Building an Elk Rifle

[Powerstroke]

The 300RUM gets my vote.

We always change our minds. Good intentions all the time, however my freezer is full of good intentions and I'm starving. :lol:
The RUM can be loaded to the -06 levels AND - loaded heavy "just because you can" Seems you have the best of all worlds here?

 

[russ808]

Scotty,
I'm for the 300wsm camp.
Russ

 

[IdahoCTD]

If you want the easiest for the action go 30-06 or 30-06 AI. If you open the bolt face or buy a different bolt go to a .300WM or .300 Weatherby. WSM's are cute but wont do anything a WM wont and will be more work to get it to feed well through the action. I've had .300 RUM's and I'm not sold on them. They barely get 100fps over the .30-8mm I shoot (if you want the brass to last over 1 shot anyway) with a lot more powder and recoil. The Weatherby and .30-8mm are really close and with a short throat the Weatherby uses about the same amount of powder. I would rather spend a bit more and build a .30-.338 Lapua over a .300RUM. Loaded to .300RUM velocity the brass would last forever and the powder charges would be quite similar. Even loaded up the Lapua brass will last a good long time and spank a .300RUM for velocity.

 

[Anonymous]

I went with the .300WSM.... been using mine for a few years now and I'm sold on it.

Ammo is getting quite easy to find...even here in Timbuktoo, Alaska the local hook and bullet has quite a few boxes of it. Its getting pretty popular up here with the backpacking for sheep crowd and with good reason.

It won't do anything the .300WM won't do- except fit in a shorter, lighter action and for some folks that's reason enough and if you're starting from scratch it doesn't make any difference anyway.

All of mine have fed smooth and shot straight. I'd tackle anything on this continent with one stoked with 180 Accubonds or Trophy Bearclaws.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

The 300WSM is the easy answer out of these choices in so far as it has ammo readily available and comes in several packages off-the-shelf. Since you both reload though it doesn't play so heavily into this discussion.

The 338-06 would be my choice for "the cartridge you didn't ask about" category. A 210gr NP at ~2750fps would certainly make the grade. It would be an easy upgrade to your donor rifle too.

The 30-06AI just doesn't do it for me. The fireforming requirement isn't worth the effort of gaining another 100-150fps IME.

The 500yd range requirement though puts the 300RUM at the top of the heap.

I would settle on 400 yds and build the 338-06, or 35Whelen... :wink:

 

[BK]

The 300WSM is the easy answer out of these choices in so far as it has ammo readily available and comes in several packages off-the-shelf. Since you both reload though it doesn't play so heavily into this discussion.

The 338-06 would be my choice for "the cartridge you didn't ask about" category. A 210gr NP at ~2750fps would certainly make the grade. It would be an easy upgrade to your donor rifle too.

The 30-06AI just doesn't do it for me. The fireforming requirement isn't worth the effort of gaining another 100-150fps IME.

The 500yd range requirement though puts the 300RUM at the top of the heap.

I would settle on 400 yds and build the 338-06, or 35Whelen... :wink:

I can't argue with this!

 

[wildgene]

...around here, I'd want the 500yd. option, the .300 WSM is well in the running in both trajectory & energy, in a lighter more manageable package. Since there's lots of suggestions for "minimal" .338, for "just elk", I'll throw in the .325 WSM, @ near .338 WM ballistics in a much more pleasant package. W/ the right bullet choice, in this case the 220gr. Sierra GameKing, it's delivering considerably more energy (18-26%) than a comparable .300 WSM load @ 500yds., for a little more bullet drop, a little less wind correction. Trajectory is just a number, bullet drop is easily corrected, windage is more complicated, & delivered energy @ range is a definite bonus. Going down to the 200gr. bullets, you're better off sticking to the .300 WSM...

 

[SJB358]

This is great. Keep em coming guys. If it were me, looking for another, the 325 would be pretty high on my list. I love the Whelen a bunch.

Jake hit the nail on the head. A rifle that weighs 7-8.5lbs would be a great all arounders and ammo should not be an issue. Anyhow, I bet Brian's head is spinning right now! Scotty

 

[C.Smith]

If you want to go with a magnum, why not just go all the way 300 RUM. Seems you have the dies you need already.

Corey

 

[cobblestone]

I'm in the 300wsm camp, but will say when it comes to elk to shoot the biggest gun you can from a variety of positions and still pack all day long even out of some real nasty holes.

 

[mcseal2]

Good post Scotty, gives me some more to think about.

They guy I hunt with in Wyoming switched a couple years ago from his old faithful 270 win to a 270 weatherby and loves how fast it puts down elk. I think a large part of that is because I convinced him to shoot 140gr accubonds in it where he was using 130gr Winchester power point factory loads.

