1st elk hunt need rifle advice

[Playtimefun]

BigGriz is correct. There is so much other gear that makes a back pack hunt. (I had forgot that SFL had said it was a back pack hunt.)

So I talked to an Alberta buddy this morning that hunts elk up high in the mountains. He has a lightweight Winchester 325 WSM stoked HOT with 200 grain accubonds. He says that something light weight is basically a must. For him, he says that he has never had to take a real long range shot... 25 yards to about 500 yards. But he's also really good at calling too so he has shot more at close range than far. To him It's all about being able to carry everything in and then out when you get something. Usually it's only him and 1 other guy.

He says look at the terrain and talk to guys that hunt the area or similar to get a good idea of what to expect. For him he says "I'm not shooting across valleys" it's just too far to do it here and the tree cover is generally too thick.

He figures your 270 might just work fine because depending on the timber being able to cover country is more important than a really long range shot. He said look at a lightweight stock and of course some decent heavier bullets for it. But if guys who know the country say expect to be shooting a long ways, he says invest in a lightweight magnum but put in the time to learn how to shoot it because there is a price to pay in terms of recoil for a lightweight. He said his 325 is a hair under 7 lbs loaded and with a sling but he jokes that it's a good thing his wife has no idea what he's spent on other things like $600 on the lightest weight backpack he could get. The lightest knife possible for deboning. $450 boots. The lightest longest landing headlamp he could get. He spends the year planning for their 3-4 day trip into the high country.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Does Wal-Mart sell 28N ammo now?

 

[FIGJAM]

Unfortunately, I see too many people shooting elk at distances that they should not be with calibers that will work fine if the placement is good.

And this is where we diverge...if placement isn't good it doesn't matter if you are shooting a 300 wm or a 270win at 400 yards, a bad shot is a bad shot. a .308 diameter bullet doen't magically kill a gutshot or poorshot animal.

 

[SFL_Dan]

I never expected to get 14 pages of responses when starting this thread.

from the information I've gathered all the above rounds will work well but optimally a larger round is going to be a better pick. I don't plan on taking a extremely long shot.

What I didn't consider before is my father has a tikka M18 in .300 with Ziess conquest he would be willing to let me have for the hunt. Only issue is it is quite heavy and the sight is not adjustable. I could potentially just switch the stock on this rifle to lighten it up.

 

[BoatTail]

I think if you are wanting a true Elk rifle, and with the other limits on price and non-reloading, you need to have a lower limit of the 7mm rem mag. Yes you can kill an elk with a 6.5 PRC, 270 WSM but Bull Elk can take a lot of hits from these and smaller cal rifles before going down.

Given your self set limitations. I would recommend 7mm Remington mag, 300 Winchester Mag or the new 300 PRC. Each of these three has the velocity and knock down power needed hunting elk in the West, have manageable recoil (better with a muzzle brake) ( one caveat is that you use premium bullets on the heavy side), can be highly accurate, have ammo that's readily available, and won't break the bank when it comes to buying ammo or reloading components.

I shoot a 28 Nosler and love it, using 175 grain Hornady eld-x bullets. The issue is the ammo and especially the brass are very expensive so can't recommend it for you.

If I had to recommend a one and two I think it would be the 300 PRC and then the 300 Winchester Mag shooting 200 or 212 grain Hornady eld-x bullets but 180 grain bullets work well. With that combination the Elk will fall down dead out of fear.

 

[CCAguns]

Hello all! I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for awhile.

This coming hunting season I have my first (hopefully not last) back packing elk hunt. I currently have a .270 but would like to set up a new light weight rifle for longer range shooting, backpacking, and elk hunting.

I don't have much long range shooting experience, I usually do stand hunting within 300 yards for whitetail in Georgia.

I have considered:
Weatherby mark V
Bergara premier
Christensen arms ridgeline
CA Mesa (would put the additional funds to better optics)

I want to keep the rifle under $2000. I still haven't figured out my optics as of yet but it would be around the same $2000

As for a caliber I'm considering:
6.5 creedmor
6.5 prc
28 nosler
7mm
300 win

I wanted a "do all" caliber that would work for elk but would also potentially work for deer. I've never hand loaded nor do I plan on going down the rabbit hole anytime soon so I would be using over the counter ammunition for the time being.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated

Thanks
Dan

Hi, Dan
Having hunted elk on numerous occasions, I would suggest a larger round, up to and including the 340 Weatherby Mag. If recoil bothers you not, the big 340 is an outstanding round for any big game at long range in North America. As you can buy the excellent Weatherby Premium ammunition off the shelf, reloading is not needed. Elk are tenacious animals and a bigger hole helps when looking for blood trails. Elk have long hair which absorbs a lot of blood.

