1st elk hunt need rifle advice

kwilm said:

I just purchased a Kimber Mountain Ascent 280AI and put a Leupold VX6-HD 3-18 on it. The total package comes in at 6.8 pounds unloaded. I have always had Jon Beanland build my guns but I am really impressed with the accuracy and weight of this package. The brake on it does a great job with recoil as well. Here's the 3rd, 4th and 5th shots down the barrel at 100 yards. I'm using the Hornady Precision Hunter ammo getting mid-teen SD's at an average of 2865fps. I've had really good luck with that ammo in four different calibers. So much so I've quit reloading for the couple of calibers because of it. I've Only had an opportunity to run it out to 625 so far but i was getting impacts every time with it. Sorry to throw in a different caliber but I think it's a great size cartridge to do anything you want inside of N. America with manageable recoil. Good luck.





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I'll second that hornady precision hunter ammo. I bought a box to break in my 270wsm with before I started load development. It shot 1/2" groups, so I just went out and bought a few more boxes. All my reloading stuff for the 270wsm hasn't been touched.

Hi--I think the bigger question is to decide whether you're gearing up for just elk, or want to have a "go to" rifle set up.

My choice would be a .300 Win Mag, for many reasons: It's flat shooting and you can get bullets without reloading in the 140 to 200 grain range off the shelf. I have used mine for almost everything I have hunted the last few years in the states, Europe and Africa--from steinbok and springbok in Africa, antelope in the states, red stage and ibex in Spain, and kudu, wildebeest, zebra, and waterbuck in Africa; everything from 40 to probably 750 pounds. For big game, think about Swift A frame loads in 180 grains.

I have gotten so used to shooting it I can grab 150, 165, or 180 grain bullets and carry all three on an Africa trip and use whichever depending on the game encountered. With a well made and accurate gun you can make all work. With it I have taken a val rhebok at 460 yards up hill in a 40 mph cross wind, an axis with a 400+ yard shot, and recently a Gredos Ibex at 375 yards in the mountains of Spain.

This is not with a custom gun, but a Browning XBolt off the shelf. So I'm not talking about spending thousands of dollars, but that gun with a good scope will set you back around $1800. I feel very confident to about 450+ yards, so no 700 yard+ wishes. In most cases this will cover most animals you can shoot up to, but not including dangerous game. That's why in Africa they won't let you hunt dangerous game with anything less than a .375.

Just a thought: We all see the shows with long distance shooting, but most guides won't let you take those shots because you might not find the game or you can't make a second shot. They find the game shot by leaving someone on the location where the shot was taken and walking the hunter to the area by cell phone or radio. In November hunting the Ibex I didn't take a shot at a gold medal ibex, because although roughly 375 yards away, it was 200+ yards down to the valley floor, and across a flat with raging river and waterfall. If I had wounded it I could never have recovered it. If I had killed it, one of the guides could have injured or killed himself trying to get to it.

Good luck and happy hunting!

I'm still WAY OFF from making a decision/purchase. This is me doing my homework before I purchase really. From what I see any purchase from 7mm, .280, and .300 would be a good choice.

I got to shoot a ridgeline .300 and the gun is a serious shooter! I'm leaning towards the CA ridgeline or Mesa after shooting the .300. I really like thought of less recoil of a 7mm. The money savings of a Mesa that I could put towards other gear is also tempting. The only real difference I see between the Mesa vs ridgeline is the carbon fiber barrel/ few ounces of weight.

I think my immediate concern is training my flat lander self to be able to walk up and down hills all day

Our local sportsman warehouse has a Christensen that I looked at and it was nice. 6.5 prc, they also had a 3-15 Steiner on sale for 1400. Together package deal was like 33-3400

SFL_Dan said:

Hello all! I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for awhile.

This coming hunting season I have my first (hopefully not last) back packing elk hunt. I currently have a .270 but would like to set up a new light weight rifle for longer range shooting, backpacking, and elk hunting.

I don't have much long range shooting experience, I usually do stand hunting within 300 yards for whitetail in Georgia.

I have considered:
Weatherby mark V
Bergara premier
Christensen arms ridgeline
CA Mesa (would put the additional funds to better optics)

I want to keep the rifle under $2000. I still haven't figured out my optics as of yet but it would be around the same $2000

As for a caliber I'm considering:
6.5 creedmor
6.5 prc
28 nosler
7mm
300 win

I wanted a "do all" caliber that would work for elk but would also potentially work for deer. I've never hand loaded nor do I plan on going down the rabbit hole anytime soon so I would be using over the counter ammunition for the time being.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated

Thanks
Dan

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Nothing wrong with your .270! It will do the job. But my 2 cents .300 weatherby if you want a new gun.....but off the shelf ammo.. then I'd choose.300 win

SFL_Dan said:

Hello all! I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for awhile.

This coming hunting season I have my first (hopefully not last) back packing elk hunt. I currently have a .270 but would like to set up a new light weight rifle for longer range shooting, backpacking, and elk hunting.

I don't have much long range shooting experience, I usually do stand hunting within 300 yards for whitetail in Georgia.

