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Message
Help me pick my elk hunting caliber
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:26 am
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:26 am
I'm planning on an elk hunting trip this fall... if all of the pieces fall into place. Shots will be out to 300-350 yards.
Help me pick my caliber:
.338 Win. Mag.
.338 Rem. Ultra Mag.
.340 Weatherby Mag.
I've thought about ammo availability, recoil, etc. I'm not recoil sensitive, but still-with the newer, hotter .338 Win. Mag. loads out there, is it still worth it to step up to the RUM or the Weatherby?
Help me pick my caliber:
.338 Win. Mag.
.338 Rem. Ultra Mag.
.340 Weatherby Mag.
I've thought about ammo availability, recoil, etc. I'm not recoil sensitive, but still-with the newer, hotter .338 Win. Mag. loads out there, is it still worth it to step up to the RUM or the Weatherby?
This post was edited on 1/31/15 at 9:27 am
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:28 am to DownSouthJukin
what calibers do you currently own?
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:44 am to DownSouthJukin
Chances are your current deer rifle is more than adequate, my hunting buddy uses his deer rifle chambered in .257 weatherby mag and brings home some elk meat when he goes.
Good luck!
Good luck!
This post was edited on 1/31/15 at 9:50 am
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:45 am to DownSouthJukin
Those are all overboard in my opinion.
.300 mag is more than enough.
.300 mag is more than enough.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:49 am to DownSouthJukin
300 Short Mag would be my choice.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 9:53 am to rsbd
quote:
300 wsm
You can get a short action and have a lighter gun to tote.
Unless you are planning on making several big game hunts I would stick to a .300.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:05 am to DownSouthJukin
I hunt elk with 338 win mag.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:07 am to mark65mc
30 06 would work for elk to with bigger bullets.
It is an elk not a grizzly bear. You don't need those huge calibers.
It is an elk not a grizzly bear. You don't need those huge calibers.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:10 am to DownSouthJukin
All of the above are great choices, and more than you will need. I do not feel that any of them are significantly better than the other, get what you like, but most important is to shoot it as much as you can and know what you can do with it
I have the .338 win mag, have not shot an animal with it yet, but have it dialed in pretty good (1 1/4" group @ 200 yards) with a 210 grain bullet
I have the .338 win mag, have not shot an animal with it yet, but have it dialed in pretty good (1 1/4" group @ 200 yards) with a 210 grain bullet
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:12 am to DownSouthJukin
Whatever you use for deer. Unless you want to go buy a new rifle, then get whatever you like the most, they will probably all do the job equally well. People kill elk with .243s every year.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:40 am to DownSouthJukin
I've hunted with a .338 Win Mag the last 2 years but I'm buying a .300 this year.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:44 am to LSUintheNW
I bought a 300 WSM Weatherby mark 5 so I could hunt elk once a year when we have a family gathering in northern New Mexico and still be able to hunt white tails down here. Works great.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:46 am to DownSouthJukin
.243 and up work fine. It is all about shot placement (like any animal). I would take my.300wsm. If you want a new rifle, a lot if guys are now using the 6.5X284 rounds on elk because of great long range capability and low perceived recoil.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 10:47 am to artompkins
Same reason I'm buying one.
The .338 would destroy a deer.
The .338 would destroy a deer.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 11:01 am to DownSouthJukin
Out of those, .338 win mag would be my choice. That's more than enough horsepower for anything in North America at 300 yards.
Odds are whatever you have already will work with the right bullet.
Odds are whatever you have already will work with the right bullet.
Posted on 1/31/15 at 11:03 am to DownSouthJukin
The OB sponsored cartridge, two fawty tree Winn chester
Posted on 1/31/15 at 11:04 am to ChatRabbit77
quote:
.243 and up work fine. It is all about shot placement (like any animal). I would take my.300wsm. If you want a new rifle, a lot if guys are now using the 6.5X284 rounds on elk because of great long range capability and low perceived recoil.
know your rifle and it's ballistics ..... practice at various distances
270, 30-06, 7mag, 300 WM will all work
Posted on 1/31/15 at 11:05 am to tigerfoot
I currently own two large game rifle calibers: 30-06 and .280
I gave the 3 choices in the OP because my friend that is the PH recommended them. He said any of the 3 will do, but be prepared to shoot 300-350 yards for a good bull.
I've heard the stories-.243's, .270's, .308's, 30-06, etc. kill elk every year. But I plan on buying a new (used) gun (or building one from a Mauser receiver I have), and am looking for suggestions from those that have shot the 3 calibers suggested, particularly in anger at a Wapiti.
As for the .300 WSM-I've never really bought into the WSM mags. In comparable barrels, their ballistics fall between the non-magnum calibers and the true magnum calibers. If I'm going to step up, it's going to be a real step up from my 30-06 and .280. To that end, I asked the PH about a .375 H&H in case an Africa or Alaskan brown bear trip were in the future, and he said that would be fine on elk shooting 260 gr., but would suggest something a little flatter shooting with a better BC and SD. Thus, the .338 cal. mags.
Rifle weight is not really an issue, as long as it's at or under 8.5 lbs. with a scope, which is fairly easy to achieve in a lot of rifles these days.
I gave the 3 choices in the OP because my friend that is the PH recommended them. He said any of the 3 will do, but be prepared to shoot 300-350 yards for a good bull.
I've heard the stories-.243's, .270's, .308's, 30-06, etc. kill elk every year. But I plan on buying a new (used) gun (or building one from a Mauser receiver I have), and am looking for suggestions from those that have shot the 3 calibers suggested, particularly in anger at a Wapiti.
As for the .300 WSM-I've never really bought into the WSM mags. In comparable barrels, their ballistics fall between the non-magnum calibers and the true magnum calibers. If I'm going to step up, it's going to be a real step up from my 30-06 and .280. To that end, I asked the PH about a .375 H&H in case an Africa or Alaskan brown bear trip were in the future, and he said that would be fine on elk shooting 260 gr., but would suggest something a little flatter shooting with a better BC and SD. Thus, the .338 cal. mags.
Rifle weight is not really an issue, as long as it's at or under 8.5 lbs. with a scope, which is fairly easy to achieve in a lot of rifles these days.
This post was edited on 1/31/15 at 12:06 pm
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