Favorite elk Rifle

[PA Hunter]

Fierce CT Edge .300 RUM

 

[stuckinohio]

300 win mag

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[brsnow]

Fieldcraft.270 129lrx, 6lb 13 oz loaded

 

[Slings]

.300 WSM (180 GRN Barnes VORTX)

 

[hunting1]

Kimber Montana in .308, 6.25 lbs all dressed up.

 

[handwerk]

For strictly elk it is my customized Pre 64 M70 300H&H in a MCM Echols legend stock. 180 TTSX's @3050 fps have worked very well.

 

[EmperorMA]

I’ve killed elk with a lot of stuff from .25-06 up to .338 Win Mag.

By far the longest tracking job was an elk hit through both shoulders and both lungs with 250 NPT from the .338 Win Mag. Every elk I hit with that combo covered real estate before expiring.

Every single elk I’ve shot with the .270 Win, .270 WBY, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, 6.5x284 and .25-06 were bang/flop, DRT. Since I have killed far more elk with 6.5s and various .270s without incident, based on that experience I'd go with one of those. In today's world, that would probably mean a 6.5 PRC or .270 Win or .270 WSM but I'd be absolutely fine with a 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 Rem or 6.5x.284.

While it may not be my favorite configuration of a rifle or my favorite cartridge, I'd do a Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in .270 WSM and drop it into a McMillan stock that weighs a bit less than the B&C stock offered with the rifle. I'd shoot whatever bullet the rifle liked that I could also expect to hold up to big bone hits at under 75 yards, because sometimes you gotta do that when you're elk hunting. Something like a 150 AB, 150 NPT, 129 LRX or 150 ABLR should do the trick.

 

[WCB]

7mm rem or 300wm same same

 

[bow_hunt32]

.300 Weatherby Magnum

What ammo you running? My father in law just gave me his vanguard in 300 wby mag

 

[Hunter56]

What ammo you running? My father in law just gave me his vanguard in 300 wby mag

My gun really likes the 180 Hornady Interlocks

 

[500000KV]

We are split between the 28 Nosler with 180 grain Bergers and the 300 PRC with 215 grain Bergers. Both are so good, it's hard to pick a winner!

Have a 28Nosler 195’s @3125 and 30/28Nosler 215’s @3110. Both are great rounds.
Wheeler built ( black/white) 30/28 is well balanced, perfect rifle for where I hunt. Ti action, mcmillan game warden stock, TT triggers, NF NXS np-r1’s on both guns.

 

[jacknifejc]

338 win mag

 

[wyosam]

I’ve gone from various 30’s, to .264s. All have killed elk very well. I don’t think elk read headstamps or mic bullets. I’ve got a couple .284s in the works, so maybe that is going to be my “ideal” elk rifle. Mostly, I just like to tinker these days to fill the 10 months between the end of elk season and the beginning of elk season.


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[BjornF16]

I’ve killed elk with a lot of stuff from .25-06 up to .338 Win Mag.

By far the longest tracking job was an elk hit through both shoulders and both lungs with 250 NPT from the .338 Win Mag. Every elk I hit with that combo covered real estate before expiring.

Every single elk I’ve shot with the .270 Win, .270 WBY, 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, 6.5x284 and .25-06 were bang/flop, DRT. Since I have killed far more elk with 6.5s and various .270s without incident, based on that experience I'd go with one of those. In today's world, that would probably mean a 6.5 PRC or .270 Win or .270 WSM but I'd be absolutely fine with a 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 Rem or 6.5x.284.

Emperor,

what do you attribute this to?

 

[EmperorMA]

Emperor,

what do you attribute this to?

I attribute it to one simple thing: Headstamps don't mean anything to the animals. They only have meaning to the inherent biases of human beings.

IMHO, only five things matter when it comes to hunting performance.

1. Placement
2. Placement
3. Placement
4. Bullet construction
5. Impact velocity

I have heard guys say ridiculous things like, "I need to have at least 1500 ft lbs of energy for elk or else there isn't enough kockdown power." Or, "I use a .300 RUM because I want extra insurance if something goes wrong."

I have questions for them. What good does 1500 ft lbs of energy do you if you're shooting a solid that pencils through? What good does it do you if you have a bullet that is only travelling at 1800 fps but is designed to expand above 2000 fps? What good does 1500 ft lbs of energy do you if the bullet you have chosen blows up when hitting a big bone? How does using a .300 RUM give you more "knockdown power" on a bad shot than a .308 Winchester (there really is no such thing as "knockdown power" anyway!). What insurance does the .300 RUM offer on a paunch shot that you don't get with a .30-06?

While we all realize that there is a point where stuff gets too small (although we can almost always find exceptions to those "rules," as well), an elk hit with a properly constructed .25-cal bullet at an impact velocity that allows the chosen bullet to perform as it was intended, when placed in a spot that gives the bullet the chance to reach the vitals and do damage or break large bone complexes that render the animal unable to escape, is every bit as effective as the same hit with a bullet fired from a .300 RUM.

I will give you that the .300 RUM does give you a much bigger window for good impact impact velocity on the back end, but it just might take away some of that window on the front end, as well.

 

[BjornF16]

IMHO, only five things matter when it comes to hunting performance.

1. Placement
2. Placement
3. Placement
4. Bullet construction
5. Impact velocity

Where did the 338 Win Mag fall out of your above criteria?

 

[EmperorMA]

Where did the 338 Win Mag fall out of your above criteria?

It didn’t. It just doesn’t rise above others that are easier with shot placement. And it hasn’t shown to be as effective when placement is good, so why take the beating?