Need an elk rifle (and deer if DNR approves the new regs)

[ScouT6a]

"I have no idea how dumb bullets perform, so I'll have to take your word for them"

I think you've convinced us of that, sir.

 

[Yeah]

You can take that to the bank.

 

[Dirty Steve]

A .243 shooting a 58 gr V max is a coyote grenade. I too have killed several with that combo. It is moving at some serious velocity and will leave an exit wound you can put your fist through. Not great for saving pelts to make things out of, but dang it's fun to smoke them with that combo. It is down right hilarious on prairie dogs,...generally vaporizes them when you shoot them right square center mass.

Dirty Steve

 

[451_Detonics]

For coyotes I prefer the 17/50 M2 wildcat. extreme velocity and you get 3.5 shots before having to change barrels...

In all seriousness I do love my .22 CHeetah for 'yotes, 55 grain at 4000fps. Normally no exit hole and liquified heart and lungs. .22 CHeetah on left, 22-250 on right.

 

[spaniel]

Most of those I know who are local to where the elk are hunt them with boring stuff...typically 270s and 30-06s. If you don't plan on shooting over about 300 yards, any round 270 on up will work great. And, with a change in the laws, they will work great on whitetails too.

Elk are not armored but they do tend to live in country where they can make your life a living hell if you don't anchor them and they take off. The last I shot with a 300WM at 700 yards took 3 rounds through the lungs...yup, the Accubonds expanded fine...but still managed to stay on his feet for 5 minutes and walk a hundred yards further up the mountain. For this reason, I prefer larger caliber bullets (not necessarily driven by magnum charges). I do have a 358 WSM 1.8" and as it is lighter than my long range 300WM it may go out for elk on my next wilderness backpack hunt.

 

[dtkw]

I agree that the 30-06 is a good choice. I shot one with it at a little over 600 yards in CO a few decades ago. In less than 5 seconds, it went down.

 

[ScouT6a]

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My buddy shot this bull today in Montana. A single 180 grain bullet from a .300 Winchester Magnum at a laser ranged 454 yards.

 

[Saw46071]

30 cal or a 270 . 150/160 grain bullet . **** placement is still very important . I love my remmy 30/06 I have a 770 and a700 both r tack drivers . I hand load my ammo but factory ammo is ok .

 

[Saw46071]

30 cal or a 270 . 150/160 grain bullet . shot placement is still very important . I love my remmy 30/06 I have a 770 and a700 both r tack drivers . I hand load my ammo but factory ammo is ok .

 

[ADDICTED2TONE]

If you're gonna load ammo a 30-06 is hard to beat. It truly is an awesome cartridge.
But the 270.280.7mm and 300s are all good cartridges too.
If it was me.. Id say 30-06 270 or 7mm rem. Those have been my 3 favorites for years.
If the rifle rules go in next year though 97% of my huntin will be with my Marlin 336 in 3030.
I live in the southern hills and that cartridge is perfect for here.

 

[6mm Shoot]

There are so many good choices out there. Between the 308 and 3006 you have about two hundred feet per second spread. They will both shoot bullets from 110gr to 200gr. The best bullet for deer is in the 165 gr range or lower. For elk I would go with 180 or bigger.

Both rounds have been used by the Military. The 3006 was dropped for the 308 because of weight and very little was given up in F.P.S.. In short you could carry more 308 than 3006 carrying the same weight. The military still uses the 308 in sniper rifles. They don't use the 3006 for anything. It is also cheaper to load the 308 than the 3006. You use less powder in the 308.

As for the rifle there is a Co called Thompson Center. They make a bolt rifle that goes for $500 that will give Savage and Remington a run for their money. They guarantee 1"MOA three shot group. That is more than you need for hunting. I have a Remington 700, Model 7, and Savage model 10. They are good rifles I have no complaints with any of them. They are all older rifles and they all cost more than $500. I don't have a Thompson bolt gun yet. I do have two of the single shots that the sell and they are great. I have the Encore with two barrels, one in 243 Winchester and the other in 358 Winchester. Both rounds are made from the 308 case. I also have the Contender with a bunch of barrels for it. The one that I use the most is the 223. It is cheap to shoot and very accurate.

If it was me I would go with the 358 Winchester. Load it with 200 gr bullets and go hunting. The only problem is I don't know of anyone that makes the 358 Winchester in a bolt rifle any longer. You could find one used, then they are not cheap. The last one I saw on Gun broker was going for over $800 and it didn't have glass with it. It is a good round. It has taken just about every thing in America. I have never read of anyone taking the big bears with it. Most people that hunt the big bears use the 35 Whelen or something bigger.

I hope I gave you some information that was of use. Good luck with what ever you decide and I hope you have a safe hunt.

 

[Hookeye]

I'd pick something that was more fun to shoot in the "off season".
I found full out 250's in a .35 Whelen to be a hoot

 

[ws6duramax]

There are so many good choices out there. Between the 308 and 3006 you have about two hundred feet per second spread. They will both shoot bullets from 110gr to 200gr. The best bullet for deer is in the 165 gr range or lower. For elk I would go with 180 or bigger.

