Thanks guys! Just to clarify, I have killed 17 elk (15 bulls and 2 cows), most of the bulls are Colorado raghorns shot just south of Craig in Hamilton. Most of those elk were shot with a 300 Weatherby! I have killed elk with a 7mm RM, 7mm Weatherby, 6.5 GAP 4S and the 270 WSM (a raghorn at 300 yards using 150 grain Paritions out of my Sako Tecomate). Two pass throughs and the bull kind of stood there for about 20 seconds and fell over!
I regularly shoot to 1200 yards at Thunder Valley in Ohio and 1000 yards at Mifflin County Sportsman's in Pennsylvania, I live in western New Jersey. I limit my shots to 500 yards, would prefer to shoot them at 150 yards! My closest kill is 176 yards and I've killed three bull elk at 500 yards (512, 500 and 489 yards), all first shot hits. I practice a lot.
I own a bunch of custom rifles, the last two being a Lane Precision in 280 AI and a GA Precision in 300 WSM, they are both topped with Nightforce scopes, they just about shoot one hole but weight about 10 lbs. scoped and not including an Atlas bipod. Just looking to lighten my load without my wife giving the stink-eye for ordering another custom.
My father killed a whole bunch of elk and deer out west with a Browning A-Bolt in 270 Winchester, shots were always under 300 yards. All my shots seem to be over 400 yards with the elk moving.
I appreciate all your help and information! Now to decide what scope goes on the CA Summit, it currently wears a Leupold VX-5 3-15. I had a 3-15 Nightforce on it and it made the rifle really heavy. I do like Nightforce scopes! Thanks again, be safe and shoot straight!