I have a 300 Win Mag that would certainly work for elk out to 500 yards, but I would never take a shot at that range. My personal comfort for long range shots is about 300 yards and even closer if at all possible. The rifle I used for elk hunting this year (I didn't get or even see an elk), was my 358 Win. It has an effective range of about 250 yards for elk. Just my opinion, but a big part of hunting is stalking and working my way to get as close as possible before taking a shot. Otherwise, I feel like a sniper rather than a hunter.