Trying to decide on caliber

[Mark37082]

I like all three the OP listed. The 300WSM and flip a coin on the 280ai or 7saum. All are reasonably pleasant for the range work and will do the job on an elk. The only problem you will run into is deciding on what to pull out of the safe. Then your next choice will be what 338 to get to hammer a moose or brown bear. Those opinions will take another 6 pages to express. Dare to be different. It will make you happier and raise more eye brows.

 

[Calvin45]

And yet the majority insist on chamberings, not on the OP's simple list.

Guilty! Of his list .300 wsm all day.

 

[Calvin45]

Guilty! Of his list .300 wsm all day.

I'm just an old fashioned guy trapped in a 30 year old body…much like my pants I prefer my elk cartridge with a belt!

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

300 WSM would be hard to discount for a mountain elk rifle. Haven't seen a lot of factory ammo on the shelves not hat i'm looking hard though.

 

[FEENIX]

Guilty! Of his list .300 wsm all day.

I'm just an old fashioned guy trapped in a 30 year old body…much like my pants I prefer my elk cartridge with a belt!

I have a few belted, too, including wildcats. I have a few recommendations, but I stayed within the OP's parameter and did not want to complicate it unnecessarily.

 

[FEENIX]

300 WSM would be hard to discount for a mountain elk rifle. Haven't seen a lot of factory ammo on the shelves not hat i'm looking hard though.

That is not the case in my LGSs for at least the last 4 months.

 

[USA_774]

I admire people who put themselves out there and ask for help. Even back in school I was too dumb to ask for help with things I didn't understand. That might be why my only rifle for a long time was my Remington model 760 pump .270. When I finally decided to buy an elk gun, I figured the animals couldn't be too dead. So I bought a 300 RUM. Since then I have used the shotgun approach. I have bought 22-250, 223, .257 Weatherby, 6.5 cm, 6.8 spcII .308 and 300WM. Most of these were used rifles I felt were good deals. Some of them are AR platforms that I have bought the parts and built. The 300WM is a semicustom rifle built on a Remington action. Other than my XB40 308 the semicustom 300WM is the most accurate rifle I have ever shot. The reality is if I had bought it first, I probably wouldn't have bought any of the other bolt guns. So my recommendation is buy a good quality 30 caliber rifle and shoot it a lot! My other recommendation is what ever you buy, get it with a threaded barrel. This provides you with the option of putting a brake on it or even better shooting suppressed.

 

[cardon1122]

I have a 300 RUM and like it. But would also recommend a 28 or 30 Nosler, 300 winmag or 30PRC. 338 RUM would also be great.

 

[cardon1122]

I have a 300 RUM and like it. But would also recommend a 28 or 30 Nosler, 300 winmag or 30PRC. 338 RUM would also be great.

 

[cardon1122]

I admire people who put themselves out there and ask for help. Even back in school I was too dumb to ask for help with things I didn't understand. That might be why my only rifle for a long time was my Remington model 760 pump .270. When I finally decided to buy an elk gun, I figured the animals couldn't be too dead. So I bought a 300 RUM. Since then I have used the shotgun approach. I have bought 22-250, 223, .257 Weatherby, 6.5 cm, 6.8 spcII .308 and 300WM. Most of these were used rifles I felt were good deals. Some of them are AR platforms that I have bought the parts and built. The 300WM is a semicustom rifle built on a Remington action. Other than my XB40 308 the semicustom 300WM is the most accurate rifle I have ever shot. The reality is if I had bought it first, I probably wouldn't have bought any of the other bolt guns. So my recommendation is buy a good quality 30 caliber rifle and shoot it a lot! My other recommendation is what ever you buy, get it with a threaded barrel. This provides you with the option of putting a brake on it or even better shooting suppressed.

Second the recommendation for a threaded barrel. Almost all my guns now have thunderbeast brakes and I screw on a suppressor. Highly recommend it.

 

[sylvester3]

I have a 6.5prc for antelope and deer, next is to get an elk specific rifle. Looking at 300wsm, 280ai, or 7saum?? Thoughts?

300 win mag

 

[Rocketeer77]

I have a 6.5prc for antelope and deer, next is to get an elk specific rifle. Looking at 300wsm, 280ai, or 7saum?? Thoughts?

I have a 6.5 PRC and the 280AI the main advantage with the 280 is the heavier projectile choices. Also the recoil levels are comfortably below your other two cartridge choices, the 280AI is an efficient case design with a 150gr projectile 3000 Fps isn't too difficult from my hand-loads. I use Peterson brass with no issues.

 

[Quintus]

The 300WSM is hard to beat. You can do just about anything with it. run it light and fast or heavy and pretty fast and kill everything you point at right. It is very easy to load for and saves a little in the powder hopper over some of the longer 30s mentioned. Boringly practical and fairly easy to shoot. Not as common as the 300WM, as trendy as the 300PRC, as regal as the 300Bee, or nostalgic as the H&H it will fill the same role without question. It will make the other two options clear tweeners with the 6.5PRC as your little gun.

 

[blvette75]

I have my daughter use one of my 6.5 Creedmoors, with that I agree with others the 6.5 PRC with heavier bullets and/or good shot placement will do very well. For years only had one caliber 300 win mag and reloaded for different Game, now have multiple calibers, it is fun to go that route buy a new caliber, buy the stuff to optimize your accuracy, but the costs do start to add up, different dies, shell holders, gauges, powders in some instances, rifle scopes, etc. Having been a 30 caliber guy for years, my advise is the WSM, sounds like you like the short actions for the lighter weight. But I don't think you can go wrong with any of your choices, be safe and have fun.