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Looks like I'm the oddball.

I like the .35 Whelen and the .50 cal muzzleloader.

The Whelen is a custom job on a Weatherby Vangaurd action. The muzzleloader is an Ausitn & Halleck.

.270 Win, Ruger M77, 130g Nosler Partitions, 58.5g H4831 (I know it'll hold more but that's the charge my rifle likes...)

I have a new .300 RUM that squeezes out the 180g Noslers nice and tight with H1000 but have yet to bloody it. I want to try some XLC's and heavier bullets in it when I get time.

SD

7RM, 175 Partition, in Kimber M-98. Always take along my Marlin 1895, 45-70, hvy. loaded 405-gr. Remington bullets....for use in black timber.

Winchester Featherweight Classic in .270 Winchester, using 150 grain Grand Slams. I don't really think of it as an elk rifle, but where I hunted elk was very mountainous, and I couldn't bear the thought of climbing mountains with a big old heavy .338 Winchster Magnum. Highest point I reached, according to my GPS, was a hair over 9,000 feet, and being a sea level living person, that robbed me of my breath most of the time. Took a few steps, and had to stop and catch my breath, and I was in pretty darn good shape at the time. Had I had a heavier rifle, it would have been worse.

I haven't yet had the chance to go on an elk hunt (hopefully in the next 2-3yrs), but I have thought ALOT about what gun I would like to use for the adventure. I would have to go with either a Rem 700 or Win 70 in .338 Win Mag. I would probably shoot 250 gr Nosler Partitions.

Normally,
Rem 700/ 7mm rem mag/ 175 grn.

On a certain black timber hell hole,
m24/47/ Mauser custom/8x57mm JS/ Igman 170 grn. sp.

.338-06 Remington 700LH, Burris 2.5x8 Signature, Nosler 225 gr. partion or Barnes 210 gr. XLC.

Paul39

PDS,

I make a 127gr EXP Groove Bullet in 7mm. Using your 7mm mag you should easily see 3500 FPS. Penetration is great, to say the least.

I have a buddy right now using my 101gr EXP Groove Bullet in his 25 STW and he is getting 4130 FPS, so far. He hasn't seen any pressure signs yet and the case is full. He is now going to use a hotter powder to see if he can find pressure. He is figuring 4200 plus FPS with 1/2 MOA accuracy. I feel sorry for any deer or elk that get in the way of that bullet. Its going all the way through.

I always liked light weight bullets driven at higher speeds. Providing the bullet is designed and made to withstand the velocity and will hold together at those higher velocities. My bullets will not blow up/come apart. The front of the bullet is designed to shred and the back will hold tegether and drive on thru - at high velocity.

Imagine having a 550 yard dead aim rifle in your hands. No holdover, no adjusting for elevation, just aim dead on out to 550 yards, squeeze and you have a dead deer or elk.

Have a good one,

Don <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Old Faithful Elk Whacker:
Remington Seven SS w/ Bell & Carlson Carbelite stock, Leupold 1-piece base & rings, B&L Elite 3000 3-9x40 scope, 308win, 180gr Grand Slams- has accounted for 5 roosevelt elk traveling a grand total of ~100 yards prior to death. All shot at <50 yards.

Upstart Elk Whacker:
Winchester 70 Classic SS w/ McMillan SuperGrade stock, Leupold 2-piece bases, Burris Signiture rings, Elite 3200 3-9x40 scope, 338wm, 225gr Accubonds (if Midsouth ever sends them)

Pre 64 M70 264 win mag 3x9 Leupold 2 elk
Sako Mannlicher 264 win mag Redfield Widefield 3x9 3 elk
Remington 721 264 win mag Leupold 3x9 3 elk
Remington 700 264 win mag Redfield 4x12 1 elk
All elk taken with 264 fell to hornady 140 interlocks
pushed by 61 gr 4831. That was before I found out that
interlocks wouldn't kill an elk.

