elk caliber??

brushbustin · 01-03-2007, 12:59 PM

Ive never hunted anything bigger than a whitetail and i was wondering if a 30-06 is an adequate round to cleanly take an elk??If so what brand and bullet would you reccommend?Im asking because im going to plan a late season cow hunt or maybe a bull hunt and i need to know if i need to invest in another rifle.Even though i think the wife may have other feelings about it..lol

Justice4all · 01-03-2007, 01:08 PM

30/06 loaded with a good 180 gr bullet is plenty for elk, but if you are looking for an excuse to get a new rifle go get a 300 Win, Wby, or WSM. 325 WSM and 338 Win are also fine choices, but might be a little large for most of you whitetail adventures. If it were me I would look really hard at the 325 WSM.

BareBack Jack · 01-03-2007, 01:32 PM

The 30-06 sprng. is a good ole elk round.Shoot 165-180 gr bullets of quality and design like Partions,Barnes,Accubonds and Hornady.They will cleanly take elk with proper shot placement.
Also like Justice said,if you are looking for and excuse to buy a new gun by all means do it.I favor the Big 300 Magnums and the Medium Bores .338 Win mag,.338 Ultra,.340 WBY just to name a few.
BBJ

thegamehunter · 01-04-2007, 07:09 AM

What about a 150 Grain from the 300 wsm? Will it work just as well?

Nord QC Bouman · 01-04-2007, 08:25 AM

I would suggest a 338 WINMG, but I have just shot a 338 Federal and was real impressed with the simlar performance to the WIN MAG with a much smoother shot like a 180g '06.Good energy and knock downbeyond 300 yards.

20GADBL · 01-04-2007, 11:21 AM

30-06 should work great. Just use good bullets. Federal makes a 180gr nosler partition HIGH ENERGY load you could try. Practice anduse whatshoots well in your rifle.

Justice4all · 01-04-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: thegamehunter

What about a 150 Grain from the 300 wsm? Will it work just as well?

You could probably get by with a 150, but I would personally use at least 165 with 180 being optimal for elk in a 300 WSM. I would step down to 150's for a fast deer round.

brushbustin · 01-04-2007, 09:04 PM

Thanks guys for all of the info..Ill probly go with the federal 180 grainers..

demoIL · 01-04-2007, 10:34 PM

180 Nosler partition, you want something bonded or something with controlled expansion.

30.06 is good, as well as other popular calibers 300wm and 338wm...

that's probably the three most popular.

jparker29 · 01-05-2007, 09:27 AM

the first elk i shot was with a 30-06 and 180gr Hornady light mag. BTSP never took a step. MY son shot his first cow elk last month at 205 yards using a .308 and Hornady light mag 165gr BTSP also never took a step.
MY sons hunt will be on Elk Country Journal in Febuary.