Elk Caliber?

[bkillion28]

Imo the 6.5 can do it, but I'm not sure it should do it, I look at how much energy the bullets going to get there with and I don't think I would go less than 7mm mag out of your options

 

[dfanonymous]

I have shot elk with 6.5's, 7mm's and 338's there is no doubt the 338 hit them the hardest out of all 3. That being said my go to is a 6.5x300wsm. If I was building a gun another gun for both deer and elk it would be at least a 30 cal.or bigger, you can always load down if it's just a deer situation if you want but it's pretty hard to load up if your maxed out with a smaller caliber.

I love when I get a rifle and dope it out, then have to turn around and buy a new barrel because the cartridge is so overbore

 

[FEENIX]

The great thing about hunting multiple animals and areas is the free excuses for extra guns.

Buy one of each.

My go to chambering is the .300 WM from antelope to elk size game up to 1K yards ... and yes, there are antelope, deer (muley and WT), bear, and elk on my hunting grounds.

 

[drtony]

I actually have a 300 weatherby magnum that I bought for this hunt specifically and have a lot of money tied up in it. Unfortunately, it won't zero because something is wrong with it. Long story short (I have brought this up in a different thread) I have used 2 sets of scope mounts (including a one piece talley) and 2 different scopes. After the second scope failed I sent the rifle to Weatherby. they have had the rifle for 2-3 weeks and told me nothing is wrong with it-- told me my luck with the other mounts and scopes must have been bad and to try new ones (again).

If the wby comes back just fine and will zero no problem, I will take that gladly on the hunt. If it doesn't, I will have taken a significant loss on it and start over. Eventually I will have a 300 WM or 7mm Mag AND the 6.5 CM. I just don't know which I should get first.

 

[drtony]

I have exclusively used my 7mm rem mag on elk. It is a great elk killing round. I have not had an elk go more than 20 yards without dropping. I currently have my 7mm shipped off getting work done and if I don't get it back by October I will be taking my 6.5 creedmoor. I'm not to excited to use it on elk to be honest but I have faith it will get the job done. I know I will definitely be more precise with my shot placement using it. If you keep it under 500 I don't think you should have any issues.

As far as back home, what other animals will you be hunting? If you are getting strictly a deer and elk gun I would go with 7mm.

Nearer home it would be mainly white tails. Maybe coyotes some day.

 

[HARPERC]

......Everybody knows that elk cartridges start with a 3 and use at least 70g of powder.
........In all seriousness, I do believe there is no replacement for displacement. I also am much less afraid of small cartridges than I once was.
........Regardless of what cartridge you are using I think bullet choice is more important than anything else. An elk bullet must be capable of getting through the shoulder of an elk. They are not always broadside. An elk bullet must be able to handle the heavy muscle and bone whether or not the vel is high or low........Steve

I think the .30's and up with good bullets will serve the hardcore every year elk hunter best.

Blooming where you're planted is a portion of my answer. If one is rarely going to hunt elk, distress over taking a familiar rifle is unwarranted.

The desire to fill another notch in the safe is valid.

 

[Hatrick]

I actually have a 300 weatherby magnum that I bought for this hunt specifically and have a lot of money tied up in it. Unfortunately, it won't zero because something is wrong with it. Long story short (I have brought this up in a different thread) I have used 2 sets of scope mounts (including a one piece talley) and 2 different scopes. After the second scope failed I sent the rifle to Weatherby. they have had the rifle for 2-3 weeks and told me nothing is wrong with it-- told me my luck with the other mounts and scopes must have been bad and to try new ones (again).

If the wby comes back just fine and will zero no problem, I will take that gladly on the hunt. If it doesn't, I will have taken a significant loss on it and start over. Eventually I will have a 300 WM or 7mm Mag AND the 6.5 CM. I just don't know which I should get first.

Should have sent them the scope and rings and told themto mount them and check it. If there was something wrong with your optics it would show up in their check.
Might be worth a trip to a smith.

 

[L.Sherm]

I love when I get a rifle and dope it out, then have to turn around and buy a new barrel because the cartridge is so overbore

Your point is what!

 

[Wyo220]

I live in south west Wyoming. We get to hunt elk in the desert and the high country. I grew up using a model 70 in a 300 HH, it was my first center fire rifle. I killed a lot of elk with it. I went to college and got smarter and decided a 264 win would be the ticket over that old outdated HH. I killed a few elk with it, and made fun of my dads old HH he still shoots. He would just shake his head and tell me I would see some day. Well it happened a few years ago. I rebarreled that 264 to a 300 win and wont go back. Can a 6.5 kill elk? Of course it can, but as most above have said .3 anything is good insurance when everthing isnt perfect. I still love .264 just not for elk. YMMV. Good luck.
Kyle

 

[Jjeffhunter]

Ive shot 168gr vld hunters out of my 7mm rem mags for years rarely does a bull take a step! I've been shooting 168-185 vld out of my 300win the past couple years they hit harder for sure 90% of my elk get shot at the base of the head nowadays so as not to ruin any meat! Personally 7mm rem Mag is my all time favorite elk deer gun

 

[Deleted member 103481]

If you're planning to have both I would get the big one first. I like my animals real dead.

300 for me

 

[Wolf76]

What you can do and should do are very different things in most situations.
The 300 has more authority without question and a superb elk cartridge.
Most folks consider the 270 a minimum.
Bullet diameter (combined with speed) makes a huge difference in energy transfer/trauma. That's why energy tables are somewhat misleading.
I wouldn't want to have any question about the abilities of my equipment or self at the moment of truth.
2-3-4 hundred, most any '06, 308, 270 will do fine with proper bullet selected. 400+ there are better choices IMO.
Last fall in elk camp, there were many 400+ shots and most guys didn't have skill to make them count.

 

[Pulpwood]

With proper shot placement and a premium bullet a 6.5 credmoor would be ok but after harvesting my first bull elk with a 7mm rem with 160 grain Nosler Partition I would have to agree with the local folks out west that I hunted with and that is elk rounds for the most part start with .300 period. Bull elk are tough

 

[cross]

To add to Wolf's statement, it seems to me that there are a lot of options between a 6.5 CM and a 7RM it 300.

I shot a lot of elk at less than 100 yards with a 30-06, then I decided I needed something bigger so I bought a .338 Win. I shot a few elk with it but didn't really see much difference as far as the elk's response at the shot. Then I bought a 7mmWSM for deer and started shooting elk with it and discovered I couldn't see any difference again. When the WSM went away I moved to a 7RM and have been carrying one for the last 11 years. Mostly using 168 Bergers, or 160 Abnds. It works great but I'm now thinking that a 280AI will do everything I need it to do out to 700-800 yards. I rarely shoot further than that.

My Dad is packing a 300 Win with 215 Bergers in it and I see no difference between it and my 7RMs on elk. Typical response is BANG!! the elk runs 20-30 yards and falls down dead. I've seen it time and again with .338s, 300s, and 7mms. I'm not going to say there are no times when the bigger calibers with more powder don't yield better results but I've probably seen 60 elk get shot with various 7mm, 300, and 338 magnums over the last 20 years and with decent chest shots, I see no difference between them.

My 2 cents.

Cross