I am like most of the people on here the 300 wsm has got more knock down power than the 7 but i look for the knock down power of a round 300 is your round for that
7mm SAUM vs 300 WSM for Elk/western hunting?
- Thread starter BuckeyeRifleman
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
BarrelTwist72
Member
Seems as if it didn't post. I'll post it on the other thread also.
Last edited:
Shootin4fun
Well-Known Member
All this about needing more power...and here I was developing loads, practicing, thinking that from my 7RM a 145LRX or 168 VLDHunting would be enough for elk inside 500 yards. I read all kinds of stories about failures of each bullet / caliber on elk. Then I read on the 6.5G forum how some guy and his girlfriend kill them with his AR style Grendel. SMH.
Forcedoutage
Well-Known Member
It always fun to see how everyone has their strong opinions about elk and bullet performance. This seems especially true with those who swear by the 6.5 Creedmoor as well as those who swear by Berger bullets. Both of which I own and use. But never for elk.
To me it comes down to where you hunt and what type of shots you get presented. Personally, 90% or more of my opportunity at elk is in the timber with blow downs and thick as heck. A perfect broad side double lung shot is very rare.
A VLD type or thin jacketed 6.5 bullet is just not practical in these conditions. My point is, we can't assume that everyone has a place where the can sit above a meadow and take 300 yard standing still broadside shots at elk.
To me it comes down to where you hunt and what type of shots you get presented. Personally, 90% or more of my opportunity at elk is in the timber with blow downs and thick as heck. A perfect broad side double lung shot is very rare.
A VLD type or thin jacketed 6.5 bullet is just not practical in these conditions. My point is, we can't assume that everyone has a place where the can sit above a meadow and take 300 yard standing still broadside shots at elk.
Trekster
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2012
- Messages
- 78
I have a couple dozen harvest, maybe more on the 168 VLD. you won't have any issues. Great bullet. I'm trying to think, but can't come up 1 time that I had to put a second round into an animal. Accuracy, in my opinion, is the most important thing, and that bullet is just hard to beat.
usmc1383
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2017
- Messages
- 25
I use a 243 longest shot I had with the elk was 318 yards shot it in Silverton Colorado but I always shoot my gun the day of the hunt make sure it's accurate most Killed 200 yards that's what my grandfather use now use it I guess jobs around would be great but we've always got ours good luck on whatever you shoot and God bless
dougduey
Well-Known Member
My dedicated elk rifle is a 300 WSM. I've killed most of my elk with a 180 gr Accubond and it performed flawlessly. I changed over to the 200 gr ELDX when they first came out. I've got it running 2952 fps, and it's the Hammer of Thor on elk. The NM bull I shot with it looked like he got hit by lightning. I've read many accounts of people having performance issues with the 6.5 143 gr ELDX, but not for the 30 cal 200 & 178 gr bullets. That being said, I've switched all of my cartridges over to Hamner Bullets. Absolutely devastating on game and very accurate bullets.
I'm from the camp that believes you should use a 30 cal or larger for elk. Most people on this site know of and respect Jeff Brozovich, and he has gone into detail on this subject (in a few threads) and his belief that 30 cal or larger is just better. Not saying you can't get it done with a 7mm or a 6.5 mm. Bullet selection and bullet placement trump everything. But, animals move, wind blows, etc and your now perfect shot isn't perfect. You get a little more room for error with the larger caliber. And mind you, I have a 6.5-284 Norma and a 7 STW that I love. Plus, I've just built a lightweight 280 AI. They just aren't my first choice for elk. I'm supremely confident in the 300 WSM getting the job done. Plus, it's light and a joy to carry up and down the mountains chasing elk.
I'm from the camp that believes you should use a 30 cal or larger for elk. Most people on this site know of and respect Jeff Brozovich, and he has gone into detail on this subject (in a few threads) and his belief that 30 cal or larger is just better. Not saying you can't get it done with a 7mm or a 6.5 mm. Bullet selection and bullet placement trump everything. But, animals move, wind blows, etc and your now perfect shot isn't perfect. You get a little more room for error with the larger caliber. And mind you, I have a 6.5-284 Norma and a 7 STW that I love. Plus, I've just built a lightweight 280 AI. They just aren't my first choice for elk. I'm supremely confident in the 300 WSM getting the job done. Plus, it's light and a joy to carry up and down the mountains chasing elk.
nmbarta
Well-Known Member
Very few shots exist where one of those would work when the other one doesn't.