300 Yards is about max from my experience with a 264 on elk.
Go bigger if you intend to shoot farther.

Ruger 300 Win MAG 3X9 Leupold AO 165 Hornady boat tails 1 elk

This year I will put a new Zeiss Conquest 3x9 on the Sako 264 pushing Nosler partitions 120 or 140 in open country for deer and elk.
I will use a Sako Deluxe 308 with a Leupold 6x42 using 165 partitions
for elk in thick cover.

Man I get excited just writing about this stuff. Don't you?

Hey sweetsue, I get the impression you like 264s. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Were from the same camp for that choice. I really like the cartridge. I don't limit mine to 300 yards for elk.

It's really hard to pick out a favorite elk Rifle but I guess it has to be a toss up between a 300 win Mag and a 7mm mag. with a 280 AI as a backup rifle.

SU34

Yes I love the 264. At 500 yards it has put some deer down for me that were unbelieveable shots. I have killed elk beyond 300 yards with it, but had some big bulls keep moving like they weren't touched at 150 yards. The elk has to be the toughest animal in North America to put down with one shot.

Been shooting and reloading the 264 since 1961. Wallop without much recoil.

Well, if I can get it up and running in time, I'd love to use the Model 70 in 358 STA I've got in the works.
I think of it as the perfect blend of 340 Weatherby and 375 H&H.
.358" 300gr @ 2800+fps = big hole, fairly flat, lots of energy downrange.
Of course, the way it works is I'll study the trajectory out to 400 yds and I'll get a broadside shot at 50yds, but still, it'll make a LOT of noise!!
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

.300 Win. Mag. with 180 gr. Barnes "X". in a Sako AV and Leupold Vari-XIII 3.5-10, restocked with a McMillan Sako Classic. Has filled my tag each season I have been lucky enough to draw a tag since 1993 (from 35 yards to 270 yards). I am confident that many other calibers and rifles could have done the same, but this Sako has been a treat to hunt with for me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

A survivor of the Old School:

(1) Winchester Model 71, .348 Winchester, 250 g. Buffalo Bore or 200 grain Winchester Silvertips

(2) Winchester Model 1895, .35 Winchester, 250 grain Hornady from OWS

(3) Winchester Model 1895 carbine, .303 British, 215 grain Remington


Redcoat

When are we going to get a compilation of all the answers? Curious to know what the top three are. TM

RECAP SO FAR !!!!

Here it is so far folks. Some real surprises I think.

264 Win Mag (1)
270 (5)
7-08 (2)
7x57 (1)
280 rem (1)
7 R mag (10)
308 (3)
30-06 (3)
300 mag (2)
7.82 Warbird (1)
338 Win Mag (13)
330 Dakota (1)
340 Weatherby (2)
338-06 (1)
358 Win (2)
35 whelen (1)
358 STA (1)
348 Win (1)
375 (1)

it would seem the 338 is growing in popularity and I was surprised that the 30-06 did not do well considering its supposed to be the favorite all the time. Perhaps this forum is for REAL elk hunters, huh? I was also surprised with all the talk on the forums that the 338-06 was not more popular and the 300 weatherby was not mentioned at all. Interesting results to say the least. By the way, for those who entered multiple calibers, I used the one you shot the most elk with figuring it was your favorite and I did not include the one muzzleloader in the group.

I use a .270, 130gr. Always slip in real close and make the shot as non-wastful as possible on the meat. Mostly cows, but there has been a bunch of them brought down over the years as several of my friends use my gun and ammo for their winters meat also.

FN Mauser 98, 22" Heym Barrel with removable rear peep sights. Wildcat fiberglass synthetic stock, Weaver 2 p/c steel rings and bases. Nosler 286g Partition @ 2750fps. Leupold Vari-X III 1.5x5 matte finish with German 4a reticle. Oh yes, the caliber is 9.3X64 Brenneke. I tend to hunt in grizzly country so find this combination quite comforting when I am bugling and a bear decides to answer the call.