Elk Rifle

[wisconsinteacher]

Would you go with a 7mmRM shooting a 150 Partition at 3100 fps or a .338wm shooting a 225 AccuBond at 2800 fps? Both have a VX-III 3.5-10 scope zeroed in at 200 yards.

Now that am 3 years from my trip, I have a lot of time to dream and think about what combo to work with and practice with over the next few summers. My goal is to be able to hit my 9" gong at 400 yards before I head west.

 

[LD375]

Would you go with a 7mmRM shooting a 150 Partition at 3100 fps or a .338wm shooting a 225 AccuBond at 2800 fps? Both have a VX-III 3.5-10 scope zeroed in at 200 yards.

Now that am 3 years from my trip, I have a lot of time to dream and think about what combo to work with and practice with over the next few summers. My goal is to be able to hit my 9" gong at 400 yards before I head west.

Both are proven Elk hammers, it would also depend on the terrain as well, you can't go wrong with either rifle, my vote goes 7mm 150gr PT/160gr AB's.

Lou

 

[Darkhorse]

I think you should go with the rifle that you can hit the gong with the first shot everytime. Or almost everytime.
If it was me I'd start working with the 160 gr. AB in that 7mm. I like the AB over the PT at the longer ranges simply because the BC is higher. If I was taking my 7mm on another elk hunt I'd most likely try to get a supply of 168 gr. ABLR's and try for a good load with them.
I killed a bull with my 7mm and a 175 gr. bullet at 281 yards and it was deadly.
I like the .338 for black timber hunting but I just think I personally could shoot the 7 more accurately.

 

[sask boy]

I personally would take the 338win mag but the proper thing to do is take the one that you shoot best.
Have fun, Shoot straight & most of all be Safe!!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Let's assume that they both shoot 1 MOA.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Would you go with a 7mmRM shooting a 150 Partition at 3100 fps or a .338wm shooting a 225 AccuBond at 2800 fps? Both have a VX-III 3.5-10 scope zeroed in at 200 yards.

Now that am 3 years from my trip, I have a lot of time to dream and think about what combo to work with and practice with over the next few summers. My goal is to be able to hit my 9" gong at 400 yards before I head west.

I would take both, assuming you own both. More than once we've had to pull out one of the spare rifles due to a problem/breakage/etc. Practice with both and be ready with both. You'll decide by then which is your favorite and which one you'll grab first.

I'm taking 3 rifles on my upcoming antelope/mule deer hunt, and I'll pick depending on my mood for the day, how far we decide to walk, the weather conditions, etc. All 3 are proven performers out to the distance you mention.

Hitting a 9" gong? Not tough at all. I would suggest that you can do that right away, even with factory ammo.
Hitting the orange dot you spray in the center every time? Now we're getting a bit tougher. :grin:

 

[6mm Remington]

I would take both as well just to have one as a spare just in case something happens to the main rifle. I think I would use the 7mm first but both would certainly work.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Take both here too. I wouldn't go more than 50 from my house without a second firearm as backup. Mr Murphy likes to rear his ugly head when you least expect. Especially with the amount of prep you putting into the hunt.

I would bump your zeros out a bit. More into the 275 range. That will extend your Point Blank Range to around 350 yards on an elk sized vital.

 

[Vince]

I'd take the one you shoot best but I'll admit to a preference for the .338 Win Mag.

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[Elkman]

I also always take two, with my primary being a 300 WM and the backup a 7 mm. If you can shoot both equally well, the 338 is probably better all around. Its always better to carry the biggest stick you can handle well.

 

[JD338]

I'd give the nod to the 338 Win Mag and use the 7mm Rem Mag as a back up.

JD338

 

[buckfever]

Three years is a long time to wait you could end up with a new rifle by then and a tougher decision :mrgreen:

 

[OU812]

I would take both on the hunt just because you never know when you might have an issue and there is no sense in screwing around with it if you don't have to, just grab the other rifle and get back to hunting.

What kind of terrain will you be primarily hunting? What kind of distance is most likely to be encountered for a shot? Is one of the 2 rifles lighter and easier to pack around all day? Those are things I give thought to when I go elk hunting to help me choose the rifle that best suits my needs for that hunt.

All that being said either choice will do the job but I am a 338 fan so that would be my first choice as long as you shoot them equally well.

 

[Guy Miner]

When I chose my "elk rifle" some years ago, I went with the 7mm Rem mag. I shot it better than I shot my equally accurate .300 Win mag. What?

Yeah, just because two rifles have the same accuracy, doesn't mean I can shoot them both equally well. That .300 had just enough more kick to make me less competent with it.

At any rate, a single Nosler 175 gr Partition through the elk's chest settled things very quickly.

But if you want the bigger rifle and shoot it well, why not? I sure can't critique that after adopting the .375 as my "bear rifle."

Being in great condition and able to shoot well from rapidly assumed field positions will do more for your hunt success than worrying about which rifle or bullet.

