Long Range Elk Gun, What caliber you would choose?

[Sbrinkley]

My vote is a 338RUM pushing 300gr Berger

 

[motrapper]

My vote is a 338RUM pushing 300gr Berger

Had one until it was stolen. Man that combo kicked harder than a Mule with no brake!!!! LOL

 

[rumshooter]

.338 will carry more energy @ those distances, assuming you get it "Ripping" to start out with. There are some incredibly high BC bullets in .338!

 

[cf1105]

Had one until it was stolen. Man that combo kicked harder than a Mule with no brake!!!! LOL

338 RUM with no brake kills on both ends!

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I own a 300 Weatherby Mag, with a 26 inch Magna Ported barrel . I would happily hunt Elk with that rifle, I think a 180 or 200 grn bullet with a High BC. would be adequate for elk at 400 to 500 yards, perhaps even a bit beyond that distance. I would take the best load I could make, test it a my local 300 yard range , and then spend two days at the LR Bang Steel Shooting School, with that rifle, prior to the Elk Hunt . Shoot at least 80 rounds in two days in preparation for the Elk Hunt . Just my opinion.

 

[WV338]

I would chose a cartridge that I can consistently shoot within a 4" circle from various positions. I always want to keep my shots ethical. A bad shot on an elk in many cases means a lost elk that will die later.

 

[Sbrinkley]

Had one until it was stolen. Man that combo kicked harder than a Mule with no brake!!!! LOL

Agreed. When I first got mine in 99' or 2000' I shot it nine times, boxed it up, sent it off and had a brake installed!

 

[257 STW]

30 cal at 3000 fps or better, with a 215 or heavier is bad medicine on Elk at distance. That being said, my 338 Edge + P with a 300 Berger is my new favorite, and tough to beat. my .02

 

[Cory Bache]

My humble 52 year old opinion is after growing up hunting im Montana with heavy magnums from 375 h&h (still one of my favorite firearms, just don't like to shoot it anymore) 300 weatherby and so on. I was younger back then.
Now after my many experiences and getting into this long range stuff about 6 years ago, I have a much different look on things. I now hunt with a
Very accurate 8 pound 15 ounce full dressed 6.5x284 with muzzle brake and am completely in love. The main reasons are, 1 very accurate, 2 no recoil,
3 most times I can see my POI myself on longer shots when shooting by myself. 4 trust me every pound hanging on your shoulder or carried in your arms while hunting adds up.
With that said, my hats off to the real men carrying around the heavy magnums or the ones that want to take the beating of a light weight one. Sure you won't feel the kick shooting a animal but if you are going to get proficient enough to ethically kill a animal at a thousand yards you need to send some lead down range before hand. So with 30cals on up you need to decide,am I going to take a beating with my light magnum so I can have a more pack friendly rifle?
Or am I going to pack a heavier rifle so I can comfortably shoot it enough to get proficient at 1000yrds.
Or you could go with what I have learned and take that fork in the road. To each his own and my humble opinion.

 

[jrock]

338 or 300 Norma Mag for me. At the low end, it would be a 7mm something.

 

[Toecutter]

Never fired the RUM without a brake on it, and i never intend to.
That brake is magic though, gives you a shove, nothing prohibitive at all when shooting the big 300 grainers.
Did i mention that I love that cartridge?

 

[436]

If you can shoot it the .338-378 Wby Mag I've only shot a friend... MarkV in .338-378 Wby Mag and I was amazed, I think Elmer Keith and Roy were right, it's a meat-axe.

 

[Rob L.]

I like heavier calibers and have never been disappointed with results from my .378 Wby Mag. using a 270 gr TSX and RL-22 right at 3200fps muzzle. One elk I killed at 660 yards broadside in Colorado was lifted up some and slammed down DRT. It blew my brother's mind who was spotting for me. On the other hand, I shot a whitetail in Idaho a couple years ago with a .340 Wby Mag using a 225 gr TTSX and RL-19 also right at 3200fps. The shot was slightly quartering destroying the front of the leading lung, the heart completely blown up, and the rear lung mushed. The exit hole looked like you could stuff a baseball in it. That animal ran for 125 yards before sliding dead to a stop! Wild hogs bowl over with that same rifle at 100 yards. So WTH is enough gun, lol?

 

[six pack]

I'm completely satisfied with what I've been using the last 5-6 years. Out to say 600 yards, it will be my 300WM with 180g Noslers. If I know it will be beyond that, say 1000-1200 yards, it's my 338LM with 250g Noslers. But as mentioned in another thread, I recently found a 300g accubond load that looks very promising. If I had it to do over, it would probably be the 280 Nosler and plan on changing barrels every few years......just part of the cost of ownership, I guess.