what caliber do you like for elk hunting?

[drop_point]

Packing out big animals is some serious work. I always try to take off a week after a hunt, too! Time to recover and process meat.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

.280 AI, .300 WSM, .308 Win, .270 Win, 6.5 PRC...many can work great. In my circle, .280 AI and .300 WSM seem to be choice.

For a 308 Win. What bullet would you choose for a longer shot? I always figured put a couple of Partitions on top of the mag for a close opportunity.

 

[drop_point]

For a 308 Win. What bullet would you choose for a longer shot? I always figured put a couple of Partitions on top of the mag for a close opportunity.

Honestly, I wouldn't stretch a .308 out very far, but I like the LR Accubonds. About the slipperiest hunting out there. The 168 gr is right in the .308 wheelhouse unless you run a Tikka with a long-action bolt stop and magazine, you may get the 190s in there. I'd limit a .308 to about 500. According to the ballistics, if you can launch it 2750 fps at 8000', you'd stay above Noslers velocity floor of 1800 fps to 750ish yards. But for shooting that far, get a bigger 7mm or .30 cal magnum.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Honestly, I wouldn't stretch a .308 out very far, but I like the LR Accubonds. About the slipperiest hunting out there. The 168 gr is right in the .308 wheelhouse unless you run a Tikka with a long-action bolt stop and magazine, you may get the 190s in there.

Thanks. I meant to say 500 yards would be as far as I would ever attempt a good shot opportunity.

 

[Jr solocam]

When I first walked up on a dead bull elk, and dead bull moose, I realized how big these animals are. This is always a loaded question, sure a 6 or 6.5 will kill an elk. If you are spending $10k for a guided hunt I would suggest any of the .300 mags shooting 200-230 grain bullets. I've had great performance with 215 burgers.

Sometimes, most times, you won't get a 200 yard broadside shot.

 

[Doug Casner]

I know what you mean about the big animal. Got up on that one I killed and dam, biggest thing I ever killed. I really like that .308 oughta be a .338. Doug

 

[Gary in MD]

Mine was killed on private land and as luck would have it, it died next to an old path.
Backed up to it in an old suburban that had a winch in the back and had it loaded up in a few minutes.

 

[CJ6]

Mules work great for packing in or out. Used them several times.

 

[Bc'z]

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.

I had the pleasure of hunting with Chic and his son Eric.
The rifles in that deer camp were absolutely amazing exhibition grade walnut and metal engraving galore.
This year I'm running a 280ai and Barnes 140ttsx 3123 @ the muzzle should shread some shoulders

 

[kyotekiller25]

Any 7/30/33 Mag is a good place to start. I believe in using the right tool for the job.

 

[gat]

Have a good friend who was a professor of physics at the University of Wyoming. Hes 92 yrs young now. Always told me .338 magnum for elk and.264 magnum for mulies. Openly admitted he had never killed and elk with his .338 that didn't run a little. The .264 mag anchored them where they stood. On mulies they worked equally well. Left them all in the closet when Remington released the model 7 in 7mm-08 140 core lokt was the normal fodder. Think that was about all he shot in any caliber, Core Lokt that is.

 

[LVLAaron]

The 185 is a great hunting bullet and has the widest seating window of any bullet I have shot.

Would I be doing myself a disservice by loading them to mag length? They'd be seated below the shoulder/neck junction.

 

[Bc'z]

Would I be doing myself a disservice by loading them to mag length? They'd be seated below the shoulder/neck junction.

308?

 

[LVLAaron]

308?

300WSM

 

[Bc'z]

300WSM

Run the juggernaut and don't look back

 

[L.Sherm]

Would I be doing myself a disservice by loading them to mag length? They'd be seated below the shoulder/neck junction.

Run it single shot

 

[wboggs]

Run it single shot

No single shot for me on a difficult high country elk hunt. The conditions are too unprecdictable

 

[L.Sherm]

No single shot for me on a difficult high country elk hunt. The conditions are too unprecdictable

What does conditions have to do with single shot?

 

[wboggs]

What does conditions have to do with single shot?

Quicker follow up while looking at the animal without having to handle another cartridge and insert it

 

[wupterchook]

I killed a cow elk this past February with a .270. So yea, the rumors are true a .270 will work just fine.