Rifle advice

[Chadp82]

What cartridges are you already set up for? If you have a 7mm or 30cal, you may already be there and could look to upgrade an optic and just move to a different bullet/powder combo.

If you are set on buying a rifle, I would understand where you are hunting and expected ranges, but there's no magic to it. A good bullet and shot placement will get you there and the cartridge choices are vast.

 

[crazymonkey]

Get a caliber your comfortable with . Elk are killed with everything from a 243 to big magnum caliber. I've taken pigs with my 7-08 and wouldn't hesitate to shoot elk with it at modest range . I've taken elk with my 300 wm and muzzleloader. They will definitely kill pigs also . Get a gun your comfortable with and a good bullet and it will do the job.

 

[buzby]

I would go about this backwards from how most people do, which is pick a cartridge, then a bullet. Bullet construction is more important than brass headstamps. I would choose a bullet, then match it to a cartridge that will push it to minimum velocity for reliable expansion at the distances you plan to hunt.

Examples; ELD-X, 1600FPS min, Hammer Hunters, 1800FPS

If your max is 5-600, the lowly 6.5cm will suite you without excess recoil.

If you need more yardage, 6.5 PRC or 7prc

This is more new school train of thought, with newer bullets, and newer cartridges.

The old school (and still works quite well!) is get a 300WM and a bonded bullet!

 

[dogz]

If you had to buy one rifle for elk and wild boar hunting, what rifle/caliber would it be? Trying to buy a new rifle that'll be good for both.

Start at the start.....

*what calibers do you have now?

*To what ranges do you anticipate you'll be shooting to?

 

[blvette75]

First choice 300 win mag, second choice 338 win mag, if you wanted an upgrade over the 338 win mag go with a 33 Nosler, same action length if I had it to do over again I would have re-barreled to 33 Nosler. The reason I went 338 win mag was supposedly there was more ammunition availability with that caliber, since Biden has been in not really the case. At any rate can't go wrong with either of those choices. Have fun and be safe.

As an fyi the 338 actually the recoil to me was not as harsh as the 300 win mag . The 338 was more of a hard push to me than my 300 win mag was, after the re-barrel but with a good brake takes away the unpleasant recoil anyway. Bought another 300 win mag a CA mesa after the sale and rebate was a great deal.

 

[VinceMule]

The biggest cartridge you can shoot well legally. I had a buddy that shot most of his elk with a 308 Win and 165gr Partition. And he was a big guy with a safe full of magnums. 300 yards and less he killed some big elk.

Very sage advice is given here. Many people do not enjoy shooting hard kickers, nor can they shoot them well

My riding partners shot 270s, 30/06, and 7 mags for elk with shots never being over 250 yards. When I drew a cow tag, 243 Win with 100g partitions got the job done in spades. Years ago, we killed a few elk with a 7/08 loaded with 140g Sierra flat base, we did not know any better.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

If you're not experienced shooting rifles and managing recoil, no larger than 6.5 creed. Tikkas are really good rifles from the factory.

All this insurance talk is nonsense, it's a cover up for people who can't place accurate shots. Ironically, going to a lower recoil solution would probably fix their shot placement issues....

 

[xsn10s]

Very sage advice is given here. Many people do not enjoy shooting hard kickers, nor can they shoot them well

My riding partners shot 270s, 30/06, and 7 mags for elk with shots never being over 250 yards. When I drew a cow tag, 243 Win with 100g partitions got the job done in spades. Years ago, we killed a few elk with a 7/08 loaded with 140g Sierra flat base, we did not know any better.

Right now my 30-06 would be my elk rifle. I'd like to upgrade it as my range limits have been extended due to my new hunting areas. But it'll be a few years before I'll get to hunt elk again. I'd like to upgrade to a 300 WM or 7mm RM however a 26-28" barrel 30-06 would work also for my 700 yard range limit. The 7-08 loaded with 175 gr-180 gr high bc bullets interests me also. Pharmseller kills alot of elk with around the 140 gr class bullets so I won't argue with his results.

 

[FEENIX]

If you had to buy one rifle for elk and wild boar hunting, what rifle/caliber would it be? Trying to buy a new rifle that'll be good for both.

The .300 WM remains "my" go-to chambering from antelope to elk size game up to 1KY.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I'd buy a 300 mag of some flavor for elk hunting and use it for pigs even though it is just too much for pig hunting. If you intend to shoot many pigs then I'd get a .308Win for the pigs and just limit the distance you'll shoot an occasional elk.

IMO, you really need two different rifles, chambered for two different cartridges, but one rifle can do it all if needed.

 

[VinceMule]

I never found elk hard to kill, but a gut-shot cow or bull from hunting partners made me cuss a lot.

Range further than 300 yards, across deep canyons, and crazy winds, can make for some really bad hits, especially quartering from the rear. Shooting off-hand at distance with an adrenaline rush going makes for some miserable tracking jobs.

 

[Rosebud]

Not sexy today but 7 mm Rem mag. 160 class bullets. World class killer!

 

[memtb]

If you're not experienced shooting rifles and managing recoil, no larger than 6.5 creed. Tikkas are really good rifles from the factory.

All this insurance talk is nonsense, it's a cover up for people who can't place accurate shots. Ironically, going to a lower recoil solution would probably fix their shot placement issues....

Or perhaps……people that have hunted elk and know that they do not "always" offer the perfect "close range" broadside shot!

Jus Say'n …..elk can be killed with a 22 rimfire (though not legal) under perfect conditions for the cartridge! memtb

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Or perhaps……people that have hunted elk and know that they do not "always" offer the perfect "close range" shot with a broadside shot!

Jus Say'n …..elk can be killed with a 22 rimfire (though not legal) under perfect conditions for the cartridge! memtb

So what's your story where a bigger bullet allowed you to make a kill that couldn't have been made with a smaller one?

22 rimfire doesn't have enough velocity for bullet upset or fragmentation, so it is not adequate. 22 centerfires on the other hand, different story.