New to hunting--need ONE Elk/Oryx/Deer rifle advice

[Stealthfixr]

I am in my 30's, and looking at trying hunting for the first time. I live in NM, and I am going to put in for the once-in-a-lifetime Oryx tags. I've been shooting handguns and competition rifle (22LR) since I was a kid--grew up around guns and shooting competitions. As a kid, I did not want to hunt. For some reason, I am very interested now! But, I know very little about large caliber centerfire rifles.

A hunting smart neighbor told me that the 30-06 was too little gun for an Oryx or Elk. In his opinion, it was on the too light side of things--he recommended a 300 Win Mag. I shot a 300 Win Mag once, without any recoil protection whatsoever, and it was not "fun" to shoot due to the recoil--not bad--but not fun. I would like to enjoy shooting this rifle to maximize my accuracy, while still being able to make effectively strong hits.

So, I am considering something heavier like the 7mm Remington Magnum, but without monster recoil. Also, I reload and would like to add a rifle caliber that is not too difficult/limited to reload with.

Is 7mm Rem Mag good for all three game? Is that the best caliber? What's the best rifle for the money, Savage, Ruger, Remington?? Any and all advice very welcome!

 

[Guyon]

I don't think you can go wrong with a .30-06. 7mm Rem Mag will do what you ask as well.

 

[mete]

The 30-06 will do it but pick a heavier bullet, 180 or 200 gr and maybe a premium such as nosler for the bigger animals. Remember that the most important thing is bullet placement. Magnums are useful if you are going to be shooting 200 yds or more. Remington quality has gone downhill, I would pick Savage for the best value.

 

[Art Eatman]

I'd vote for the '06, myself, but I'm way prejudiced. Certainly with any of the premium 180-grain bullets, you'd be well equipped for any of the animals you've named. Note that the '06 and the 7mm Mag do best with longer barrels; 24" or 26" is preferable to 20" or 22".

I'd buy some WalMart el-cheapo stuff for practice in getting all "married up" to your rifle. Offhand and hasty rest, as in the field; once you've sighted in, you don't need to shoot from a bench.

I'd sight in for 2" high at 100 yards. That puts you quite close to dead on at 200, and roughly 6" low at 300.

Probably the most important factor in choosing a rifle is how well it fits you. Length of pull, drop at the comb, all that sort of thing.

Scope? I recommend going Leupold. A VX-1 3x9x40 oughta last for 30 or 40 years. Mine has. I've used Weaver mounts and rings since 1950, and have never had any problem at all.

Package cost: When you figure the overall cost of hunts, particularly over several decades, there's no real point in worrying about them. (The size of your billfold is, to me, the determinant.)

Best luck,

Art

 

[HSMITH]

I've seen a lot of elk dropped with the ol pathetic -06. Plain and simple of it is IT WORKS!!

I would also mention that the -06 is the very top end of what a lot of people can handle for recoil.

I prefer a 7mm Remington Mag but don't really have any reasons that make it enough bettter to really discuss. Slightly faster, flatter, and slightly more energy than the -06 but not a lot. It is PLENTY of gun for elk deer and even moose.

If you are a recoil zombie and can handle the biggies a 340 Weatherby or a 338 RUM are the ultimate guns for the lower 48 IMO. My next rifle purchase will be one of the two.

The worst mistake you can make is buying something that is going to recoil too hard, then you won't be able to shoot it well. Anything from a 270/308 class and up is PLENTY of gun for what you want. All kidding aside the 270 just plain WORKS on big bull elk too, and is a great choice. Don't get magnumitis unless you can take the recoil, buy something you can shoot well and use it.

 

[Smoke]

30.06

Hard to find a better "all 'round" rifle than that one.
Buy a quality gun (even if you have to go used" spend as much on the glass as you do the gun. (or more )

I'd wager there has been more Elk taken with the 30.06 than with most other rounds combined.

Smoke

 

[RCL]

My vote also goes to the .30-06


Get a .30-06 rifle with a 24" barrel and you will be on a near equal footing with the 7mm. Diiferent size animals can be hunted with different bullet weights, 150-165 for deer, 180-200 for elk. I think the .30-06 adapts to different bullet weights better than any other cartridge.
Since you reload, here's some figures from my Nosler manual, #4 edition.
7mm Rem. Mag
160 grain Partition, 79.5 grs. H870, 3112 fps
175 grain Partition, 62.5 grs. RL22, 2970 fps

.30-06
165 grain Partition, 63 grs. RL22, 3002 fps
180 grain Partition, 61 grs. RL22, 2872 fps

These are the max loads from that manual, showing near equal performance.

