Favorite Elk Caliber?

I've shot elk with 308, 280, 30-06, 45-70, and many of the 300's and for me right now, when I'm on public land competing in Colorado's OTC areas I'm sold on the 338-378. Haven't had one get away and can think of few unfilled tags.
Might seem overkill to many but I've taken mulies and elk from 35-450 yds with no more meat damage than any other caliber I've used.

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35 Whelen said:

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Why?










All (plus one not pictured) 35 Whelen elk.

35W

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Nice pictures and elk , thanks for sharing those pictures .

MCMXI said:

Chronographed many times.

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That is hot. You will have to share your loads some time. I have a Weatherby, Ruger Predator and a Bergara in the Creedmoor. Interesting round. Should work fine on a elk.

Just read thru all of the posts to this ??? and like other threads on "what is your favorite caliber" for everything from squirrels to Moose, and like the other threads the responses are all over the map for any given sized animal. For some it seams Bigger is always better. For many others its what ever they have and are comfortable shooting for game of that size. Too some extent the responses bring out the general disrespect for 30-06 these days in favor of the Mags while others vote for the 30-06 as the gold standard for N American big game. Some speak of their appetite for felt recoil in making their choice.

In an unscientific opinion, I believe the answer is "whatever you own, want to own but don't, or have used successfully for years. Good hunting!!

Browning A-bolt in .30-06. Sierra 180gr BTSP.

This thread has me wondering how many commonly used elk cartridges were designed from the outset for use on animals and how many were designed to be used on two-legged animals and then applied to hunting situations. When I'm asked what's the best elk and deer cartridge outside of this forum my response is always "shoot the biggest bullet you can shoot well, and practice".

MCMXI said:

This thread has me wondering how many commonly used elk cartridges were designed from the outset for use on animals and how many were designed to be used on two-legged animals and then applied to hunting situations. When I'm asked what's the best elk and deer cartridge outside of this forum my response is always "shoot the biggest bullet you can shoot well, and practice".

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For two-legged critters, 8x57, 30-06, 7x57, 6.5x55, 308 (7.62x51), and 45-70 were all originally military rounds as far as I know, at least of the ones that have been mentioned in this thread.

Matt

All (plus one not pictured) 35 Whelen elk.

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My elk rifle is Bigfoot Wallace, a custom '03 Springfield in .35 Brown-Whelen (the most extreme form of the Whelen.)

On my Elk Hunts, I have only carried one rife, a Vanguard 300 Win Mag with 180gn Soft Tips. It Works!

I've taken elk with .277", .308", and .50" diameter bullets.

6.5x55 like many others. I like the .260 Remington also, which has similar ballistics, but I haven't gone there yet.

I've only shot 3 cow elk; I used, in order, a 30-06, then 375 H&H and last a 338 winmags. I've shot a lot of elk sized plains game with 35 Whelan Improved; 300 win Mag , 340w and .375H&H. Now I'm playing with a 358 Norma Mag, still have a 30-06 handy and a 270 win as a back up. Oh yeah, a 338 Fed as a wet weather rifle.

For me its either my 7mm or 375 Ruger. Why? They are what I have and I know they will do the job.

30-06, in my old Rem 700, shooting brass reloaded from my Garand. It works just as well now as it did in the 1970s.

I'm undecided for my CO Elk hunt, Dec 17-21. I know my Rem 700-based .375 H&H is a <0.75 MOA shooter out to 250 yards and my Win 70 EW 7mm Rem Mag is a 0.75-1 MOA shooter out to 300 yards. I have an Anterless Elk tag for a GMU west of Meeker with success rates > 85%. I'm 70, so I may just go with my Mountain Light Rem 700 SS in .280 Rem (easier to lug and <0.75 MOA with handholds using 160 gr AccuBonds)...at 7 pounds with 2-7x36 scope it is more than a pound lighter than my 7mm RM...I have a few hunting rifles and am a good shot in field positions, so any of them will get the job done. Hitting your POA is more important than caliber. Your mileage won't vary on this point.

Oh, and WDGM Bell took down more than 1,000 elephants with a 7x57 Mauser...accuracy helps.

FH

Flatbush Harry said:

Oh, and WDGM Bell took down more than 1,000 elephants with a 7x57 Mauser.

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And did so in a manner that is by modern standards totally unethical. If you read what he wrote, he kept complaining about "unexplained misses" - which of course almost certainly failures of terminal ballistics due to an insufficient caliber. Lots of elephants he shot went off to die somewhere very slowly. He liked the 7x57 because it was cheap.

7x57 is a perfectly suitable elk caliber. It's got no place hunting elephants.

Pilot said:

6.5x55 like many others. I like the .260 Remington also, which has similar ballistics, but I haven't gone there yet.

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+1. Have taken two cow elk, both the with a 6.5x55, using factory loads.

8MM Mag.....love it.

Should I go elk hunting up here in Colorado again, I will probably take my Ruger No. 1 RSI in 30-06.

I once took a walk in the woods (un-armed) about 10 miles southeast of Estes Park one fine Indian Summer day and walked right into the middle of a herd of about 20, including a couple of big bulls. If I had been hunting, I would not have been undergunned with a 30-30 with 170 gr Nosler partitions. (I will admit, however that the elk in the area around Estes are a bit tame.) I am just glad that one of the bulls did not take umbrage with my presence.

My old .338 WCF Mag. Pre-64 Mdl. 70 Alaskan has always worked for me.

308 win its all ya need, Shot placement is the key, My buddy uses a 243 and kills an elk a year, I like a 30 caliber on elk, But a 243 at the right distance and good shot placement does work just isn't for everybody I know,

I'm most comfortable with my rifle that uses a .284 caliber bullet. It and my timber thumper .338 caliber rifle will be staying home till I get one with a .459 caliber bullet.

Thought about this one a little this afternoon while I was finishing up at the office... Kinda a fun one to wrap your head around...

My favorite CALIBER for elk is 30cal. My favorite CARTRIDGE for elk is 7mm Rem Mag. My favorite Rifle for elk is either a Ruger M77 Mark II 338-06 or a Remington 700 35 Whelen...