jkm03003

.270 the min up to the big .300, depends on your ability to handle recoil and your accuracy with a rifle.If you will primarily hunt deer, than a 30-06 will be ideal. However, if you plan on hunting elk more often than I would go with a .300 or .325WSM

robbcayman

I would look at a 270, 30-06 or a 7mm mag. IMHO, I would stick with more of theclassiccalibers, because the ammo is quite a bit more abundant and cheaper.Any of those three can get the job done on a deer or elk.

700Rem

.270 -90 to 150 gr used for just about everything.Nothing in the lower 48 it wont kill.30-06 good too,but I reload and I am a speed freak,I like the .277 a little better ,both fine .

FF/EMT

What I am looking for is a rifle that would mainly be used for Whitetail/Mule deer, that could also be used for elk if the opprtunity ever presents itself. I had been looking into the 7mm mag, but also have a friend telling me to go with the 300 win mag. Like I said earlier this rifle hunting is fairly new to me, so thanks for bearing with me.

Tom

vaughnm

Personally I feel the 7mm Rem Mag is a great all around deer to elk cartridge. However the 7mm-08 and 308 are great all around loads also anddo a fine job on elk using the Hornady Light Magnum loads. They are also light kickers so you don't beat yourself to death at the range or deer hunting.

Folically Challenged

With the the Magnums you've mentioned, the main benefit is extra range. By spitting the bullet out of the tube faster, the projectile will drop less in the same distance than a bullet shot from a non-magnum cartridge. For instance, the .300 Win Mag in the following example shoots roughly 5½ inches "flatter" than the .30-'06 does at 300 yards.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R300W2*R3 0065

This also translates into terms of "power". If you'll notice the part showing energy in ft.-lbs.,the .300 Win Mag will be carrying the same amount of energy at 400 yards, asthe .30-'06does at 300 yards. Naturally, if you're shooting them both at the same distance, the .300 Win Mag's bulletwill have more energy.

Now, whether this makes the .300 Win Mag "better" than the '06, has been the subject of volumes of debate for decades, and it's not likely to end anytime soon. They'll both kill deer awfully dead, awfully quickly. And they've both been proven to be wonderully effective on elk, too.

What's not debateable, however, is that the .300 Win Maguses a lot more powder to do what it does. The result is greater muzzle blast, and more recoil. Also, many manufacturers equip rifleschambered for magnum cartridges with longer barrels, so there canalso bea difference in weight and handling characteristics. You'd do really well to go to your local gun range and shoot both a standard and a magnum rifle before you select one.

When choosing between the two, I'd ask yourself what the hunting conditions are like where you'll be most often. Are you shooting across wide-open plains, or do you come across your deer in ravines or timber, where the shots are closer?. What's the average distance that you shoot, or will be shooting? What's the longest distance that you actually practice shooting? If you find the answers are often 300 yards or more, thena Magnum cartridgewill probably be a better choice. If you're usually under 300 yards, I'd recommend going with a standard cartridge.

Jome1

Go with the .270 great all around bullet

salukipv1

1 thought may be to buya deer rifle, and down the road if/when you do go elk hunting, you may be in the place to purchase a more specialized elk rifle, and if not you could still whip out that deer rifle and still do pretty well with elk.

Btw, I think if you're liking the 7mm Rem. Mag. and a friend is saying get the .300 Win. Mag. that debate is still ongoing, either would be fine, and if you like the 7mm, go for it.

I had a .270 Win, so when I wanted a magnum, I bypassed the 7mm and got a .300 Win. Mag. put a little spacing between the two. But I do think there is no need for a magnum on deer at less than 300yds. heck even deer out to 500yds would be no problem for a .270 Win.

You know the .270 WSM and .300 WSM are quite popular, I think the .300 WSM more so, maybe you should consider any of the WSM line....I've said it before the .300 WSM is like a newer .30-06, so if guys are saying .30-06, your friends saying .300 win mag. etc...

its a tough call, any will work, let us know what you end up deciding...

Paul L Mohr

.270, 308 or 30-06 would be my choices, my personal pick would probably be the .270.

Paul

firstshot

Don't know how many Elk you've got in S.E. Minnesota, but if Elk are definitely on the menu I'd recommend you go with the most virsital cartridge out there...the 30-06. However, my personal preference would be 7MM-08 as we don't have many Elk in Texas either and I figure "if" I ever got a chance to Elk huntI'd just load a little heaver /tougher bulletfor my 7mm-08.

firstshot
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