TSK1975
Member
I am planning on hunting elk next year in Colorado, if I can draw a cow tag. I will be taking my dad's .300 Weatherby for one rifle. I was told by him, I had to take it with me since he never got to hunt elk with it. It is an old Weatherby built on a Mauser action. I know it has plenty of power for hunting elk. I don't have a center fire rifle in anything larger than varmint calibers. Rifles in elk caliber cartridges aren't much good in Iowa since center fire rifles can only be used in the southern part of the state for a late season antler-less only season. We can't use center fire rounds, but we can use a 385 grain sabotted slug at 1900feet/second. We will be fine if Cape Buffalo or Elephant some how displace the Whitetail Deer.
I want to purchase another rifle to take with me. I am thinking a shorter barreled, lighter rifle, a timber rifle so to speak. I think I would like to stay with a barrel no longer than 22" and hopefully lighter the 7lbs without scope. I know that short and light can mean more recoil in a shorter, lighter elk rifle. My question is, what caliber? I will start by saying that I used to own a 30-06, so I have brass and bullets for that round. I found a Tikka T3 Hunter for $499 NIB in 30-06. I can already hear the moans and groans from the crowd about the 30-06 being the one-size-fits-all round or the one-size-fits-none round.
I kind of want to go with one of the new whiz-bang, short-fat cartridges and not the old stand by's. I have been looking at the Winchester Short Magnums or the Ruger Compact Magnums. I have always been intrigued by the 6.5mm rounds, but are they a little light for elk? I also plan to hand load the cartridge. Any suggestions on calibers or even particular rifles? Thanks for the help and suggestions.
I want to purchase another rifle to take with me. I am thinking a shorter barreled, lighter rifle, a timber rifle so to speak. I think I would like to stay with a barrel no longer than 22" and hopefully lighter the 7lbs without scope. I know that short and light can mean more recoil in a shorter, lighter elk rifle. My question is, what caliber? I will start by saying that I used to own a 30-06, so I have brass and bullets for that round. I found a Tikka T3 Hunter for $499 NIB in 30-06. I can already hear the moans and groans from the crowd about the 30-06 being the one-size-fits-all round or the one-size-fits-none round.
I kind of want to go with one of the new whiz-bang, short-fat cartridges and not the old stand by's. I have been looking at the Winchester Short Magnums or the Ruger Compact Magnums. I have always been intrigued by the 6.5mm rounds, but are they a little light for elk? I also plan to hand load the cartridge. Any suggestions on calibers or even particular rifles? Thanks for the help and suggestions.