Help on caliber

[darrindlh]

Okay,
Guys I love in a state where I can hunt elk every year with an over the counter tag . However I will have to put in to draw a deer tag which I will do but I know It will take a while to draw. Help me decide on caliber for my new rifle. Two years ago I went through a divorce and sold my rifles to fund my attorney. Now I am on my feet and ready to get back in the game a put some animals on the ground!! I just need your help!! Thank you so much

Darrin

 

[stljc2]

Elk...and Mulies...One caliber comes to mind that handles both really well..300 Win Mag. I know I know old fashioned and not technicool but the plain fact is it handles both real well and has for a very long time. Just my point of view....I'm sure others will chime in for a different caliber and that's ok too. God bless and hope you harvest a real good one.

 

[nt7332]

300 win or 7 RM. load up or load down for about any game! Glad to hear u are good now brother.

 

[memtb]

Unless you're really getting into long range shooting/hunting for all game from deer/antelope thru elk, moose, bear....it's really hard to beat a .338 WM. IMO, the best "all around" cartridge for NA game.

There are several good standard cartridges that will serve your purpose, Good Luck with your decision! memtb

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

Do you want help with the caliber or cartridge?

If you are starting out again, a .30-06 is never a bad choice and ammo choices abound if you don't reload. That's what my sons-in-law got as wedding presents, with antelope to elk in mind.

In a few days I'll have to decide what to take on the annual elk hunt. The 7mm RM I used exclusively for 20+ years will stay home. The three candidates for this year are a .280 Rem (140g TTSX @ 2928fps), .300WM (175g LRX @ 2988fps) and .338WM (225g AB @ 2760fps). Two will go, one will stay home.

All three shoot great out to 600 yards, as I verified a week ago. All will do the job with no fuss.

 

[bkillion28]

7 mag or if you want a little more horse power 28 nosler

 

[Elkeater]

I'm a .300 Win mag guy. I pretty well use it for everything from antelope to elk. But there's lots of cartridges out there that will fit the bill. 280ai, 7rm, .308, .30-06, .300PRC, .300WSM, .270, .270 WSM, etc.

 

[35 Whelen]

We now have so many cartridges and calibers to pick from it's crazy. With Elk being a most hunted game I would go with at lest a 30 cal. with the 30-06 or 300 Win. Mag. being my choses. The 35 Whelen has become my favorite, it shoots much flatter and is much more versatile then it gets credit for. Two other good choses is the 338 Win. Mag. and the 338-06.

 

[Wolf76]

Like previously mentioned, hard to go wrong with a 300 mag. Hit with authority and have the versatility that's tough to beat. 130 ttsx for deer- 215 Berger for elk. Pick your poison and get a big freezer.

 

[Mach 1]

300wn. 300wsm. 7 mag. 30-06. Any 338. Good shot placement with any of them will result in a successful hunt. I'm partial to my 300 wsm guns though

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

30-06, 300 Win or WSM, 338 Win.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I own 300 mags, several in fact, 338 mags too. 6.5 mags and several other high performance cartridges.

One I keep grabbing when I head out for either deer or elk size game is my custom '98 in 338-06...Just works with no fuss, hardly any recoil with 210gr Partitions, kills cleanly and DOES NOT destroy meat. Can eat right up to the bullet hole in my experience.

Cheers.

 

[Tidus56]

I prefer a 28 Nosler for big game. I think it's the perfect balance of knockdown to recoil, but many of the cartridges listed above will do just fine. Whatever you do put good glass on it and shoot as much as you can. That way you'll be ready for the shot when it comes.

 

[HARPERC]

.300 Winchester Magnum is rarely the wrong answer. Several of the non magnums such as the .30-06 work well also. The key to most is using bullets appropriate for conditions.

I'd find a rifle I liked, at a price point that intrigued me, and let that decide if it's a magnum, standard and which one.