Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Caliber Recommendation for LR Elk and Mule Deer

That is rather bold. Perhaps a "safe bet" is better wording. Either way, a 30-06 would be on my short list for non-magnum cartridges at that distance.

This is good advise, don't worry about toasting a barrel it comes with the territory. For a guy who competes with a 6.5-284 in F Class and knows the cartridge at long range, wont have to shoot his hunting rifle as much for practice. I LR hunted two 6.5-284's and have two toasted barrel laying under the bench. They weren't just shot for hunting, long range hunters like to practice, a lot

whatever caliber you choose, it should be one you are comfortable with shooting quite a lot. I had the chance to use a friend's 500 yard range in NC a couple months ago. It was humbling. We shot at clay pigeons and a 10" steel gong. I bought that diameter of steel as it closely approximates the "kill area" of a mature deer. We started at 300, and that was fairly easy with a .260 and a 6BR, but moving back to 500, it was much more difficult to hit; the switching wind was a major factor. I learned more from those few hours than I have from sitting at my desk and reading the 'net.

Then you have ZERO business taking a poke past 200yd at a live animal....EVER.

TAK, you're a tool. But then again, you already knew that. Carry on.

TAK--is there something wrong with you?

My wife says so:) Y'all been talkin?

^^^this

Get the 6.5-284...they rock.

Oh, and ignore Take A Dump...

6.5 x 284 great round. competition rifles run around 3000 ft/sec with 142 grain bullets and shooting rapidly not allowing the barrel to cool. I load mine to 2850 ft/sec and have run 2000 rounds through my savage and it still shoots great. I have never shot competition and don't plan too.

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Caliber isn't terribly important really. What you're asking about can be done with what you already own.

If you want a new toy without going "magnum", the .280 or 280ai would be interesting to me or one of Howells cartidges. A Cooper would be nice but rebarreling would be the route I'd go. Get a quality scope & spotter and spend time shooting. You'll find 500yards isn't as far as some make it sound.

I own several '06 and several .280s. If I'm shooting 500 yards on purpose I'm grabbing the .280.

280 AI looks interesting....good brass & dies...

7 Rem mag performance on 308 bolt face family

6mm 105 at 2850 using 28.5gr powder in my 6BR dumped my furthest deer kill, 400 yds.

Power is not the issue, shot placment thru vitals w/a good bullet is all required. A rifle that you can hold steady thru shot cycle on vitals, w/a scope that will click dope, after you LRF, will be needed.

A 260 or 7/08 will do, Creedmoor, 270, 7RM, 25-06, many many choices as Aalf said.

OP was thinking 280, I could endorse that round

Lots of good information already given here. Just find the caliber you want, pick a quality high BC bullet and practice, then practice some more.

As a wise man once said: "bullets matter, headstamps don't."

How about a .308 Win shooting 155 Scenars?

I use 210 bergers in my O6 with 59 gr imr7828ssc

My 6.5 creedmoor with 140 vlds at 2800 fps has been working well. But a 280 looks like a good way to go too. I'm still trying to make it out to try the stainless 280 ks I just picked up.

It all kind of depends on what bullet you want to use. For example, if I want to run an amax on elk I start leaning 30 cal with 208's with 7mm 162's my minimum. Vld's on deer I'm fine with 105 243's and up, and for elk I'd not be afraid to go 6.5 140's. I used a 150 ttsx at a 3400 fps on my moose this year knowing the range could be 20 yards or way out there. It worked well at 547.

So pick a few bullets that'll do what you want and then get the cartridge that'll run them where you want in the rifle you want. For 500 yards or less I've had good luck with accubonds. Any further and I start thinking amaxes and vld's.

I've got a bunch of 162 amaxes and 168 ablr's ready to go for my 280. Hopefully it'll like one of them.

Bb

Guys, thanks for all the info and advice (keep it coming), BB, I have two 6.5 Creedmoors, a Browning Long Range Hunter and a Hawkeye SS, I have shot both a little and they seem to be accurate with 120 Amaxes. I'm really looking to buy a caliber that I don't have (6.5x284, 280 or 280 AI) in a Cooper 52. A lot of people here said just go 06 and shoot, they are probably right.