy and tough bullets going at a good speed.