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1st elk hunt need rifle advice
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<blockquote data-quote="Tom Wright" data-source="post: 1592854" data-attributes="member: 108611"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>Good luck and happy hunting!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tom Wright, post: 1592854, member: 108611"] 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! [/QUOTE]
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