Throw a Leupold 3x9 scope on there and you will have one of the most versitile guns going.

My opnion FWIW............

 

[JShirley]

Can't go wrong with .30-06 or 7mm Mag. .30-06 will have better bullet selection, and if you're just hunting deer, you'll be able to find decent ammo for less.

John

 

[HankB]

A hunting smart neighbor told me that the 30-06 was too little gun for an Oryx or Elk . . . he recommended a 300 Win Mag.

I disagree with your friiend.

First off, I've taken gemsbok - a member of the Oryx family - with a single shot from a .30/06. The cartridge was very appropriate. I've also taken kudu (Elk-sized), zebra, and various other animals with one shot each. I used a 180 grain Nosler Partition bullet in each case. and had not the slightest idea that I was "undergunned."

Secondly, as far as your friend saying a .30/06 is too light but a .300 Win Mag is good . . . nonsense. There's not all that much difference between the two even on paper, and in the field I believe you'd be hard pressed to see an animal react differently to being shot with a .300 Win Mag vs. a .30/06.

IMHO, with proper ammo, the .30/06 is good for ALL repeat ALL thin-skinned, non-dangerous game worldwide, with the POSSIBLE exceptions of giraffe and eland. And if the '06 won't do it, you should consider moving up to a .338 or .375, not a .300 mag.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I killed my Oryx at Whitesands with a .30-06 using a 180gr Trphy bonded bullet. The first shot was at aroud 150yds and it broke the shoulder and put the animal down in the first shot. I finished it off with another but the animal was dead in one.

I like the .375 on stuff like oryx and Elk but you really don't need it. The ole .375H&H is just such a great old round kind of like a .30-06 super sized. Same tajectory with heavier bullets. Same goes for the .338. which may well be the ultimate North America Elk round. In my opinon the .338 is notthing more than the American version of the .375 in a shorter more efficient package.

And good luck on your draw for Oryx i got mine on the very first try....

That was a cool hunt.

 

[Mornard]

Stealthfixr - reread HankB's post. Then read it again. He's totally right on, in my humber opinion. Then re read H&Hhunters - he's right too...
30-06, 180 Gr. will do it all for these species (or most any other).

 

[Smoke Rizen]

ONE

I'll have to chime in again on the best all around cartridge. I put my money on the .270 for all around economy,and versatility. 130gr. Nosler Partition,or 140gr. Sierra H.P.B.T. if you don't drop it you missed the shot. The Oryx is border line,but it's still a medium thick skinned beast and a properly placed .270 will do the job(IMHO). Why buy a cannon for a once in a lifetime hunt. The .270 will serve you for everything you've mentioned hunting, including being more comfortable shooting, Prairie Dogs, to paper. I've shot P-Dogs,to Dear,Elk.and Black Bear W/the .270 and never felt under gunned. I own four 30-06's and they're a great cartridge too, but I hunt W/the .270. S.R.

 

[Byron Quick]

I usually hunt deer with the .300 Win Mag. I haven't noticed mine being any more dead than folks' kills using the .30-'06. On the other hand, I have never felt the recoil of any rifle or shotgun when shooting at game. Target shooting's another story.

 

[BIGR]

Get the 30.06. It is a round that has been tested time and time again in the woods. The bullet selection is a plus.

 

[BeLikeTrey]

I think we are mostly in agreement

30-06 all the way! I have a remington 760 pump (gamemaster).
1) That round has been trusted and been doin a fine job for years
2) I trust it hunting mean ole nasty wild boars (and not in a stand)
3) so much selection in ammo. I believe remington has added a few more choices as well. IIRC the "accelorator" is now available too.
4)pretty good ballistics


note: I would be curious about opinions on the 7mm "stw"

 

[one-shot-one]

$0.02

good compromise might be the 300 winchester short mag (wsm).
my mod. 70 does not kick me more than my rem. mod. 600 in .308
and offers the same bullet selction as the .30-06 with a few added
fps/flb.

 

[Sunray]

"...the 30-06 was too little gun for an Oryx or Elk..." He's nuts. The .30-06 will take any game in North America. What's he figure was used before there was a .300 Mag? Or does he think no elk were hunted before the .300 mag? Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about.