Son and I hope to make our first venture out west for elk in 2019. Starting to do the research now for a do-it-yourself hunt; we realize chances of success are small, but just being out there in the high country is worth the experience. Anyway, our rifles are a Ruger Mark II in 7x57 and an M700 in 280 Remington. We will likely go with factory Partition loads unless we find the time to work up promising handloads. (Ok, one caveat, we are also bringing Marlin lever actions in 45/70 and 444 should the timber be the ...
all!!
I was along for the adventure with three different hunters over the last two weeks, all cow elk. All Montana breaks hunting. We do not shoot magnums and I can't think of any close friends shooting magnums, except one shooting a 257 weatherby for the last 30 years, on lots of elk.
1st was my brother, he is shooting a 270 Kimber Montana. We got into elk with the closest at 416 yards. He is an executive in Seattle so doesn't practice much- he missed. He went back into the same spot the next day and shot one at 200 yards.
My wife went into the same spot the very next day and shot a cow at 240 yards. But only after she missed at 340. They circled and bedded back down one ridge over.7mm-08 120 ttsx.
Saturday I took my 70 year old neighbor back into same spot. We found them at 400 but tried a sneak. We had them at 290 but they moved off to about 400. He missed with a 30-06 150.
My .02 is practice, both cartridges are more than adequate. It is all up to the nut behind the bolt. Practice builds confidence. A lighter recoil rifle makes practice far more pleasant. I try to get family to shoot 100 rounds a year, I am not successful. We all want to be deadly at any range but it takes practice. The worst feeling is laying down for the shot and thinking gosh I have never shot this far.
A range finder is really helpful, mountain or even prairie distances can be deceiving.
Exercise is probably my second suggestion. Sometimes a bit of hustle is really helpful. Break in the boots! My wife's Fitbit registered 14 miles on her hunt, seven miles the next day to take out meat.
I booked a bc moose hunt for 2019, I have the same questions on what cartridge.
I have my fingers crossed for the Whittakers special 280 Barrett Fieldcraft.
K
