Bocajnala

Hey guys, I am looking to set up a new long range rifle for deer sized game (whitetail, antelope, mule deer, maybe elk). What, in your opinion, is the best caliber for deer sized game out to say 600 yards? thanks!

one eye joe

.264 Winchester mag, .257 Weatherby mag, 6.5-284 in no particular order.

Sharp Shooter

You cant go wrong with a 30cal. Maybe a 300 Remington Ultra Mag, 300wby mag, or a 300wsm.

Bullet Hole Bailey

7mm!

Pavomesa

An ordinary garden variety 270 is hard to beat at long range work.

Colorado Luckydog

I love my Remington 300 ulta mag.It may have the capability of that range butI do not. Your asking what caliber to 600 yards, but 600 yards shots are not easy with any gun.I shoot more than the average Joe and there's no way I would take a shot at 600 yards at any animal. A good gun, a great scope, a good teacher, and hours of practice are what is needed before you should be thinking of 600 yard shots. A Remington 300ultra mag in a 150 grain SwiftScirocco will drop a little over 25 inches at 500 yards. It takes a lot of practice and good equipment to make that shot. JMHO

devil dog

I would recomend a magnum for sure, wether it be a 7mm up to a 338, my choice is the trusty old 300win mag. The non mags will do alright but have alot more drop at distances, I wouldnt recomend an ultra mag either, most who have purchased them either trade them in orend up downloading because of the recoil!. You need to stick to something that wont make you flinch when you shoot, makeing long distance shots requires constant practice at ranges to become sufficient and build confidence in your abillity. If you dont reload already I would highly recomend getting into it, you will need to produce ammo taylored to your rifle. You will also need to do some upgrades to the rifle you purchace, trigger, bedding, free-float if its a wood stock, re-crown the barrel " target crown works best", and high quality scope, rings and baces. Is all of this nessesary, well no if your lucky!, yes if you want to hunt ethicaly.

EKM

Unlike most folks,
I size up your list, identify the biggestand toughest critter and recommendfor that onerather than the more common "go middle of the road" and then hope with a little luck it will take care of the toughest game.

The rest of the critters on your listare pretty puny and weak compared to elk and that kind of distance weakens all cartridges substantially, IMHO you need a fairly salty round if you are even going to get close to the concept of b-e-s-t.

On the low end, I'd look at a 300 RUM, Weatherby, or Lazzeroniwhile on the upper end, a 338 Lapua or 338-378 Weatherby. 338 RUM and 340 Weatherby in the middle. Probably handload with Barnes MRX bullets, scope with tactical turrets with externally readable MOA adjustments possibly with a Piccany (sp?) slope mount, range finder, pre-printed ballistics table. For the rifle I'd use a 12 to 13 pound rifle (scoped, loaded, bi-podded and slung) with custom fitted synthetic or laminated stock with all the trick bedding,thick HD recoil pad, mercury recoil reducer if the weight wasn't coming up properlyand probably utilize a VAIS muzzlebrake. Preferrably a two man sniper team approach with Walker Game Ears for sure.

The best rifle for 600 yard elk shooting isn't going to be the same as the mountain rifle you're going to creep thru the dark timber with nor one you'll find at Walmart. You'll want to practice and be proficeint at 800 to 1000 yards.... then 600 yardswill seem easy. Some long range training with the pros would be advisable.

Specialized job request, specialized tools as a result.... not too hard.

Of course, someone out there is going to want to use a 220 Swift and do it all at night.

Pavomesa

I think you said it best CLD. All of us dream of the 600 yd shots, but for most mortals this is pure fantasy. In most situations it's hard to even spot and identify a suitable animal to shoot at this range. And I remember the immortal P.O. Ackley writing about 500 yard rifles. Ackley rightly said, "Most people can't hit a flock of circus tents at this range without specifically sighting in their rifles for it."

Almost everything that has been killed since the crust of the earth cooled has been done in 100 yds or less. I worry about 300-400 at the max. Anything farther, I need to reposition me or wait for them to come closer.

Bocajnala

thanks guys. My uncle has a shooting range and I have done some shooting out to 1,000 yards with my Remington 700 in .30-06. But that was through a 3x9 scope and at a 2 foot gong. I want to, once the money becomes available, get a set up and just start shooting. I shoot nearly every day already. and want to expand my talent. thanks for all the help!