Best all around caliber?

[6rgunner]

Really a 300 wby is marginal still really just a 30-06. Id go minimum .338 wby or get a .378 wby mag. elk are big animals

Yes good point. Wild west guns down the road makes a Alaskan Guide that shoots .457 Wild West Magnum maybe I will look at one of them.

 

[Shrek]

I wonder how long it will be before nothing less than a 50 BMG with a 750gr bullet is considered minimum for elk ?

 

[Beastmode]

I wonder how long it will be before nothing less than a 50 BMG with a 750gr bullet is considered minimum for elk ?

:beer:

 

[Highcountry_Hellrazor]

I wonder how long it will be before nothing less than a 50 BMG with a 750gr bullet is considered minimum for elk ?

I've shot a couple elk with a 243 when I was 12 years old.. Shot placement is the best all around solution.

 

[Hardstalk]

I've shot a couple elk with a 243 when I was 12 years old.. Shot placement is the best all around solution.

Killed my first two deer (does) with a 22-250. Only gun In the safe I could hold up free handed on my own. Seemed to be sufficient at the time.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

You guys are ridiculous. A 30-06 will do just fine on most anything in north america within 300 yards, shots beyond may require something larger depending on game and you're shooting ability.

 

[JP100]

haha yea. But live2hunt is right. 30-06 is a good all rounder.
.308,7mm-08, .270, 30-06, 7mm rem mag all good calibers and can take all game with them at reasonable ranges with the right bullet and shot placement.

 

[6mm Remington]

Here is my son Jeff and his first elk he took three years ago with his 6mm Remington. He was shooting a 90 gr. Nosler E-tip and hit his cow right behind her right shoulder. The bullet angled forward just slightly and EXITED her left shoulder. She went about 20 yards and dropped. The shot was 350 yards laying prone using his bi-pod. We had done a lot of practicing and I felt comfortable with him being able to place his bullet in the right spot.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Here is my son Jeff and his first elk he took three years ago with his 6mm Remington. He was shooting a 90 gr. Nosler E-tip and hit his cow right behind her right shoulder. The bullet angled forward just slightly and EXITED her left shoulder. She went about 20 yards and dropped. The shot was 350 yards laying prone using his bi-pod. We had done a lot of practicing and I felt comfortable with him being able to place his bullet in the right spot.

That's awesome you must've been so proud

 

[Beastmode]

Here is my son Jeff and his first elk he took three years ago with his 6mm Remington. He was shooting a 90 gr. Nosler E-tip and hit his cow right behind her right shoulder. The bullet angled forward just slightly and EXITED her left shoulder. She went about 20 yards and dropped. The shot was 350 yards laying prone using his bi-pod. We had done a lot of practicing and I felt comfortable with him being able to place his bullet in the right spot.

Congratulations I have heard some really good things about that e-tip.

 

[JP100]

Here is my son Jeff and his first elk he took three years ago with his 6mm Remington. He was shooting a 90 gr. Nosler E-tip and hit his cow right behind her right shoulder. The bullet angled forward just slightly and EXITED her left shoulder. She went about 20 yards and dropped. The shot was 350 yards laying prone using his bi-pod. We had done a lot of practicing and I felt comfortable with him being able to place his bullet in the right spot.

Good work! I find practice and confidence in your gun and shooting abilities to more important than caliber.
I use a .243 for most of my red deer hunting,all though not as big as elk a red stag is no small animal.
I love this vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18 awesome shooting.
heres a big bodied red stag taken last roar at 300+yards with a .243 aswell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5FQ1l2S4ic

 

[eleaf]

7mm-08.

Great ballistics, low kick. For pronghorn, WT, or mule deer, throw in 120g TTSX, for anything bigger, use 140 TTSX.

 

[WRO]

A 30-.06 in UNDERkill. Seriously. I've tracked more than my share of elk shot with them at 200 yards and less. it's a deer gun. A .300 Win Mag is the PEFRECT caliber for elk. Definitely NOT overkill. When you get in the mountains 300 yards is a very common shot. Yes we absolutely do everything we can to get closer but that's not always possible especially when it's not one but 30 animals and 60 eyeballs you're trying to sneak up on. When you spend the money for a gun, an elk tag, and the other costs involved in hunting elk not to mention precious time away from work why let 100 yards be the thing that separates you from success? There are also so many options when it comes to bullets and loads. The .06 barely offers what I'd consider elk worthy. It's near impossible to find on a shelf too whereas most all ammo for the .300 will suffice. There are old schoolers who will swear by it and preach yes they've killed elk with it... but they also grew up in the great depression and don't spend a dime on anything else either. No question get the 300.

You get a star by your name. Between my dad and I we have killed about 25 elk and 15 caribou, 2 moose, and couple black bears with a 30-06. Every bullet you can get for an 06 you can get for a 300 and your only talking a couple hundred FPS at most for most rounds.