finnbear

But then again there are some here that advocate that a 30-06 is marginal for elk at best!
Many hunters have shot thousands of elk with a 30-30 before there was even a 30-06 available, you know back in the day when they thought the 30-40 krag was the cats meow.............I read here that the 30-30 might drop as much as 7 inches at 200yds, really? big deal the elk will still fall down, the boiler room on a elk is 22inches quite a large area to hit!
Elk are tough, yes they are because they don't want to get hurt, they don't understand dead, they only understand run away...........BUT elk are not near as tough as many here would like you to believe they are! you shoot an elk standing broadside and they are unaware they will most likely fold up on the spot, but you get one on the run and they are all pumped u you could hit them 5 times in the lungs and they would keep running!!
If the kid can shoot the 30-30 just fine with using the sticks or a bipod, then let him have at it, why complicate a youngsters first hunt with a bunch of unneeded stuff that might only get in the way when push comes to shove

Topgun 3006

Why advocate using what most consider a marginal caliber when the kid has already shown he can shoot the 30-06 with no problem or did you miss that post? Put him behind the 30-06 on a bi or tripod and he'll be fine with the practice time he can still get in before the hunt. It gets a little old when people advocate using small calibers on big game when a better gun is available as in this case. It's also really asking a lot for a first time hunter to put the shot right where it counts when many seasoned hunters can't even do it when the "boiler room" is the size of an elk! The 30-30 is not only dropping as much as I stated, but it is also obviously losing the killing energy needed as it gets out to that distance. There is no sense in handicapping the kid with the 30-30 if that longer shot does present itself like another member mentioned.

wyomingtrapper

In answer to the original question, yes a 30-30 will kill an elk, within the limits of the caliber. I shot a bull at 65 yards with one and he ran maybe 30 yards and piled up. My grandad killed several moose with one. As stated, the 06 is a better round for the job. Better doesn't mean the other is no good.

I would base it on how well the boy can shoot the gun. Most shots in the field are not like a bench shot and even shooting sticks and bipods are different. If he can shoot more accurately with versatility with the smaller gun, go with that one.

In the end, his confidence in the firearm will have probably more influence on the success of shots then the caliber.

hunter177

He'll be fine with a .30-30. It's always better to use a gun that fits and can be shot accurately than to risk a bad shot with an uncomfortable gun. Try Hornady's LeverEvolution 160 grain FTX loads and limit his shots to a 100 yard maximum. Good luck!

Colorado Luckydog

Not that it matters to me because I would never hunt elk with a 30/30. (I'm not 13) BUT...........

With a good 150 to 160 grain bullet, how many feet per second and how many foot pounds of energy do you need to kill an elk with proper shot placement??

Topgun 3006

***Yes, the 30-30 can kill an elk and so can a .243, but the problem is how far might that animal go before it dies and might not be found compared to a bigger caliber designed for that bigger animal. Conventional wisdom from all the old timers back to Jack O Connor was that a deer should be hit with 1000 ft/lbs and an elk with 1500 ft/lbs of energy at POI to solidly anchor it. If that figure is used, it really limits the yardage of that 30-30. I've seen a number of bulls only flinch and stand there when hit with a 7 mm mag like it was a miss before a second shot took them down. All I'm saying is if the kid can shoot that 30-06 accurately like he's shown he can with no recoil or flinching problems, he should have no problem hitting the large vital area of an elk with a lot more energy with that 30-06 on a bi or tripod and will extend his range a lot compared to the 30-30.

Colorado Luckydog

Hey Topgun, slow down. I'm not arguing. I'm asking a question. I just wanted to know what everyone's thoughts were on the question I asked.

I personally feel that if they can afford to go on an elk hunt, they could afford a youth model 30.06. That would be the best for the kid.

Topgun 3006

***No problem! My opening sentence was just a statement and not directed at you, but I did think your question about energy was addressed to me and I could see you were basically agreeing when you said you wouldn't use a 30-30. I also agree with your comment if they were buying a gun for the kid, but since the OP said he was grouping the 30-06 so well that he let him use, I felt that was good enough for the time being to get him by on the planned hunt.

Blackelk

I get the chance of a longer shot and the 30-06 having all the advantage. I get the ft lbs of energy thing having a better chance of recovering a poorly shot animal. What I don't get is not worrying about how well a person can shoot in all positions to make a vital shot on the animal. There's a lot of variables in elk hunting and most hunters are not prepared to make all the shots that are presented in hunting situations. What if the only shot the boy has is 50 yards standing off hand and and he can't hold the weight of the bolt action to make this shot? I've had grown men miss elk under 100 yards trying to make an off hand shot with a standard bolt action rifle. Some more than one shot and completely miss a standing still elk at under 100 yards. No this is where I tend to disagree it's not about the firepower of your caliber it's about how well rounded of a shooter you are or will become. It's all about shot placement. I've tracked a few freakish situations where an animal was hit in the lungs and even the heart once. But all those ended in a gut pile and most didn't require a lot of tracking. Elk are massive animals and they are big enough to stand there and take hit after hit but they go down if they are hit in vitals in a short distance. Shooting around the edges don't get it done. And if you only shot is sub par then maybe you should rethink the shot.

To this day the number one caliber in our hunting camp for wounding elk and deer on non recovered animals. 338WM. Now that's beyond shocking isn't it? It's 7 to 1 verses all other calibers people have brought. You can believe it or not makes me no matter but it make me cringe when someone opens a case and out pops a brand new belted magnum and have not shot no more rounds than it took to sight it in.

Shall we ask why? It sure isn't the caliber the 338 WM is a great elk cartridge. It's because the guys bringing them can't handle them. And they don't shoot them enough to know their gun. Some even have breaks no reason for recoil flinching. People just don't shoot in hunting situations enough and think power over rules marksmanship. Wrong...

WNYhunter

Well first, let me address the one who said to buy a youth gun. In this case it just doesn't make sense. We don't hunt with rifles around here and this kids next trip will not be for a few years and I doubt it would fit him then. As far as the cost of an elk hunt, this is DIY and his tag is only $100, plus gas $500, plus food and camp $300, plus $200 for extras mabey. so for a $1100 hunt should he really go spend $500 to $700 on a youth rifle?

I see what everyone is saying and I am passing it on. I have killed only 2 elk and both with the 06. On my first one, I put a bad hit on him with the first shot and had to cut him off and put him down with and off handed shot on the 2nd. 2nd elk dropped on the spot with busted shoulders and had to finish him off. So I can see where both guns will work for him.

I guess mabey what I should do is have them both back out to shooting in a hunting situations. Off a bench is one thing but put him on sticks, shoot freehand some. All I know is that it is up to him and his father and at the end of the day it their elk hunt, I am just trying to help out.