I don't care much about the cartridge, for elk I prefer 180+ class hunting bullets (I don't want to derail this into that) with an impact velocity of 2000+ fps. Elk are tough, but they aren't elephants. It can be done with much less than that, but the above numbers will all but guarantee a dead elk with good shot placement, and from my experience, there won't be much for tracking going on. Either one of those will get you right there at the range you mentioned, as will many others.
I don't care much about the cartridge, for elk I prefer 180+ class hunting bullets (I don't want to derail this into that) with an impact velocity of 2000+ fps. Elk are tough, but they aren't elephants. It can be done with much less than that, but the above numbers will all but guarantee a dead elk with good shot placement, and from my experience, there won't be much for tracking going on. Either one of those will get you right there at the range you mentioned, as will many others.
nathank
Well-Known Member
I have taken a few moose and a few deer with 6.5CM 143 ELD-X and 300 Rum 220 ELD-X and 308win 178 gr ELD-X. I personally love the bullet.
For Elk and up i think either of your choices will work well. but for a true short action i would go 7 SAUM
For Elk and up i think either of your choices will work well. but for a true short action i would go 7 SAUM
I moved to Wyoming in the late 70's and have been hunting elk ever since. Lost my first elk using 30-06 factory Remington ammo heavy round nosed bullets haven't lost one since. I still view that shot over and over in my head. I've taken many since then and forgot some of them.
In the early 90's I started reloading my own and discovered many things since then. The one rule of thumb for me is no matter what cartridge I am using I calculate the amount of energy at 100 yard intervals and find out where the cartridge falls below the 1500 ft lbs threshold. That's all the farther that combination will go for me.
These days with the new range finders and phone apps things a lot easier. The one thing that these things cant account for is the winds in the mountains. The winds may change direction several times in 1000 yards. I do quite a bit of long range shooting at basket ball sized rocks using nothing more then what I hunt with and I believe its helped me a lot in making decisions on what shots to take or try to close in.
My reloading bullet shelf is stacked wide and deep with Hornady bullets and I have always trusted them to get the job done if I do my part. My favorite is the 180 grain SST but the last couple of years been using the new ELD-X and they have performed well.
As to the original post Run the numbers on a ballistic calculator and compare. Run and compare several combinations and then make a decision on what to build and make it work for you and know the limitations
In the early 90's I started reloading my own and discovered many things since then. The one rule of thumb for me is no matter what cartridge I am using I calculate the amount of energy at 100 yard intervals and find out where the cartridge falls below the 1500 ft lbs threshold. That's all the farther that combination will go for me.
These days with the new range finders and phone apps things a lot easier. The one thing that these things cant account for is the winds in the mountains. The winds may change direction several times in 1000 yards. I do quite a bit of long range shooting at basket ball sized rocks using nothing more then what I hunt with and I believe its helped me a lot in making decisions on what shots to take or try to close in.
My reloading bullet shelf is stacked wide and deep with Hornady bullets and I have always trusted them to get the job done if I do my part. My favorite is the 180 grain SST but the last couple of years been using the new ELD-X and they have performed well.
As to the original post Run the numbers on a ballistic calculator and compare. Run and compare several combinations and then make a decision on what to build and make it work for you and know the limitations
dougduey
Well-Known Member
There's a kiwi named Nathan Foster that has done a lot of research on cartridges, ballistics and terminal performance of specific bullets. Go to his website...........interesting read and really good info. He pops up from time to time on this website
www.ballisticstudies.com
www.ballisticstudies.com
Great choice Sir and happy hunting
BigSky112
Well-Known Member
I believe they also make it in a 300WM, but is a 24" barrel, you can't go wrong with it, just live with the 2" more, helps with speed and bullet stabilization
