I am set for an elk hunt in NE New Mexico next fall. I have 40 +/- years as an avid white tail deer in the SE USA and Texas. I have hunted mule deer in the wide opened area of eastern Monatana many times. And as far as I can tell, none of this experience counts for much when it comes to hunting elk. I will be on a very large private ranch hunting with an old friend. The terrain is more rolling hills than mountainous. Here are my choices of rifle set up.

308 Win. - Swarovski 3.5-10x50mm, Styer Pro Hunter Mtn.
30.-06 Spr. - Swarovski 1.5-6x50 mm, Styer Mannlicher
300 Win. Mag. - Ziess VMV 3-10x50 mm, Rem. 700
338 Win. Mag. - Swarovski 3.5-10-50 mm, Rem. 700

All 4 of these are very accurate rifles. I hand load for all but the 338 WIn. Mag. The two Model 700's have been customized and are set up nearly idnetically. I have hunted with the Styer 308 Win. for many years, and am extremely confident with this rifle. I have killed mule deer cleanly from about 225 out to about to 350 yards with both the 30.06 Spr. and the 300 Win. Mag. I have the least hunting experience with the 338 Win. Mag., but as previously mentioned it is set up almost identically to the 300 Win. Mag. and I have shot it a 120 times at the range using factory ammo.

I use 165 gr. Game Kings in the 308 ... 180 gr. Partitions in the 30.06. ... 200 gr. Partitions in the 300 ... and have not decided what to settle on in the 338. I am open to sugestions on what to use with the 338 Win.

The 308 Win. Styer Mtn. is by far the lightest weight. I suspect there will be a good deal of walking, but the terrain is not going to be severe.

Take the one you shoot best. They'll all kill an elk.

All the rifles, will kill elk. On your .338 though, go with at lease 180 grain cartridge. Don't stress to much over this. All 4 rifles will put down elk.

Stuckinthereeds - I was thinking of working a hand load for the 338 Win. around a 225 gr. Nosler Partion. Most data in handloading manuals puts the muzzle velocity at around 2750 - 2850 fps. That sound like a decent place to start ?

I would highly recommend a 200 grain bullet in .300 or .338.

That way it will drop in its tracks.

And there is not a lot of difference in these two cartridges. Both of them give great performance out to several hundred yards.

.338 Win Mag. with a 225 gr. Nosler Partition, Barnes TSX, Swift A-Frame, or TBC.Good luck on your hunt.

The one you like shooting the best and are most comfortable with. I hunted with my college .270 ADL with 130 grain cheapo bullets and a $30.00 bushnell 3x9 scope for at least fifteen years and shot a number of elk out to about 350 yeards with no problems. I now shoot a Browning A-Bolt in 300 Win. mag. with 168 grain Nosler hand loads. Doesn't make much of a difference. A heart/lung shot will be deadly with a 30/30.

Good luck!