Choose one Western big game caliber

Which caliber would you choose?

  • Total voters
    182
Ok. I mean down the road I'll def build other guns. I was just trying to plan this one out for next year to be a lighter weight elk/mountain rifle. Don't really wanna have to carry the 13-14lb creedmoor up and down mountains if I can help it lol
 
SHRTSHTR said:
That is funny, I always tell people head west to southwest Montana. Best place for big Elk. I also recommend 7 mags with 10 round magazine for the Berger state.:cool:

Ray
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How long have you been doing that? Maybe thats why theres none left, lol? ;)
 
bigngreen said:
I've shot and like a lot of smaller cals like 6.5 and 270's and killed a lot of stuff a long ways of with them especially elk BUT I pass a LOT of shots and I pass a lot of days I just can't shoot in, in the timber you'd better be spot on as well because I've seen elk pack themselves a LONG ways with just a little hole in the wrong spot. I personally loath the 7 Mag, I've seen more **** poor performance from it than any other single round, I get many guys rebuilding them into 300's and I get many built into 270 WSM's or 6.5 SS or SAUMs, it's thee more common chambering on the used shelf at the gun shop and they don't even stock anything new in 7 Mag, that speaks volumes in a little town in MT where all of the world comes to shoot elk!
Shooting a 300 is just as easy if built properly as anything else, it maybe easier IMO because your able to run more BC in the wind and they make wind calls much more forgiving. After shooting 6.5's a lot it takes me a little bit to stop over correcting on my wind calls when going to a 30 cal. Of all the guns I build the 300 by FAR is the most requested!!
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There is a 30 cal bullet with a BC higher than .800?
 
If ur looking to save weight on the rifle be conscious of recoil. Any magnum pushing 200+gr of bullet around 3k has substantial recoil. Lol u will appreciate ur creed
 
Canhunter35 said:
If ur looking to save weight on the rifle be conscious of recoil. Any magnum pushing 200+gr of bullet around 3k has substantial recoil. Lol u will appreciate ur creed
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It will definitely have a brake. I don't mind carrying ear plugs or the electric muffs. I'll probably shoot for the 7.5-8lb range without scope.
 
Just got done with an elk hunt in CO. The 215 berger is everything Broz and the gang say it is. My bull was on the ground before the gun was done recoiling and that was just a lung shot. Buddy used my 300wm and killed a nice 5x6 and a cow with one shot. Yes he got a ticket for the cow. She was about 25 yards behind the bull downhill and out of sight. The point of the story is how much energy the 215 berger has. To go through a mature bull and kill a cow stone dead is saying something.
As a side note, everything kills deer, so focus on the tough to kill animals. Hell, my 257 bee is perfect for western deer and smaller.
I'm not saying the other options are bad. Just think the 300 has an edge. You'll get your monies worth with this free advice
 
desertcj said:
I'm sorry, but this is purely conjecture and so subjective that I'm quite sure you can't prove a difference between heavy 7mm bullets and heavy 30cal bullets. They BOTH stomp elk.
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Over the last fifty years I've lost count of the number of elk I have personally killed and countless more I have personally watched being shot with everything from an arrow to 50BMG and I assure you that there is no caliber that will always "stomp elk".
Worst failure I ever personally had was a 375 Mashburn shooting old style 300gr Barnes bullets at near 3000 fps. The week before it "stomped" a 10' costal brown but at the same 150 yards an elk took 4 solid hits and until the last one broke both shoulders it didn't go down! Most dramatic elk kill I've had was helping a game warden put down a cow elk with a broken leg while I was coyote hunting (choice was his 40S&W or my 22-250 at about 75 yards) head shot with a 55gr was instant lights out.
I got into the long range game and a 28 Nosler with 195's will do it but in the winds of WY, CO, NM, or MT where a windsock is a 25# steel ball on a 1/2" log chain (when its out straight the wind is blowing the rest of the time its just a breeze) go with heavy bullets with high BC driven at high velocity and make sure bullet placement is the best you can make it and be instantly ready to place a second hit on that elk!
 
CUTTER1 said:
and be instantly ready to place a second hit on that elk!
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Absolutely. Between regular season, shoulder hunts, and damage hunts, I have seen quite a few elk get taken with everything from an arrow to a .338 lapua. I've seen calves absorb bullets from hot rod .30s like they weren't being hit, and big cows and bulls get absolutely pancaked by .243's and 6.5s, all with similar shot placement. Always be ready for something unique to happen and be ready to make another shot if needed.
 
Been crunching game in NWMT for 30+ with some kind of 338.Where follow up shots can be hard steep and thick.Mainly chase elk,but taken many species,works well,like the 300 grn football
 

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