"If you can afford the elk hunt, then you can afford a .30-06"

I don't see the logic here.

Maybe it should say "if you can afford an out of state hunt for elk, including non-resident tags, new truck, guide fees and if you still have money left, you can afford a 30-06."

I and many others live in elk country. Elk only cost me about $18 more then deer. (for the license) I am not a wealthy man. My elk hunting doesn't mean I have money to buy a new gun. I know it's the same for thousands of other elk hunters too.

Now with all that said, I am a gunsmith and have been a guide for most of my adult life. So I can tell you a LOT about elk, hunting elk, shooting elk, what works and what doesn't. I have elk rifles, quite a few, and all are larger then a 243, but I know several people that have killed elk with 243s and if you use a bullet that holds together it's fine Me personally I have never killed an elk with a rifle smaller than a 270, but I don't have to try either. I wanted to change that this year.

This year I was hoping to use an iron sighted 6.5X56 Mann/Scho, but broken down verticals have cut my time so short that I am probably going to take out a scoped rifle. 270, 300 or 9.3X57 or 9.3X74R. If I am to get an elk this year I need to do it soon because the time is running out and I get my 4Runner back tomorrow that's been broken down since Oct 3rd.

If I am to give advice to a new elk hunter as to what to buy, and assuming he has the inclination to buy a new rifle and has the money to buy a new rifle I'd recommend several rounds before I'd recommend a 243 or 6MM Rem. But I have no problem with a man showing up with a 6MM is he can shoot it and f he has a bullet that won't blow up.

I like larger rounds. I don't NEED bigger rounds.

If there is a choice between shooting ability with light recoil or lesser abilities with heavier recoil, I ALWAYS recommend the gun that the hunter can shoot best.
If a man or woman can shoot something more powerful and shoot it well, bigger is the way to go.
But I said IF.

There is no virtue in trying to prove a small rifle can kill elk, but there is no virtue in trying to be macho with a big gun either.
It's the hunter, not the tool that's important.

Bullet placement, bullet performance and bullet penetration do matter.

All the rest is far less important.


Last edited by szihn; 11/15/17.