If you were building an elk rifle....

[mcseal2]

What would be your ideal rifle for hunting elk where both hikes and shots can be long?

I am going to build one before fall of 2012 and with the waits from some barrel companies I figured I should get that part started soon. Also this rifle will be expensive, so if I sell a couple other ones this year and start buying parts now I can spread out the cost. I figured I'd list what I was thinking of and see what others favorites were.

I have a browning A-bolt in 270WSM that I like really well for deer, especially the tang safety. For elk I'd like to start with an A-bolt action and build a 300WSM. Other components would be 24" Kreiger #2 barrel, Mcmillian Hunters Edge ultralight stock, Leupold 4.5x14 CDS scope, 2lb trigger spring kit, and Vias removable muzzle brake. I'd get the twist to shoot 180gr accubonds and work up a load that pushed them around 3000fps. The velocity and ballistic coefficient would be real close to that of my 270WSM load with 140gr accubonds to keep switching rifles simple.

What are your favorites?

 

[JD338]

I would build off a M700 action, blueprinted and have a #4 or #5 fluted Hart barrel 26" chambered in 338 RUM. Pillar bedded into a LSS stock and mounted with a Leupold VX-3 or Mark 4 4.5-14x40mm.

JD338

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Well, I'm pretty happy with my current Elk rifle:
Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter.
26" barrel, wood stock, blued barrel.
I installed a Pacmyer recoil pad, and a
Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x, 40mm, with mildot scope and target knobs.
With a 200gr BT at either 3000, or 3150, it's good elk medicine.
If I ever shoot the barrel out, I'll print the action, and screw a 26" Lawton, rifle cut tube on it. They can do either a standard Winchester countour, or a #4 for the same price. With that big hole down the middle of it, a #4 is still easy on the shoulder, but has plenty of meat in it.

If I was starting from scratch, I would probably build it on a Remington 700 action. More stocks to choose from, more accessories, and my smith prefers them.

If I was building a dedicated Elk rifle, and wanted a WSM cartridge, I would step up to the 325 WSM. But for a general purpose rifle, that would also be used to kill elk, well, the 180gr BT at 3000 FPS will do a very fine job. Deer, antelope, Elk, Moose, I'd shoot them all with that same load, and never give it a second thought. For a general purpose, all round, hunting round, it would be hard to do any better.

 

[6mm Remington]

mcseal2
I'm not sure if you saw the RADD for my Son post, but being only 14 he sure seems pretty wise. He has a 6mm Remington and I knew it would only be a matter of time before he needed something for the larger stuff like elk. He narrowed it down to this rifle and I think he did very well!

Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in 300 WSM. He saved up for a large portion of it last summer when he was working, and I put in some and got it for his birthday coming up. The rifle has from the factory a Bell & Carlson laid-up laminate stock with the aluminum bedding block. I'm going to have it glass bedded for a perfect fit and so the action sits in the stock without any pressure. The trigger will be touched up a bit, although it's feeling pretty good right now. Not sure which scope we will go with yet, but it will be a Leupold. Either the 2.5-8x36, 3.5-10x40, or the 4.5-10x40mm.

I'm like you and I hope I can get the 180 gr. Accubonds shooting small little groups out of it after he saves up for the scope. If they don't work I'll either use the 180 Partition or the E-tip.

Good luck which ever direction you go.
David

 

[BK]

I'm fairly happy with what I have now: NH SS M70 .300 Win Mag

Pardon the white balance from the camera. At some point I'm gonna replace the B&L scope with a Leupy or euroglass. I have a McMillan Supergrade stock on the way for it, a 50%/50% black white McSwirley. Should I ever toast the barrel (pretty unlikely) I'll probably go up one size in profile and have it fluted, and maybe cut to 25 inches, just to be a little different. I'm toying with the idea of having it Ceracoated, graphite black probably if I do it.

Of course, I also have a 7WSM, two .270s, an '06, a .300 Weatherby, a .358 Winchester, and a .35 Whelen in the safe.

If I were starting from scratch, I might go with a 700 action, in a Mickey stock, in a .338-06 AI. Or an M70 Sporter in .338-06 (standard chamber with a rebarrel). Or, for an off the shelf rifle, a new SC M70 All Weather, in .338 Win Mag.

Too many rifles, not enough time (open seasons ).

 

[Songdog]

I'd build an 8-pound .375 H&H... loaded with 260 Accubonds at 2650 or so. That combo shoots about as flat as an '06 running 180s.... and has a lot more clout when it arrives.

I had such a rifle... a 700 KS in .375... I remember punishing our 12" gong out to about 500 yards or so with relative ease. The 260 AccuBond (with the BC of .488) turned the old three-seven-five into a whole 'nother kind of gun....

 

[Elkman]

6mm
I have two 3.5 X10X40 mm Leupolds and like them both. I have custom dials on order from Leupold for both of them. My scope on my 300 win mag is the 2.5X8X36 Leupold. This is on my go to elk rifle and find it more than adequate out to 400 yards, so far.