To the point, what would steer me away from the 300RUM is the long barrel needed for speed. I followed my friend all over h**l looking for mule deer 2 years ago and that long barrel sticking up over his shoulder was catching on everything. It is the same when I put a long barrelled rifle in my eberlestock and go through timber, the stock is to far above my head. A long rifle like my 25" 264 isn't much of a problem in the open country I deer hunt but when chasing elk in mixed terrain a shorter rifle is definitely my preference. I had no problem packing my 23" 270WSM on that deer hunt.

Of the choices listed the 300WSM got my vote. I'm seriously considering building or buying one to shoot the 200gr accubonds through for elk.

If I was set on using a 30-06 action for an elk gun I'd do something different and build a 280AI with the right twist to shoot the 175gr Partition. I think 2800fps would be attainable fairly easy and work well. I loaded up some for my 7mm RM to test when the weather cooperates.

 

[IdahoCTD]

A Remington short action is only 4oz lighter than a long action. If someone is sheep hunting I can see losing 4oz but most people can tolerate another 4oz. You can typically find .300WM ammo in more places in a larger variety then 300WSM. With bullets seated out to use the magazine length the .300WM will run away from the WSM. You can get RWS brass for it which is better than Norma for the WSM. It's old school but old school still works really well and in some cases better then new fangled stuff.

 

[WYcoyote]

A Remington short action is only 4oz lighter than a long action. If someone is sheep hunting I can see losing 4oz but most people can tolerate another 4oz. You can typically find .300WM ammo in more places in a larger variety then 300WSM. With bullets seated out to use the magazine length the .300WM will run away from the WSM. You can get RWS brass for it which is better than Norma for the WSM. It's old school but old school still works really well and in some cases better then new fangled stuff.

+1
The old .300 Win Mag is what works for me.

 

[elkeater2]

A Remington short action is only 4oz lighter than a long action. If someone is sheep hunting I can see losing 4oz but most people can tolerate another 4oz. You can typically find .300WM ammo in more places in a larger variety then 300WSM. With bullets seated out to use the magazine length the .300WM will run away from the WSM. You can get RWS brass for it which is better than Norma for the WSM. It's old school but old school still works really well and in some cases better then new fangled stuff.

+1
The old .300 Win Mag is what works for me.

I might have voted for the .300Win Mag, but it wasn't on Scotty's list :roll: Sort of reminds me of when my wife asks if I want for supper skinless chicken breast OR eggplant casserole. I want to say meatloaf or steak, but it wasn't on her list. And I know better than to add to her list. :wink:
Elkeater2

 

[WYcoyote]

A Remington short action is only 4oz lighter than a long action. If someone is sheep hunting I can see losing 4oz but most people can tolerate another 4oz. You can typically find .300WM ammo in more places in a larger variety then 300WSM. With bullets seated out to use the magazine length the .300WM will run away from the WSM. You can get RWS brass for it which is better than Norma for the WSM. It's old school but old school still works really well and in some cases better then new fangled stuff.

+1
The old .300 Win Mag is what works for me.

I might have voted for the .300Win Mag, but it wasn't on Scotty's list :roll: Sort of reminds me of when my wife asks if I want for supper skinless chicken breast OR eggplant casserole. I want to say meatloaf or steak, but it wasn't on her list. And I know better than to add to her list. :wink:

Elkeater2

From the list my vote is the .300 WSM.
But my list was all calibers.
Maybe you should take the wife out for a steak when she's feeding you eggplant. :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

I chose the 300 RUM. I would load it with a 200 gr PT or AB, depending on what the rifle liked the best and never look back.

JD338

 

[Guy Miner]

I'm really all over the place on this elk rifle/elk hunting stuff. Have only shot one elk, a nice bull, and that was with the 7mm Rem mag with a 175 Nosler Partition. Good combo. Put the elk down quickly.

This year though, I found myself afield once with my .25-06 loaded with 115 gr Nosler Partitions, and another couple of times with my .375 H&H loaded with 260 gr Nosler Accubonds.

The only common theme seems to be I carry Noslers when I'm hunting elk. That's not all bad is it?

 

[SJB358]

I'm really all over the place on this elk rifle/elk hunting stuff. Have only shot one elk, a nice bull, and that was with the 7mm Rem mag with a 175 Nosler Partition. Good combo. Put the elk down quickly.

This year though, I found myself afield once with my .25-06 loaded with 115 gr Nosler Partitions, and another couple of times with my .375 H&H loaded with 260 gr Nosler Accubonds.

The only common theme seems to be I carry Noslers when I'm hunting elk. That's not all bad is it?

Nope, I kinda think we are running on the same track Guy! Scotty

 

[FOTIS]

All will work... I like the RUM

 

[300RMEFshooter]

I voted for 300 RUM because thats my go to rifle a Remington XCR II in 300 RUM with a Leupold VX III 4.5-14 x 40mm shooting either Nosler 180 grain Accubonds or Federal 180 grain Trophy Tips :grin: