Best rifle/bullet for elk of my choices
- Thread starter mcseal2
- Start date
AzDak42":29e00iin said:
You aren't kidding. Especially since he doesn't mind dialing for range. If that is something you wouldn't mind doing, a 225 AB running along at 2700 would hammer elk and would not pound the shooter. I have no issues shooting an elk out to 500 with mine, since I have the ability to dial my shot over 300 yards.
Scotty, you are absolutely right about the 35 Whelen and the 225gr AB. I am going to be posting the results of my Elk hunt and I was able to recover the bullet use in both cow & the calf.
My rifle shoots right around the .5 MOA at 2735fps. and the cow Elk I shot was ranged with my Leica 1600B the yardage was 507. I recovered the bullet in the hide on the opposite side and will be weighing it this evening and posting hopefully with photos of the bullets :wink: a early thanks to Mike.
Blessings,
My rifle shoots right around the .5 MOA at 2735fps. and the cow Elk I shot was ranged with my Leica 1600B the yardage was 507. I recovered the bullet in the hide on the opposite side and will be weighing it this evening and posting hopefully with photos of the bullets :wink: a early thanks to Mike.
Blessings,
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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AzDak42":249tmez2 said:
I like the way you think! :mrgreen:
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
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I'd run #2 and call it good.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
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The last guided hunt that I went on was in the Big Horns (Unit 38-Tongue) in Northern Wyoming. It was in the early season but we had blizzard conditions the entire time that I hunted (7 days). Deer were migrating down the Little Bighorn river canyon toward the Sheridan benches and Montana. The elk were grouping up and starting to migrate down as well as the snow got over three feet deep. Unit 39 (Deer Creek) was getting more hunting action and less snow. If I were to return there, I would rather hunt Unit 39 for elk. We hunted in driving snow on horse back all the way down the Little Bighorn canyon from 10,000 feet to about 5,000 feet, nearly into Montana.
The rifles that I took with me were a 7mm Rem Mag (Mauser) and a .300 H&H Mag (Model 70). My primary rifle was the .300 H&H shooting 180 Partitions at 2950 fps. Backup was the 7mm Rem Mag shooting 160 Partitions at 3060 fps. I was there two years after the West Yellowstone fire and it was very open country except for some stands of Ponderosa which survived the fire. Typical elk sightings were at 200 yards on out. I never pulled the trigger as I did not see a mature bull that I wanted within shooting range. I did see quite a few moving elk going down the canyon.
The rifles that I took with me were a 7mm Rem Mag (Mauser) and a .300 H&H Mag (Model 70). My primary rifle was the .300 H&H shooting 180 Partitions at 2950 fps. Backup was the 7mm Rem Mag shooting 160 Partitions at 3060 fps. I was there two years after the West Yellowstone fire and it was very open country except for some stands of Ponderosa which survived the fire. Typical elk sightings were at 200 yards on out. I never pulled the trigger as I did not see a mature bull that I wanted within shooting range. I did see quite a few moving elk going down the canyon.
- Thread starter
- #29
I shot a 300 class 6x6 in 38 several years ago. It's a long story, but another hunter claimed the bull and I didn't fight him on it. I got a picture with the bull and called it good. I haven't been back to that unit as there seemed to be to many hunters for my preference. We saw lots of elk but no other shooter bulls.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
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Mcseal2, that is a shame! It made me feel violated when it happened to me in Utah over a 4 point mule deer which I shot first. Now (2013), there are only 400 elk permits for the whole of Area 38, hopefully it should not be too crowded any more except when deer season is also open?
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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mcseal2":1378ogpy said:
That would be tough to take. Shame that such things happen.
- Thread starter
- #32
I was young and real inexperienced back then, it was the first morning of my second elk hunt. I heard a shot that morning late as I was getting into a prone position over a rock on to take a shot at the biggest of 4 bulls I'd spotted across the canyon. The bulls ran about 10yds up the mountain and stopped again looking around. None looked to be injured and I didn't hear another shot for what seemed to be quite a while so I shot the biggest bull at about 400yds and he staggered a few steps and dropped. I never saw any other hunters up until that time, and had no idea that the shot I heard had been at the same elk. By the time I got across the canyon to the elk a group of hunters was standing around admiring him. They were certain that their man had shot the bull. I followed the tracks and blood in the snow back to where I had shot, then followed the tracks back to where the bull had been standing when the first guy shot. All the evidence showed that my bullet had killed the bull, but those guys were already pumped up celebrating so I just kept my mouth shut. The hunting was done for that morning with all the loud celebration, so I congratulated the guy and helped them pack the bull out. I really don't think they were intentionally trying to take the bull, just that they truly believed it was his. It was the guys first elk (mine also) and he was an older fellow who didn't have the years of hunting ahead of him that I did. I don't really regret any of it, didn't mean for it to sound that way. I've been really blessed with the animals I've been able to take in my life. I just like to hunt away from crowds so I try to find somewhere most people aren't willing to go that's why I switched units.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
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Me too, my incident was a couple of miles up over a drainage where I hardly ever saw anyone despite the crowd of poachers down below. The guys that took my deer were locals on horse back and were well armed. There were three of them and one of me and my truck was 1000 feet up over a drainage and down 2 miles below on the other side. They were making a federal case over it and I had only my rifle, a stinking .243. I had flushed and shot the deer first and they each shot at it a couple of times apiece, once they saw it. A deer with (7) holes in it is not worth getting killed over so I turned my back on it and walked back to my truck, talking to myself.
