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Long Range Hunting & Shooting
Wanting a new setup .300WM or like setup for Elk
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<blockquote data-quote="Buano" data-source="post: 1844939" data-attributes="member: 21641"><p>Without knowing your finances or current arsenal, it's hard to give a perfect answer.</p><p></p><p>I consider a .300WM the minimum for elk hunting. Yes, I know people take elk with .243s, but I believe in using enough gun so wounded animals won't be left to die 2 weeks later if something goes wrong.</p><p></p><p>If you are going to be hunting elk regularly or whether this is a once and done trip makes a difference whether a new rifle may be justified. </p><p></p><p>My first elk was taken with a 7MM Rem mag. The first shot would have killed the elk as it made it to the lungs, but it may have taken longer than I would have liked — time in which the elk may have run off a cliff & shattered those antlers. That was with a perfectly placed shot from extremely close range. I wasn't satisfied with that performance. Since then I have carried 2 rifles to hunt elk, a .300 Weatherby Alaskan and a .338/.378 Weatherby Accumark. Both are on the heavy side for trudging up and down mountains, but both are capable of reaching out and putting something down. The .338/.378 is devastating on elk. When I pull the trigger, the animal tumbles. I really like that! Now the good part — I picked up both these all-weather Weatherby rifles used for much less than half the new price, both were like new, and both SHOOT well under 1/2 MOA. The only thing a custom rifle might add to the performance of these two is a slight weight reduction.</p><p></p><p>What not to skimp on are your optics. As you have been bow hunting elk I presume you have good binoculars and probably have a spotting scope. I recommend having the best binoculars you can purchase without your wife filing for divorce. I carried new Leupold binoculars on my first elk hunt and returned them to the store immediately upon returning. Then I bought Swarovski binoculars. Now I'm considering range finding binoculars.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Buano, post: 1844939, member: 21641"] Without knowing your finances or current arsenal, it's hard to give a perfect answer. I consider a .300WM the minimum for elk hunting. Yes, I know people take elk with .243s, but I believe in using enough gun so wounded animals won't be left to die 2 weeks later if something goes wrong. If you are going to be hunting elk regularly or whether this is a once and done trip makes a difference whether a new rifle may be justified. My first elk was taken with a 7MM Rem mag. The first shot would have killed the elk as it made it to the lungs, but it may have taken longer than I would have liked — time in which the elk may have run off a cliff & shattered those antlers. That was with a perfectly placed shot from extremely close range. I wasn't satisfied with that performance. Since then I have carried 2 rifles to hunt elk, a .300 Weatherby Alaskan and a .338/.378 Weatherby Accumark. Both are on the heavy side for trudging up and down mountains, but both are capable of reaching out and putting something down. The .338/.378 is devastating on elk. When I pull the trigger, the animal tumbles. I really like that! Now the good part — I picked up both these all-weather Weatherby rifles used for much less than half the new price, both were like new, and both SHOOT well under 1/2 MOA. The only thing a custom rifle might add to the performance of these two is a slight weight reduction. What not to skimp on are your optics. As you have been bow hunting elk I presume you have good binoculars and probably have a spotting scope. I recommend having the best binoculars you can purchase without your wife filing for divorce. I carried new Leupold binoculars on my first elk hunt and returned them to the store immediately upon returning. Then I bought Swarovski binoculars. Now I'm considering range finding binoculars. [/QUOTE]
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Wanting a new setup .300WM or like setup for Elk
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