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Hunting
The Basics, Starting Out
Best LRH caliber to start with?
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<blockquote data-quote="Buano" data-source="post: 735041" data-attributes="member: 21641"><p>Like you I grew up hunting eastern farmland. Before my first elk hunt I believed a 7 MM Rem mag was a big cartridge. Since my first elk hunt I bought three used rifles, a Model 70 SS in .300 Weatherby, a Sako 75 SS in .375 H&H, and a Weatherby Accumark in .338-.378. Yes, I have learned that: at greater distances, where wind is hard to read, while shooting at animals that are hard to anchor, BIGGER IS BETTER.</p><p></p><p>I firmly believe elk cartridges start with a .300 Win mag. because not every shot is at a perfect target under perfect conditions. My .300 Weatherby is my "go to" Western hunt gun although the 7 mag might used under the right circumstances on a muley hunt. My 25-06 is a good choice for antelope, but the 7 mag reaches a little further. My .338-378 took my last elk, and it did so with authority. It's not cheap to shoot, but with what the rest of the hunt costs, so what?</p><p></p><p>For your specs, 600 yards on elk (which I read as 800 yards because that is the effective break in ranges I've seen in the West), and relatively inexpensive to shoot, I suggest you start looking at the .300 Win mag, .338 Win mag, .300 RUM, .338 RUM, .300 Weatherby, .340 Weatherby, and the .338-378 Weatherby. (I was surprised to find Weatherbys aren't as expensive as I once thought IF YOU BUY USED.)</p><p></p><p>An bull elk is monstrous compared to even a huge Eastern whitetail. If the angle isn't perfect you may have to penetrate a foot of muscle & bone to get to the vitals, and the bones may be 4" thick. As wind in the mountains can be very difficult to read, and because you climbed 1200 feet in the last 90 minutes, your shot placement may not be perfect. In that situation, a .300 Win mag is not very big.</p><p></p><p>Don't even consider a .308 for a 600 yard elk rifle. You may hit the animal, but you are very unlikely to recover it. Elk are too magnificent to shoot and have it die 3-days later just to rot or feed the wolves.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Buano, post: 735041, member: 21641"] Like you I grew up hunting eastern farmland. Before my first elk hunt I believed a 7 MM Rem mag was a big cartridge. Since my first elk hunt I bought three used rifles, a Model 70 SS in .300 Weatherby, a Sako 75 SS in .375 H&H, and a Weatherby Accumark in .338-.378. Yes, I have learned that: at greater distances, where wind is hard to read, while shooting at animals that are hard to anchor, BIGGER IS BETTER. I firmly believe elk cartridges start with a .300 Win mag. because not every shot is at a perfect target under perfect conditions. My .300 Weatherby is my "go to" Western hunt gun although the 7 mag might used under the right circumstances on a muley hunt. My 25-06 is a good choice for antelope, but the 7 mag reaches a little further. My .338-378 took my last elk, and it did so with authority. It's not cheap to shoot, but with what the rest of the hunt costs, so what? For your specs, 600 yards on elk (which I read as 800 yards because that is the effective break in ranges I've seen in the West), and relatively inexpensive to shoot, I suggest you start looking at the .300 Win mag, .338 Win mag, .300 RUM, .338 RUM, .300 Weatherby, .340 Weatherby, and the .338-378 Weatherby. (I was surprised to find Weatherbys aren't as expensive as I once thought IF YOU BUY USED.) An bull elk is monstrous compared to even a huge Eastern whitetail. If the angle isn't perfect you may have to penetrate a foot of muscle & bone to get to the vitals, and the bones may be 4" thick. As wind in the mountains can be very difficult to read, and because you climbed 1200 feet in the last 90 minutes, your shot placement may not be perfect. In that situation, a .300 Win mag is not very big. Don't even consider a .308 for a 600 yard elk rifle. You may hit the animal, but you are very unlikely to recover it. Elk are too magnificent to shoot and have it die 3-days later just to rot or feed the wolves. [/QUOTE]
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Best LRH caliber to start with?
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