I've hunted in a few states. Never used a magnum other than a .257Wby and that was only on paper.
I mainly hunt with a 6.5 Creedmoor and rarely exceed 350y on game. Most shots here in SC are under 150.
Now, it seems like every time a cartridge discussion comes up, 7mm or greater mags are the go to.
I hunt antelope, mulies and elk. The antelope are always in open country but I've never considered a magnum necessary. That said, when a 7mm RM was all I had, I used it. Since then I've used a .257 Roberts most of the time, a .243 Win, 6.5-06AI, a couple of .280 Rem, .30-06 and a .375 Winchester. All worked well.
For mulies we mostly hunt open sage during a concurrent elk season, using whatever rifle I've chosen to hunt elk with. Shot opportunities have ranged from a few feet in the woods to miles but my furthest shot has been 487 yards at a 6x5 bull elk with a .338WM. For mulies and elk I've carried a .44 Mag revolver and rifles in .257 Roberts, .280 Rem, 7mm RM, ,30-30, .30-06, .300WM, .338WM, .375 Win, .44 Mag and .45-70. Only the 7mm RM, .30-06, .300WM and .45-70 have actually been used to take shots, although I've turned down opportunities with some of the others.
When it came to help selecting a rifle for Daughter #1, a .308 Win was the first choice. She also hunts antelope, mulies and elk. Later I bought her a .270 Win and load it with 150g ABLR @ 2910fps. That load delivers over 2100fps and 1500fpe past 700 yards = more than enough for elk, especially since she doesn't practice past 600 and isn't comfortable shooting game past 400.
I know that some folks on here feel that velocity and mass will always trump a well placed shot and we are called Long Range Hunting, but at what point is a magnum necessary?
I guess what I'm asking is at what point did you decide a magnum was the best all around cartridge for you?
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I don't know anyone who believes velocity and mass will always trump a well placed shot, but I know many who believe they can help a well constructed bullet reach the vitals. I once watched a kid shoot a cow elk broadside at about 120 yards with a .243. I saw dust fly so I know placement was good, but after a slight hesitation the cow continued on as if nothing had happened and the cow was lost. Another time I saw a kid shoot a big bull from behind with a .243. I talked to the Dad as the kid chased the bull through open land below us. As is typical, the kid was losing the tail chase. Didn't stay to see the end. Those two incidents and a couple others have convinced me that minimalist isn't the way to go, especially for elk and inexperienced newbies.
For myself, my favorite elk rifles are my 7mm RM, .300WM and .338WM. Recoil isn't a problem and they shoot flatter with less wind drift and provide more velocity and energy at longer distances than my non-magnum alternatives in the same calibers. That said, bullet construction plays a huge role in terminal performance. I'd rather shoot an elk with a good bullet from a non-magnum than with a poor bullet from a magnum. (By "good" I mean a bullet that provides reliable but controlled expansion with high weight retention for deep penetration. Think Barnes TTSX/ LRX, Nosler AB/ABLR/Partition. Swift A-Frame/Scirocco II, Federal Edge/Terminal Ascent, etc.) I've driven TTSX lengthwise through a couple mulies and no one in my hunting party has ever recovered one. While the magnums are my favorites for elk, bullet choice ranks even higher in my world.