The comments on the recoil pad are accurate. However, with a Savage brand rifle, I recommend adding one, especially consider a Sims Vibration Labs Slip-on. My mom has a Savage rifle chambered in 7mm-08 REM (I have a Remington 788 in this caliber) and it has considerablely more recoil than mine. My dad put it's recoil about the same as his Winchester model 70 30-06 until he added a Sims slip-on to her gun. He now classes it with her Remington 600 in 222. Having the stock cut down to compensate for the pad should not cost much and would be worth every penny to make the weapon fit properly. Use the heaviest bullets you can for elk and be sure to practice a lot to know the shooters limits as well as the performance of the weapon. This is a good caliber for what you've listed.