Best Round for Elk????

[H&Hhunter]

All of the replies here are spot on. A .30-06 level of power with a well constructed bullet is about perfect for elk. Bigger or smaller isn't a bad choice if the operator uses the equipment properly.

My favorite .308 diameter elk bullet is a 180gr Barnes now the TSX. NPT, Swift A-Frame, North Fork, TB, and others are all good elk bullets.

My all time favorite "git er done." elk rifle is a carbine M-70 in .375H&H it makes one hell of a good dark timber any angle elk thumper and a pretty fair cross canyon poker as well.

Now don't get me wrong I am NOT saying that you need to run out and buy a .375H&H for elk. But if you've got one it is a fine choice, it does minimal meat damage, and it hit like a 20LB hammer. Power and trajectory wise it is real close the more common , and more often used for elk, .338 win.

I guess I am admitting that I'm a bit eccentric when I tell people that I've killed the majority of my elk with my little .375H&H. but me and that rifle have a very special relationship. I point it and stuff dies.

I’ve also killed elk with a .30-06, 270 win, .300 Weatherby, a .223 (winter cull hunt) ,a .270 weather by. I’ve seen them killed with all sorts of stuff . It all works good if the shooter does their part.

The most wounded non recovered elk that I’ve seen get away were with a 7MM by a wide margin. And this is not because the 7MM is a bad round. Not at all. Rather the reason is that the 7MM for all practical purposes is nothing more than a 30-06 with a belt. The rounds are so close in capability as to have darn near identical ballistics.

The problem being that a fair number of 7MM shooters are afflicted by the “magnum” title on their chosen round and are stricken a severe case of “Milermore” syndrome. You know, it’s a “magnum” and I ain’t even going to shoot unless it’s a milermore away.

I saw it happen again two seasons ago in Co. I helped the guy blood trail his elk for a couple of miles until my horse threw a shoe in the snow and I gave up on it.

 

[phantomak47]

Have you ever seen many people shoot elk with a 300 savage? I guess its really not that far off from a 308, but I was thinking about using it as a back up gun.

 

[medmo]

Remington Express 30-06 165gr.... kills elk dead for me.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Phantom,

As a matter of fact I have seen several elk killed with a .300 Savage. A friend of mine has an old svage bolt gun in .300 Savage. The elk I've seen killed with it died quickly. Both were shot through the lungs.

He used 150 gr power points to with very good effect.

 

[redneck2]

Barness had a pretty good article in Handloader about "regular" rifles and magnums. Talked about all the guys that had to get the latest super magnum...

Do you think the elk really knows if the bullet is 165 or 180 grains?? If it came from a 30-06 or a .300 WM??

Just remember, the plains hunters wiped out the buffalo with .45-70's at 1,300 fps

 

[Smoke Rizen]

Lots of good info. lots of it accurate too. MTC is a .270 130gr. moving at 2900-3000 fps. It has dropped Elk out as far as I care to shoot(longest only 150yrds.). I also carry a lever gun on the horse for times I'm in the dark timber. In the past it was a .32 spc. but this year I came into a Sav. Mod.99 in .300 Sav. I'm confident it will do the job.

 

[A_Swede_17_1911]

I think that rugged bullet construction is important when choosing what to shoot for Elk, maybe more than the peticular cartrigde. I would rather shoot an Elk with a 160 Grain bullet from a 6.5x55 Swede than say a light 140 grain bullet from a 7mm remington Mag.

If I had to pick on rifle to hunt Elk with? I think that a .338-06, would probably be and ideal rifle. Not exactaly a long range affair but enought range and engery with good bullets for Elk, and not the Magnum recoil.

I know a couple old timers back along the Oregon Coast that will use 30-30's and .257 roberts with hand loaded Nosler Partions for Elk. Granted they are not taking long range shots either. They always brought home 2 bulls every year between the two of them.

I would think that the 338-06 would make a great elk rilfe though.