Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting What is it with rifles and bullets here?

Just counted 9 out of 24 threads were about caliber, bullet, or rifles. What is it with the bullet fascination?

I've been chasing these four legged things around since 1996 and never thought much about either the rifle or bullet. Sure, I have a favorite gun or round, but it's more of a tool, than a fascination for me. I use a good solid copper. All reloads, chronographed, and charted to intended ranges. I prefer to spend my time at the range making sure the ballistics are solid to 600 yards and practice uphill/downhill and in the wind.

And I'm in the woods whenever I can be. I think boots on the ground is far more valuable than bullet selection.

Yep, head stamps don't matter much. Flat base, boat tail, round ball, round nose, C& C, pure lead, or solids will work. Only a matter of personal preference. I prefer to spend more on the hunt rather than what I do it with .

I have been chasing them since 1964. Ten more years than that for deer. I have killed elk with a 30-30's to 7MM mags a lot in between and muzzle loaders with of all different flavors of rifles. Never could see much difference in how they died. Contrary to popular opinion, they are not hard to kill. Darn hard to find though. I couldn't tell anyone what bullets had for sectional density or ballistic coefficient.

Them that can do it do it, the rest talk about it. Rio7

It’s the same sort of thing you’ll hear from golfers talking about a new club or fisherman talking about what lures are working. It’s just a harmless way for hunters to talk about their pastime and maybe even learn something now and then.

Yet you did exactly the same thing that others are doing. You've obviously put a lot of time and thought into your selection. Then more time and effort into getting everything dialed in and then you shared your thoughts about what you think works best.

That is all others are asking for. Just checking on what other people used.

You realize that guys on this forum are the lunatic fringe of hunters who eat sleep & dream hunting. Closer to NASCAR than the weekend car club. The week I get to spend elk hunting is followed by 50 weeks of anticipation for next year.

Spending long days in the field and persistence with some local knowledge is way more important than any rifle & bullet minutiae. But I switched to Barnes TTSX after a less than great Nosler Ballistic tip experience on a nice bull. The information behind that choice came from here

No complaints from me on the informative posts - reading forums like this my rangefinder, binoculars, boots, pack, clothing, rifle carrying method are all much better & more efficient than the gear I started with.

That is the purpose of this site, to discuss and consider rifles, bullets and other hunting related topics.

If you are going to question wasteful diatribe, ask Wabigoon and dozens of other posers that continue to waste space with “what you had for breakfast” or other related BS…

I think Einstein was quoted as:

If you can’t explain something……simply…..

You don’t understand it well.

Trying to explain my thoughts help me understand what I’m trying to grasp.

But I agree totally with you about shooting 600 yards……unless you can actually do it….whatever bullet you buy is a moot point. I am lucky to shoot 300 personally. I need to work on this.

Well ya, gotta spread the good gospel of "ft lbs of energy", "room for error", "knockdown power', and "no replacement for displacement" somewhere......lol

Hell yeah, I'm guilty of "bullet fascination"....seeing how it's the only thing that comes in contact with the elk, and does all the killing.

I spend time studying the construction of the bullet, and the impact velocities that make them work. That determines the parameters of the anticipated shot, and therefore the cartridge in the gun, I carry. I typically take 3 rifles to elk camp.....a timber rifle, an open country rifle, and the all around/back up rifle. Where the elk are hanging out, determines what I carry.

As for the caliber/cartridge of choice, for elk, it runs from a 300 win as a minimum, up to 416 Ruger in the timber (most often a 375 H&H).....with some sort of 338, in the middle, win or rum. I feel there is plenty of overlap with these choices.

Heavy/stout bullets up close and more fragile bullets down range.

I've been killing elk for over 40 years, it has always worked for me, with no drama, and 0 lost animals. Most elk drop at the shot, or at the very least, in sight.

If that's over thinking it.......I'm happily guilty.

Andy3

PS: You want to talk of over thinking something, my 54 caliber paper patched muzzleloader bullets would qualify. That's the deepest rabbit hole I've ever been down!

