Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Buy me an elk rifle!

Welcome to the Campfire!

I'd say that you already have a few Elk guns with your Swede and your .308's. You could save your money!

That said, I imagine that you're a lot like the rest of us and carry a "Rifle Looney" card. Sometimes when you don't NEED anything new, you still WANT something..... different. Most here can absolutely relate to that.

There have been many good suggestions and I honestly have nothing to add that hasn't already been said. I wish you luck in selecting the rifle that is right for YOU and hope that you get to build some life long memories with it!

We will all be looking forward to your pictures of your Elk hunt!

Need more info try here:

http://elkhunter2.tripod.com/rifle.html

Everyone is right, there is a plethora of correct answers and I haven't seen anything that I would say is wrong. I too have seen elk killed with a 243 and it makes me cringe every time. My wife's first elk was killed with a 25-06 stoked with 100 grain Nosler Partitions. It killed the cow, but I changed the load to a 120 grainer after that, just for my peace of mind.

If you don't want to buy something new, (yes that is a stupid statement), then by all means take a 308 or even that 6.5 Swede stoked with a 140 grain Nosler Partition. Either of those rifles will kill and elk out to 300 yards. If you're looking to go bigger, I personally believe that it is pretty tough to beat the 300 Win mag. I prefer the larger calibers simply because I want them on the ground. I've seen those elk go for miles after a bad shot, and they live in the rugged stuff. The thing to keep in mind, with that statement, the key is shot placement. Normally if you're chasing them, 9 times out of 10 it's because of something you did, not because of the rifle or caliber.

If one of those .308s is light and accurate, stoke it with 168TTSXs, and rock on.

Ruger 338 Win Mag with Leupold 3.5x10 VXIII loaded with Federal 225 Barnes TSX. That will impress them.

Perry

"I'll ask for help putting together a rifle & scope combo for elk hunting"

The most popularly used rifle/cartridge/bullet & scope of recent years for hunting elk, per survey data collected from elk hunters, is a Remington model 700 chambered in 30-06 shooting a 180-grain bullet while using a 3-9x power Leupold scope.

The 30-06 has been the overwhelmingly most popular chambering for elk hunting since survey data was collected way back into the last century.

I'd say stick with 30-06 and choose a factory bolt gun that best fits your taste. I'd stick with a Leupold scope in the 2.5-8x to 3.5-10x range for a variable or use a fixed 6x. I'd prefer something along the lines of a well handling trim featherweight vs a bulkier beanfield rifle.

Good Luck

I see a clear gap in your lineup at the .338 cal. For what you described you want out of a rifle, I think you described a Kimber Montana in 338 Fed. Yes, I'm biased, but the more I have mine the more I like it. You've had plenty of recommendations for the 30-06 (an excellent choice no doubt), and the Fed shoots bullets at very close to the same velocity. When you say Elk, I think steep and thus light rifles. I've hauled a heavy rifle around the mtns, lighter is better.

Elkyri,

Well, now. If you just WANT a new elk rifle, by all means buy a .30-06 or .338 or whatever, but I'm with several of the others who believe you already have three candidates in your 6.5x55 and pair of .308's.

Both the 6.5x55 and .308 are plenty for elk, even beyond 300 yards.

How dare anyone suggest he doesn't NEED a new rifle! What if his, or anyone else's, wife were to read this?! No, you NEED a new rifle and the 'fire will help you select one

Yeah, if you just got to have a new rifle I'd get a kimber Montana in .338 Fed and top it with a 2.5x8 leupold in DD's.

Since you already own .308's the 30-06 seems doubly redundant as it really won't do anything the .308's can't do. I like the 35 Whelen idea or .338 RCM.

Fercryinoutloud!!! The guy doesn't own a 270!! Get at least 2 or 3 270s!!!

What a place to ask...Some will tell you a .22 anything kills beyond and other will say nothing less than a .460 Weatherby will get it done.

You be the judge.

Jayco

I agree with the guys. a 30-06 for a 300 yard elk gun is just about right. Then again I have read that a 308 can do what a 30-06 can do within reason. I don't think an elk can tell a difference between a 2700FPS bullet from a 308 and a 2800FPS bullet from a 30-06.
A 300 win mag with a 180 grain bullet is really something. As is a 7mm Rem Mag with a 160 grain accubond or similar.
A quality 3-9x40 is ideal and would top any elk rifle nicely. Lots of choices from Redfield, Leupold, Nikon, Zeiss, Vortex, Doug has Minox at a great price right now too.
The Tikka rifles are so light I was affraid to buy one, but they have a great reputation and are priced well as are the Sako (A7 I think is the model). Remington 700's are like a 350 chevy engine, parts for them everywhere, Savage are great and accurate.

If it was me and thank God it isn't, I would get a 300 Win mag or 300 WSM, in Tikka, Remington or Savage, top it with a 3.5-10 Vortex or if you can afford it a 3.5-10 Leupold or 3-9 Minox and find either a factory 180 grain load the rifle likes or if you load, find your favorite bullet in 180 and see if it shoots and go practice. You'll be surprised that you'll expand your 300 yard range by a bit if you had too.

Kique

I figure that means there are lot of elk camps like ours, with multiple rem 700/30-06/3-9x40 leupold/180's rifles in service, seems like a popular combo Though dad and I are both shooting lower recoil/lighter rifles now, they are more fun to carry and shoot.

The .270 Winchester or the necked up version of the .270 Win,the 30-06 will kill them as fast as you can find them...

Jayco

I certainly agree with those folks who say that the weight of the rifle is of much concern as the caliber. On my first couple of elk hunts the .300 winnie and .338 winnie that I carried got awful heavy.

But the .300 and the .338 are great elk calibers.

So I compromised and purchased a Kimber Montana in .325 WSM. I have not shot an elk with it, but I have shot deer with it, and I am very confident of that rifle.

I think if you acquired one you and your back and arms would be too!!

op already has 308, so no need for an 06'. perhaps a 300 win mag or a 338 would be a better choice. certainly a dedicated elk caliber. consider a rem 700, win m70, ruger hawkeye/mk2, savage, or others. 3-9x40 scope, nosler partition bullets as well. the elk won't stand a chance!

A 308 is not a 270 Winchester nor a 30-06...

Show me where factory ammo for the 308 equals the 30-06 in a 165 grain bullet,like the 165 Hornady out of the '06 at 3015 fps in Federal ammunition.

Yeah, the 308 kills and so does my 45-70..Think about it...

Jayco

I hear that.

It would be hard to go out and buy an -06 just to park it next to a .308 .

Not that it's on my horizon, if I were to chose one caliber, not exclusive to elk. I would go at least a 7MMRM , stepping over the -06 for plains game. It would be one penny on the scale over an -06 for some Alaska or African game.

And a margin flatter shooting then a .308 , admitting being a huge 7MM fan.