Regards, Guy

 

[SJB358]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the 338 Win Mag, no secret there. I also like the 7mm magnums a bunch as well, but I really tend to enjoy shooting my 338 alot as well, and there is no real science to it, the more you shoot them the more you are comfortable with the rifle and the more confidence you'll have in it.

Bill (both Bill's), Jim and others said it best, carry the biggest you can shoot with utmost confidence, you'll never regret having too much, but the opposite may not be the case. Honestly, both of them are entirely adequate, so you are in a WIN WIN sorta spot WT.

I am also with Pat, push your zero out a little if you have no intentions of dialing for extra yards or using a drop compensating reticle. If you zero 3" high at 100, you'll not see any disadvantage to this while hunting elk.

 

[wildgene]

...I've killed 20 odd elk, a doz. bears, & a moose w/ a 7mm RM, using heavier 175 & 160gr. bullets. Never saw an elk that was more deader from a good shot w/ a .338 than a good shot w/ a 7mm, never saw a bad shot w/ a .338 that was any better than a bad shot w/ a 7mm. That said, I'm all for shooting the heaviest bullet as fast as you can shoot it well...

...I'm gonna buck the trend here & say, "Forget about MPBR, use your 200yd. "zero". A 10" MPBR will put you 5" high @ 150yds/ 5" low @ 325// a 8" MPBR puts you 4" high @ 150/ 4" low @ 300. A 200yd. "zero" puts you 1.75" high @, coincidentally, 175/ 2.5" low @ 250/ 6" low @ 300yds. Get a range finder or learn to use the range finder on your scopes, easy to do on the VX-3's. Let me know if you need a link to the Leupold Guide. A lot of places out here you won't have any kind of reference to help you judge distance, it's tuff even when you're doing it all the time...

...here's some numbers to think about: 16 (avg. deer, top of back/ bottom of brisket)// 24 (avg. elk)// 6 (avg. drop of a medium fast load @300yds/ 200yd. "zero") 18 (avg. drop @ 400yds.). So, @ 200yds. or less aim just below the "center line", 300yds. is just above the center line, 400yds. is right along the top of his back. These drops should be +/- a couple three inches. You still need to truth your loads, & practice shooting those distances & more, if possible...

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have not killed a bunch of elk in my life time but I have had one failure with a 7mm Rem Mag and 150 grain factory loads on an elk at about 80 yards, walking broadside. This was 50 years ago.

Since then, I have used a minimum of the .30 caliber with 180 gr Partitions at 2880 fps, ranging up through .338 Win mag with 225 gr Partitions at 2900 fps. With these combinations I have had no further issues. However, this does not cover a large sampling size. However, it is 100% kill rate since, (DRT) FWIW.

 

[FOTIS]

I'd give the nod to the 338 Win Mag and use the 7mm Rem Mag as a back up.

JD338

This

 

[Darkhorse]

When I chose my "elk rifle" some years ago, I went with the 7mm Rem mag. I shot it better than I shot my equally accurate .300 Win mag. What?
Yeah, just because two rifles have the same accuracy, doesn't mean I can shoot them both equally well. That .300 had just enough more kick to make me less competent with it.
Regards, Guy

Very true.

Wisconsinteacher, Seeing as you have 3 years to wait and plan things out, do consider the .300 Win. Mag. or equivalent.
Back in '96 when I killed my elk with a 7RM and 175 gr. bullets, it was on a migration hunt in northern New Mexico. The ranges ended up being much longer across those snow covered ranches than I expected. I had 3 other hunters in my tent, one carried a .338 and couldn't shoot it well. He got scope cut and gutshot a bull which got onto the Jicarilla reservation and therefore lost. The other 2 carried .300 WM Model 70's with the BOSS attachment. They hunted elk every year and had both went from the 7mag to the 300 Win. because they considered it a superior elk cartridge at the longer ranges.
So when I got home I decided I needed a .300 Win. Mag. I knew 2 other .300 shooters who were constantly getting scope cuts and not getting any deer. FWIW I didn't consider either one to have the skill to master the .300 in the first place. Bullet placement is key no matter which you use and using a Magnum doesn't compensate for poor marksmanship.
I personally did not want to deal with the recoil either as I figured it might harm my marksmanship. So I bought a LH Browning Stainless Stalker in .300 WM W/BOSS. The gun is super accurate and the BOSS really tames the recoil so I was able to shoot it better than my 7RM.
That was my goto gun for many years and after taking a bull at 400 yds in NW Co. I consider it one of the very best Elk cartridges out there. I have shot my largest whitetail and made all my longest shots with this rifle. Granted it is an older cartridge and now has competition, still it remains a great cartridge for any type western hunting. And I would give it serious consideration.

 

[Vince]

Since you have three years you have the time to learn how to shoot any reasonable elk caliber. I would encourage you to get a properly fitted stock, Limbsaver recoil pad, and a recoil reduction device like a Vias muzzle brake.


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