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I'm in agreement with you guys and since the OP isn't looking for a good magnum like a 338 win mag he should just use what he's got. I've been using the good ol 30-06 since I was 12 and it sure works.......He really wouldn't be gaining chit over it by switching to the ones on his list....

The 30.06 is a very good all around cartridge. When loaded properly, it will kill elk nicely.

If you want a dedicated "Elk Rifle", move up to a .32cal+ Magnum range. 325 WSM, 8mm REM mag, .338 Win Mag, .375 Ruger, ect.

Medium contour barrel, with a scope in the 2.5-8 to 4.5-14 range. This will give you a medium weight slugger that will serve you well in a variety of western NA hunting conditions.

So i wouldn't gain anything by going to a 300 win mag?

I will caveat my earlier post in that if your current 30-06 is a boat anchor heavy rifle, I'd go get a lighter 30-06. The mountains are steep and long and the oxygen is scarce. I'll defer the 300WM questions to those who have used it.

With a 180gr bullet, you gain about 200 FPS over the 30.06. It's not really enough difference to leave "old reliable" back home and buy a new rifle.

If you want to make a difference, step up your bore diameter and bullet weight, while maintaining your velocity. A .338 Win Mag will throw a 225gr bullet about the same velocity that an .06 throws a 180gr bullet. That's why the .338 is one of the more popular "Elk Rifles" in this part of the country.

Getting in shape will be way more important than the rifle you shoot. Depending on where you end up hunting, most of the elk hunting we do is over 5,000 feet elevation and sometimes much higher. Colorado can be MUCH higher than that. If you've never hunted in elevation it can take some getting used to. No matter how great of shape you are in, the first few days will kick your butt while you acclimate, so try to get there a day or so early to get your wind built up.
Then, take some good glass, find a great place to see elk, and look it over real good. If necessary, move to another good place and look it over, repeat as necessary.

A magnum rifle is way down the list, but if you're going to buy a dedicated rifle a 300 WM is a good choice but really only gives you 150-200 yards over the 06 you've got now, which should reach out to 400-500 yards with practice. If you do everything else right, you won't need it. If you do need the extra, shooting practice will make up most of it- good bullets will make up the rest.

If you really want a new rifle, and I would never stand in the way of a want/need like that, the 338 WM is a more logical step up IMHO. Who knows, going west for elk this year- maybe you'll hunt moose or go to Africa in a couple years? The .338 is a dandy round for moose and African game.

Bob

The proper question is: would you gain anything by going to a new rifle?

What is your .30-06?

If I owned, say, one of the older Browning BARs that weigh in at 9-10lbs with a scope on board, I'd probably think about a different rifle.

But to buy a new one just for the sake of getting a .300 is not something I'd do.

The fact that you're worried about 500 yard shots is not enough of a reason.

.270win

Seriously, these guys are all spot on. Countless elk have been taken with an '06. If you gotta 'gear up' for the hunt, buy some serious 8 or 10x binos that are in the price range of a new rifle and scope.

I'm, in full agreement that this is fully adequate.....spend a few dollars on optics and other gear like rangefinder or high quality boots or maybe a better scope for your .30-06.....one with LR reticule.

But the best advice so far has come from those that have advised to get yourself in good working order...the mountains can be hard on you and you will need to be in tip top shape.

The last one I got was a .30-06....They have killed some for me. I have used .308's and .338's as well.

Recommend you buy a pile of ammunition and practice with the one you have.

..If your feet hurt due to improper footwear, if you can't consistently hit a pie plate at 300 yds from a field position, if your optics aren't sturdy, repeatable, and clear, and if your bino's won't gather enough light the first and last half hour of the day, and, if you can't get to the top of the hill, the magnum will be of little use.

Assuming the above items are A-ok and you can put a bullet into a five gallon bucket every time at five hundred yards, the magnum .30 will buy you fifty to a hundred yards which IMO is not enough advantage over the Old Warrior.

If you just have to have another rifle (), I'd look to the 338s for a real, practical difference but now we are adding another degree of difficulty in becoming proficient and adding more weight too. Also all elk hunts aren't created eual in terms of difficulty. Most are physiclly challenging and the others are worse.

Ive seen way too many 200 grain speer and 190 grain hornady bullets Ive reloaded for guys in our elk hunting group,fired from 30/06 caliber rifles, kill more than enough elk to have any doubts about the combos effect on elk.
Id concentrate on rifle practice from field positions, and getting into shape, rather than buying a new rifle.

http://www.speer-bullets.com/ballistics/detail.aspx?id=103
49 grains of WW760 under that 200 speer works fine in many 30/06



you simply sight in at 100 yards off the bench on the yellow dot and have all the shots print over the smaller red dot,when you get out in the field, hold where the light green dot is it will produce a fatal wound out a bit past 300 yards, you sure don,t have to use this method or even agree but I can assure you its resulted in a bunch of dead elk

Im ordering a leupold vx3 either in 3.5-10-40 or 4.5-14-40 in cds so scope should be covered.

Once the orange army hits the woods, the elk, at least where I hunt, are typically found in some thick stuff. Whichever one you get, I'll bet it spends more time at 3.5 or 4.5 than anywhere else. Clearly, there are areas much more open than where I hunt though.

Well that may be but 14 guys went on the trip this year 11 of them killed i know two of them there shot's were 550 yards the other ones were diferent yardage anywhere from 200-500. I just want to be prepared i may go and shoot one at 50 yards but i would like to practice consistently out to 500 at the range

Take your 06, find your best load with either a 165 or 180 gr bullet, and concetrate on hitting what you're aiming at.

Thanks for the info from everyone

I can vouch for the 06. 165gr partition put my 1st elk down cleanly at 435 yards. +1000 on practice. I had spent a couple days every month all summer shooting out to 400 yards before I went and it worked.

Your '06 if plenty fine to 600yds with the right bullet. If suggest a Barnes 150 TTSX either in their factory VorTX ammo line or handloaded to 3000fps. Spend money on practice ammo and, even better yet, a shooting course geared to hunters. 500yds will quickly become a chip-shot.

Funny, no one new to elk hunting asks what binoculars they should use, they always ask what cartridge they should use.

It's a natural question and one I totally understand, but good bins are far more important than the rifle and that's where I'd put my money.