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 destination)
Curious to hear from those who have successfully rifle hunted elk with non magnum chamberings in something less than 30 caliber.
Thanks in advance, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!!
My 12-year old son shoots a Savage Sierra in .308 Win. Factory loads in 150 gr knock him around pretty good. So I loaded a 150 gr. Partition to about 2500 fps.
One dead cow elk at about 150 yards, hard-quartering, frontal shot, punched through the sternum into chest cavity and beyond. Dropped at the shot. No doubt on a broadside shot would have done the job as well.
I shoot Federal Premium 140 grain partitions in my 7x57 (I also hand-load, but did not do so this year, as I got a couple of boxes of the factory rounds very cheaply). I have no problem shooting an elk with that, even though it's a mild load.
The 140 partition in the .280 is like more-better version of the 7x57. You could go up to a 160 Partition easily.
With my two kids, the main thing I felt was most important was a lot of practice rounds the summer preceding the fall hunting season. Range time, and hunting ground-squirrels with reduced loads all summer saw a big improvement in their shooting skills from field positions.
