RE: elk gun
I take my wife out every year for elk. She shoots a 6.5x55 Sweede. Great gun, very low recoil. High BC and penetration capabilities with 140gr bullets. She hasn't got an elk with it yet, but we have dropped moose with it no problem. She also shoots my Browning BLR in .308 the odd time, so long as I don't max out the handload she is comfortable with 165gr loads. 7mm-08 would be another great choice as would 7x57 or .260 rem.