If you're primarily going to shoot deer with a long range cartridge, and only make a couple or so elk hunts, I'd consider the 270 Weatherby Magnum. Once again, you can buy excellent Weatherby Premium ammo in a 150gr or 160gr premium bullet which is quite sufficient for elk. For long range, these will outperform the 270 Winchester, the 280AI and most all of the others. I don't find the 270 Weatherby kicks much either.

If you can get your hands on a German made, older Weatherby Mark V, you would have the equivalent of a custom rifle. Coupled with their excellent premium ammo, you'd be ready for most anything! Good luck!!!

 

[FIGJAM]

I think if you are wanting a true Elk rifle, and with the other limits on price and non-reloading, you need to have a lower limit of the 7mm rem mag. Yes you can kill an elk with a 6.5 PRC, 270 WSM but Bull Elk can take a lot of hits from these and smaller cal rifles before going down.

Given your self set limitations. I would recommend 7mm Remington mag, 300 Winchester Mag or the new 300 PRC. Each of these three has the velocity and knock down power needed hunting elk in the West, have manageable recoil (better with a muzzle brake) ( one caveat is that you use premium bullets on the heavy side), can be highly accurate, have ammo that's readily available, and won't break the bank when it comes to buying ammo or reloading components.

I shoot a 28 Nosler and love it, using 175 grain Hornady eld-x bullets. The issue is the ammo and especially the brass are very expensive so can't recommend it for you.

If I had to recommend a one and two I think it would be the 300 PRC and then the 300 Winchester Mag shooting 200 or 212 grain Hornady eld-x bullets but 180 grain bullets work well. With that combination the Elk will fall down dead out of fear.

This is funny as hell - have you compared the 270wsm and the 7mm Rem Mag? The 270wsm is in a completely different league than the PRC. In many ways its superior to your recommended 7mm RM. Also, have you actually seen bull elk have to take a lot of hits from a 6.5 or 270wsm before they go down, or are you just repeating what you heard somewhere?

I have personally witnessed many big bull elk drop with one shot from both a 270 and a 270wsm.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Can't help but think of the old timers sitting around the camp fires decades ago. If an elk gun didn't start with a .33 or .35 the rest were all varmint calibers. After all, the 30-06 was made to kill men in war not a 700+ lb animal. How the modern bullets and powders have changed things.

 

[35 Whelen]

I never expected to get 14 pages of responses when starting this thread.

from the information I've gathered all the above rounds will work well but optimally a larger round is going to be a better pick. I don't plan on taking a extremely long shot.

What I didn't consider before is my father has a tikka M18 in .300 with Ziess conquest he would be willing to let me have for the hunt. Only issue is it is quite heavy and the sight is not adjustable. I could potentially just switch the stock on this rifle to lighten it up.

It's kind of fun, threads like this take off like a wild fire. I did one to see what bullets guys are using in there .338 Win. mag's and have only got one response. One thing it for shore, you will love elk hunting regardless too what rifle/cartridge you use. As you have seen we all agree that confidence in your rifle, shoot placement, and a good bullet is most important. I personally feel that if you want a new rifle the .300 Win. Mag. would be best for you. Gives a good advantage over the .270 and still not too much for whitetails, grate long range too. The .270 WSM is good to but I like the .270 Win. the best of the .270's. I have all three of the above rifles and more, what can I say I love rifles. Happy hunting.

 

[muleystalker]

The US is just late to the game with regards to the 6.5mm cartridges...it took us a while to figure out what the rest of the world already knew...the 6.5 bullets are beast slayers - elk, moose, mule deer etc. they over-perform.

