Most potent long range elk cartridge with .473 bolt face

[Timnterra]

I'mbuilding another hunting rifle. I was wanting a long range boomer like a 338 edge to kill elk out to 900yds, but I ended up with a #4 30 cal 1-10" twist barrel and a standard long action. I also have a 7mm 1-8" twist #5 barrel. I am guessing that the hardest hitting cartridge with this combo would either be the 30-06 Sherman or the 280 Sherman but maybe there are other options out there. I don't really like the idea of having to fire form all my brass first though. Would I just be better off swapping bolts with someone and building a 300 win mag or 300 PRC?

 

[Plinker147]

Yes if your goal is to kill elk 900yds then yes Swap bolts and do a 300 PRC would be best.

You can build a 280AI don't need to form brass, do a 28 inch barrel and throat it to shoot 180 or bigger and get a good long range rig too

 

[Rum Man]

Well I vote for the Edge and 300 bergers !
I promise it works out to 1244 yrds ! Cross my Heart !

Rum Man

 

[Rum Man]

I'm not much for the small caliber on Elk . Heard and seen to many stories .
This is a Long Range Hunting Forum !
With lots of practice it can happen .
Just my two pennies!

Rum Man

 

[zr600]

I would say a 300 Sherman. 200g bullets right around 3000fps.

 

[elkaholic]

I would say a 300 Sherman. 200g bullets right around 3000fps.

Or a 280 Sherman with a 195 at 2950-3000'

 

[adam32]

Just open up your current bolt face, add an M16 extractor and build a 300 RUM or a 28 Nosler.

 

[codyadams]

Any smith worth their salt will open your bolt up, and will be cheaper then buying another bolt, unless you just happen to have one on hand.

Two great choices with an opened up bolt face would be the 300 PRC or 30 Sherman mag, just an improved prc that can shoot factory prc ammo. With a 28" they are shooting the 245's at like 3100, 230's at 3200, and 215's at 3300 max charges, so take off 50-100 fps for roughly where you might land. 30 nosler, 300 win mag, and 300 rum can all be added in as well.

However, if you must stay with that bolt face, than a 300 sherman will be the best for elk. The 300 sherman will get a 225 up around 2800 from a 28" tube, 215 around 2950+. With the Sherman, you need to make a false shoulder and form.

A .280 AI wouldn't be bad, but would just be like a 24" barreled 7 mag. It gets overlooked, but the tried and true 30-06 with the right powder will get a 215 Berger to around 2750, maybe 2800 from a fast long barrel. Even going 2700, it looks pretty impressive. Here is 2700 at the elevation we hunt elk at out to 900. Plus, Lapua makes brass for it.

 

[Slick8]

Either a 280 or 30 Sherman. I'd go with the 30 as it should handle the heavies a little better.

If you don't reload or want to fireform then as said above the 280ai would be the best medicine as you can buy loaded ammo for it.

 

[fmuguira]

280 AI. All you need!

 

[jkwright]

Probably not worth the effort but you could do a 7mm or 30 cal wildcat off of weatherby's 6.5 RPM. It would have a significant bump in case capacity over all other standard bolt face cartridges. The 6.5 rpm has a case capacity of 83 grns h20, 280 AI is 68 grns, 300 win mag is 94 grns. Probably makes more sense to open up the bolt face than make a wildcat off a brand new cartridge with unproven brass but its a possibility.

 

[6.5-300 BEE]

I can't always land the first shot on the 10" gong @1000 yds (heavy 338 RUM off bench). Can't imagine trying it in field conditions with a normal hunting rifle.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I'm kind of partial to the 284 Winchester. You don't need a 190 or 195 to kill an elk. Anything in the162 up to a 180 is perfectly fine out to and over a thousand yards. If you don't reload the 280 AI is a great option also.

 

[UplandFreak]

I'mbuilding another hunting rifle. I was wanting a long range boomer like a 338 edge to kill elk out to 900yds, but I ended up with a #4 30 cal 1-10" twist barrel and a standard long action. I also have a 7mm 1-8" twist #5 barrel. I am guessing that the hardest hitting cartridge with this combo would either be the 30-06 Sherman or the 280 Sherman but maybe there are other options out there. I don't really like the idea of having to fire form all my brass first though. Would I just be better off swapping bolts with someone and building a 300 win mag or 300 PRC?

I would just go 280 ackley and be done with it. It will kill elk out past 1000.