Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 257 Roberts and elk

Jeez!

Thank-you Bob for finally just saying it. If I went by internet lore I would think all elk shots are high quartering, long range, armor plated bulls in the trees. What the hell happened to stalking and shooting skills? Everyone acts like the only shot they'll conceivably get is the 'worst'. I was taught to do everything I can to get a humane shot and if it's not there, then the animal wins.

As the inimitable Big Stick would say, "Boolits matter more than headstamps". Learn to shoot whatever you're comfortable with and learn how to hunt. Or, wait until you've lived long enough than you can use your age as a indicator of knowledge!

I'd use a .257 Roberts in an instant on elk. Have I? No. But I don't need to jump off a bridge to know the landing will kill me.

Guess I'll stick with my 7-08--another 'questionable' elk cartridge.

Two of my most favorite Campfire posts ever!

How many elk are you required to have harvested or seen harvested in order to possess the right to post on this thread?

And, what are the legal caliber limits in states with elk hunting seasons? Colorado is 243 Winchester.

Thanks
lutheran

The next time I go Elk hunting, I will be using my Ruger 77ts, 257 AI, and 120 gr Hornady HP's. Hopefully in 2012. I don't have the slightest doubt about killing a Elk with it.

MojoHand �

Long range shot opportunities abound and getting closer is NOT always an option. Feel free to carry a minimalist cartridge like a .243 Win but realize there IS a difference downrange when compared to, well, take your pick from a pretty wide range of other cartridges. When I carry my .30-30 or .257 Roberts I don�t kid myself that I can take the same shots I can when carrying my 7mm RM or .300 WM or even one of my .30-06�s.

Quartering shot opportunities are fairly common, as are Texas Heart Shot opportunities. Sometimes that is all you get. I�ve seen wounded elk run and there is no telling in advance which way the will go or how far they will go and a steep quartering shot or THS might be your only chance to end things in a reasonably satisfactory manner. Having a cartridge that is up to the task of a bad angle seems prudent.

While I�ve never seen �armor plated bulls�, I have seen elk travel for miles after being wounded. I�ve also seen blood trail in the snow, all over the south side of a mountain, from what we believe was a single elk that was wounded by some other hunters. We know it was alive on day 3 as we jumped it out of its bed.

When it comes to choosing an �elk� cartridge, most anything will work if good judgment is used and if things go as planned. It is not that the only shot you get will always be the �worst�, although any individual shot opportunity may be as hoped for or not go as planned. To me it seems sensible to work hard for the best and plan for the worst. Whether hunting or living in general, the chances of a satisfactory outcome go way up when compared planning only for the best.

Laffin, .243 here in Washington also.. Cracks me up to no end those that think you need an "elk gun" to kill elk.. lol


If all hunters were honest and a poll was taken, I'd bet far more elk are, missed, wounded, lost, or tracked for hrs on end bleeding that were shot with "elk guns" than those shot with "deer guns".

IME which only consists of about 24-30 elk kills, the larger "elk guns" were by far out performed by the "deer guns".

Infact, "deer guns" have by far out performed "elk guns" on deer too.. lol

Don't matter what your shooting if ya don't put the bullet where it's supposed to go it's gonna be a long day! LMAO

And to post on this thread I only asked for anyone whom actually shot or has a friend or partner that has killed elk with a .257 Roberts for input..

Agree.

Elk are big. I don't see a downside to shooting a big deep hole into them.

Killed enough things in my life to know that's not necessary but it is desirable IMHO.

Me, too.

A 257 (regardless what case pushes the bullet)would not be my first choice for elk,and like CH says above, I have always chosen to play it "safe" when it comes to elk cartridges...that said I know if you point it right a 257 will kill them nicely and I base this on having seen it done with the 250 Savage and the 25/06,and have dug through the carcasses after the fact to see what happened.With todays bullets things can only get better, but that's true with all calibers, not just 25's.

Elk bones can be heavy and a bit bullet resistant if you don't pay attention to bullet construction,and I've seen completely satisfactory results on them with well constructed bullets from 270 caliber on through the 338's.I've walloped them down myself with 300's and 7 mags,and have noticed the more powerful cartridges certainly kill them very quickly....but what I have NOT noticed is that the bigger cartridges provide any margin with bad shooting and poorly placed shots.

I've posted this before but a good buddy lost a Canadian bull season before last with a 300 RUM and a 180 gr TBBC at 3300 fps;I wasn't there but from the bulls reaction, it seems the shot was just a bit high (it floored him)and the bull writhed on the ground, recovered his feet and took off into very thick timber. He was not recovered.

I guess it is human nature to assume that a more powerful cartridge is going to provide some extra insurance,and in some cases I guess this is true...and if offered the choice between (say) a 243, and a 300 Weatherby or 338, I would take the bigger rifles myself.I am comfortable in my ability to shoot them....(for me, a 300 RUM is just over the top...I have not fired one in a rifle that was controllable at a weight I want to lug around elk mountains).

But I don't kid myself that I can get sloppy with the bullet placement and still expect to kill cleanly...and based on what I've seen, reults won't be much different with less powerful cartridges, provided I use good bullets and stick them in the right place,which is my point;and a good bullet from a 270, placed properly, will do every day what a sloppily placed bullet from a Uber Mag won't..I doubt this can be emphasized enough.

That is exactly what I have been trying to say..Never once did I say the 257 would not kill Elk,I merely said there are "much" better choices.I shoot both my .300 Win Mag and 270 Win with ease and I can tell you,the .300 "smacks 'em" better than the 270 Win and having said that,I have seen more Elk shot with the 270 Win than any other caliber.

Jayco

Jayco we are on the same page.

Well, I'm glad that's settled.

Back on track......

Bob and CH,

I totally agree with you but the question was can/do you use a Bob for elk. When you start throwing variables around, where do you stop? Long range...how long? How much energy is needed? Can 'smaller', yet well constructed bullets make it to the vitals on raking shots? How big of hole do you need? Is the .020" difference from the .257 to the .277 that big of a difference?

Again, I agree with you guys in principle but where does the logic of 'enough gun' stop? Your friend's .300 RUM didn't 'get the job done' so does he go larger now? I ahve seen way too many guys lug around big mags, apparently from ego or misinformation, that they couldn't shoot well.

As you said Bob, it comes down to bullet placement and construction. If a guy can shoot a .257 Bob better than a .300 Winnie the Bob wins every time.

Oh yeah, even though I mentioned my 7-08, I'll actually be taking my .35 Whelen on elk this year--not because of any inadequacies or lack of 'safety factor', though.

'61'10,

This is from another thread...

And Mule Deer also wrote this:



Jayco

Mojo: To answer your question, "no" I would not take a Roberts elk hunting,because I have other rifles that are more suitable for the purpose that I shoot just as well...on my last elk hunt 2-3 years ago I took a 7 Rem Mag and that is what I would be carrying today.


OTOH, if I bumped into a bull with a Roberts in my hand, would I shoot him?.................Sure!

And he was bang on.

Ahh, you're full of it, he was spot on.

Logcutter, I guess your just going to have to trade that .300 mag in on a good model 70 .338 mag and all your worry's will be very little one's.......LOL

On the serious side I certainly do like the performance of those .338 caliber bullets on bull elk and the larger plans game animals. It's like pulling the plug on a light switch!!!

Why,I have a Winchester 375 H&H..

As fun as this Internet stuff is,I am going fishing again.A bad day fishing is better than a good day on the net.



Jayco