I guess I`m not a serious Elk hunter then. I have killed over 40 elk in my lifetime. I`m 58, and carry a 12 lb LR rig every year. How do I get to be a "serious" elk hunter?
Elk Rifle Input Needed
- Thread starter gatrapper
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If you feel you're not then I won't argue with you, what I said is "pretty much most all of the serious elk hunters (that imply's not all......) do". I also said of the fellas that I know, I don't know you but if I did then you'd be the 3rd serious elk hunter that I knew that carried a gun heavier than 9 lbs all up.
Lighten up, this isn't a competition just a forum to go back and forth with......
Lighten up, this isn't a competition just a forum to go back and forth with......
I took no offense. I was just having a little fun too. Everyone has the setup they like. Maybe when I get old I will build a lighter rifle Lol. But for now I`m just gonna keep fillin my freezer. Wasn`t trying to make this a competition, or pick a fight. I personally don`t care if anyone thinks I`m serious Elk hunter or not. I`m just an Elk hunter who is lucky enough to live somewhere that has lots of Elk. I would Imagine there are plenty In MT as well. Just found it amusing, so I played along.
My first Gen Sendero in 300WM was 13lbs fully loaded and that thing wore on me by the end of the hunt. After a couple of years I looked for lighter alternatives. I give props to those who pack heavier rifles into the back country.
I've used 7mm Rem mag, 7 Sherman Max and 300 Win Mag for a total of 10 bulls so far. All were good, several bang flops, but based on my somewhat limited experience, I'd recommend a 300win mag or bigger with stout bullets (Hammer, Barnes, Trophy Bonded Tip, Scirocco, etc) if you can shoot it straight, for consistent performance. Braked, or better yet suppressed, and the recoil is not an issue. Hits them with authority, important with elk.
jjmp
Well-Known Member
It's a lot to take in ,but you'll find out sooner or later it's also about compromise . Keep your 270 your used to it ,and it's one of my favorites also , the 270 WSM 7rem/mag and 300 win/mag are three incredibly efficient cartridges compared to all the other big cased magnums . That means less cost to buy feed and have an ample supply on hand , remember mr compromise him work for you for nothing if you just keep your head from swiveling every time shooting comes up . If you go 270 WSM you have the same bullets for your 270 , being a non reloader save your brass and try and find someone that reloads and is honest,Or sell your brass and buy new ,but with the Crazy Rip-offs of todays prices I wouldn't. Study this forum for sale rifle section,some outstanding rifles there . Of the three cartridges mentioned above I own them all and their more then enough for hunting elk, are there better bigger yes but it's only me I have to please . Muzzle brakes give you control back to the shooter by reducing recoil,read read read and pick a good one ,triggers Very Important,you want to shoot your big game rifle like your favorite squirrel rifle, scopes look through as many as you can, it'll be cheaper in the long run to buy top tier if you can ,compared to buying cheap junk, remember only a rich man can afford cheap scopes . To bad we live so far apart I'd take you to the range ,no offense but your best bet is reading till you can't read no more ,Or brake it down to parts ,caliber,stocks ,triggers,scopes ,muzzle brakes, oh another thing find a Custom gunsmith you can afford ,Cheers & great luck on your Quest !!!
Yes I agree about heavier rifles. I usually carry mine in my pack hiking in, then sling it when I get to where I am going to hunt. Plenty steep where I hunt as well Lol. I do occasionally get to hunt the deserts late in the season though, depending on the tag I get. When weight becomes an issue I just carry 3 less pounds of goodies in my pack
I would not recommend a lightweight .300. You're not going to be used to the altitude, and will have some shortness of breath anyway, as well as increased heart rate from climbing. A lightweight rifle will be MUCH more difficult to shoot under these conditions. And you need to put lots of rounds through it prior to hunting in field positions to become confident, and no sense taking that punishment.
slowelk
Well-Known Member
Sako s20 would be my choice of rifle. Anything .264 and up that you can shoot well. If going for a big 7mm or 30, the ti-pro muzzle brakes tame the biggest.
I've killed one elk, a Roosevelt bull. I used a 338 with a 4x Leupold and 225-grain Nosler Partitions handloaded to about 2,750 fps. Next time I'll use a little more scope and a little less rifle.
I'd recommend that you start with the elk, not the rifle. You mentioned western states, so that's a Rocky Mountain elk and not the larger Roosevelt elk.
Go to Cabelas and compare full-body mounts for deer and elk. Elk aren't that much bigger than deer, but their bodies are considerably longer. Look at them from multiple angles and visualize the worst shot you might get. You'll quickly see the importance of penetration. To me, that says you want a premium bullet like the Nosler Partition, Barnes TTSX, etc.
