ultimate elk rifle
 

Being from the East, I've never hunted elk but have dreamed about it. What would be the ultimate elk rifle to take out west?

.340 Wby. Mag. Good luck.

90mm, recoilless (don't want to be flinching). HEAT for those tough quartering shots.

Elk are not invincible. I've used .243, .30-06, .300 Wby, and .375 H&H. I'm perfectly happy chasing elk with the .30-06 (180 grain JACKETED bullets). If I'm hunting more open terrain, I'll prefer the .300.

Ultimate elk rifle, or just what is used alot and is more then enough? Ultimate, 340wby/338RUM would be two of the ultimate rifles, in power, and recoil. 300RUM is right up there with it, then 300win. As for what is plenty, the '06, 7mm rem mag, 308, 45/70(short range dark timber elk buster), and even a 30/30 within nominal ranges. Its much glorified about how you need cannons to hunt elk. Honestly it isnt needed, but two days before elk season here, what are we taking? Im carrying my 300RUM, the wife, her 300win. Not because we have to, but because we want to!

Worth a look;

http://elkhunter2.tripod.com/


I use both a 7MM RM & a .338 WM depending on where I'm hunting (Got Bears ).

Another vote for the 338WM although any 30 caliber should do.

Up to 300 yards, the 35 Whelen is hard to beat and easy on the shoulder. 300 yards and longer the 338 win mag does the trick.

A 300 Win mag or 7mm Rem mag with a 168gr Berger, short or long range it will drop them without beating up your shoulder. But i wouldn't go without my 280 AI as my 2nd rifle.

The same 30-06 that you kill your deer with back East.

If your looking for the "Ultimate Elk Cartridge", look no farther than the Remington 300 Ultra Mag!!

If your looking for the "Ultimate Elk Rifle", that could be debated until the end of time but everyone that argued in favor of the Remington 700 would be right.

If I was to go elk hunting I'd just take my 7mm08. It's plenty of power to kill an elk, and I don't need to buy another rifle.

That's assuming I'm not hunting them in brown bear territory. Then I'd go with something big enough to handle them. Most likely a .338 WM. Killing elk is easy enough, and there are many rounds that will get the job done right. The same can't be said for the predators they may live with.

I believe your post said ultimate rifle?? Not cartridge??

I personally have a 340 Weatherby mangnum. And it is a real elk killer. So it would be one of the ultimate cartridges. Problem with the 340 is the weight of the rifle.

If I had it to do all over again I would buy a Kimber Montana in 338 Federal. Or the 325 WSM.

I think that would be the ultimate affordable rifle and cartridge selection for an elk rig. Tom.

Should add, that really the ultimate elk rifle is the gun that is utmost reliable, and you can shoot accurately. For me, my Win model 70 stainless classic, with a nice wood stock added, 300RUM fits that bill. For someone else, it may be an '06. If you cant hit with it, or it doesnt function reliably all the time, its not ultimate. Its called closet queen,lol

best at a long range and PLENTY of power 7mm RM thats my choice. mine is capable of 1000 yds. can i hold that steady? rarely lol but it will put an elk down in his tracks. have done it @ 550. Remington 700

This is the most important. You have to put the bullet where it belongs...........in the kill zone. If you heart shoot an elk {or any other animal} with a 270 it's gonna die quickly,if you gut shoot an elk with a 338 it's also gonna die but not too quick and you're gonna have your work cut out for you.

I've seen to many times at the rifle range guys shooting 300 mags that in all honesty....SUCK!!!! 10" "groups" IMO aren't exceptable for hunting accuracy!! They flinch, they close their eyes when pulling the trigger, how can be accurate if your afraid of the guns recoil.

Magnum haters crack me up. Very funny.

I have elk hunted in WA, OR, ID, CO, MT and WY over the past 25+ years...grew up hunting in some of the harshest elk country in the world around Mt. Adams in WA...and have packed several different rifles on these trips...mostly a .308 or .270...but most recently I have carried my Tikka T3 Stainess Lite in .270 WSM...all 3 have killed elk between 200 and 540 yards just as dead as any .300 or .338...weigh less, less recoil and costs less to shoot.

I have a friend that swears by his .243 for everything he hunts...from deer to yotes and elk to black bear...and he does very well...dude hunts everywhere near year around with 1 rifle...a beat up 20 year old savage in .243 with a cheap a$$ simmons scope...yet he painstakingly hand loads his ammo...LOL

Point is...a nice light, accurate, durable rifle will be more important than one that tosses out big diameter lead.... accuracy is always king.

And your friend wouldn't be allowed in most elk camps with his .243. Just because he can kill an elk with it doesn't make it the best choice. If he's dead set on a .243, that's his business but there are a lot better choices out there. If that's all someone can afford or that's their personal choice, then more power to them. I can afford what I want and I prefer to shoot something with more power.

I will dare to say that I shoot my 300 ultra mag better than MOST HUNTERS shoot their 30.06 or their 270. Why, because I practice more than MOST HUNTERS. I know there are a lot of guys that can out shoot me anyday of the week. But it will be someone who practices a lot or someone with a God given talent. I love shooting my 300 ultra mag and I feel it gives me the best rifle for the job.

That being said, I hunted with my 30.06 today. I had a shot and let him walk. I hope I'm not sorry for that latter!!:hit:

At least you got a view of one,lol. Went saturday, and saw nothing. Did hear something big running thru a gulch below me in dark timber, but it never left the woods, grrr. Havent decided if Im taking the 300RUM in the am, or the 45/70. I do spend alot of time here practicing at dragonmans myself, and am a decent shot. Dunno if Im as good as you or as consistant, but may put you to that challenge one day for fun! I know Im going to have to start buying retumbo by the keg though.

