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1st elk hunt need rifle advice
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<blockquote data-quote="Playtimefun" data-source="post: 1593443" data-attributes="member: 103742"><p>Well I can't resist... so here's two more cents...</p><p></p><p>Sorry, but while the 270 has shot numerous elk, when you have an elk at 400 yards it's pushing its limits. I wounded (and we luckily got her) a cow elk at close to 450 yards with my 280 AI (a 280 Weatherby ultralight rechambered to 280 AI) shooting a 160 accubond. It was enough to damage the shoulder bone but not enough to anchor her. I had to work hard tracking her to finally push her out of about 90 acres of bush to a friends dad who finished her off with his 308. </p><p></p><p>Another friend shot a bull elk at 400 yards with a Browning BAR in 270. It ran about 200 yards before it dropped (it was hit well). He thought that it should have dropped way quicker than that so the next day he ordered a Browning BAR in 300 Win. Mag. and he never used the 270 again!!!</p><p></p><p>Elk can absorb energy like crazy. If your close in the bush, anything will pretty much do if you hit it right. When your in the bush/farm land combination and you can limit your shot distance, a 308 can work but then your not shooting across the entire quarter either. </p><p></p><p>But let's face it, it's getting harder to get drawn and when it comes to putting a bull elk down past 400 yards, the magnums are the way to go. I've used my 7 mm WSM (custom titanium Remington) and 300 WSM (Kimber Montana) on elk and loaned the 300 WSM to 2 friends who shot elk with it and have since bought and use that cartridge as their moose and elk guns. But the elk I have shot with those 2 were at about 120 and just under 300 yards. A 270 would have probably worked fine then as well. </p><p></p><p>Of my 300 Win Mags 2 of them have taken elk at 460 and 490 yards. I have a 300 Remington Ultra Mag that hits like a hammer and I absolutely love it for long distance shooting. But instead of shooting long distance I shot a running 6x6 bull elk at 250 yards and it was like hitting that bull with a sledge hammer. I just rechambered a Sako Finnlight from 7 mm Rem Mag to 28 Nosler but with only a 24" barrel, it's a little short for efficiency with that cartridge. </p><p></p><p>So the 6.5 PRC, I don't own but basically it's close to a 270 WSM or 7 WSM so while maybe a touch light (I like slightly bigger and heavier) there probably nothing wrong with it. Just remember that the short magnums all have troubles with losing powder capacity with heavier bullets. </p><p></p><p>The 7 mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag have proven themselves again and again on long range everything at every imaginable distance. And the 300 has now taken over as magnum of choice between the two. Ammo is cheap for either and guns in both are readily available. </p><p></p><p>28, 30 and 33 Nosler are all awesome cartridges but you pretty much need a 26" barrel for them to take advantage of them. But it's a standard length action. </p><p></p><p>300 Weatherby, 300 RUM, 300 PRC (need one of these) all excellent. Same with 338 Win Mag. and 340 Weatherby.</p><p></p><p>Gun wise check out:</p><p>Weatherby Ultralight in 7 mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag, or in one of the weatherby cartridges (I love my 300 Weatherbys). They are relatively light so you can haul them into the bush and they are accurate. </p><p></p><p>Sako Finnlight in 7 mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag. I shot the one I have in 7 mm Rem Mag before I rechambered it to 28 Nosler and it had nice accuracy. Clip feed which is nice at times. With my Vortex 4-16 scope it's a bit heavy at 8.75 pounds (I think-it's been a while since I weighed it) but I am hoping to add it as a long range (1000 yard) elk gun. </p><p></p><p>Tikka T3 in the same calibres. A very accurate gun as I have never seen one not shoot.</p><p></p><p>Savage has some nice long range guns right now and from everything I am hearing they are now one of the guns to beat for accuracy out of the box. I have one in 6.5x284 and it's what I used for a moose 2 years ago. </p><p></p><p>Always keep in mind, a well placed shot from a 270 is better then a flinch shot from one of the magnums. So if you can put in the practice to learn to shot them, one of the magnums is really the way to go, especially when that elk may not give you a chance to get close. </p><p></p><p>Find a gun that fits you well and then your budget so you can put some good glass on it (especially as elk love to show up at first and last light). Do a bit of practising and your good to go. </p><p></p><p>Side note, if anyone tells you that a magnum ruins more meat is full of it. I learnt this the hard way. I used that 270 on mule deer and couldn't figure out why I was getting all kinds of meat damage until I figured out that I always used good quality bullets (Barnes, Accubonds, etc) in my magnums and here I was shooting factory bullets and they were fragmenting like crazy the second they hit. Never had that with my magnums.