But....they sure do kill elk.

Some years back I got a pile of Accubond blems from Shooters Pro Shop. 30 cal, 165 gr. I just load and shoot them. They've accounted for quite a few elk, deer, and antelope over the years. I've used them in a 300 WSM and currently in an '06. They just do the job so I don't have to rack my brains figuring out what might get an extra inch of penetration or 1/4 MOA.

Most hunters don't live in elk country, and for most of those elk hunting is a sometime thing--or maybe even once in a lifetime. They've probably heard about how tough elk are to kill, maybe from their Uncle Fred who hunted elk once in Idaho back in 1979. So they're looking for a broader range of opinions before spending the money on a non-resident hunt, where just the travel and license is far more than they pay to hunt locally, and a guided hunt costs considerably more.

I've also noticed that the farther away from elk country a hunter lives the bigger the cartridge he thinks he needs.

Bingo.. I actually enjoy, taking elk with different cartridges and bullets, so I will know what to expect the next time out. It's also a good pastime in the off season, to talk about cartridges and bullets. If you don't, you are not much of a "rifle loony".. And as most of us know here, this is the best outlet for us rifle loonies..

M10:

To answer your question directly, I confess to using the 24H CF as a way to both build dreams and narrow choices.

I personally have never been elk hunting, but dream about it, and when the day comes will be more or less ready with the right kit to do the job thoughtfully assembled, rather than thrash around at the last-minute considering options. I am perhaps like others here that has a full, or even overfull, life dealing with what is right in front of us, most of which may have little or nothing to do with elk, or even hunting.

Not sayin' I'm a clueless tyro that hasn't done much in life, mebbe, mebbe not.

I have learned a lot here, and contribute where I can, and don't pretend to know much beyond what I post. Everyone has something to offer, just some more than others, depending on the topic. With this in mind, I really appreciate those that do post...for the most part.....chortle.

I trust that this addresses your question.

I am reminded of a young fellow, just out of the military, use to using a .308 for deer. Everyone told him he needed a 300 Win mag and super duper name brand copper bullets.

We talked several evenings as he came past camp. After 4-5 days he had not seen anything. I told him every evening a nice bull crossed an avalanche chute pretty high on the mountain across from camp.

The next afternoon he started climbing, but wasn't quite high enough when sure enough out walks the bull.

He blew the shot over the bulls back and the bull did not stay round long enough for a second shot. This was the only elk he saw all season.

The problem was he was shooting at steep angle up hill and didn't know enough to aim low.

Knowing where to shoot is lot more important than what you shoot

So... A guy just out of military and used to firing 7.62 weapons, but unfamiliar with exterior ballistics and calculated angles of fire? Err... Hope he wasn't on 'our side'!

Concerning those "angles of fire in respect as departing from horizion...

https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/hitting-a-high-or-low-angle-shot/83768


Best!
John

I was stationed with a guy in the service in Lakeside, Montana. He though himself quite the hunter but found he couldn't kill elk with a 7mm Rem Mag so he dumped it and got a 458 Win Mag. He couldn't shoot it either. Then down in the Swan Range one year hunting elk and helped a guy get out an elk his wife had killed. She killed it with a 243 Win!

I know a rancher that killed a nice bull with a factory loaded 25-35 model 94 Winchester, buck horn sights. I don’t think that’s the optimum combination nor one that I’d recommend. I also think bullet selection is important as I’ve experienced bullet failures and I’ve seen bullet failures used by other hunters.

A friend told a local dealer he was going elk hunting and needed a new rifle. The dealer recommended a 375 H&H and ordered it for him. I don’t think the dealer had much experience elk hunting. The 375 didn’t come in time and my friend had to do with the 270 - successfully I might add.

Talking about and asking for recommendations isn’t a bad thing. Asking advice from people who have experience is much better.

Shooting proficiency and marksmanship should be at the top of everyone's list. Those that don't know this, or practice it, have no business hunting elk. I believe this to be the moral of your story..