 

[Elkman]

Like BK my go to elk rifle is a 300 Win Mag. My backup is a 7mm STW both rifles have composite stocks Leupold glass and are blued. My only change over what I have now would be SS, and move up to the 300 Wbee. The 300 WB is the 06 of the 30 cal magnum cartridges, the standard by which one measures the rest. I will most likely die prior to changing from the win mag. :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[DrMike]

I'd build a 9.3 X 64 Brenneke. Oh, wait, I'm doing that. Dedicated elk rifles never remain dedicated. Your thought of a 300 WSM would be good, and I can verify that the cartridge works very well on elk, as does a 300 WM, a 300 RUM or even a 30-06. I like the 325 WSM, which works very well, as does a 338-06 or a 338 WM. So many cartridges; so little time. It'll be fun just seeing what you build. You are certainly focused on some quality components for your rifle, though.

 

[jmad_81]

For the type of elk hunting I do I would have to go with my stainlless M70 classic with a 26" tube chambered in 338 WM. It wears a McMillan stock, and a VX-III 3.5-10x40 B&C. The recoil is tollerable, trajectory with a 225gr bullet is plenty flat. I know its not a super short/massive round, or have a 100 year track record, but it has never let me down when I most needed it.

My fair weather back up is a 375R pushing 260 AB. If weather is crappy then the 280 AI gets the nod with the 160 AB.

 

[SJB358]

I am with Jake and the others, for a dedicated elk rifle, I would start with the .338 bore and make it a 338WM, 340WBY or 338RUM. I would build off a M70, as I am just kinda nutty about them. Your choice in scopes is already awesome on your other rifles, so I would stick with them. My 338WM will push a 225 to 2890 so getting good trajectory is there and you would have alot of frontal area and great bullets to smash any elk walking from stem to stern. The 325WSM is a good one also, but for some reason, I just like the bigger bullets.

Hard to argue with Bill and his 300WM though. Either way, it would still be an M70. Elk are tough and bloodtrails are really nice when they do move away from the pace you shot them. Crawling around on the side of a mountain in bear grass trying to find a drop of blood is pain, so the more blood on the ground the better. With a good brake on the rifle, recoil difference will be negligible and you will appreciate the extra bullet weight if you are confronted with a tough shot. Scotty

 

[hardpan]

I would build a .300 RUM, use a carbon fiber barrel, and upgrade the trigger. the stock would be high end composite and the scope would either be a Zeiss 4x12 or a Swario 4x12. Load would be a 200 gr AB screaming at around 3200 fps.

Oh heck, that is the exact rifle that I load for a friend of mine. Shoots 1/2 groups all day long.

For a .338, I would start with the lapua mag, but the 300 rum will take down anything here in the americas, and most anything in africa.
Hardpan

 

[Richracer1]

There's a perfect custom rifle for you in the classifieds section. Buy Remingtonman's 338Edge, plus he has loads already worked up for it.

 

[jmad_81]

That rifle sold. It will take a few more elk in its day I'm sure :twisted:

 

[Richracer1]

That rifle sold. It will take a few more elk in its day I'm sure :twisted:

I just saw that.

 

[buckfever]

8mm rem mag would be a fine Elk rifle but there is a lot to choose from.

 

[mcseal2]

My main reason for the WSM is length. I love the ballistics of 26" barreled big cased 30 or 33 cals with 200 or 225gr bullets at 3000fps plus, but I don't like to hunt with that long a rifle. My 264 has a 25" barrel and longer thumbhole stock and I don't end up using it when there is alot of walking involved especially around timber. I also carry my rifle some in my eberlestock scabbard and the longer it is, the higher it rides to snag on trees. A 26" barrel with the brake added would be longer than I am comfortable with. My first rifle when I graduated from dad's old 243 was a custom 300 win with a 28" barrel, and I hated hunting with it. A neighbor a mile away builds rifles and he made it for me, after the second deer season I made him chop it to 24 and recrown it. I went from getting 3250fps with a 180BT to 3050fps, but the deer never knew the difference and I liked hunting with it much better. A 24" WSM with a brake added will be longer than I really like, but still very managable. My 23" 270WSM spoils me.

Sounds like you all have some really nice elk rifles!

 

[SJB358]

I think 24" barrels are plenty on most of the magnums. The little extra a 26 gains isn't really worth it too much to me. I use more standard mags though, like the 300WM, 300WBY, 7RM, 338WM and such. All those get plenty of speed with the 24" tube. My 338 pushes the 225 into the 2900 range. Scotty

 

[RogueRiver]

all my elk shots have been less than 50 yards but I would go 338 or 358 caliber. I use a whelen and love the knockdown power.

 

[Guy Miner]

I'm not much of an elk hunter, having shot but one. Not real big on the Browning A-bolts either - not sure why, they just don't appeal to me. You seem to like them, and that's what's important!

The only elk I shot was a nice size 6x6 Wyoming bull, up close to 10,000' in the Wind Rivers. Used an inexpensive 7mm mag, Rem 700 ADL with a simple 3-9x Leupold and a single hand-loaded 175 gr Nosler Partition. I have absolutely no regrets about that combo, it worked perfectly.

Last year when I was out chasing elk in the Washington Cascades, I was carrying my .375 H&H Ruger Number One, with a 2-7x Redfield. The ammo was built around the 260 gr Nosler AccuBond. Didn't get a shot, but I suspect it would have done just fine.

Those are two very different "elk rifles" but I was happy with both of them. I'd recommend building or buying the rifle that puts the biggest grin on your face when you carry it afield.

Of course, you could just use your existing .270 WSM...

Regards, Guy