BareBack Jack

Oh contraire dear sir,We all know if you take only BROADSIDE shots,NOTHNG OVER 100 Yard SHOTS,and STANDING. the .243 is MORE THAN ENOUGH!!!
BBJ

Whitehorn

My sentiments exactly..

But I think this goes beyond magnums. More is always better and in this case more is realistically more ethical but not always necessary.

This is a forum with all the forum quirks, I just shake my head when I read posts thatderide the 30/06 or 270 and yet turn around and extol the virtues of the 280 as a far superior cartridge.. Its not necessarily a magnum thing, but a cartridge cult where people place themselves in ‘cartridge camps’ and defend those idealistic ‘cartridges’ with "talking down" other common cartridges that are virtually identical in performance....

Personally I use a 270 and with my hunting group I have seen success and failures with both the 270 and 338 Win Mag on elk. All of the failures were bad shot placement with both calibers and I saw no leading trend that indicated one cartridge was superior over the other when the shot placement was not ideal. I am not a guide and a DIY hunter and my experience is limited since I work full time. I agree that more is better and more is ethical, but still the evidence that I have either experienced or seen with my eyes was not all that compelling.

pahntr760

I was once told that the 7MM Rem Mag was not enough gun for elk!!!

millagerobert

I use my .243 for deer for the most part, but in some situations I prefer my 300 win mag. and here's why. We hunt in some places were you don't want a deer to go 100yards to die, you want to anchor it on the spot, and a large magnum does this with little meat damage if the shot is placed well. These areas include steep canyon land where a wounded flopping deer can go from a canyon rim of 3500 feet to a canyon floor of 1000 feet in seconds, or thick heavy timber and brush country were tracking a wounded animal can be difficult.

DM

You know, i've shot a lot of varried big game over the last 50 years... more than most folks will in there life... I don't need to "imply" or "insinuate" anything in my answers, i have no problem writeing exactly what i mean. Also, i don't play "word games" here either, and i'm sure 99.99% of the readers here have no problem understanding what isaidin my post.

DM

Colorado Luckydog

I don't need a magnum for elk, but I prefer to use one. Big deal. Everyone should use what they want! I will use a mag as long as I can afford the rounds! LOL

What kills me is the fact that everytime we have a "discussion" about magnums, peoples panties get all twisted and they sound like a bunch of girls! (I might add, I have been guilty of this myself!)

EKM

Better you saying that than me!

It's true.

younggun308

.308 Winchester is my all-around, except that this year I'll be using 12-gaugeslugs for deer as well.

BareBack Jack

I started this tread as more of a tounge and cheek kinda thing,I was aiming at getting the hackles up of those who insist that we magnum guys use to much gun,can't shoot accuratly and plain are just wasting powder.
I was hoping more of you would be on me for not using ENOUGH gun for deer.I was also aiming at the crowd who says only broadside shots are the only shots.
I know in a perfect world we all use 243's and our shots are never over 100 yds and everything is broadside and die at the shot.

For those of us who know a perfect world dose not happen we choose a tool to get the job done on the worst days.

I'am not a scientist or even a very good speller(sp) but I do know a a well constructed bullet traveling at moderate speeds are good,but a BIGGER better constructed bullet traveling at FASTER speeds is even better.

I also know that a bullet that has spent all its energy through a animal and in to the far country side is great,not only have I pushed through the animal and had plenty of left over I will have a very dead animal at no matter what angle.
To me that gives peace of mind that when the time comes I don't have to worry about my equipment but only my shooting.If things can and will go wrong that only leaves me to blame,not the gun,not the scope not the binoculars or any othe piece of equipment I use.

For those that have killed elk,and doit on a seasonal basis(year after year) have traded their 270's,308's,30-06's (not that they didnt do their job) for 7mm Mags,300 Mags,338 Mags,375's and bigger.Cause maybe we have found ones that do it better.

Eveloution is always going to be a constant,if not we would all still be chucking spears and throwing rocks.

For me the 25-06 is good 30-06 is better,the .300 Win Mag is great and anything over that is PERFECT.

Thanks for your time and being part of my little experiment(sp)
BBJ

homers brother

Bareback,

Yeah, I figured you were trolling. I personally don't have an issue if someone feels they must use a "magnum" on elk. But, I DO have an issue when that "magnum" community thinks it can look down their noses at those of us who choose to use standard calibers instead. I think bigbulls just about nailed it.

My personal experience hasn't shownmy .375 or .300 Wby Mag to kill elk any deader thanmy .30-06 does. I may still use them on occasion, but for general conditions, I simply prefer the .30-06. And for deer, I've killed far more of them with a .243 than I have even the .30-06. No, regardless of the conditions, I don't think either of my magnums will ever find themselves pointed at a deer. But that's just me. You do what you feel you need to do. If you'll give us the latitude to trust our judgement and marksmanship, I'll bet that most ofthe "populists" and "recoil sensitive" people will let you believe whatever you feel you need to about your magnum.

"I was aiming at getting the hackles up of those who insist that we magnum guys use to much gun,can't shoot accuratly and plain are just wasting powder."

And just what do you think you're going to accomplish by doing that? Of ALL the idiotic arguments to attempt to divide hunters over. Shame on you.