I have to ask this,I'm from eastern orygun.why is it when most folks on here talk about coming out west to hunt they automatically think they need a magnum rifle?i don't understand the eastern thinking here
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That thinking from the east is probably because they think they need a more powerful magnum for extra down range killing power for elk along with having flatter trajectories for those longer open country distances should those situations present themselves. Imo, it is more of a "I need (or want) some extra assurance" thing.
And if a magnum happens to be in their (east of the Mississipi) safe, then why not!....Magnum needed? Probably not. Magnum wanted? Yup.
Magnumititus for the most part is more of a want rather than a need, especially for those who are more intrigued by the more powerful boomers who can handle them.
I've been hunting elk in that open country for more than 50 years. In my experience, it's extremely rare to see a 400 yd elk that you can't get at least 100 yds closer to. A gun in the 308/270/30-06 class is plenty. I used a 300 WSM for about 10 years and took 7 or 8 elk with it. None of them couldn't have been taken just as well with a 30-06, which is what I'm now using.
...........Yep! As you say the 308/270/30-06 class is plenty.......But then again, you can always reduce the charges or use faster burning powders to approximate mid to high end 30-06 power with either the 300 WSM and 300 Win.
Everybody seems to forget about that when talking about magnums vs non magnum cartridges. With magnum rounds you can always load down to approximate cartridges with less power. However, the reverse is not true. Cannot load up to approximate magnum power.
And for a 400-500 + yard shot on a big elk, "should" that circumstance present itself, I'd prefer a 300 mag vs the 308/270 or 30-06 if choosing a 30 caliber. And if it doesn't all the better.