I have considered:
Weatherby mark V
Bergara premier
Christensen arms ridgeline
CA Mesa (would put the additional funds to better optics)

I want to keep the rifle under $2000. I still haven't figured out my optics as of yet but it would be around the same $2000

As for a caliber I'm considering:
6.5 creedmor
6.5 prc
28 nosler
7mm
300 win

I wanted a "do all" caliber that would work for elk but would also potentially work for deer. I've never hand loaded nor do I plan on going down the rabbit hole anytime soon so I would be using over the counter ammunition for the time being.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated

Thanks
Dan

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300 Win Mag, 300 Wby mag, or 300 RUM. Or go up to a 338. Most of my elk were killed with a 300 RUM. And you may still have to shoot them more than once. Big elk are hard to put down with one shot, even if it is a good kill shot.

I'll just make a recommendation on if you purchase a new rifle with a $2000 budget. Take a look at Seekins at $2K. Custom performance. You just don't get all the options you would have with a full custom.
Lots of good feedback on caliber s

I have a .270 and would use that, but if you think that's too light weight, have you considered a .270WSM? Some like the .30 cal stuff, but the higher BC and retained energy of the .270WSM makes it a fine round out to 700-800yards. Otherwise if you want easily available off the shelf ammo I'd look at the 7mm Mag.

Don't undergun yourself. Yes, all of the calibers mentioned will kill an elk, including the .270 Win - which I personally use to kill an elk. But it was a wounded elk, not my hunt and the only reason he didn't run off was because he'd been "kneecapped" by the the hunter with a 7mm mag... who then never fired another shot! (Can't imagine why not, he just said he didn't have a shot. Seeing as how we were laying side by side, I can only wonder).

I would suggest the 300RUM instead of the 300WM but then if you're not going to reload, it's a moot point (the belted case for the .300WM is obsolete and unnecessary today). You're going to put out the cost of the hunt, a new rifle & optics and then whine about the cost of factory ammo? Buy the rig, get several different types of premium factory ammo in the bullet weight you want (I would start with a 200gr. Partition) and find out what shoots best at your max range, then buy 5 boxes of the stuff, which will likely last you many, many years to come. You can buy a light weight rig in a mouse caliber but you're going to have to put limitations on the shots you can take and it would really suck to see that big royal walk off into the dark timber because he didn't give you the perfect shot you needed. The only thing worse would be to take the shot out of desperation and have him walk into the woods carrying your poorly placed shot.
Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it but definitely something to think about.
Cheers,
crkckr

MATADOR48 said:

300 Win Mag, 300 Wby mag, or 300 RUM. Or go up to a 338. Most of my elk were killed with a 300 RUM. And you may still have to shoot them more than once. Big elk are hard to put down with one shot, even if it is a good kill shot.

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Sorry man - that last sentence is BS. Elk are easy to kill with one shot, even from much less gun than a 300 RUM.

djfriesen said:

If it was me, I'd stick with the 270 and use any available funds to upgrade optics or lighten the rifle.

Unless, of course, I just wanted a new rifle, and then it would be probably the bergara premier highlander in 7RM.

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I agree the .270 will get the job done, but if I were you and could afford a new rifle I would buy the Begara Premire and I would go with the .300 WM and not look back. Great all around round that has proven the test of time and you can always find ammo for it.

crkckr said:

Don't undergun yourself. Yes, all of the calibers mentioned will kill an elk, including the .270 Win - which I personally use to kill an elk. But it was a wounded elk, not my hunt and the only reason he didn't run off was because he'd been "kneecapped" by the the hunter with a 7mm mag... who then never fired another shot! (Can't imagine why not, he just said he didn't have a shot. Seeing as how we were laying side by side, I can only wonder).

I would suggest the 300RUM instead of the 300WM but then if you're not going to reload, it's a moot point (the belted case for the .300WM is obsolete and unnecessary today). You're going to put out the cost of the hunt, a new rifle & optics and then whine about the cost of factory ammo? Buy the rig, get several different types of premium factory ammo in the bullet weight you want (I would start with a 200gr. Partition) and find out what shoots best at your max range, then buy 5 boxes of the stuff, which will likely last you many, many years to come. You can buy a light weight rig in a mouse caliber but you're going to have to put limitations on the shots you can take and it would really suck to see that big royal walk off into the dark timber because he didn't give you the perfect shot you needed. The only thing worse would be to take the shot out of desperation and have him walk into the woods carrying your poorly placed shot.
Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it but definitely something to think about.
Cheers,
crkckr

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Do you really feel like the 300 mag gives you the green light to take a shot that something like 7mmRM or 6.5prc doesn't? What limitations are you talking about?

SFL_Dan said:

Hello all! I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for awhile.

This coming hunting season I have my first (hopefully not last) back packing elk hunt. I currently have a .270 but would like to set up a new light weight rifle for longer range shooting, backpacking, and elk hunting.

I don't have much long range shooting experience, I usually do stand hunting within 300 yards for whitetail in Georgia.

I have considered:
Weatherby mark V
Bergara premier
Christensen arms ridgeline
CA Mesa (would put the additional funds to better optics)

I want to keep the rifle under $2000. I still haven't figured out my optics as of yet but it would be around the same $2000

As for a caliber I'm considering:
6.5 creedmor
6.5 prc
28 nosler
7mm
300 win

I wanted a "do all" caliber that would work for elk but would also potentially work for deer. I've never hand loaded nor do I plan on going down the rabbit hole anytime soon so I would be using over the counter ammunition for the time being.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated

Thanks
Dan

Click to expand...

being a veteran elk hunter out west i have found a 30 caliber does the job as elk are tough animals ! i have seen elk shot with lighter calibers and kept going ! i use a 300 wsm with 180 accubonds for elk and moose and it anchors them !