I'm not saying you can't kill an Elk with something smaller then a 30 cal, Hell someone mentioned that they're mom used a 257 Roberts, I've got one of them to, and it's a great rifle built on a rem 788, it's lite, fast and shoots way better then I do, I use it for deer, or I get out a 25-06, or a 308, I just want everything I can control in my favor ,balanced by how well I can shoot it and the energy required to put that animal down there, rite there, even if it moved at the last second, and my shot wasn't as well placed as I wanted. We all try for the "perfect " shot but sometimes it just doesn't happen the way we hoped or planned, That's why I like to stack the deck in my favor
1st elk hunt need rifle advice
- Thread starter SFL_Dan
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Gary Hammond
New Member
All the calibers you have listed would be sufficient for elk, the 300 RM ,7 mm RM are fine calibers, but shot placement is the most critical. I'm 70 years old and have been blessed with much opportunity for elk hunting in my home state. I have taken many elk with a 270 and appreciate it for it is a very capable caliber, don't count it out as being capable for elk hunting. That being said I really have had great success with a 7mm Mag. I am a hand loader and this gives the ability to customize my loads to fit my rifle. You will often read that a 160 grain bullet is the one weight to use , here I will disagree . When I bought my first 7mm ,I tried every 160 grain bullit I could find to reload and always was disappointed in its performance, pass thru with no expansion, time frame going back to 1972. Bullies have gotten considerably better since then and there may some out there today that would perform well. I have found thru many years testing different bullet weights that a 140 to 150 grain bullit was devastating. These bullit weights expanded well with very fast kills. I will once again say shot is the most important of any rifle you should choose for a elk hunt. I used 2506, 257 Weatherby, 270, 7mm,264Win 300 WMag, just just to name a few and they all worked well, I would recommend you find one that you are comfortable with ,then spend a lot of time on the range. Hope this is of use to you. Gary
Thats a good question. Two most important things, but they correlate- diameter and weight. Energy is mass x velocity. Any teeny tiny projectile pushed fast enough will generate lots of energy. What it won't do it is leave a bigger hole or create a bigger wound.
Sectional density is feel good wonky nerd stuff best left for PRS because when it comes to killing you'll get too far off in the weeds and forget what's important- anchoring that critter.
Bullet construction is a part of it. Apples to apples, the smaller projectile will not do what a larger one will in an equivalent efficient cartridge.
FIGJAM
Well-Known Member
That isn't the right equation for energy. How is sectional density PRS wonky nerd stuff?
Personally, while a 6.5 will do the job on whitetail and also elk, distance and shot placement and ethics become the limiting factors. I am a devout bigger is always better guy.
In my opinion the 300 win mag is the best on your list. I shot that caliber for 30 years and killed everything from pigs, deer, caribou, elk, bear, moose with one at 20 yards to 900+. But the 300 WSM would be my first choice. Lighter. Lots of ammo choices. Silly accurate. 300 win mag 2nd choice.
Never build a gun for 300 yards if there is a chance you will take it elk hunting. If you do you will see a 220" Booner whitle or 370" elk at 600 first time out.
Get something stout with a good muzzle break and don't look back.
It's a well conveyed simplified version of the equation (K.E. = 1/2 m v^2), and I feel you're making my point. Is the goal to kill something or sit at camp and talk about the neato group from last week at the PRS match?
To the question of SD- SD effects BC and penetration. In cartridges of equivalent efficiencies it's not going to matter. The bigger bullet will weigh more and have a higher BC. Scale the 6.5 bullet up to a 30 and the 30 does a better job further out.
I don't care how you try to frame the discussion (Which I am enjoying and find productive BTW. I know you even started a thread once to really get to the nitty gritty of the topic.) that 6.5 simply will not do what a larger caliber will.
Are there areas of performance where the lines get blurred across the spectrum of what is generally agreed upon the standard range of elk cartridges? Yes. However, the line has to be drawn somewhere doesn't it?
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If your .270 shoots well I'd consider using that along with a quality bullet. I like Barnes LRX and TTSX bullets as the expand quickly hold together well which makes for great penetration.
I also agree with an earlier post....
Put your money into GOOD gear (boots, clothing, range finder, optics).
Good luck elk in whatever path you choose.
I also agree with an earlier post....
Put your money into GOOD gear (boots, clothing, range finder, optics).
Good luck elk in whatever path you choose.
Elk are considered on of if not the toughest north American big game to kill. Yes they can be killed with one shot and the elk I have taken have ben one shot kills. I know of guys that have had to shot theirs more then once and all the shots were very good and the bullets preformed well. What I thing he is saying is elk can absorb a lot of bullet energy and if your wanting a rifle with it's main use to be elk a 30 caliber or bigger is a good choice.
Barrelnut
Well-Known Member
OP seemed to be asking for a lighter rifle that would work long range for a 1 time elk hunt with factory ammo and then be easily used for deer once back in GA.
This is how smaller caliber stuff became a big part of the discussion.
A lot to ask for, I know. But it's the question they ALL ask these days....
He also said he was looking at the 300 Win. Mag. you can get lots of factory ammo for it and it is on of the most used long range cartridges we have. It work grate on deer and elk, easy to get ammo specifically for each animal.
hesse
Well-Known Member
I would go with 300wm if not reloading. I like 26 and the 28 Nosler but u really need to reload for cost
Barrelnut
Well-Known Member
It's a bit ridiculous to be setting in a tree stand with. Which is probably were it would be 90% of the time.
I grew up in Virginia and we hunted a lot on the ground and when we used tree stands they gave us long range shots that we would not have had on the ground.
