What is the max range of my elk hunting load?

[WyoElk2Hunt]

I agree with you Boss. My first Elk was with a 270. Then I went to 300 Win Mag for the next three. Then came my 300 Weatherby for a bunch over the last twenty years cows and bulls. Now I am getting a 338 Sin. 257 is ample gun but limits you in range and perfect shot placement.

 

[meatyrem]

I said 300yds. That is a light bullet no matter how you look at it. Go with a ttsx and aim carefully.

 

[coloradohtr]

Hi Guys
I live in Colorado and have killed more than one bull. A long shot for me is 400 yards. I carry a 300 WSM or my old 30-06 that has a few kills. When I lived in Pa for a few years I shot at the Shippensburg 1000 yard range and met a few Williamsport 1000 yard shooters. These guys are pro's There are a few numbers on their web page, I would call and ask for help.
I would also learn about a 10 MPH wind pushing a bullet 5 ft. at 500 yards. Learn how to read the tall grass and limbs moving in the wind. Then I would learn how to set up a scope with each 100 yd zero marked. Next I would buy a range finder.
As for bullets many people have had problems with bonded and solid copper bullets at the lower vel. at long range. A good old partition has a soft point no bonding this bullet should expand at 500 yds. At 50 yds it will still work very well.
Good luck hop this helps.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Edited

 

[newmexkid]

I had the opportunity to hunt elk in Wyoming for 16 wonderful years. Sure a .25 will kill an elk. So will a .243. However, I feel that you could possibly be short-changing yourself by having to limit yourself to that,"perfect" shot. Not saying you can just bang away with a big magnum!Good shot placement at a reasonable range will put some elk tender loin on your dinner table. Good Luck.

 

[rscott5028]

Some things you can control and some you can't.

You do get to decide when to squeeze the trigger.

People kill Elk all the time with bows and pistols.

If you don't have the right weapon, focus on your calling/stalking merit badge.

Happy hunting!!
Richard

 

[Nomad]

Have hunted elk for many years. Have taken several.
Debate on this subject is on going. Many good marksman on this forum.
Have shot against some of them and scored well, but the perfect shot once in a while if
you hunt alot..
Elk are large and powerful animals a humane kill and clean shot is what they deserve....
My point is a shot with 1200-1500 ft-lb of energy and a fast second shot to confirm no suffering
or loss of an animal. yes they can be died and still cover miles of country.......

 

[Loner]

The fact that we have herds of stragglers banded together, running around with arrows
in them, legs blown off, cysts the size of softballs that have developed around bullets:
I'ld have to say there is a lot of boloney out there about not wounding animals. Not to
mention the nightmare of having an elk make it over a ridge line and going 600 yards
down the wrong side of a mountain to get him out. You guys hunt them with you want,
for me a 7mm is just adequate nothing more. Anything less I feel I would be under gunned. jmo. If you ever come across 20-25 animals all limping and busted up you may
feel the same.

 

[Sully2]

I agree !! Mature bulls are big and tough. You gotta wack-em!

I have to agree on the ZERO yardage but had to select under 250 because I didnt see the option of ZERO. Elk hunting with a 25 caliber??....might as well sneak up close and use a BB gun!

 

[FEENIX]

Some things you can control and some you can't.

You do get to decide when to squeeze the trigger.

People kill Elk all the time with bows and pistols.

If you don't have the right weapon, focus on your calling/stalking merit badge.

Happy hunting!!
Richard

LL!

 

[SBruce]

I'd like to hear some actual responses from some of the folks that voted 800 to 1000 yds.

Seems like all the response is from those of us that voted more conservative.

I voted 450 and that was based on a good broadside lung shot. I'd like to hear some of the justification for 800-1000 yd shots with a 25-06.

 

[WildRose]

I'd like to hear some actual responses from some of the folks that voted 800 to 1000 yds.

Seems like all the response is from those of us that voted more conservative.

I voted 450 and that was based on a good broadside lung shot. I'd like to hear some of the justification for 800-1000 yd shots with a 25-06.

Well I'm in that group.

Not the weapon I'd recommend for that application but I'm also the guy who's been known to shoot 400lbs hogs stone dead at over 300yds regularly with a .204 ruger.

If you can place the shot in exacty the right place and have confidence going in that you are going to be able to do so the caliber is all but irrelevant.

Most of us can't however and thus we use the monster killers which make up for precision with overwhelming damage and hydrostatic shock due to massive energy on impact.

Know your weapon, it's capabilities, and those of the ammo and be honest about your own limitations before pulling the trigger on anything is a good rule of thumb for all.

 

[meatyrem]

Well I'm with you on this SBruce. I just went back and re-read all the posts, and not once have I seen someone comment on their vote for 600yds or more. Esp the ones who voted 1k or more. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying 25-06 won't do it at those farther distances; if you have perfect conditions and pinpoint accuracy. For this given caliber I wouldn't go with anything less than 100 gr ttsx but, I would opt for the 120gr partition. In my earlier post I said the ttsx, however I think it is on the light side. Better to go with the heaviest better constructed bullet that is available. I think there is a reason we haven't heard from those who voted 1k or more. Again, I'm not saying a 25-06 will not do the job, but keeping the range limited. I have read books on elk hunting and many many articles all of witch say that the .280 rem is the lower end of the "elk rifles". In other words they refer to it as being the minimum. And having said that they still limit that caliber to around 400yds, using the ft-lbs limitation. I wouldn't hesitate taking my 280 elk hunting but I still would be limiting myself to around 400 to 500 yds of course I would be loading it with the heavier bullet choices of tough construction.
Again........curious to hear from those who voted over 1k.

 

[The Surgeon]

The BC of .466 is based off of the G1 drag model. There is one big problem with using the G1 drag model, the bullet you are using will not fit this drag model. You need to recalculate your figures using the G7 drag model. If your online calculator dos not support the G7 model try looking at JBM Ballistics and use the trajectory simplified option. As for the elevation, is this the correct elevation for where you are hunting at? With the data that you provided I would not go above the MPBR of a 25-06 for Elk. You need to find out what the required energy is for this bullet to perform as it was intended. The hunting rounds that I am familiar with need to have 1700+ ft/lbs to perform as designed. The 25-06 may not be the ideal round for large game but it will work if you do your homework. Do not drop below the 1700 mark and you will do fine. But I think if you re- work your figures using the G7 model the MPBR will go up. I have done some load work with the 25-06 and your initial numbers do not look right. Are you Berger's hand loaded or are you using HSM ammunition? The reason I ask is you need to get the round chrono'd and find out what the actual MV is.