New elk rifle
 

I' m doing some looking on the net for a new rifle. I' m thinking of either 7mm or 300 win. Which is the better round for elk and which rifle to get?

RE: New elk rifle
 

If it is going to be strictly for elk then I don' t think either one is the best choice. Both are adequate and you can pretty much flip a coin. I shoot a 300 Win Mag and I like it, but if I had it to do over again I would probably choose the 7mm Rem Mag since I really like 7mm bullets. Good penetration and a wide range of weights to choose from. As far as rifles go, hard to beat a Savage or a Ruger. Either one will make you want to throw that 710 in the trash where it belongs.

RE: New elk rifle
 

The 7mm Rem Mag will be fine. I' d go with Winchester or Ruger, but there are some less expensive models like the Wal-Mart Weatherby and the Tikka that are very nice for the money. You can spend more, too, and then the possibilities open up.

Make sure you save enough for the best scope you can possibly afford, however.

RE: New elk rifle
 

I would go with the 7 rem mag in this situation. Either Remington 700,Ruger77,Savage, Winchester take your pick. Frizzelr your being a little harsh on that fine tomat.. I mean piece of engineering.

RE: New elk rifle
 

300 win and use a controlled expansion 200gr bullet.

7mag with a 175gr is very good, but I like to hit them with a little more wallop.

If didn' t hate on recoil so much I would be shooting a 338 with 250gr.

RE: New elk rifle
 

Although I hate to admit it, as a .300 fan (& owner) if I were doing it over, I would take the 7. Jorgy let me shoot his awhile ago and I really liked it. Ballistically, I don' t think you give up anything with the 7 over the .300.

I am strongly considering ditching the .300 and finding a 7mm STW.

RE: New elk rifle
 

Between the two I would pick the 300-win mag anyday. I would also shoot premium 200-grain bullets.
If I were looking for one rifle to hunt elk with & only hunt elk with. I would pick a 338-win mag or 340-weatherby.

RE: New elk rifle
 

Load some 200 grain Swift A-frames or trophy bonded bullets in a .300 win mag and go.....but if you choose the 7MM mag.....you' ll do just as fine!!

Actually a .30-06 loaded with 180-200 grain bullets will do the job just fine!!

RE: New elk rifle
 

I have owned both calibers and prefer the 300 Win . That is a personal preference though because I have used both on Elk with out any problems .

RE: New elk rifle
 

Either round is more than adequate, BUT if I were buying a rifle JUST for elk, it would be a .338/' 06, .338 Win., or .340 Weatherby.

RE: New elk rifle
 

I' m thinking of doing the 300 win just because I' d have the only one in the family, and I' m not sure if I' m man enough to handle a 338 or bigger. Mom uses 7mm brother and sister both use 30-06, mom' s boyfriend uses a 300 h&h necked to 270, and I' m using 270. Currently, the Weatherby Vanguard, Remington 700, and the Tikka T3 are the rifles I' m thinking about. Are these good choices in 300 win? Which scope would ya' ll recomend?

RE: New elk rifle
 

Gotta chime in for the 7MM Rem. Mag. Super versatile. Switch out bullet weights and types to suit the game and the terrain. They shoot like a lazer beam with a light ballistic tip across broad distances on smaller critters and will knock a bull elk out of his shoes with a nice heavy trophy bonded piece ' o lead.

RE: New elk rifle
 

I just bought a Tikka Whitetail Hunter in 7mm and I really think it' s a great gun. Guarenteed 1" MOA and the action is like silk. Trigger is adjustable between 2-4 lbs. and very crisp, clean break. Got mine in stainless with laminated stock and detachable external magazine.

As far as caliber, either is fine. I doubt there is any significant difference between the two really (.308" vs. .284" = .024" ). Best thing you can do is shoot both and see which one you handle better, preferrably in similar guns so they react according to the caliber and not the rifle.

BTW, the Tikka T3' s are not as good as the Whitetail models. They feel cheaper (and are less expensive) so make sure to find the brand you like before you look for caliber.

RE: New elk rifle
 

what about getting a nice gun chambered in the 35whelen. i wonder how she would do on game animals that big?? anyone try it before ? results?

RE: New elk rifle
 

Either the 7mmremmag or 300win mag will work well for elk.Both shoot flat and have plenty of energy to do the job.If you are recoil sensitive the 7mmremmag may be the better choice.

RE: New elk rifle
 

.300 Wby. Mag. Good luck.

RE: New elk rifle
 

You are currently shooting a .270?? I concur with Jack O' Connor on this: there' s not enough difference between the .270 and the 7mm magnum for either you or the elk to be able to tell the difference when the bullet hits. Use a 150-grain Nosler Partiton bullet in your .270, and save your money!! I knew a doctor' s wife in Fairbanks AK who used to shoot grizzly and polar bears with her .270, and it killed them dead!!

RE: New elk rifle
 

I'd go with the .300 if it was strictly for elk.

RE: New elk rifle
 

Actually I might use a .35 Whelen if the ranges weren't to long. In response to Quilly I've shot my first deer with the Whelen and my dad took a huge calf (looked like a bull) with one no problem.

RE: New elk rifle
 

If its strictly for elk definately go w/ the 300win. look at the ballistics, 150gr in a 7mag and 180gr in the 300, both the mid range for each respective caliber. The difference in drop from one to the other at 300yds is 0.03 of an inch!! so basically no difference in drop BUT.... the energy is @ 20% less in the 7mag. That said the 7mm is a very good elk caliber. But the 300win is better, especially if your leaning that way anyway. If you find recoil to much, then put a brake on it, my wife(130lbs) shoots a 300win that is ported.

RE: New elk rifle
 

I really do not think the DEAD elk will complain or tell you that he wished you would have used one over the other.;)

From a .270 and 7mm-08 on up to what ever you wish you will end up with a dead elk if you can put the bullet where it is suppose to go.

Having said that neither one would be my pick simply because I do not like belted cases. Personally I would choose WSM in the caliber of your choice.

RE: New elk rifle
 

Anything from tghe 270 Winchester on up will handle Elk very well. The 06 has probably killed more elk than most of the others combined.

RE: New elk rifle
 

If you own a .270Win rifle and can shoot same. Load up the heaviest, fastest, premium bullet that your rifle will shoot accurately and go after your elk. The ONLY situation in which you may be limited, in terms of wishing that you had a Magnum big bore, may be in max range. The .270Win probably needs to be kept inside 300yds, to insure quick, humane kills. Jack O'Connor did kill about every animal in the world with a .270Win and he did not have the advantage of today's premium bullets, that give a 140gr bullet the same killing power for which we used to use a 180gr bullet.

RE: New elk rifle
 

A .30 always has an edge over the 7mm caliber in all classes. That is, a .300 Win. Mag. (NOT WSM!!) is a better elk rifle than a 7mm Rem. Mag., a .30/'06 is a better elk rifle than a 7X57, a .308 is better than a 7mm/'08, etc. etc. However, this is not to say that the 7mm Rem. Mag, using the right bullets, is not sufficient for elk, because it is. If I shot more deer than elk, I'd opt for the 7mm Rem. Mag., and use it for both. If it is to be an "elk-only" rifle, then I'd get the .300 Win. Mag., or a .300 Weatherby!