From there, you have to get the bullet into the vital zone, which is about the size of a toilet seat. Determine your maximum range, decide whether you plan to dial or hold over, then look for a scope that lets you go that route. Elk are diurnal so you don't need a giant objective bell, which helps keep the weight down.
Then look for a cartridge that a) has multiple factory loads with premium bullets, b) shoots flat enough to work with your method of getting hits and your max range, and c) is widely available these days. This will limit your choices more than anything. The 308 will do if you have enough experience hunting elk to pass up an iffy shot. For a first-time elk hunter, I'd start with the 30-06 or 300 WSM. The 300 and 338 WM are classics, but they have the drawbacks that others have mentioned. The 35 Whelen is good and factory ammo has improved a lot recently, but full-power loads kick like a mule in standard-weight rifles like the Remington 700. Learning to handload is a rabbit hole but it opens up a lot of options.
Then choose a rifle that's chambered for that cartridge. Not every premium load will shoot well in your rifle, so buy 2-3 boxes of each and test them out to 3-400 yards. Remember that an elk's vital zone is huge compared to that of a deer so you don't need match accuracy. 1.5 MOA is plenty IF the bullet will hold together and penetrate 4-5 feet of elk on a raking shot. Pre-COVID, the ammo tests might have set you back $400 but I'd plan to spend double that if not more now.
Then you'll have a pretty good choice for elk.
For the rifle itself, I once saw a pretty good set of criteria:
Good luck. Elk hunting gets in your blood.
Okie John
I'd recommend that you start with the elk, not the rifle. You mentioned western states, so that's a Rocky Mountain elk and not the larger Roosevelt elk.
Go to Cabelas and compare full-body mounts for deer and elk. Elk aren't that much bigger than deer, but their bodies are considerably longer. Look at them from multiple angles and visualize the worst shot you might get. You'll quickly see the importance of penetration. To me, that says you want a premium bullet like the Nosler Partition, Barnes TTSX, etc.
From there, you have to get the bullet into the vital zone, which is about the size of a toilet seat. Determine your maximum range, decide whether you plan to dial or hold over, then look for a scope that lets you go that route. Elk are diurnal so you don't need a giant objective bell, which helps keep the weight down.
Then look for a cartridge that a) has multiple factory loads with premium bullets, b) shoots flat enough to work with your method of getting hits and your max range, and c) is widely available these days. This will limit your choices more than anything. The 308 will do if you have enough experience hunting elk to pass up an iffy shot. For a first-time elk hunter, I'd start with the 30-06 or 300 WSM. The 300 and 338 WM are classics, but they have the drawbacks that others have mentioned. The 35 Whelen is good and factory ammo has improved a lot recently, but full-power loads kick like a mule in standard-weight rifles like the Remington 700. Learning to handload is a rabbit hole but it opens up a lot of options.
Then choose a rifle that's chambered for that cartridge. Not every premium load will shoot well in your rifle, so buy 2-3 boxes of each and test them out to 3-400 yards. Remember that an elk's vital zone is huge compared to that of a deer so you don't need match accuracy. 1.5 MOA is plenty IF the bullet will hold together and penetrate 4-5 feet of elk on a raking shot. Pre-COVID, the ammo tests might have set you back $400 but I'd plan to spend double that if not more now.
Then you'll have a pretty good choice for elk.
For the rifle itself, I once saw a pretty good set of criteria:
- Rifle with scope and sling must be under 8lbs
- At least .30 caliber
- No porting, brakes, or other superfluous hardware
- Non-glare stainless steel in a good pillar bedded synthetic stock
- 22" barrels—except in the magnums that need a 24" barrel for velocity
- Simple trigger group, bolt and safety designs
- Shoot flat enough that 2" high at 100 ensures that holding high hair at 300 yds will put it in the vitals
- Iron back up sights
- Scope with an objective no larger than 40mms held with field detachable mounts (scabbard friendly)
- Shoot premium bullets under 1.5" throughout the entire temperature range that can be encountered
Good luck. Elk hunting gets in your blood.
Okie John
erichhaag
Active Member
Gunwerks 6.5-284
Just killed a mule deer and a bull elk with mine. Light, low recoil, out of the box 1000 yard gun
Just killed a mule deer and a bull elk with mine. Light, low recoil, out of the box 1000 yard gun
vancewalker007
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2013
- Messages
- 984
Seekins is make some great rifles right now and I believe you can aquire one for less than $2000. Their Havak PH2 comes in several stock colors and a bunch of Elk worthy cartridges like 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, 28 Nosler etc. This rifle will handle a Georgia Whitetail as well.
Havak PH2
Havak PH2 With its newly designed, lightweight carbon composite stock and hand-bedded barreled action, this rifle is able to handle mother nature's extreme conditions providing the hunter with repeatable accuracy and Seekins' unparalleled reliability.
seekinsprecision.com