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Playtimefun, post: 1593443, member: 103742"] Well I can’t resist... so here’s two more cents... Sorry, but while the 270 has shot numerous elk, when you have an elk at 400 yards it’s pushing its limits. I wounded (and we luckily got her) a cow elk at close to 450 yards with my 280 AI (a 280 Weatherby ultralight rechambered to 280 AI) shooting a 160 accubond. It was enough to damage the shoulder bone but not enough to anchor her. I had to work hard tracking her to finally push her out of about 90 acres of bush to a friends dad who finished her off with his 308. Another friend shot a bull elk at 400 yards with a Browning BAR in 270. It ran about 200 yards before it dropped (it was hit well). He thought that it should have dropped way quicker than that so the next day he ordered a Browning BAR in 300 Win. Mag. and he never used the 270 again!!! Elk can absorb energy like crazy. If your close in the bush, anything will pretty much do if you hit it right. When your in the bush/farm land combination and you can limit your shot distance, a 308 can work but then your not shooting across the entire quarter either. But let’s face it, it’s getting harder to get drawn and when it comes to putting a bull elk down past 400 yards, the magnums are the way to go. I’ve used my 7 mm WSM (custom titanium Remington) and 300 WSM (Kimber Montana) on elk and loaned the 300 WSM to 2 friends who shot elk with it and have since bought and use that cartridge as their moose and elk guns. But the elk I have shot with those 2 were at about 120 and just under 300 yards. A 270 would have probably worked fine then as well. Of my 300 Win Mags 2 of them have taken elk at 460 and 490 yards. I have a 300 Remington Ultra Mag that hits like a hammer and I absolutely love it for long distance shooting. But instead of shooting long distance I shot a running 6x6 bull elk at 250 yards and it was like hitting that bull with a sledge hammer. I just rechambered a Sako Finnlight from 7 mm Rem Mag to 28 Nosler but with only a 24” barrel, it’s a little short for efficiency with that cartridge. So the 6.5 PRC, I don’t own but basically it’s close to a 270 WSM or 7 WSM so while maybe a touch light (I like slightly bigger and heavier) there probably nothing wrong with it. Just remember that the short magnums all have troubles with losing powder capacity with heavier bullets. The 7 mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag have proven themselves again and again on long range everything at every imaginable distance. And the 300 has now taken over as magnum of choice between the two. Ammo is cheap for either and guns in both are readily available. 28, 30 and 33 Nosler are all awesome cartridges but you pretty much need a 26” barrel for them to take advantage of them. But it’s a standard length action. 300 Weatherby, 300 RUM, 300 PRC (need one of these) all excellent. Same with 338 Win Mag. and 340 Weatherby. Gun wise check out: Weatherby Ultralight in 7 mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag, or in one of the weatherby cartridges (I love my 300 Weatherbys). They are relatively light so you can haul them into the bush and they are accurate. Sako Finnlight in 7 mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag. I shot the one I have in 7 mm Rem Mag before I rechambered it to 28 Nosler and it had nice accuracy. Clip feed which is nice at times. With my Vortex 4-16 scope it’s a bit heavy at 8.75 pounds (I think-it’s been a while since I weighed it) but I am hoping to add it as a long range (1000 yard) elk gun. Tikka T3 in the same calibres. A very accurate gun as I have never seen one not shoot. Savage has some nice long range guns right now and from everything I am hearing they are now one of the guns to beat for accuracy out of the box. I have one in 6.5x284 and it’s what I used for a moose 2 years ago. Always keep in mind, a well placed shot from a 270 is better then a flinch shot from one of the magnums. So if you can put in the practice to learn to shot them, one of the magnums is really the way to go, especially when that elk may not give you a chance to get close. Find a gun that fits you well and then your budget so you can put some good glass on it (especially as elk love to show up at first and last light). Do a bit of practising and your good to go. Side note, if anyone tells you that a magnum ruins more meat is full of it. I learnt this the hard way. I used that 270 on mule deer and couldn’t figure out why I was getting all kinds of meat damage until I figured out that I always used good quality bullets (Barnes, Accubonds, etc) in my magnums and here I was shooting factory bullets and they were fragmenting like crazy the second they hit. Never had that with my magnums. [/QUOTE]
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