Short barrel 1000 yard elk cartridge

[Bravo 4]

I have to admit, your intentions seem good, but I'm not certain you've ever shot an elk, or considering the more likely scenarios.

1. Elk aren't that hard to kill. A kudu is, but any well placed shot with a sectionally dense 140gr bullet with adequate energy will do the job.
- No one wants to hear the "I shot..." story, but like ballistics on 7mm-08 and was successful with difficult shots on kudu, zebra (which are really hard to kill) and a bushbuck with one shot 120gr Barnes copper solids at ranges between 247 and 392 meters. The 392 meter shot was a kudu in brush.

2. Growing up in elk country in NM, I can't remember anyone taking a shot beyond 250 yards. Maybe we we taught not shoot at an animal that you'd likely wound and find carcass parts the following spring

Where I'm going with this is that a 1000yd shoot is unethical - period.

400 yards is about the end of practical. 500 if your really good and on flat terrain.

So, if you want an 18" barrel, the gold standard 308 Winchester works well with short barrel lengths and easily mastered.

The trick to distance shooting is practice and loads, not something a normal guy can't shoot more than 10 times without quivering.

If you're intent on pushing the envelope, I hope you're willing to live with failure.

A short barreled rifle for elk in timber is a smart move. Why else would have cartridges like 348 Winchester been invented. But they were intended for use with open sights.

For the sake of the animal, practice at 200yds and understand what steel sounds like at 500, and remember your more likely to kick a big bull out at 40 yards than line up on one at a 1000.

Sorry this isn't what you want to hear, but you shoot a nice bull with a guilted 338 Lapua at 80 yds, and you probably won't recover the animal unless you're lucky and catch a major vessel.

Bullet will go straight through with no expansion and walk away wondering what kind of wasp just stung it.

Good luck with your hunt and build.

EM

Sorry but there is a lot of ignorance in this post, no matter how much experience you say you have.
Another one for the ignore list, and after one post...that's saying something.

 

[yorke-1]

Sorry but there is a lot of ignorance in this post, no matter how much experience you say you have.
Another one for the ignore list, and after one post...that's saying something.

My ignore button has been getting a lot of use lately too on here. It's really a shame.....

 

[Dean2]

For those of you that disagree with long range hunting, please, go join a different site. What the hell did u expect to see on a forum called long range hunting,com.

 

[Send it 284]

Bullet will go straight through with no expansion and walk away wondering what kind of wasp just stung it.

Good luck with your hunt and build.

EM

I'm going to be nice and not pick on you for obviously not having any long range shooting knowledge.
But... velocity equals expansion
There is no such thing as a hunting bullet going so fast that it blows through an animal before it has time to expand, its the opposite with high velocity.
Please get educated and do some long range shooting of your own before passing judgment.
Good luck to you

 

[Ernie]

I have to admit, your intentions seem good, but I'm not certain you've ever shot an elk, or considering the more likely scenarios.

1. Elk aren't that hard to kill. A kudu is, but any well placed shot with a sectionally dense 140gr bullet with adequate energy will do the job.
- No one wants to hear the "I shot..." story, but like ballistics on 7mm-08 and was successful with difficult shots on kudu, zebra (which are really hard to kill) and a bushbuck with one shot 120gr Barnes copper solids at ranges between 247 and 392 meters. The 392 meter shot was a kudu in brush.

2. Growing up in elk country in NM, I can't remember anyone taking a shot beyond 250 yards. Maybe we we taught not shoot at an animal that you'd likely wound and find carcass parts the following spring

Where I'm going with this is that a 1000yd shoot is unethical - period.

400 yards is about the end of practical. 500 if your really good and on flat terrain.

So, if you want an 18" barrel, the gold standard 308 Winchester works well with short barrel lengths and easily mastered.

The trick to distance shooting is practice and loads, not something a normal guy can't shoot more than 10 times without quivering.

If you're intent on pushing the envelope, I hope you're willing to live with failure.

You may not want to hear this...but you may be on the wrong forum.
The forum is called Long Range Hunting, not short and or mid-range hunting.
Your capabilities does not limit others, and others capabilities shouldn't limit yours.
I would encourage you to keep your ethics to yourself.

 

[codyadams]

I have to admit, your intentions seem good, but I'm not certain you've ever shot an elk, or considering the more likely scenarios.

1. Elk aren't that hard to kill. A kudu is, but any well placed shot with a sectionally dense 140gr bullet with adequate energy will do the job.
- No one wants to hear the "I shot..." story, but like ballistics on 7mm-08 and was successful with difficult shots on kudu, zebra (which are really hard to kill) and a bushbuck with one shot 120gr Barnes copper solids at ranges between 247 and 392 meters. The 392 meter shot was a kudu in brush.

2. Growing up in elk country in NM, I can't remember anyone taking a shot beyond 250 yards. Maybe we we taught not shoot at an animal that you'd likely wound and find carcass parts the following spring

Where I'm going with this is that a 1000yd shoot is unethical - period.

400 yards is about the end of practical. 500 if your really good and on flat terrain.

So, if you want an 18" barrel, the gold standard 308 Winchester works well with short barrel lengths and easily mastered.

The trick to distance shooting is practice and loads, not something a normal guy can't shoot more than 10 times without quivering.

If you're intent on pushing the envelope, I hope you're willing to live with failure.

A short barreled rifle for elk in timber is a smart move. Why else would have cartridges like 348 Winchester been invented. But they were intended for use with open sights.

For the sake of the animal, practice at 200yds and understand what steel sounds like at 500, and remember your more likely to kick a big bull out at 40 yards than line up on one at a 1000.

