Experienced Elk Killers Pick Your #1 Elk Cartridge

We (myself and several family members) have definitely used my .300RUM for most of the 30+ elk taken. But, now, that has become a dedicated heavyweight LR rifle that is not a whole lot of fun to carry, even though we seem to take it up steep mountains and long hikes quite often. Elk taken from 18 to 882 yards with it. Rifle weighs 14lbs 6oz.

My 7RM has recently become my choice for carrying now. Elk have fallen from 60 to 662 with it. And it weighs 5# less than my .300RUM.

The .300 WM remains my go to chambering from antelope to elk size game up to 1K yards.

I successfully shot elk every year since 2001 cows n bulls(living in a wonderful state like Wyoming has granted me that) I have seen elk shot from a 243 to a 375 RUM with target bullets to solid copper, both good and bad scenarios!! It has always been about SHOT PLACEMENT! Elk will take a pounding time after time no matter what you use. My personal favorite to date with the least amount of tracking has been the 338 rum n 250AB and the 300 rum n 200AB. I would love to shoot my 257 bee, less recoil, powder etc. but has not worked for me in the past!

I'm getting older so rifle weight matters more now. I kinda fall in the place that elk guns start with a 3. I have a new rifle that should be done soon that is intended to be my all around everything rifle than is chambered in 280ai. Nice and light and purpose built for ~700y hunting. I have really liked my 338 Lap imp, really hits with authority. Tired of lugging 13lb rifle with 30" barrel. Have a 375 Lap imp getting done that will be 24" barrel and come in about 10lbs. This could prove to be exceptional. Packing a big punch in a package that is fairly handy.

So I think I would really like to check several of the boxes. I picked the 300 mag as it is in the middle of what I consider good elk medicine.

Ive killed elk with all of those calibers and I chose the 7 mag as I use a 284. In the end shot placement is king. A good hit with a marginal bullet is better than a poor hit with a good bullet of any caliber.

I've killed elk with many different cartridge/calibers. The .308win worked very well for me for several years, and a 270 WSM.
I picked the .300 Win. for my vote as I'm piecing together parts for a .300 Sherman Short. Weight has been mentioned and not being young anymore, I tend to like a lighter rifle these days. 9 to 10 lbs, fully outfitted, is heavy enough for me as long as it's balanced well.
26" tubes in tight dense timber can be a real hassle.
Caliber/cartridge selection shouldn't be near as important as bullet choice. IMO

I'm betting if this was asked on a forum that wasn't dedicated to long range, the results would be way different. In my house we've used .300 RUM, .30-06, .270, .243 and a 12 gauge shotgun. I really like my RUM, but starting to figure out I don't need it to kill elk. mtmuley

I realize they are not real popular, as, they are not .30 cal or above, but you forgot to mention, the .270 Weatherby and the .270 WSM's, in your Ranking. Those Cartridge's, have probably killed more than, a few Elk, as has, the .270 Win. which is plenty adequate at, any "reasonable" range !
IMO, quite a few Elk have been shot/killed with, the .270, .280, 7mm-08, etc. "class" of cartridges, by "Hunters", using light weight Rifles (under, 8-9 Pounds). again JMHO
While I believe that, the .243 Win, will kill Elk, I personally, wouldn't recommend it, to any but, the most experienced hunters that can place a well constructed Bullet, exactly where it needs to go and knows it's limitation's !. So Elk Cartridge's, start at, .270 Win., in MY opinion. ANY of the .270's develop, quite a bit of Power/penetration with, a 140-160 grain, bullet and probably, should NOT be "Ranked" with, the .25-06 !

I have not killed a lot of Elk 4 in fact. Of those 4, 2 have been with my 300Wby both were bang flop. The other 2 were killed1 with my bow the other my 338Win. My original reason for getting the 338 was for Elk hunting and it would still be my choice as an Elk cartridge. That said it would now be a 33 Nosler and hopefully soon will be. This is not saying my 300Wby is not enough gun it has proven it is.

I love my 270wsm for elk. My 25-06 has also knocked the wind out of a few, and I always bring it with me. I wouldn't even hesitate to bring it on a once in a lifetime trophy elk hunt. I have a lot of confidence in that gun out to 500-600 yards.

mtmuley said:

I'm betting if this was asked on a forum that wasn't dedicated to long range, the results would be way different. In my house we've used .300 RUM, .30-06, .270, .243 and a 12 gauge shotgun. I really like my RUM, but starting to figure out I don't need it to kill elk. mtmuley

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Amen to that. I bought and hunted with the 300 rum for a few years. I realized that it didn't kill them any deader than my 7RM did, so I justified the purchase of another rifle and have been hunting with a 270 wsm the last couple years with great success. I have noticed ZERO difference in its ability to kill an elk. All have been dead within a couple steps of where they were shot. Distances are usually between 300 and 600 yards. I have never been opposed to taking a longer shot and feel like I have the skill set to do so, but that is where they elk presented themselves to me - and there is no way I am going to hike backwards just so I can take a 1000 yard shot...lol.

FIGJAM said:

Amen to that. I bought and hunted with the 300 rum for a few years. I realized that it didn't kill them any deader than my 7RM did, so I justified the purchase of another rifle and have been hunting with a 270 wsm the last couple years with great success. I have noticed ZERO difference in its ability to kill an elk. All have been dead within a couple steps of where they were shot. Distances are usually between 300 and 600 yards. I have never been opposed to taking a longer shot and feel like I have the skill set to do so, but that is where they elk presented themselves to me - and there is no way I am going to hike backwards just so I can take a 1000 yard shot...lol.

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I'm sure there may be a few members would hike backwards.....that made me laugh, thanks

Two of the best Elk rifles i have seen in the past were the 8mm Rem Mag and the 340 Weatherby. There are many/other great Elk Cartridges but there seems to be a difference in the 8mms and the 338s in overall performance. Plenty big enough, but not to big irregardless of distance
used. They are very capable and in my opinion any cartridge in this size range (8mm or 338) with proper bullets is hard to beat.

If I were to build another dedicated elk rifle, it would be in one of the many cartridges in 338.

J E CUSTOM

I'll go with a Booger loaded 300WSM.