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elk rifle help
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<blockquote data-quote="Buano" data-source="post: 717910" data-attributes="member: 21641"><p>I agree with almost everything said.</p><p></p><p>First define how & where you will be hunting. A 16-pound .338 Ultramag outfitted with a NightForce is great for long-range use UNLESS you are climbing mountains. A 6.5 pound rifle with a titanium action & carbon-wrapped barrel is great for climbing mountains but not suited for launching heavy bullets at high velocity — unless you are looking at having your brain rattled in your skull every time you pull the trigger.</p><p></p><p>2-weeks ago I was elk hunting high in the Rockies. My GPS measures 12,388 feet of total ascent ON FOOT the first day as we trailed, and eventually cut-off a herd of elk. On that hunt I planned on carrying my .300 Weatherby but it had "issues" so I carried my Weatherby Accumark in .338-.378. I REALLY felt the weight of the Accumark — and it's much lighter than a lot of rifles on sale on this site.</p><p></p><p>Next consideration is a muzzle-brake. Muzzle-brakes are a tradeoff in that they make rifles much easier to shoot accurately but also make hunting with ear protection mandatory. If you are apt to be jumping game at close ranges, hearing game is critical so I recommend against hunting with a muzzle-brake. If you are hunting open country, hearing protection won't hinder you much, so muzzle-brakes are OK.</p><p></p><p>I believe elk rifles START with the .300 mags and run up to the .375 H&H. The many .338s are generally the best cartridges for elk in that they offer heavy enough bullets to penetrate even on "less than ideal" hits while shooting much flatter than the .375 and larger loads. Many have said the .340 Weatherby is the best "all round" elk cartridge — and even though I've never owned one, I agree. My suggestions for "general" 1,000 yard elk cartridges: .300 Weatherby or RUM, .338 Win Mag, .340 Weatherby, .338 RUM, or .338-.378 Weatherby. Of these, most hunters can handle rifles up to .340 Weatherby without a brake. In a "light rifle", I would start with the .300 WSM and Win mag and stop at .340 Weatherby.</p><p></p><p>Beyond 600 yards even small differences in wind and weather conditions can make the difference between a good hit & a poor hit that will have an animal die slowly several days later. For 600-1,000 yard shots you must have a good rangefinder, inclinometer, weather station, ballistics software (or lots of charts), a very accurate rifle with a good scope, and most importantly, LOTS OF PRACTICE. The higher the velocity and greater weight of your bullet, the more "room for error" in your shooting and shot placement.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Buano, post: 717910, member: 21641"] I agree with almost everything said. First define how & where you will be hunting. A 16-pound .338 Ultramag outfitted with a NightForce is great for long-range use UNLESS you are climbing mountains. A 6.5 pound rifle with a titanium action & carbon-wrapped barrel is great for climbing mountains but not suited for launching heavy bullets at high velocity — unless you are looking at having your brain rattled in your skull every time you pull the trigger. 2-weeks ago I was elk hunting high in the Rockies. My GPS measures 12,388 feet of total ascent ON FOOT the first day as we trailed, and eventually cut-off a herd of elk. On that hunt I planned on carrying my .300 Weatherby but it had "issues" so I carried my Weatherby Accumark in .338-.378. I REALLY felt the weight of the Accumark — and it's much lighter than a lot of rifles on sale on this site. Next consideration is a muzzle-brake. Muzzle-brakes are a tradeoff in that they make rifles much easier to shoot accurately but also make hunting with ear protection mandatory. If you are apt to be jumping game at close ranges, hearing game is critical so I recommend against hunting with a muzzle-brake. If you are hunting open country, hearing protection won't hinder you much, so muzzle-brakes are OK. I believe elk rifles START with the .300 mags and run up to the .375 H&H. The many .338s are generally the best cartridges for elk in that they offer heavy enough bullets to penetrate even on "less than ideal" hits while shooting much flatter than the .375 and larger loads. Many have said the .340 Weatherby is the best "all round" elk cartridge — and even though I've never owned one, I agree. My suggestions for "general" 1,000 yard elk cartridges: .300 Weatherby or RUM, .338 Win Mag, .340 Weatherby, .338 RUM, or .338-.378 Weatherby. Of these, most hunters can handle rifles up to .340 Weatherby without a brake. In a "light rifle", I would start with the .300 WSM and Win mag and stop at .340 Weatherby. Beyond 600 yards even small differences in wind and weather conditions can make the difference between a good hit & a poor hit that will have an animal die slowly several days later. For 600-1,000 yard shots you must have a good rangefinder, inclinometer, weather station, ballistics software (or lots of charts), a very accurate rifle with a good scope, and most importantly, LOTS OF PRACTICE. The higher the velocity and greater weight of your bullet, the more "room for error" in your shooting and shot placement. [/QUOTE]
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