Hello and thanks in advance. I have been reading here for a while now and have reached the point of paralysis by analysis on the question of which cartrdige to get for a new elk gun. My hunting experience is limited to white tail and upland game birds here in Oklahoma. Currently I am shooting a .243 Ruger MK77II for white tail, and need a gun for my first elk hunt.
I know that there are a number of excellent rounds out there for elk, but have narrowed it down to the 7mm RM or 30-06 based on having shot some of the hotter magnum rounds before, the availability and cost of ammo, and my comfort level with shooting ranges out to 250 yds. The .338 Wm and 300 WM were just not enjoyable for me to shoot. The 30-06 and 7mm RM were fine. And as the wise man once said, practice makes perfect, and if I cant get the time in at the range I have no business taking a shot at one of these magnifficent animals.
7mm all the way. It has MUCH less drop than the 30-06. As in as much as 10-12 inches when you get out to 300 yds. or more. It has plenty of knockdown power for an elk also.
To be perfectly honest with you, at your stated 250 yard limit it anit going to make a hill of beans defference one way or the other. The elk will never know the difference.
According to Federal charts. At 300 yards with Federal ammo shooting 160 grain NP in the 7RM and a 180 grain NP in the 30-06 there is only 1.3 inch difference in trajectory. Out past 300 yards or so the 7mm begins to shine better than the 30-06. However, it still doesn't get an 11 or 12 inch advantage until you get to 500+ yards and then it's only 10.6 inches at 500 yards.
It's really a matter of flipping a coin and buying one. Ammo is readily available anywhere for both, Both have a very wide selection of bullets in either factory loaded or for the reloader. Both are inexpensive to practice with. Recoil is about the same for either one. And they are both very capable elk cartridges.
Personally I would choose the 30-06 for the simple reason that it does not have a belt on it. But that 's just a personal thing.
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ourabmen------ 1st welcome to the forum. Pick the one you like, gun style, price, quality of the wood stock, etc. I use a 30/06, using 180 grain factory ammo----I have had no problems in killing elk. My buddy uses a 7 MM REG Mag, using 160 grains bullets & has killed elk with it. It's really 6 one way, half a dozen the other. To be honest, You need to put a "good" scope on it----Leupold is my choice. Also, practice, hit where it counts-----in the "boiler room".
Last piece of advice is getting in shape, do cardio till you can't stand it anymore----then do another 30 minutes !!!
I would go with either. The elk won't know the difference. A 160 grain premium bullet in the 7 RM, or a 165-180 gr premium bullet in the .30-06 will have the same effect on an elk if you put the bullet in the broiler room... A dead elk. My family has used the .30-06 almost exclusively for years, and I can't complain. Under 300 yds there is virtually no difference between the two. Beyond that shots begin getting to risky anyway. Flip a coin.
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Thanks for all of the great advice. I think that I am leaning toward the 30-06 at this point. I would like to try hand loading ammo some day and it seems that there are a ton of 30-06 options out there (not that 7mm RM does not).
Colorado Bob, thanks for the advice on cardio conditioning. I had a job as the maintainance man at a ski lodge in Taos, NM when is was in my early 20's, had more hair, and a slimmer waste, and it damn near killed me until I got acclimatized.
As far as optics go, I received about $700.00 worth of gift certificates from Cabella's from my old job and cashed them on a 3.5x10x50 Khales with the TDS reticle this year. Man what a difference from the 80.00 dollars Thompson I had on my .243 Ruger.
The great thing about shooting in general, is that room can always be made in the gun safe for just one more rifle, right? If all goes well, and the gods smile favorablely on me, I will be able to post a picture of a noble Wapati next year.
Lastly, this forum has been a great source of information and a real joy to read. The generousity of those of you that share your hard earned experience is not lost on neophytes like me. I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year.
Yeap it is a personal thing and either would be a fine choice. My personal preference is the 7mm RM but again it is my choice for the areas and game I hunt.
Good luck on finding your new rifle and hunting wapiti...they are great creatures.
This question is very hard to answer since the preformance between these two cartridges are so close. I guess I would go with the 7mm Rem. Mag. Good luck
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7mm RM or 30-06 for elk?
