Caliber choice for Mule deer/Elk????

[ohiohunter]

300wm, load it heavy for both or light for deer. 700yds is a 300wm chip shot. Depending on conditions you might find yourself wishing you were pushing a high BC bullet through the turbulence.

 

[BRENT ERWIN]

I'm going to have to vote for the 300's as well. I have killed every large game animal in North America with a 300 win mag except antelope and polar bear. Elk are a large animal, and could be taken with any number of rifles in my opinion I would pick .270 to one of the 30's. I have taken 6 moose with my .270 so I know it would work on elk, you just have to pick your shot. I think the 30 cal would be the best overall choice.

 

[memtb]

My choice didn't make the list! memtb

 

[coop2564]

Anything 270 win or larger will serve you well!

 

[FlGunner]

My only experience of the 2 animals you mention is mule deer....I killed this one (first one, a 5x4)

at only 100 yds with my 7mm Rem mag. Only took one shot but he absorbed it like he wasn't hit. He stood and looked back towards me and fell over after a few seconds. I used a hornady ELDx 162 going around 2950 mv. So my experience would suggest a .30 Cal something. My 7mm did the job but if I'm fortunate to go again to Montana....I'll take a 300 win with a good bullet.

 

[Lahunter76]

I am a fan of 30 cal Mags!! I believe anything from 180-215 in a 30cal mag will be nice for. The application. I like the 180s in the SAUM/WSM and the 200s In the 300 win,Roy,ultra

 

[okie man]

Only thing about 300 mags I don't like is the heavy recoil. A 7mm rem mag will do 95% of what a 300 mag will do with less recoil. A 280 ai will do 95% of what a 7mm rm will do with less recoil. Any of them will work for the purpose in question. I say shoot all 3 and see which one you enjoy shooting most and buy accordingly.

 

[Lahunter76]

I .28/7mm is a great round and my fathers favorite. He's a huge 7mm Rem guy for the recoil and the all around shooter. We white tail hunt mostly but he has went elk hunting. I have a uncle, cousin, and a cousin-in-law that go elk hunting about ever other year around Craig Co. and for years they have hunted with .270s and 30-06s, until my uncle picked up a 300 win in a new sako. And they have killed several elk with them. So this is truly an opinion and preference based. As for me, as I stated above I am very bias for the 30 cal mags. I currently shoot a .257 Roy for river white tail here in Northeast Louisiana. But have a 300 Roy at gunsmith and shot a 300 wsm for several years before the 257

 

[Buck300]

My only experience of the 2 animals you mention is mule deer....I killed this one (first one, a 5x4)View attachment 121400 at only 100 yds with my 7mm Rem mag. Only took one shot but he absorbed it like he wasn't hit. He stood and looked back towards me and fell over after a few seconds. I used a hornady ELDx 162 going around 2950 mv. So my experience would suggest a .30 Cal something. My 7mm did the job but if I'm fortunate to go again to Montana....I'll take a 300 win with a good bullet.

Sometimes they dont just drop, they will run from 30 to 100 yards before they expire, even though they are dead on their feet. It dosent matter if it is a .24 or a 30 caliber. I know of several bull elk killed with the 7mm rm and they didnt go more then 30 to 75 yards.

 

[rgvt4]

270 to 30 cal will work well

I have a 300wsm and shoot 165gr Barnes TTSX factory ammo and have killed mule deer and elk. I'm in the process of building a 300 wm to shoot 215 Berger's so I can shoot to 1000 yards. Good luck

 

[Mustang72]

Another vote for 300 wm or 300wsm.- If you shoot it well.
Just about anything already mentioned will work-with the right bullet and good shot placement. I would feel much better taking a 600 yard shot with a 280 or 30/06 that I shoot well than a 400 yard shot with a 338 wm that I shot half as good.

 

[mcali2]

Well i have a 45/120