i am going on a trip to wyoming to hunt elk. i am looking for suggestions for what gun would be best to use?

Most folks tend to agree on a .270 Winchester/.280 Remington as being a relatively noncontroversial/acceptable minimum, with a .30-06 being a bit better due to it's caliber and projectile weight/selection, a 7 mm Rem Mag perhaps a bit better yet due to it's velocity/range, then perhaps a .300 WinMag, with a strictly primary elk rifle perhaps culminating in the .338 Win Mag chambering. (The middle of the road classics are probably the .30-06/.300 win) Certainly better to choose an -06 that can be handled/shot well, than a flinch-inducing non-ported 7 lb .340 Weatherby with 5 times the felt recoil.

A few folks will vote for a bit above and a bit below these power/caliber/momentum levels, but, to each his or her own. It's your hunt, and good luck!

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.300 mag., or .338 mag. Good luck

I would use a .300 or bigger...<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Hunt Safe!

Jack

Any caliber from 6.5mm (.264) up to .35 (.358) will do the job. Find one of these in a rifle you shoot well because nowhere is shot placement more important than it is in elk hunting.

If you have something in the .270/.280/.308/.30-06 range, you don't need anything else. If your deer rifle is a .243, you may want to think about a new rifle. For elk only, it is hard to beat the new WSM line of cartridges (.270,7mm,.300) or the standard 7mm Rem Mag or .300 Win Mag. Of course, a .338 Win Mag will really get the job done, but will do a number on your shoulder, too. <img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle>

I have at various times shot elk with a .270 Wby Mag, .300 Wby Mag and .338 Win Mag as my primary elk rifle. I have never seen a thread of difference in the killing power of these rounds on elk. <img src=icon_smile_dead.gif border=0 align=middle>

I've also shot elk with the 7mm/08, .284 Win and the .308 Win, and wouldn't hesitate to use these again. But I would limit my range to 300 yards, preferably less.

If I were picking out a new rifle for this purpose, I would probably go with either the .270 WSM or the 7mm WSM. I am sensitive to recoil and I know I can shoot these rounds and I know they will take elk to all reasonable ranges.

Whatever you pick, use heavy-for-caliber premium bullets, and practice, practice, practice. And when the moment of truth comes, aim for the shoulder. Just my $0.02

Good Dogwork and Good Hunting

Edited by - seattlesetters on 11/21/2002 12:02:14

all of the larger deer rifles are suitable for elk, personally if i ever elk hunt i tihnk i might scrounge around and get a .35 whelen or a .338-06, or a 45-70. but i do like larger bullets than most people

propmahn
save the world, reload your brass

depends on how far you feel comfortable taking shots at.i hear most shots are under or alittle over 200yds.

any caliber will do the trick.. but i would pick the 270win as the lowest i would go. with a premium bullet.