Sorry this isn't what you want to hear, but you shoot a nice bull with a guilted 338 Lapua at 80 yds, and you probably won't recover the animal unless you're lucky and catch a major vessel.

Bullet will go straight through with no expansion and walk away wondering what kind of wasp just stung it.

Good luck with your hunt and build.

EM

Perhaps I'm about to be too forward, but I'm getting tired of these people.

Wow. Complete ignorance, absolutely no knowledge on the subject at hand, and making stuff up as ya go along. Not to mention a forum rule violation.....IN YOUR FIRST POST.

Sorry this isn't what you want to hear, but pretty much everything you just said is wrong. Please educate yourself.

 

[Troutslayer2]

Small sample size but I know a guy who tried all he could to do this with 300NM. He wouldn't do it again. I think he just couldn't get the velocity up and the SD down no matter what he tried.

And to the guy who isn't shooting them till he sees the whites of their eyes- beat it nerd.

 

[GrayCreed]

408chytac

 

[Wild_Bill]

I have to admit, your intentions seem good, but I'm not certain you've ever shot an elk, or considering the more likely scenarios.

1. Elk aren't that hard to kill. A kudu is, but any well placed shot with a sectionally dense 140gr bullet with adequate energy will do the job.
- No one wants to hear the "I shot..." story, but like ballistics on 7mm-08 and was successful with difficult shots on kudu, zebra (which are really hard to kill) and a bushbuck with one shot 120gr Barnes copper solids at ranges between 247 and 392 meters. The 392 meter shot was a kudu in brush.

2. Growing up in elk country in NM, I can't remember anyone taking a shot beyond 250 yards. Maybe we we taught not shoot at an animal that you'd likely wound and find carcass parts the following spring

Where I'm going with this is that a 1000yd shoot is unethical - period.

400 yards is about the end of practical. 500 if your really good and on flat terrain.

So, if you want an 18" barrel, the gold standard 308 Winchester works well with short barrel lengths and easily mastered.

The trick to distance shooting is practice and loads, not something a normal guy can't shoot more than 10 times without quivering.

If you're intent on pushing the envelope, I hope you're willing to live with failure.

A short barreled rifle for elk in timber is a smart move. Why else would have cartridges like 348 Winchester been invented. But they were intended for use with open sights.

For the sake of the animal, practice at 200yds and understand what steel sounds like at 500, and remember your more likely to kick a big bull out at 40 yards than line up on one at a 1000.

Sorry this isn't what you want to hear, but you shoot a nice bull with a guilted 338 Lapua at 80 yds, and you probably won't recover the animal unless you're lucky and catch a major vessel.

Bullet will go straight through with no expansion and walk away wondering what kind of wasp just stung it.

Good luck with your hunt and build.

EM

You realise this is a long range hunting forum don't you?
Also you don't have any understanding of 338 Lapua ballistics at 80 yards the projectile will expand rapidly and flatten anything. Past a mile the projectiles tend not to expand and pencil through game.

 

[lovec_1]

8.5x55mm Blaser
Specialty cartridge for short barrels.

 

[Len Backus]

I have to admit, your intentions seem good, but I'm not certain you've ever shot an elk, or considering the more likely scenarios.

1. Elk aren't that hard to kill. A kudu is, but any well placed shot with a sectionally dense 140gr bullet with adequate energy will do the job.
- No one wants to hear the "I shot..." story, but like ballistics on 7mm-08 and was successful with difficult shots on kudu, zebra (which are really hard to kill) and a bushbuck with one shot 120gr Barnes copper solids at ranges between 247 and 392 meters. The 392 meter shot was a kudu in brush.

2. Growing up in elk country in NM, I can't remember anyone taking a shot beyond 250 yards. Maybe we we taught not shoot at an animal that you'd likely wound and find carcass parts the following spring

Where I'm going with this is that a 1000yd shoot is unethical - period.

400 yards is about the end of practical. 500 if your really good and on flat terrain.

So, if you want an 18" barrel, the gold standard 308 Winchester works well with short barrel lengths and easily mastered.

The trick to distance shooting is practice and loads, not something a normal guy can't shoot more than 10 times without quivering.

If you're intent on pushing the envelope, I hope you're willing to live with failure.

A short barreled rifle for elk in timber is a smart move. Why else would have cartridges like 348 Winchester been invented. But they were intended for use with open sights.

For the sake of the animal, practice at 200yds and understand what steel sounds like at 500, and remember your more likely to kick a big bull out at 40 yards than line up on one at a 1000.

Sorry this isn't what you want to hear, but you shoot a nice bull with a guilted 338 Lapua at 80 yds, and you probably won't recover the animal unless you're lucky and catch a major vessel.

Bullet will go straight through with no expansion and walk away wondering what kind of wasp just stung it.

Good luck with your hunt and build.

EM

Mt_hs is banned for discussing ethics against the rules.

 

[Ernie]

Thanks Len.
I hope you and your family are doing well.
I miss seeing you.
E

 

[Bravo 4]

lovec,
Curious about bullets for it, specifically ones that have high BC and designed to expand with lower velocity impacts.


Guys, I think there have been lots of good cartridge suggestions for short barreled rifles, just remember we are talking 1000 yards with a somewhat diminished muzzle velocity. That means you are going to need a fairly high BC to sustain adequate velocity on target to have reliable bullet performance. Not doubting any of these cartridges can sling a bullet out there and hit a target. We are talking sling an adequate bullet out there to reliably kill.

 

[Ernie]

THIS!