Setting up rifle for elk

[Bmoore]

Looking for general information and tips. I’m a whitetail hunter from PA. I usually don’t think much about my rifle or set up. I generally buy the cheapest “deer” rounds I can find at the gun shop, shoot a piece of duck tape on a paper plate at 100 to check I’m good and go hunt. In the whitetail woods, this has never been too complicated.

Next year I’ll be doing my first elk hunt in Colorado. This makes me wonder about how to prepare for this. I shoot a 30-06 with a basic 3x9 scope on top. My questions are as follows.

Is there a specific round I should look for to hunt elk as compared to deer?
Should I zero my rifle for a specific yardage? I’ve never shot past 100 and the local range only goes up to 200 yards. How can I prepare for an elk hunt which seems could easily have shots out past 300. I’ve read a lot on this forum about dialing scopes and windage. Are these things I need to worry about? I don’t have a scope with dials and don’t understand how guys are getting windage Reading in he field anyway.

My basic idea is to try to practice this summer as best I can at 200 and try to find a range where I can shoot out to 300. I am going to have a self imposed max range of 300 for sure based on my experience and comfort level. What things should I be concerned about when shooting at these types of ranges?

Any help you guys can give is greatly appreciated. Trying to get all the puzzle pieces in order before next October. Thanks.

 

[Bkottke35]

Go with what you’re comfortable with! What you’ve got would work just fine.

 

[Silvereagle50]

Your setup you have will work fine.
You just need to know where your rifle will hit at various yardages up to your 300yd imposed max.


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[Werty]

The 300yd limit is good, but you need to know what the gun does beyond 300. I only say this in case of a follow-up shot.

 

[SDHNTR]

No need to over think this either. Sight in 1.5-2” high at 100. Anything 250 and under just put the crosshairs on the breadbasket and pull the trigger. Know your ballistics and hold a bit higher if it’s farther than that. Then know your limits and don’t exceed them. Spend your money on good boots, and your time on your fitness. Focusing on those two things will bring more elk success than all the big Nightforces and tactical dials in the world ever have or ever will!

I killed my first elk at 329 yards with a 30-06, 180 gr Hornady interloct, and a basic Leupold 3-9 vari x2. Held high shoulder with a good prone rest and touched it off. Dead elk. Never killed one any further since. You don’t need anything fancy.

 

[DoubleDown]

Nosler Trophy Grade 30-06 Sprg 180 Grain AccuBond 3.5 inches high at 100 yards gets you to 300 without holdover.

 

[LightFoot]

Is there a specific round I should look for to hunt elk as compared to deer?
-Premium bonded or copper solid 165gr - 180 gr.
Barnes TTSX, Hornady ELD-X, Nosler Partition


Should I zero my rifle for a specific yardage?
-Either 100 or 200 yes. Know where your bullet hits at each distance to you max range.

I’ve never shot past 100 and the local range only goes up to 200 yards. How can I prepare for an elk hunt which seems could easily have shots out past 300?
-Stick to the distance you are comfortable shooting or find another range to shoot further in practice.

You are probably more ready than you think.
Worry about fitness and finding the elk.

>>>----JAKE----->

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Killed a cow with my 30-06 last year, 1st elk..165 gr NP. Once you figure out the round you want to get several boxes of ammo so you have the same lot number...IIRC I started with 8 boxes....had 2 left when I left for hunt. I went to the range every weekend for a month before I left and shot a box at 300. YMMV

Get in shape..if you used to hunting whitetail there is a big difference from taking a shot from a stand and spot and stalk. Trying to settle your crosshairs with elevated HR and breathing is a way different experience. Try to practice shooting from every position but sitting at a bench. I was shooting 22s with my sons yesterday...I do 15-20 jumping jack's before I shoot...helps me for next year and it makes it more of a "competition" for them.
Good Luck!

 

[rayporter]

spot on info given!

i use an 06 sighted in with 180's about 2 to 3 in high. works great! i have only had one shot over a hundred yds. ever.

about that practice? wear a daypack too!

 

[WCB]

IMO-
I would shoot a premium type bullet. My recommended would be a Federal 165gr Trophy Bonded Tip. Would also recommend a copper option Federal or Barnes and a Nosler Accubond. You may need to buy a box of a few different loads to see what works best.

Zero @ 200 yards...300yds you will be 7-9" low. Aim high shoulder go to go (I definitely recommend practicing at 300 yds so you know for sure.)

 

[Bmoore]

Thanks for all the inputs. I guess there’s no need to over think things. Just practice with a few boxes of rounds and get comfortable shooting longer ranges. I will definitely keep my 300 yard rule but hopefully I’ll find somewhere to get some practice out past 300 just to get out of my comfort zone. I like to do that with archery, shoot 60 yards on the off-season makes a 25 yard shot a lot easier when a nice whitetail cruises by the stand.

