Which rifle?

[snox801]

Ok so as the title say. My dad bought a elk hunt in CO at the last minute two weeks ago and leaves this week.
He took out his trusted .300 win mag he has used for 40 years to realize it had some damage and could not be used.
Several years ago we bought him a custom 6.5 creed with a nice brake on it. He uses the 147gr eld ammo and shoots it very good. He actually like to go to the range now because it's so easy to shoot. He can hit the 8" vitals on my bear target every time out to 400 which is our max range. Even yesterday in a stiff 20mph wind.
He is bringing my .300 win mag loaded with hammers and a painkiller brake as back up but he is not as comfortable with it.
Hs guide said he limits shots to 300 yards max and most are 150. I assume the 6.5 well placed would be no issue. Am I thinking correct? Seems people have mentioned that he should go bigger but I assure him placement is everything.
Lol funny cause this man has hunted all over the world and taken almost everything in North America more than once.

 

[memtb]

Obviously, the rifle he is most comfortable with! That said, on an expensive, guided, out of state hunt, personally....I'd opt. for the .300 mag. With his previous experiences hunting, unless he has shoulder issues, he should be able to get "comfortable" behind the .300. This is assuming that it's noise, recoil issues and "not" fit issues. If he has "fit" issues....that requires "fitting" the rifle to him! memtb

 

[xsn10s]

I haven't got to harvest an elk yet. But the very knowledgeable hunters I question would use what your Dad is comfortable with. I would also opt for the 300 win mag but the 6.5 CM should do the job at that range also. I'd take a broadside shot and stay off the shoulder. If he has a 308 win, 270 win, 7mm something, or 30-06 that would also be choices for 300 yards or less.

 

[xsn10s]

My buddies Dad has no shortage of rifles to pick from for his elk hunts. He's a big guy and can handle recoil of the big boomers. But he's taken more elk here in Oregon with his 308 win. Including his personal best last year.

 

[snox801]

He's just not comfortable with the rifle itself. It hold good groups but not like he does with the 6.5. He knows the obvious stay off bone. He's just very good with his combo and I'd hate to change it up on him right before sounds like a easy way to make a mistake.
He has taken a few elk with a .270 and thought being what's he difference between a 140gr 270 and a 147gr 6.5? Not much. He is bringing the .300 as a back up and will be shooting. It more before he goes but he is doing very good with it. Was holding a 3" group at 400 in a windy day so I thought that was best choice especially after the guide said the are shooting short ranges like that.

 

[xsn10s]

I think ultimately it's going to be his choice. For me I think the 6.5 might be light. I'd feel more confident with something bigger. I'm building a 260 AI and plan on using the 156gr Berger. But even then I may reach for a 270 win at this point rather than a 6.5. But if HE is more confident with the 6.5CM then that would be what I'd go with. I might go with a 140gr Berger only because it seems to be a more reliable killer.

 

[26Reload]

65.....300 yards maxi is nothing....especially since he is shooting it really good....you do not need a 300 to kill an elk....lots of this is from experience....obviously the 300 has been around a long long time..and my brother has accounted for a lot of elk with a 300wm...
But to the yardage you are saying guide limits shots the 65 will kill what needs to be killed....why put an extra burden on pops.....if he has killed as many critters as you say....a smaller caliber will do him justice......Let him hunt....

 

[Hoss50]

6.5cm will get it done.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

If he has the hunting experience and kill ratio you speak of he should be able to kill an elk with a 243 inside 300 yards. Let him use what is comfortable with, meaning the 6.5

 

[snox801]

That was my initial thought just thought I'd let more chime in. As he gets older I find he enjoys shooting the smaller stuff because being a builder all his life and baseball player his shoulders are on the rough side.
His hunting partner has really bad shoulders and hunt with a .243 all the time just changes bullet for what he's hunting.
I figured I killed a scimitar oryx with that bullet out of my 6.5 and African game tends to have very thick skin.

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

Ok so as the title say. My dad bought a elk hunt in CO at the last minute two weeks ago and leaves this week.
He took out his trusted .300 win mag he has used for 40 years to realize it had some damage and could not be used.
Several years ago we bought him a custom 6.5 creed with a nice brake on it. He uses the 147gr eld ammo and shoots it very good. He actually like to go to the range now because it's so easy to shoot. He can hit the 8" vitals on my bear target every time out to 400 which is our max range. Even yesterday in a stiff 20mph wind.
He is bringing my .300 win mag loaded with hammers and a painkiller brake as back up but he is not as comfortable with it.
Hs guide said he limits shots to 300 yards max and most are 150. I assume the 6.5 well placed would be no issue. Am I thinking correct? Seems people have mentioned that he should go bigger but I assure him placement is everything.
Lol funny cause this man has hunted all over the world and taken almost everything in North America more than once.

I use the 300 win for everything even varmit hunting but if he like the 6.5 creed and shoots it well with shots under 300 that is what he should take

 

[BrentM]

6.5 creed is plenty for elk. My neighbor has killed a pile with his. He just took a massive 8x8 last week in Wyoming. I don't have the range details yet but before he left on this hunt he killed a large cow on his ranch at 500. I was with him when he took a nice 300 class bull a couple years ago.

 

[deserthunter86]

I use the 300 win for everything even varmit hunting but if he like the 6.5 creed and shoots it well with shots under 300 that is what he should take

which rifle/ammo are you using? I love my 300 but after 9 shots at the range. I'm done and grab my 6.5. I'd love to shoot it more but it gets un enjoyable.

 

[snox801]

Mine is a Kevin rayhill built with 26" tube. I have a painkiller brake and running the 181 hammer hunters in it. Very easy to shoot.
That painkiller really calms it down and makes it nice to shoot.