Favorite elk rifle

[TRG65]

Sako TRG-S M995, now 338 Win Mag, factory it was 7RM
Modified TRG 42 mags (or M995 mags)
Bartlein 338 barrel 24" w/ Mini FTE Brake
MCM Game Scout Stock RRS rail to direct tripod mount
Barrel, stock bedding, and mag modification work was done by Crescent Custom
Swaro Z3 4-12 BRH reticle

 

[imyourhuckleberry]

Recently upgraded about 15 years ago from a Savage to a Tikka in 30-06. This is the only caliber I have used to hunt deer and elk. for over half a century, using plain ordinary Remington Cor-Lokt ammo nothing fancy or modern that is out in the market.

 

[436]

Lets see your guys favorite elk rifles and the specs on rifle and optics.

I'd have to say overall it was my Interarms Whitworth Alaskan .375 H&H Mag in wood, I sold it many years ago, and very much regret it now. It was an unbelievably accurate rife with anything from 235gr to 300 gr bullets, a real meat ax on Elk, and a fine rifle for Mule Deer as well'..., I use Leupold M8 6x42mm with Leupold fine tapered reticle down to a 1/4 moa dot, back then an exceptional piece of glass, and still is for that matter, it was on Leupold standard ring and base with windage/centering adjustable one-piece base, just bulletproof. For Elk I used the 300gr Sierra MK with a few Noslers laster on'.., everything else got the Speer's 235gr which shot flat and tipped over Deer like they were standing between the R&R tracks.

 

[memtb]

I'd have to say overall it was my Interarms Whitworth Alaskan .375 H&H Mag in wood, I sold it many years ago, and very much regret it now. It was an unbelievably accurate rife with anything from 235gr to 300 gr bullets, a real meat ax on Elk, and a fine rifle for Mule Deer as well'..., I use Leupold M8 6x42mm with Leupold fine tapered reticle down to a 1/4 moa dot, back then an exceptional piece of glass, and still is for that matter, it was on Leupold standard ring and base with windage/centering adjustable one-piece base, just bulletproof. For Elk I used the 300gr Sierra MK with a few Noslers laster on'.., everything else got the Speer's 235gr which shot flat and tipped over Deer like they were standing between the R&R tracks.

It's not to late to shop for it's replacement! If I were starting over....I'd take a very serious look at a Kimber Talkeetna in .375 H&H. Run a reemer in it, making it an AI or Weatherby....and you've got a legitimate, reasonable weight, 600 to 700 yard rifle/cartridge capable of most anything you may want to hunt! "A rifle for all reasons and all seasons"! Quote by memtb!

 

[Gibbshooter43]

I'm a 6.5 and 25 caliber fan, and the elk rifle in that category would be my 6.5 Gibbs - Mauser action Shilen barrel topped with a Leupold 6.5 x 20. It performs better than I can, but the challenge for moa performance at 200 yards is keeps me shooting, fine tuning, and reloading.

 

[Lhshooterrheverythingelse]

Rbros 7saum with a manners stock, 26 inch proof barrel, muzzle break, nightforce Nxs 5.5x22x50 moar scope and it pushes a 180 grain Berger vld bullet almost 3000 fps

 

[mark223]

Recently upgraded about 15 years ago from a Savage to a Tikka in 30-06. This is the only caliber I have used to hunt deer and elk. for over half a century, using plain ordinary Remington Cor-Lokt ammo nothing fancy or modern that is out in the market.