Both rounds have been used by the Military. The 3006 was dropped for the 308 because of weight and very little was given up in F.P.S.. In short you could carry more 308 than 3006 carrying the same weight. The military still uses the 308 in sniper rifles. They don't use the 3006 for anything. It is also cheaper to load the 308 than the 3006. You use less powder in the 308.

As for the rifle there is a Co called Thompson Center. They make a bolt rifle that goes for $500 that will give Savage and Remington a run for their money. They guarantee 1"MOA three shot group. That is more than you need for hunting. I have a Remington 700, Model 7, and Savage model 10. They are good rifles I have no complaints with any of them. They are all older rifles and they all cost more than $500. I don't have a Thompson bolt gun yet. I do have two of the single shots that the sell and they are great. I have the Encore with two barrels, one in 243 Winchester and the other in 358 Winchester. Both rounds are made from the 308 case. I also have the Contender with a bunch of barrels for it. The one that I use the most is the 223. It is cheap to shoot and very accurate.

If it was me I would go with the 358 Winchester. Load it with 200 gr bullets and go hunting. The only problem is I don't know of anyone that makes the 358 Winchester in a bolt rifle any longer. You could find one used, then they are not cheap. The last one I saw on Gun broker was going for over $800 and it didn't have glass with it. It is a good round. It has taken just about every thing in America. I have never read of anyone taking the big bears with it. Most people that hunt the big bears use the 35 Whelen or something bigger.

I hope I gave you some information that was of use. Good luck with what ever you decide and I hope you have a safe hunt.

I believe the Thompson Center Venture is the one referring to .

I own two of them , one is 204 ruger and the other is 7mm rem. mag . Both of them are very nice guns . I can shoot the at sub moa with the 204 and about 1.5'' groups out the 7mm . I'm sure it's not the gun , its the shooter .

I like some of the Savage rifle packages , mainly because you can get them with better optics at their price point . I think the T/C is better balanced/handling gun but the savage has a little better trigger . Accuracy is about the same .

 

[bocefus78]

Wow....6 pages! I would have never guessed that! After reading all this and spending many hours researching rifles, I am looking at a savage precision 10 in .308.

I chose the .308 simply for the availablility of ammo and components costs for reloading.

It's not quite the lightest rifle on the market, but I like bull barrels for range time, and the fact it's threaded for a brake (or suppressor) is a big plus in my eyes. It has the accutrigger and accustock also. They way I see it is that the elk trip is more than likely a once in a lifetime thing. So most of its life, it'll be a bench gun and make a few trips to the deer woods if regs are approved. Here it is....now I have to find one and coonfinger it.

Savage Arms

Is a 3-9x40 enough glass for this? Should I go with more zoom and objective? I have never shot any longer than 100yds so yea...I am clueless.

 

[ws6duramax]

I don't recall seeing what range you were wanting to shoot , but for shooting at a target the size of an elk you should just fine to 3-400 yds . IMO . Maybe more .

I like a something around 4-12 for more than 400 yds , but that's for target shooting . I love 3-9 for hunting situations .

 

[451_Detonics]

For hunting I would try to go with a 50mm+ objective just for the light gathering. Other than that I would look for quality and not be cheap, good glass can be the difference between a great hunt and an unsuccessful one. Burris, Leupold, Nikon etc, all good...just avoid the really cheap glass out there.

 

[youngda9]

I've got a 7mm weatherby with two stocks (wood and black) with a scope that I would sell for a grand. It's all like new. You won't find a flatter shooting rifle than a 7mm Weatherby.

 

[spaniel]

For hunting I would try to go with a 50mm+ objective just for the light gathering. Other than that I would look for quality and not be cheap, good glass can be the difference between a great hunt and an unsuccessful one. Burris, Leupold, Nikon etc, all good...just avoid the really cheap glass out there.

Respectfully, I would disagree. I have scopes in the 40, 45, and 50mm configurations. Inside of legal hunting hours, I've found no deficiency in light-gathering abilities for the 40 and 45mm scopes. My long-range gun wears a 50mm objective but after gaining more experience I don't think I'd pay the weight (and $$) penalty for such a large objective again for a hunting rifle. My current 500 yard Indiana deer hunting gun wears a 42mm objective.

 

[indyjohn]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...0-featherweights-five-calibers-available.html

He has either .270 or .30-06. I think you need to slide your budget up another $550. One of these rifles plus Vortex glass from A&A Optics. You'd be happy, happy, happy.

 

[seedubs1]

The new model 70s post fn buy out are VERY nice. From all accounts I've read, the new fn winchesters are every bit the rifle the old pre-64 winchesters were.

I've been lusting after one of the coyote lights in 243 or 22-250. Just wish they came with a 1-12 twist for the 22-250 so I could stabilize some of the 55grain and higher bc stuff and still not over spin the lower weight stuff.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...0-featherweights-five-calibers-available.html

He has either .270 or .30-06. I think you need to slide your budget up another $550. One of these rifles plus Vortex glass from A&A Optics. You'd be happy, happy, happy.