what caliber do you like for elk hunting?

[Rick in Oregon]

My purpose built elk rifle is a pre-'64 M70 rebarrelled by Chic Donnelley to .338-06 Ackley, and it's a proven elk killer with Nosler 210gr Partitions. It runs them at 2,770 fps, complete penetration, even end-to-end.

Bulls fear this rifle.

 

[jds holler]

I've killed 7 cow elks with my 270. Only two of them have piled up on the spot, the others all ran till out of sight then laid down. What I don't like about it is that the bullet almost never exits, usually staying under the skin on the far side. This makes for a very small or non existent blood trail. Heaviest bullets I've used is 150's. jd

 

[wboggs]

Could happen with any caliber. That must have not been a very well placed shot. So many factors, the wind, temp, distance, size of elk, etc...but there are many, many people that take elk with 6.5 PRC, so that doesn't say too much for your friend. For that matter, many people take elk with a 6.5 Creedmoor.

Agree, that report reflects poorly on the shooter, not the 6.5 PRC. These type reports lack credibility and really don't offer any useful information.

 

[wboggs]

I've killed 7 cow elks with my 270. Only two of them have piled up on the spot, the others all ran till out of sight then laid down. What I don't like about it is that the bullet almost never exits, usually staying under the skin on the far side. This makes for a very small or non existent blood trail. Heaviest bullets I've used is 150's. jd

Which 150gr bullet do you use?

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I've always subscribed to the old adage "big bullets for big critters".

'Nuff said.

 

[J_idaho]

 

[jds holler]

Which 150gr bullet do you use?

The last few I shot were with 150 gr. Speer Grand Slams. I can't say that they were any better than the 130 gr. that I used for years for deer and elk both. I'm not a guy who shoots at elks that are much further than a couple hundred yards though.

If I went out on one of those guided ranch hunts where they expect you to smoke em at 400+ yards, -- well, they wouldn't like me. And that is kinda standard OP these days. jd

 

[OmegaRed]

Don't forget, .270 is pretty much a 6.5 PRC.

 

[jds holler]

Don't forget, .270 is pretty much a 6.5 PRC.

I'm about to get one of these miraculous Creedmores that will be a much mobetta long range gun than my old 270 -- I guess?
It will shoot the 150,s a few hundred fps slower than my 270, -- but much more deadly. Don't quite know how that works but, I guess it's some kinda new ballistic law or sump thin. jd

 

[searcher]

Seems a lot of guys just use what they have - and not necessarily what they might choose if they were in the market for another rifle, whether bigger or smaller caliber. Bigger animals tend to stay down (or drop more quickly) with bigger bullets that plow through everything, including bone. A lot of the terrain where I used to hunt is so steep and unforgiving that the thought of an animal running 300 yards after being hit could mean the difference of many hours (or a day) of additional work to retrieve the animal. For that reason, I usually used a 7 MM Rem Mag (Browning BAR) and occasionally a lightened (ouch!) Sako .375 H&H. I don't think of that as overkill. I just want them to stay close to where shot.

 

[Doug Casner]

O.K. Elmer. Doug

 

[Doug Casner]

Thats Elmer Keith not Elmer Fudd . Just want to be clear. Thats a compliment . Knew a guy in Wyo. that hunted elk with a .375 HH loved it. Doug

 

[CJ6]

Cousin had his 300 WIn. Mag rebarreled to 375 Ruger. He loves it for elk and also uses it for deer. He hunts timber to edge of timber.

 

[CharlieNC]

What good is a 250gr 300 Wizbang Magnum super speed solid point that pencils through, or a super ballistic tip that explodes upon contact with no penetration? Its about a properly designed bullet that has an impact velocity as specified at the given distance, and therefore generates trauma and a wound channel. Go to Nathan Foster Terminal Ballistics website for extensive detail based on his studies of thousands of autopsies.

 

[wboggs]

What good is a 250gr 300 Wizbang Magnum super speed solid point that pencils through, or a super ballistic tip that explodes upon contact with no penetration? Its about a properly designed bullet that has an impact velocity as specified at the given distance, and therefore generates trauma and a wound channel. Go to Nathan Foster Terminal Ballistics website for extensive detail based on his studies of thousands of autopsies.

Agree, proper comstruction and placement are key factors. If hunting an area in which anything can happen go with a .300 mag and well constructed 200 gr class bullets

 

[rockhound78]

Last time I went Elk hunting, I used my 6.5 Swede. Did pick up a Ruger #1 in 375 H&H but after 6 years of never getting a tag here in CO, I gave up on hunting here. Body now says no more.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

.340 WBY with a 225 Accubond! Back up rifle is a .300 Win Mag blown out to a 30 * shoulder with 180 Accubonds. The 340 Wby is a DRT rifle. The .300 Win is a 100 yd rifle. that's how far they travel after being shot

 

[DGP4]

How far? How big?

This! And how good a shot are you?

 

[Gary in MD]

I killed mine with a 7mm STW and a 150 grain Scirocco.
There’s quite a few fellows that have killed them with 22 calibers….

 

[Rob01]

This bull elk was taken at 750 yards by my buddy with a 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 140 Bergers. He is a good shooter so was able to take the shot that not everyone could but the round had enough to drop it.