+1, I don't care if the RMEF says a 243.win is enough to kill a elk, it's 900lbs animal that deserves to be taken as cleanly and quickly as possible. Any mistake on the shooters part will leave a wounded animal for someone else but, I will leave the fire breathing super boomers for your shoulder Lucky and use my 300Win.:happy0001:

It's good to see back around here Luckydog, I like your new remmy you posted awhile back and just got my custom 700 done and posted some pics of it when you went MIA shorty after.

"Point is...a nice light, accurate, durable rifle will be more important than one that tosses out big $$$$$$.... accuracy is always king." EMT


I put the "$$$$$" in EMT's statement; now 100% true !


BTW ~ I use my 7MM RM or my .338WM, if they got bears there.

That's exactly what my Remington 700 XCR 300 Ultra Mag is! I'm so glad we agree. It's nice, light, accurate and very durable! It also has better ballistics than any other rifle that I know of. I'm not knocking anyone else's choice of rifle. I'm just tired of people knocking mine when they know it is superior in every way. Here's a pic of mine.

How do you not like that set-up !?!?

Except no muzzle breaks for me..................way to loud !!!


I'll handle the recoil.

I could handle the recoil too. Untill we rolled the truck and a couple of back surgeries. A titanium plate and a few screws in your neck changes everything.

Lucky,

I reckin' so...................


I didn't mean too but, LOL......good call !

As the owner of two 300 RUM's and a 338 Win Mag., I will say that for elk where I hunt, in the heavy timber, the 338 is a far superior round. The 338 will reach out as just far as the 300 rum, you just got to know the trajectory. It doesnt matter what you shoot, at 500+ yards all cartridges fall like a rock. The bullet drop is a known, it is consistent as long as you have consistent loads. If you know the range and dial your turret to match the range, it is no different than shooting 100 yards. The unkown factor is wind, wind might be calm where you are sitting and blowing 400 yards down range, that is where a heavier bullet will effected less. That is why I perfer the 338 over the 30 caliber.

Actually, the only person who knows it to be "superior in every way" is you. And, when you say things like "when they know (what you have) is superior in every way," then yes - you ARE - "knocking anyone else's choice of rifle." Otherwise, they'd have the same setup, right?

So, before you accuse someone of "magnum bashing" on another thread, you might be the wiser to consider that you might be bringing it on yourself, and that maybe your position isn't quite as firm as it should be to be making statements as bold as yours tend to be regarding this particular rifle (which many of us have seen pictures of before).

If it works for you, that's really all that matters, isn't it?

OR.....anyone that can read a ballistic chart!!! LMFAO!! You are right about one thing though, I should take a chill pill. I shouldn't let it get to me. I should just enjoy things for what they are. I need to try and laugh at and not correct. I will work on that.

You're onto something there! Bottle it up and sell it and you'll make millions!

Actually the 300 Rum isnt the best balistically factory 30 caliber on the market. The 30-378 Weatherby mag. will out perform it and the Lazzeroni 7.82 Warbird actually smokes it if you look at the balistic charts.

I'm sure both of these are calibers that magnum haters will just love!!:s2:

Those are two that I have never even heard of. I'll check them out but I'm sure I'll be happy with what I have.

Never heard of them? the 30-378 was a wildcat originally, but mainstream now, well kinda. Holds more powder then the RUM, but costs alot more, and with alot more powder comes recoil. It really doesnt show a significant gain over the RUM either. Ive heard of the warbird, its another big case, thats about as well known as a 300 jarett. The RUM is about the biggest of the mainstream cartridges, and anything on that is well past deminishing returns IMO

I tend to live by the addage that "variety is the spice of life".

What I want in an elk rifle: Lightweight, easy handling, stands up to weather, flat trajectory, and plenty of power.

Another variable that I'll throw into the mix, is that I'd LIKE to be able to shoot factory rounds. Like it or not, it's something to consider if you have to fly to your elk hunts like I do. A few years ago, everything got to colorado except my ammo. I had to run out and buy new factory ammo and then had to re-sight my rifle. It ended up working out, of course, but the big problem is that I wasn't confident in the long range trajectory of the unfamiliar factory loads. I'd been shooting my hand-rolls for years and knew the trajectory like the back of my hand. Not knowing exactly how these factory loads performed at long ranges and how they behaved in the wind was on my mind the entire week.

All that said, a medium contour barrel stuck on a short action with a 7mm WSM or .300 WSM bedded in a synthetic stock is about as good as it gets for me. (Wife shoots a 7mm, I shoot a .300). We also have a .338 WM and a .375 H&H on hand, but usually prefer the flatter shooters, which also happen to be the lighter weight rifles also.

I agree. I am perfectly happy with both of my RUM's. The extra little bit of performance gain from the 30-378 Weatherby mag and the Lazeroni"s isnt worth the expense. The Lazzeroni rifles start out at $6000 and ammo is about $110 a box. You can buy the Weatherby alot cheaper but ammo for a 30-378 it is about $130 for a box of 20 thru Midway, the brass alone is about $70 for 20, more than a loaded box of 300 Rum's.

RUMs are the ghetto weatherby,lol. Get the weatherby performance, and recoil, but for alot less, in rifle, brass, and loaded ammo. I must say though, its not near as cheap as it was 10 years ago, sadly.

I really like my Remington model 700 XCR II in 300 RUM with Federal 180 grain Trophy Tips....