Elk Caliber?

[WildRose]

That's interesting, you are the first person to recommend 28 Nosler. That was my caliber of choice before buying the Weatherby. The only reason I didn't get the 28 Nosler: I don't know if it's going to be popular enough to stick around 10-20 years from now. Also, I couldn't find a single place that had ammunition!

I was under the impression 7mm mag and up is a lot of overkill for hunting white tails in northern MN?

Whoever it was that told you that is a source of information I'd avoid like the plague in the future.

The 7mm RM is probably the most popular caliber in most of the southern US among deer and hog hunters. Our deer are much smaller than yours.

Just don't shoot frangible bullets like the Nosler BT or anyone's hollow points and if you hit them right you're going to have clean, quick, humane kills every time.

My STW's add another 150-200fps over that of the RM and I assure you neither is "too much gun" for whitetails anywhere.

Bullet wise I prefer bonded bullets like the Nosler Accubond and Hornady Interbond or a good monolithic like the Peregrine VLR4 and VLR5's.

The 300wm is the Toyota Land Cruiser of rifle calibers in that it'll do it all but there's absolutely nothing wrong with the 7mmRM.

 

[drtony]

well I going to stick to the assumption that a magnum is too much. That way I can have another notch filled in the safe!

Currently, I am leaning toward the 28 Nosler for my big out west gun and 6.5 cm for the everything else gun!

 

[waltercrouse]

Go all out and get a 375 ruger
https://ruger.com/products/guideGun/models.html

375 H&H

 

[waltercrouse]

375 H&H

I had read that 900 ftlb is smallest amount for elk. The longer distance the ftlbs drop off and when usng a rifle that borderline already. Those long shots will wound and not kill right away.

 

[truck driver]

To be honest I think you owe the animal enough respect to use a caliber that will efficiently kill it and not cause it to suffer. A 30-06 would probably be the smallest cartridge I would use and even though I own one I bought a rifle chambered in 338wm just to use for Elk when I went on my first hunt.
And you can't go wrong shooting a Nosler Partition bullet or a good bonded bullet for penetration and not blowing up on bone and muscle.
A Nosler 210gr PT loaded in a 338wm to 3050fps with a 3" high zero at 100yds will put you in the boiler room of an Elk at 400yds with no dialing or guessing on hold over.

 

[Jjeffhunter]

well I going to stick to the assumption that a magnum is too much. That way I can have another notch filled in the safe!

Currently, I am leaning toward the 28 Nosler for my big out west gun and 6.5 cm for the everything else gun!

28nosler is a sweet shooting round

 

[257Tony]

I know I am a 300 of some kind advocate for elk, but I am going to bring my 6.5 SAUM with me this year to New Mexico. It shoots 140 Bergers at 3075 fps and I think it will do the job if I keep it within reasonable distance.

Here is a 140 Berger launched at 3075, and a big bull at a "reasonable distance"

 

[Barrelnut]

^^^ Love it ^^^

 

[Bravo 4]

Nice neck shot, right in front of the shoulder. I wonder if that was intended or if the wind got him?

 

[stwcattle]

257Tony said it best. If you can shoot the 6.5 creed rifle well you will be fine.

If it were me I would shorten the distance up to 350 yards.

The lite recoiling 6.5x284 would be my suggestion if wanting to take elk at 500.

Your 2 rifle idea of a 6.5 creed and a 28 nosler would most certainly cover most all bases.

 

[257Tony]

Nice neck shot, right in front of the shoulder. I wonder if that was intended or if the wind got him?

I always aim for the forward point of the shoulder on broadside shots, gives the highest margin for error. Drifted about 4-5" more than I thought it would.

 

[Hand Skills]

As spectacular as the result was, my favorite part of the video was your voice in the background, "Keep watching him, make sure he doesn't get up". Someone said the same thing to me once, and it's proven to be good advice!

 

[Bravo 4]

Well good shot then!

I always aim for the forward point of the shoulder on broadside shots, gives the highest margin for error. Drifted about 4-5" more than I thought it would.

 

[Bravo 4]

As spectacular as the result was, my favorite part of the video was your voice in the background, "Keep watching him, make sure he doesn't get up". Someone said the same thing to me once, and it's proven to be good advice!

And he seemed to be the calm one of the group!