Nope, either one will be just fine! Take the money you don't spend on a new rifle and buy a good set of binos. Get plenty of exercises. Next, to find an elk to shoot, the real hard part comes once it's on the ground. As for bullets, A good 165 gr to 180 gr will be fine, I have always shot Nosler Partitions so I am a bit biased on that. Barnes X is a good one too. As for distance, well its one thing on the range it's another when you are exhausted and its the last bit of shooting light you have. That is a judgment call. If you can hit a grapefruit at 200 yards, you will be fine. Get in shape and stay in shape that maybe is the hardest part of the whole thing. I am a flat lander from New England, Elk hunting just takes a lot out of me. Mostly due to altitude differences.
What part of New England? I have a cabin in Vermont and, while not the Rockies, it isn't exactly flat. I agree on staying in shape. I am in reasonably good shape for my age and station in life. Still, I work indoors and I'm not in mountain shape most of the time. Fortunately, I have a pretty high tolerance for discomfort and am stubborn so I don't give up easily. I did fine physically on my last trip but I didn't have to pack meat.