- Thread starter
- #35
Can't blame you a bit there. If it was a giant or the other person was a real prick and my stubborn overrode my common sense I'd want to get the warden in to evaluate the evidence and help with the dispute. Otherwise I'm not going to raise the issue, just means I get to hunt more.
My experience wasn't either of those. I walked away happy feeling like I had done a good thing. I don't regret it. It still made me want to switch Units but just because I saw more hunters than good bulls. There was pretty good snow that year when I went to push elk down, so the real high hard to reach places weren't as productive as sometimes. I only hunted the Unit once, I should have been happy just to get the opportunity I had. I see less elk where I go now and many are broke up by the time I get out there. A friend takes some monsters though, they are there if it all comes together. One of these years I will run across one of those big boys that isn't broke up when I have an elk tag and not just a muley tag!
My experience wasn't either of those. I walked away happy feeling like I had done a good thing. I don't regret it. It still made me want to switch Units but just because I saw more hunters than good bulls. There was pretty good snow that year when I went to push elk down, so the real high hard to reach places weren't as productive as sometimes. I only hunted the Unit once, I should have been happy just to get the opportunity I had. I see less elk where I go now and many are broke up by the time I get out there. A friend takes some monsters though, they are there if it all comes together. One of these years I will run across one of those big boys that isn't broke up when I have an elk tag and not just a muley tag!
- Thread starter
- #36
As I am getting ready to leave for Idaho, I am going through the "What gun do I take?"
I always like to have two rifles, well maybe three to mix things up. The first week hunting is combination elk and mule deer.
Thinking this years mixture will be:
1. Remington 700 in 35 Whelen with 225 AB - my default elk caliber
2. Sako Finnlight in 30-06 with 180 gr Partitions - such a nice carrying and shooting rifle
3. Back and forth between "a real elk gun" - the 338 WM with 200 gr E-tips or a rifle I shoot very well - 280 Rem with 160 AB.
The 280 is a great shooter and I have lots of confidence with it... but I would like to shoot an elk with the 338 E-tips to see how they perform, but.......that darn 280 is such a great shooter.
I guess it still boils down to: hunt with a rifle you have confidence in.
Cheers
Something about them '06 base cartiridges
I always like to have two rifles, well maybe three to mix things up. The first week hunting is combination elk and mule deer.
Thinking this years mixture will be:
1. Remington 700 in 35 Whelen with 225 AB - my default elk caliber
2. Sako Finnlight in 30-06 with 180 gr Partitions - such a nice carrying and shooting rifle
3. Back and forth between "a real elk gun" - the 338 WM with 200 gr E-tips or a rifle I shoot very well - 280 Rem with 160 AB.
The 280 is a great shooter and I have lots of confidence with it... but I would like to shoot an elk with the 338 E-tips to see how they perform, but.......that darn 280 is such a great shooter.
I guess it still boils down to: hunt with a rifle you have confidence in.
Cheers
Something about them '06 base cartiridges
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,404
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No doubt the 338 will carry the mail, but I do like the .280. It is an emotional favourite for me.
- Thread starter
- #40
Well I've hit a few real nice days to stretch out the rifles a little this week. I hit a little bump with the custom 270, had to have the scope shimmed to get enough adjustment to use my CDS out past 420yds. While waiting for that to get done I got to a neighbor's new range and shot the 264WM out to 830yds. I shot a 4" group at 525yds and then a 5" group at 830yds. I have no intention of shooting an elk that far, but it sure builds confidence for shorter shots that the rifle will do it's job if I do mine. I got the 270 back a few days ago and got it re-zeroed. Tonight I went to my gong and shot both rifles at 560yds, four shots through each rang the 10" gong every time. Time to pack the guns up and get ready to leave Saturday for the hunt. I'm going to keep shooting the 22 from field positions each night between now and then, keep myself sharp. Can't wait to head out!
