7mm Question

[RYEWSKY25284]

I'm trying to decide on a new rifle build. Looking at either a 7mm or 7mm STW. I've got a place where I've hunted for a number of years and its an elk hot spot. They hang out across a steep nasty canyon. Theres no way to sneak into the side that they're on. Way too thick and nasty. What you can do is shoot across the canyon. Its a 970-1170 yard shot across to the hole they hang out in.

I'd like to put together a rifle and go after them next year. I'm trying to decide if a 7mm Rem Mag is enough or should I go up to the 7mm STW. I'd like to shoot the 180's.

Thanks

Not trying to be negative here. Sounds like way too much work. IMHO, effort vs reward isn't there. And it would be a shame to knock one down and then find out you can't get'm out. What a terrible waste of an animal an BIG waste of time & money. If you decide to do it.....I'm thinking 300WM

 

[DJ Fergus]

Not trying to be negative here. Sounds like way too much work. IMHO, effort vs reward isn't there. And it would be a shame to knock one down and then find out you can't get'm out. What a terrible waste of an animal an BIG waste of time & money. If you decide to do it.....I'm thinking 300WM

Broz has had much luck with the 300 wm on elk. Sounds like he's pretty much got it down.

 

[Joefrazell]

I don't see a problem, I wouldn't carry a steel plate and shoot it in the exact spot I want to hunt elk in. From my experience (limited as it is compared to some on here) those elk are in there for a reason, people aren't. Why go boogering it up? Instead, why not find a similar scenario to shoot in. I have a new spot kind of like his, hard as heck to get into and can glass elk from across a canyon every day. I will pack something out but nothing in needlessly. Plus, what's this got to do with his question?

As contrary to popular belief the elk probably won't mind much. I know a similar area that's the same way. The thing is that the elk likely won't be there year round. Shooting across a canyon has to do with this post because his post is about shooting across a canyon. That's a very long shot if the canyon is what I'm thinking. An all day hike from the shooting location. My guess is there's an access point to hike in with limited visibility that he could use to potentially pack out. I think practicing in this particular situation is going to have more positive then negative outcome because of the wind variance between canyons. Of course I wouldn't advise hiking a gong in pre season with elk spotted in the mnt.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I'm just sitting and waiting for some heavier 30 cal bullets to come along from other companies since the 250 a-tip has been released. I'm just not sure what cartridge their going to be able to run them in and still seat long. I'm @ 3.703 long in my Norma with 230 atips, boat tail right at the shoulder/ neck junction so they should be able to run them in a Norma any way & stay under 3.8 long. I don't have enough twist to run them and I've done my last 30 cal.

 

[surgeon260]

Would you share your twist rate with the 28 Nosler?

1-8 twist, 28" Proof.

 

[emp1953]

Unless there's 5-6 of you, go with a horse or mule. If you go the horse or mule route, take some instruction on how to correctly pack it(them) with your quartered up elk.

 

[Bravo 4]

Well if we are brainstorming ideas then why not just take a sighter shot?
Could assist with the problems of the cross canyon wind issue. Problem remaining could be it spooks the animals.
And since we don't know the spot's topography, maybe he can go shoot rocks.

 

[COBrad]

I've shot a fair number of elk with the 7mag, and had a custom long range rifle that was built specifically to shoot marmots. Several kills past the .75 mile mark with that gun. It was a shooter. IIRC, my drift at 1400 was .75 inch for each .1 mph at full value. On the really long shots I needed to have pretty calm and steady wind conditions to have real confidence in the shot. I was shooting 180 grain Berger hvld's at 2995 FPS. I shot my furthest elk with that rifle at 1098 yds. Dead calm morning. One shot behind the left shoulder broke the right shoulder and found under the hide. For those distances I am very selective about atmospheric conditions and shot angle. The big guns hit harder but a bad hit with one at those distances is still a bad hit. To answer the OP directly I would use the 28 Nosler and 195 Berger with confidence.

 

[Yeager]

1-8 twist, 28" Proof.

10-4. My 1X9 twist can't seem to handle that bullet: 175 ELDX at 3195 fps for now. New barrel in future??