I don't hunt elk or much of anything over 300 lbs. But as a kid in the 60's I worked for a man that hunted elk every year and in most of the northwestern states. He used a 30-06 too. It was an M-1 with an offset 4x scope. I thought it felt awkward and preferred to use his M-70 Win, also in 30-06. When I could afford (kind-a afford), a gun of my own I ordered a sporterized 303 Brit out of the back of Outdoor Life for $35 bucks. I was 16 years old!. I still have it. A few years after I got married I bought a Sav 110 in 30-06. I've never shot an elk with it but I have loaned it to several guys who have shot elk with it. Then I got fancy and bought a Browning Stalker A Bolt in 308 win. I've never killed anything with any of them that I couldn't have harvested with any one of the other guns. I'm going antelope hunting the first week in Oct in WY. I'm also 71 and getting this melencolly desire to relive a bit of my youth, so I'm seriously thinking that I'll dust off the old 303. I'm sure I can get within 200 yds of a speed goat and I'm sure the old British war horse is still more than enough gun drop him in one shot.

 

[bigngreen]

Probably my favorite was a 270 WSM with 165 Matrix, counted a lot of elk from spitting distance to 1000+. After that my 6.5 SS with 140 Berger, probably killed more elk between 600 and 800 yards with that gun than all the other combined, had a LOT of shooters use it to kill elk too.
Then I have a soft spot for the 338 RUM, 300 and 250 gr Berger's, just fun to roll them but it's domain is canyon shooting over 1000 where the smaller cals start running out of snort.

 

[laker]

Probably my favorite was a 270 WSM with 165 Matrix, counted a lot of elk from spitting distance to 1000+. After that my 6.5 SS with 140 Berger, probably killed more elk between 600 and 800 yards with that gun than all the other combined, had a LOT of shooters use it to kill elk too.
Then I have a soft spot for the 338 RUM, 300 and 250 gr Berger's, just fun to roll them but it's domain is canyon shooting over 1000 where the smaller cals start running out of snort.

how has the 140 berger worked from 600-800? Wondering if the 156 grain will be more of a good thing

 

[bigngreen]

how has the 140 berger worked from 600-800? Wondering if the 156 grain will be more of a good thing

Bang, walk to dead elk, gut, load and repeat! In the SS I'd totally shoot the 156, we ran a lot of the 150 and 160 Matrix though I never did hunt with them dad piled things up with the. My 6.5SS donated it's parts to experiments, made a left load bottom eject bolt out of it, have a new bolt coming.

 

[CoachChris]

Savage 110 300WM 26" factory barrel 1:10 twist, Boyd's Pro Varmint stock, SWFA SS 3-15 x 42 scope
Nothing fancy, just accurate as hell

 

[JJMoody]

My old 340wby was a one and done hammer. Now I'm warming up to my 28 nosler.
26" plus brake proof CF Barrel
Defiance clone for Snowy Mountain Rifles
Jewel trigger set (some think) way too low for hunting
ADG CF stock
Night Force NXS 5.5-22x50 MOAR-T
Atlas bipod
Slings 180 Bergers at 3200
143 Hammer Hunters at 3500(mild load)

 

[lancetkenyon]

We have killed more elk with my .300RUM than all other rifles combined. It always goes along, and seems like people just like to grab the big boomer when the time comes.
R700 LA trued and built by Phoenix Custom Rifles
28" 1:10" Rock Creek Sendero spiral fluted
Badger Ordinance Thruster brake
McMillan Adjustable Game Warden
R700 LA BDL w. Wyatt's extended box
Timney 512
Seekins 20MOA Picatinny rail
Seekins 34mm low rings
Premier Heritage 5-25×56
FlatlineOps level

 

[xsn10s]

We have killed more elk with my .300RUM than all other rifles combined. It always goes along, and seems like people just like to grab the big boomer when the time comes.
R700 LA trued and built by Phoenix Custom Rifles
28" 1:10" Rock Creek Sendero spiral fluted
Badger Ordinance Thruster brake
McMillan Adjustable Game Warden
R700 LA BDL w. Wyatt's extended box
Timney 512
Seekins 20MOA Picatinny rail
Seekins 34mm low rings
Premier Heritage 5-25×56
FlatlineOps level

I was hoping you'd say one of your 280 AI's or 7mm RM. Hard to argue with a 300 or 338 RUM.