Need some guidance..

[Roughwater]

You're gonna get this flooded with more opinions!! Hahaha..

LOL, you got that right. I'm pretty much out of advice already. Probably best too. You'll do well I'm sure.

 

[Swatman05]

LOL, you got that right. I'm pretty much out of advice already. Probably best too. You'll do well I'm sure.

Haha.. I hope so. I hope you have a successful season as well.

 

[WildRose]

Next time I'm heading to elk country I'll take two of my three favorite rifles. My M70 SS in 7mm STW shooting 154gr Peregrin VLR5', My Custom M70 SS in .300 Rum Shooting 183gr Peregrine VLR5's, and my custom M70 .375 Ruger shooting Peregrine 270gr VLR4's.

I have ultimate confidence in any of the three. Just put it where you want it and let nature take it's course.

 

[Roughwater]

Next time I'm heading to elk country I'll take two of my three favorite rifles. My M70 SS in 7mm STW shooting 154gr Peregrin VLR5', My Custom M70 SS in .300 Rum Shooting 183gr Peregrine VLR5's, and my custom M70 .375 Ruger shooting Peregrine 270gr VLR4's.

I have ultimate confidence in any of the three. Just put it where you want it and let nature take it's course.

Seems like you have a nice selection of artilery to take to the field with you. I take two rifles myself when I head to Elk country. I usually end up falling a time or two and you don't know what else might cause a rifle to malfunction or a scope to be off so best to have a back up if possible. Elk country is generally rough country.

 

[FIGJAM]

Seems like you have a nice selection of artilery to take to the field with you. I take two rifles myself when I head to Elk country. I usually end up falling a time or two and you don't know what else might cause a rifle to malfunction or a scope to be off so best to have a back up if possible. Elk country is generally rough country.

I agree - I've actually started carrying a spare rifle on any type of hunt when I am going to be more than a couple hours away from home. Varmints, coyotes, deer, elk etc. I had a gun jam and ruin a deer hunt once 20 years ago...never again will I have that happen to me.

 

[tooth doc]

He said he has a friend who killed an Elk last year at 1,550yds with a 6.5 Creedmore and told me the guy is phenomenal at shooting. I really like the look of the blended brakes. I'm not scared of the recoil as I used to own a 340 Weatherby Mag and handled it just fine. I'd like a brake in case I need to do a quick follow up shot.

1550 with 6.5 creed, i doubt. Lwts gwt real hwar, i live the 6.5 crewd because of one reason, accurate competition ammo at a price you cant beat by handloading. Great for competition to 1000 yds or a BIT better. But it isnt magic! A 260 rem is actuaally a better choice, especially if you handload. Surely can kill elk, but if i used ir on elk i would handload, to get a better performng hunting bullet, i really like barnes, but there are several great choices, eldx, partition, etc. Elk is a large heavy animal . On a perfect broadside sgot the 6.5 would do a great job, but on a quartering shot, or shoulder i like a heavier hitter. Many good choices, already mentioned. I would add 300 wsm, 7mm wsm, 7mm dakota, 300 dakota, 338 wm, but no matter what choice you make, a good, deep penetrating bullet and accurate placement is more important than cartridge choicem. I think your idea of a tikka is a great choice!. I hunt elk, deer, bear in the states and canada and have been to africa 16 times, and my go to rifles are 300 wsm and 7wsm. They work very well on everything up to big eland bulls that can be double the size bull elk. In the end, many choices to consider for lots of reasons, and no one perfect choice, but 6.5 for all its qualities, not my 1st choice. My 2 cents worth

 

[hpmag308]

300 wsm,300 win may,300 rum,308 Norma May,264 Mag Any above plus too many to list,what it comes down is what floats your boat,it's hard to go wrong unless you pick a 6.5 cm

 

[WildRose]

Seems like you have a nice selection of artilery to take to the field with you. I take two rifles myself when I head to Elk country. I usually end up falling a time or two and you don't know what else might cause a rifle to malfunction or a scope to be off so best to have a back up if possible. Elk country is generally rough country.

I started investing in quality firearms a long time ago. When I die my wife can sell a gun a month and get along very well.

I carry my rifles pretty much constantly in the truck, at least two at a time and that much shock and vibration can be very hard on optics so I am not afraid to spend good money on them as well.

 

[CanardNoir]

Since then I have acquired a couple of 300 WinMags and a 7mm STW. But I've also fired a .243 Win that (under ideal conditions) enabled me to hit a 10" steel plate at a distance of one-half mile.

So "...it's really NOT what you shoot, but where you hit that really matters".

 

[WildRose]

Since then I have acquired a couple of 300 WinMags and a 7mm STW. But I've also fired a .243 Win that (under ideal conditions) enabled me to hit a 10" steel plate at a distance of one-half mile.

So "...it's really NOT what you shoot, but where you hit that really matters".

That sounds nice but when it comes to clean quick kills it certainly does matter. You have to have enough mass and velocity on impact for bullets to perform properly and deliver enough energy to the target to do massive internal damage or you don't get that clean, quick, humane kill.

 

[Deviant]

I will be moving to Utah from Oklahoma in March. I definitely will be getting into Elk hunting and I was told to go with a 6.5 Creedmore. My main goal is primarily to hunt Elk and do some long range shooting at a range with yardage up to 2,000yds. I was also contemplating building a 300WM and putting a good muzzle brake on it to help with recoil. With me being new to Elk hunting I told the gentleman I don't plan on shooting past 400-500yds. I'm just concerned with penetration with the 6.5 Creedmore on a large animal. Also, what would you guy's recommend for a good muzzle brake? Thanks for any input gentlemen.

Anyone who takes a Creedmoor elk hunting is a f#%@!*> moron. There are so many better calibers out there to take down one of the toughest critters on the planet. I think we owe that much to the animals we hunt. As always its about shot placement no matter what caliber you choose but lets be smart about it. 300 win mag or 7mm mag are good choices with proper bullet selection. There are plenty of others that would all be much better than a creedmoor.

 

[CanardNoir]

That sounds nice but when it comes to clean quick kills it certainly does matter. You have to have enough mass and velocity on impact for bullets to perform properly and deliver enough energy to the target to do massive internal damage or you don't get that clean, quick, humane kill.

You obviously don't have as many one-shot kills on cervids (and no cripples) with a .22-250 Rem and 52gr BTHPs as I have amassed. But then, I never pulled the trigger with the mindset or the sight picture for doing "massive internal damage" on either man or beast...

 

[Swatman05]

You obviously don't have as many one-shot kills on cervids (and no cripples) with a .22-250 Rem and 52gr BTHPs as I have amassed. But then, I never pulled the trigger with the mindset or the sight picture for doing "massive internal damage" on either man or beast...

So you've shot Elk with a 22-250?

 

[Hand Skills]

You obviously don't have as many one-shot kills on cervids (and no cripples) with a .22-250 Rem and 52gr BTHPs as I have amassed. But then, I never pulled the trigger with the mindset or the sight picture for doing "massive internal damage" on either man or beast...

You are aware this is a long range hunting site, no?