.260 Remington as an Elk Rifle

Well I sure hope that the people that take that quote as proof that the stated quote is the utmost truth don't believe in every quote they read.

I'm gonna put in my sig..."Jumping off the San Francisco Bay Bridge is the only way to live."

What I'm getting at is the people get on here, hardly ever post anything but they have read and learned a lot from here I am sure. But the only time they get on here to post something is to bash the website based on people's opinions that are just that and not fact.
 
Well I sure hope that the people that take that quote as proof that the stated quote is the utmost truth don't believe in every quote they read.

I'm gonna put in my sig..."Jumping off the San Francisco Bay Bridge is the only way to live."

What I'm getting at is the people get on here, hardly ever post anything but they have read and learned a lot from here I am sure. But the only time they get on here to post something is to bash the website based on people's opinions that are just that and not fact.

No where in my responses says to take it as proof. Perhaps you missed the appropriate emoticon on my #15 response.

No need to take it out of context.
 
Preface:
Definition of a discussion is to determine what is right.
Definition of an argument is to determine who is right.
"Arguments" is a linguistic form of presentation of facts and views.

so

Yes, you are right. You can take an elk with a 260. I'm not applying any who or what is "right". It is a fact. Empirical data. It's been done. It's physics and biology.

Is it the right thing to do?

There is no question that a double lung shot from a .264 130+ grain bullet of good construction will down an elk.

Arguments (see above) in favor larger the UberMagnumLoudenTzing are all based on what could go wrong.

I offer the following, as someone who knows traumatic injury from personal experience.

What of something goes wrong. I won't list them all as we are well experienced in messed up shots.

The flubbed shot from the UberMagnumLoudenTzing will shatter bones and cause trauma of a type that will incapacitate the elk. Allowing a follow up shot.

The flubbed shot form a 260 "may" leave the elk remarkably ambulatory. Meaning no follow up shot, long tracking sessions and perhaps lost because of limited wounding.

What is the "right" caliber/cartridge? I don't know but I will use at least a 300WSM.
 
.........I'm gonna put in my sig..."Jumping off the San Francisco Bay Bridge is the only way to live."...............

Some do some don't-just to be sure you meant the Bay bridge, and not the Golden Gate which has enjoyed more popularity likely because of it's greater height (water to bridge clearance).

Source Wikipedia. Which also describes the best way to survive is to enter the water is feet first at a slight angle. One first time jumper not realizing there was a technique involved, had to repeat her jump in order to finish the job.

So even this example seems to get mired down in the energy vs placement debate.
 
Jfseaman did it right. He posted facts and then posted his opinion. He didn't get on here and say, all these Internet forums are full of guys who say the super duper magnums are the only thing that can kill an elk.

For sure a .260 can kill an elk under 300 yards. It's up to you if you feel that you can comfortably and accurately shoot that far to hit the vitals with that rifle. I use a 338 lapua only because I shoot elk at ranges a lot of people wouldn't feel that they could shoot accurately enough to hit the vitals. I couldn't shoot an elk at these ranges with a 260. My last elk was shot at 740 yards. A lot of people on this website have shot elk out a lot farther than that. And they are using a larger magnum cartridge to get it done out that far. If I wasn't shooting elk at these ranges then I most definitely wouldn't be using a 338 Lapua and I doubt the others shooting farther than me would either. If it was 300-400 and under, I would probably just use a 30-06.
 
Some do some don't-just to be sure you meant the Bay bridge, and not the Golden Gate which has enjoyed more popularity likely because of it's greater height (water to bridge clearance).

Source Wikipedia. Which also describes the best way to survive is to enter the water is feet first at a slight angle. One first time jumper not realizing there was a technique involved, had to repeat her jump in order to finish the job.

So even this example seems to get mired down in the energy vs placement debate.

Haha...whichever one is higher :D
 
My uncle shot a Michigan bull elk with a 270 6 times at close range (under 100 yards) before it was down for good. He told me a couple of the shots were directly through the vitals and he believed at least one of those was his very first shot. He then went on to say that he would never use a 270 for elk ever again. His hunting partner is a DNR officer and I trust their story. I guess the whole ordeal of shooting, tracking, shooting, tracking, shooting took many hours.

I think it's those kind of experiences why some of these animals larger than deer get a reputation of bullets from non magnum cartridges seemingly just "ricochet" off of the animals.

But then you read an article in a hunting magazine about someone killing a black bear with a 22lr or something crazy.

That's the reason why the opinions on this issue vary so much.

Although I'm still trying to figure out how my uncle pulled an elk tag in Michigan his first year he ever tried; because that is unheard of. :)
 
My uncle shot a Michigan bull elk with a 270 6 times at close range (under 100 yards) before it was down for good. He told me a couple of the shots were directly through the vitals and he believed at least one of those was his very first shot. He then went on to say that he would never use a 270 for elk ever again. His hunting partner is a DNR officer and I trust their story. I guess the whole ordeal of shooting, tracking, shooting, tracking, shooting took many hours.

I think it's those kind of experiences why some of these animals larger than deer get a reputation of bullets from non magnum cartridges seemingly just "ricochet" off of the animals.

But then you read an article in a hunting magazine about someone killing a black bear with a 22lr or something crazy.

That's the reason why the opinions on this issue vary so much.





Although I'm still trying to figure out how my uncle pulled an elk tag in Michigan his first year he ever tried; because that is unheard of. :)


I hit a cow at 297 yards 3 times with a 7mm mag rocking a Berger 168 classic hunter. All three shots were behind the shoulder and in front of the diaphragm. There was nothing left besides a small chunk of lung the size of a golf ball when i opened her up. After that I decided I wanted something bigger. A 300wm with 230s is about my upper limit on recoil so that's what I shoot.


That being said my former employer used a 260 with Berger vlds to take 5 or 6 elk, all inside of 300 yards. I believe the furthest shot was just shy of 270yds. I just can't bring myself to go with anything smaller than the good ol win mag. These are just my opinions based on my own experiences and observations.
 
The .300 Win Mag is my go to chambering from antelope to elk size game up 1000 yards. Below was my response to another thread but it is applicable to this as well ...

I harvested a MT bull elk at 931 yards in 2013 with 190 Berger VLD off my .300 WM. He somehow managed to run 200 yards with the herd. There was a pool of blood and trails; when I field dress him, the internal organs were all souped up.

My other buddy shot another bull elk from the same herd less than a minute after I did and DRT it with 180 Berger VLD off his 7MM mag at ~ 200 yards.

Earlier that season, another hunting buddy shot a bull elk with his .300 WM. It took him 3 shots with 180 Barnes TTSX all in the vital area and all under 100 yards.

IMHO, all bullets performed as advertised but all the elk expired differently.
 
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