Elk Rifle Showdown...
 

.300 RUM vs. .340 Wby.

180@3250
200@3030

225@3100
250@3000

Both are more than you need.

Neither would be my choice.


I use a 7MM Rem Mag or my .338 Win Mag, if bears are in the area.

Kind of an odd poll. Can you provide a rationale for this particular face-off? I voted for the .340 Weatherby. If I wanted to have something more powerful than my .30-06 that was notionally a special purpose "elk rifle" I would probably go with a .338 Winchester Magnum with a 26" barrel. I've never shot one of these, however: maybe it would have too much recoil and I would shoot it poorly? Don't know. It is one of the aspects of shooting and owning guns that one is drawn to add one more gun to the collection . . . whether one needs it or not.

I voted for the 300 RUM, only because that's what I hunt with and I prefer to think I have the best. I have never looked at the ballistics of the .340 WBY until tonight. Holy ballistics Batman!! If I were going Dragon hunting, I would want one in a bolt action. If I were going Zombie hunting, I would want one in a semi or full auto!!! LMAO!

I still think the 300 RUM shoots a little flatter and I think 180 grains is plenty. I really love the Scirocco Power Level III in 180 grain. I don't reload, so I want good performance. I have found these rounds to be VERY consistant from box to box and lot number to lot number.

All that being said, if I had the money, I'd go buy a new Weatherby .340 tonight!!

That's like saying a girl that's too pretty, boobs that are too big, too much money, too much fun......no such thing! just saying...........

Boobs are not bullets.

They make lots of calibers to satisfy everybody. I'm old school. I like to get close. I've killed elk with a 30-30. I now use a muzzleloader.

A 30-06 is all you need to kill elk.

My .02

Your .02 cents is perfectly right. I killed all of my first few elk with a 30.06 and I never had a problem. I'm just saying, I have a lot more capabilities with my 300 RUM. More times than not, a 30.06 is all that a guy will need. I just like big boobs....LMAO!!!

We agree 100% on the boobs.

I think they're both pretty awesome for elk.

I'd give the edge to the .340 because it's shooting 338 cal bullets.

For most it seems they don't want to shoot anything larger than a 300mag, which really I feel like a 300 mag and 338/340mag kick very similarly.

I mean really, don't elk justify more than a small bore? haha, step up to a medium bore!

Just because one/both of these may be the ultimate elk cartridge I don't feel that means every time you go elk hunting you'd want to be lugging around a long range magnum rifle set up...

Still a small bore compared to my .50 and .54 cal Muzzleloaders. :D

I like the idea of delievering a 225 gr. accubond at 3100.

I voted for the 300 RUM, but perfer my 338 RUM. Ain't paying the extra for the Weatherby name.

For the price it cost to shoot those calibers I'd rather buy a 50 BMG and a pack mule to carry it.

http://www.weatherbynation.com/artic...y%C2%AE-magnum

Interesting article on the .340wby as "the ultimate all-around cartridge"

I used a 300 mag, I only did 1 Elk hunt and it did the job, but I was suprise how hard it is to bring a Elk down even with 3 well placed shots

Case closed, elk require a .338 caliber... haha,

It didn't seem that hard this year. I did it with one round ball in a ML.

1840 technology does it again. I didn't even need to use a magnum ball. :p

340 all the way. Will go in one end and out the other with a partition.

5x5 elk in 6a
 

i just got back from my elk hunt in 6A. I have a howa 1500 in 308 20" barrel. I was shooting hornady GMX factory loaded at 3100fps out of 24" test barrel. So I'm not sure how fast is was going out of my 20" barrel
I shot my elk @ 260 yards hit him on the right side bullet made complete pass through. broke both rib bones the lungs had about a tennis ball sized hole through them. he went maybe 30 yards before he hit the ground.

Both are more than you need.
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More punch the better. Elk are big tough critters. I personally use a 300 Weatherby when rifle hunting elk. Is it needed in all applications when hunting elk, no. 243 can kill them most the time, is a 243 recommend by most to use, no. but its nice having plenty of gun when its needed. Want to get close and personal, arrow's kill'em good too.