What caliber?

[FIGJAM]

I would shoot an elk close with just about anything. 270 with a 130 gr. bullet is the smallest that I would take if I had a choice. Smaller works but you are asking for trouble. We have had a rash of people in WY that have had problems using 6.5 creedmoor. Most of them have moved here from out of state. These paid gunwriters don't know the damage they are doing when they talk this cartridge up. A buddy of mine, his first year here, even took his 6.5 over a 300 Weatherby because of all the hype and lost a bull over it. He doesn't do that anymore.

How is a 130gr bullet from a 270 better than a 130 gr bullet from a 6.5?

 

[KyCarl]

Out of my rifles I would take a 300 WM with 200Gr. Partitions if I'm hunting here in Ky.
If out West I would take my 338 LM with some kind of 285Gr. bomb in it.
I don't take Elk lightly!

 

[FIGJAM]

Out of my rifles I would take a 300 WM with 200Gr. Partitions if I'm hunting here in Ky.
If out West I would take my 338 LM with some kind of 285Gr. bomb in it.
I don't take Elk lightly!

I have never hunted elk in Kentucky - are the elk out there smaller?

 

[WY02K]

How is a 130gr bullet from a 270 better than a 130 gr bullet from a 6.5?

The 3 manuals I just looked at say 200 fps faster. The problem with the 6.5 is the myths behind it, not the actual cartridge. These people get their new magic rifle and suddenly they can shoot 600 yards because the elves have blessed the Creed. Fast forward to the fall, because they never practiced with it, and now there are there are elk limping around with bullets lodged in their behinds and guts.

 

[Christian Wiseman]

The 3 manuals I just looked at say 200 fps faster. The problem with the 6.5 is the myths behind it, not the actual cartridge. These people get their new magic rifle and suddenly they can shoot 600 yards because the elves have blessed the Creed. Fast forward to the fall, because they never practiced with it, and now there are there are elk limping around with bullets lodged in their behinds and guts.

I've hit goats at 1k and 1200 this year with my 6.5x284 both drt

 

[Salmonchaser]

I think it depends on the circumstances. Ol' Cutter posted up above that he's killed a very impressive number of elk! I've only taken a couple. Used a 30-06/165 for one and a 7mm Rem mag/175 for another. Both rifles worked just fine.

Know a fellow who fed himself for several years, just using his 30-30 Winchester. He had a nice setup where he could count on short range, unhurried shots. He'd take a cow elk every winter. Always one shot, usually under 50 yards.

And the 25-06 & 257 Wby crowd have done a great job on elk with premium 115 - 120 gr bullets.

Sometimes I think we make this whole thing more complicated than it has to be.

Regards, Guy

Yep

 

[KyCarl]

No they have taken bulls over 400? But the hunting areas are close.
300 yards would be really hard to find! More like 200 or less!
So the 300 would be fine.

 

[FIGJAM]

The 3 manuals I just looked at say 200 fps faster. The problem with the 6.5 is the myths behind it, not the actual cartridge. These people get their new magic rifle and suddenly they can shoot 600 yards because the elves have blessed the Creed. Fast forward to the fall, because they never practiced with it, and now there are there are elk limping around with bullets lodged in their behinds and guts.

That is a shooter/hunter problem, not a cartridge problem. I don't see how a 130gr bullet out of a 270 is any better than a 130 out of a 6.5 whatever. What about a 130 out of a 6.5-06 or a 6.5x284 or a 260 AI?

Also, I would bet more dumbasses shooting big magnums make more bad shots than guys shooting the little 6.5s.

 

[FIGJAM]

No they have taken bulls over 400? But the hunting areas are close.
300 yards would be really hard to find! More like 200 or less!
So the 300 would be fine.

This is interesting - so you are saying because the shots on elk are 200 or less, a 300 is fine, but if you go over 200 you need a 338 LM?

 

[BlackWolf7mm]

what is the smallest caliber you would hunt elk with and grain?

7mm 150gr. GMX

 

[Deleted member 107796]

Out to about 200 yards, we've used the old 257 Roberts loaded with a 120gn Partition, pretty much during the time I was getting into hunting as a young man. My wife did the same. Of course we stepped up in power with other calibers, but I'd take that rifle in a heartbeat, given its' dead on accuracy.

 

[KyCarl]

I didn't say you needed a darn thing! I said I would do it that way and it will work!
Personally I would try any animal in North America with the Lapua!
You do what ever you want it's nothing to me!

 

[FIGJAM]

I didn't say you needed a darn thing! I said I would do it that way and it will work!
Personally I would try any animal in North America with the Lapua!
You do what ever you want it's nothing to me!

Easy big guy - just trying to figure out what you are trying to say. The OPs question is what is the smallest caliber you would hunt elk with - just trying to figure out why a 300 is your min for KY elk and the 338 LM is the minimum for elk out west.

 

[KyCarl]

Because my 6.5 X 284 is illegal to use for Elk in Ky.
And I don't like the smallest that will work idea! What? Keep going smaller until it doesn't work? What then? I'm comfortable with my choices..
Either rifle would work just fine anywhere for Elk!