I have used a 7mm Mashburn Super for about 6 years now with either a 160 at 3200 or a 175 at 3050. Before that and usually in the same gun case is a M70 338 Win Mag with 210 Sciroccos. Last year I added a 300 RUM to the mix. I hunt the thick areas of Idaho, the wide open areas of Western Wyoming to the triple canopy pines of the Bighorns, along with Mt Emily in eastern Oregon. Those three get shot to 600 yards so I feel pretty comfortable in the field with that as a max range. Mostly I’d guess my elk have averaged around 200-250 yards with some at 25 yards and some at the far side of 400. I know a bunch of others will work and I have to say I like the 300 RUM but haven’t taken an elk with it yet. All three are light enough to carry and settle down over my pack.
We have a mix of 270’s, 300 Wby, 300 Wins, 30/06, 338, 7 Mags and those seem to do what we need. The common ground is our group practices with the guns during the summer so we aren’t guessing too much after we know the range.
Great topic!