Not being much of a shooter, what is the difference between bullets? I get that there’s heavier and lighter based on the grains, but what’s the trophy bonded bullets do? What are copper bullets used for? Is there a reason one style of bullet is better for elk hunting?

Keep the helpful information coming. Really appreciate it!

 

[rayporter]

cup and core bullets are the normal bullet. most ammo is made with a copper cup and a lead core. the copper cup can be thick or thin. thin for varmints. the core can be bonded to the cup also. you usually want thicker jackets that have bonded cores for big game.

mono metal bullets like the all copper are great too. i will let some one else type for a while on them.

 

[SDHNTR]

Basically the tougher bullets are better for thicker skin and heavier boned animals, like elk. All copper bullets are probably the epitome of a tougher bullet. They are required in California and some prefer them. They don’t fragment like lead bullets can, if ingestion of lead fragments is a concern to you. The science on that is very questionable. Nonetheless, a tougher bullet is probably a good idea on elk, especially if you happen to hit the shoulder.

Buy a couple boxes loaded with 165 and 180 gr bullets of various types. Some good durable bullets (the bullet, not the cartridge brand) to look for are Nosler Accubond, Trophy Bonded, Barnes TTSX, Hornady GMX or Interbond, Nosler Partition, and Swift A Frame. The manufacturer of the ammo matters less. These bullets all get loaded by different manufacturers.

So just buy a few boxes from different brands and different bullets from the list above and shoot some groups at 100 yds off a dead solid rest. You don’t care which one is closest to the bullseye, you are just trying to find the tightest group to identify what your rifle likes best. They will all shoot differently. Then once you’ve identify what is most accurate and shoots the best groups, then adjust your scope and bring it back into the bullseye (or 2” above at 100 yds). You now know what ammo your rifle likes and are sighted in for that ammo. Go buy a bunch more of it and practice, practice, practice!

 

[Timnterra]

I don’t know what kind or brand of scope you have, but “basic” makes me nervous. There is nothing wrong with a simple well made scope, but some basic scopes are anything but well made. I think a rugged rifle and scope is important for mountain hunting. I’ve had my rifle fall off my shoulder on numerous occasions while navigating terrain. If you have a bargain scope that will not hold zero you might end up going home frustrated with nothing but a broken scope. Just food for thought

 

[Clarence]

Federal premium with nosler partitions shouldn't be too hard too find here in Pa. 165's would work fine on elk as well. Buy a few varieties too see what works best in your rifle. You can always use the leftovers for those 100 yard whitetail shots down the road.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

200 gr cup and core bullets (core lok, eld, sierra game king), 180 gr cup and core or partition/a-frame, 165 gr bonded bullets (accubond, scirocco), or a 150 gr copper (x-bullet, e-tip) would all work well.

I have shot a couple of whitetails at close range (<50 yds) using 180 gr ttsx-bullets out of a 300 win mag, and while the penetration was fantastic the expansion was not great, entrance and exit holes were almost identical in size. I'd be a little concerned about getting adequate expansion from a 30/06 factory load at 300 yds with a 180 or even a 165 gr barnes due the lower impact velocity.

 

[howl]

Shooting to 250 with an 06 is easy with a solid, padded, rested position. Its past 250 or when the wind blows more than a little that requires practice and experience. Go out on a windy day and keep track of where you hit. Its a head scratcher initially but you can make good enough sense of it to 300 with a little practice.

Past that I get too many unexplainable hits off POA to take it seriously for game. I'd have to put too much time into it.

I would like to suggest that getting into a variety of good rested positions is its own skill set and worth developing.

 

[Bmoore]

Sounds good. Thanks for all the input guys. Really appreciate it. I guess I’ll look around my local gun shops and see what factory loads I can find in the 165 grain bonded bullet catagory. I guess federal trophy bonded and Nosler accubond were mentioned a few times. And I know Newburg uses the accubond out of a 308 pretty regularly of I’m not mistaken, so I feel like they’re worth a shot.

As for practice, I know a guy with a few farm fields where I can probablly get permission to set up a few targets and practice longer ranges. So my plan is to buy a few different boxes of ammo based on what what I mentioned above and see what works best out to 200. Zero there and then practice shooting out past that as much as I can through the summer. Should get me comfortable by next October.

Thanks for all the helpful input.

 

[Newtosavage]

Sounds like a good plan. Whatever you choose, practice shooting further than you expect to. That will make the 200-300 yard shots that much easier when your heart is racing.

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

Good ammo is a must! I use 308 150 grain E tips.