Also the earlier years in the US and the 6.5 cartridges all the rifles were made to shoot light weight bullets at high speeds, the barrels twist rates were too slow to take advantage of the heavier bullets, plus the manufactures in some instances used too short of barrels also. As in the release of the 6.5 rem mag in the model 7 with an 18" barrel and too slow of twist. The US gun makers did that with quite a few great cartridges back in the day and it killed them, think 264WM, 260rem. Back then everyone thought light, fast, and flat was the best bullet for killing at longer distances. But people are finally learning heavier high B.C. bullets are better for killing at longer ranges, and know the manufactures are finally putting the right twist rate on the barrels to handle the heavier bullets. with the right twist barrels and bullets these 6.5 cartridges of the old would have caught on along time ago and they would have been contenders with the 7rem mag and others, they were great cartridges at the time just poor execution on the half of the manufacture.

 

[Barrelnut]

Back then everyone thought light, fast, and flat was the best bullet for killing at longer distances. But people are finally learning heavier high B.C. bullets are better for killing at longer ranges,

Very good point! In the days before the "laser range finder" light, fast, and flat ruled. That is why I shot a 7RM with 140~ 160 gr. bullets for many years.
It is also the reason that a heavy for caliber well constructed bullet in 6.5 and .277 can take larger game at longer distances than people seem to think possible these days.

 

[muleystalker]

At 160 PDs soaking wet I NEED A MUZZLE BRAKE ON A 300 Win mag! And why not? You can enjoy shooting it more and that usually results in a better shooter, just my 2 Cts

I was stating that because in his statement he made it sound like it was mandatory for a 300wm, i don't have a problem with muzzle breaks I own 7-8 of them myself.

 

[Playtimefun]

You don't need a muzzle break on a 300 Win Mag.... it's truly training and practice. But I am also 6'1" and 260 lbs.

I have trained 2 women how to shoot rifles. The last one now has a remington 300 Win Mag as her moose and elk gun.

For both I did the same thing... we started out with 22 then a 243 where I would get her to do 30 shots with the 22, some dry firing with the 243, a couple more shots with the 22 then an actual 243 shot then back to the 22. Then we threw in some occasional 270 and 39-06 ammo. All the time working in dry fires and the 22. Over 2 weekends we moved her up slowly to her 300 Win Mag.

She has now shot both moose and elk with that gun. I have seen her shoot 1.5" 3 shot groups with it. AND she is 5'10" and 145 lbs and skinny as a rail.

She now has a 17 HMR and a 22 that she regularly practices with and a 308 as her in between (and deer) gun.

Most people flinch on magnums because of the sound versus the recoil. I don't use the brake on my Weatherby Mark V 30-378. But I have a friend who can handle recoil so well that he makes shooting his 416 Rigby look like a 22. BUT, he has put thousands and thousands of rifle ammo (and tons more of pistol ammo) down range.

There is nothing wrong with a muzzle brake. Just remember the point of impact can (may or may not) change the point of impact. And when your not at the range with protection your buddies standing beside you aren't too happy either lol.

Practice is everything and I gotta admit that when I see an animal to shoot, I get so focused that 99% of the time I really couldn't tell you if I even felt the recoil. The only time I sort of did was shooting a cow elk at about 50 yards when she came out almost right beside me where I was caught completely off guard. I put the TC pro hunter in 338 Win Mag up and pulled the trigger. She went down in 25 yards. And then I realized I had climbed the stock because of how I was shooting almost straight to my left and the scope cut about a 1/3" gash just below my eyebrow.

 

[Go 8mm]

I just purchased a Kimber Mountain Ascent 280AI and put a Leupold VX6-HD 3-18 on it. The total package comes in at 6.8 pounds unloaded. I have always had Jon Beanland build my guns but I am really impressed with the accuracy and weight of this package. The brake on it does a great job with recoil as well. Here's the 3rd, 4th and 5th shots down the barrel at 100 yards. I'm using the Hornady Precision Hunter ammo getting mid-teen SD's at an average of 2865fps. I've had really good luck with that ammo in four different calibers. So much so I've quit reloading for the couple of calibers because of it. I've Only had an opportunity to run it out to 625 so far but i was getting impacts every time with it. Sorry to throw in a different caliber but I think it's a great size cartridge to do anything you want inside of N. America with manageable recoil. Good luck.





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I was playing with Ackleys when I was in high school. That chart is very conservative. I that velocity out of my 7x57 with a 26" barrel