People who have shot Elk with both cartridges see any difference in killing power? Thanks,
I've shot a half dozen or so elk with each the 308 and 300 (though in my case the Magnum was the 300 WSM).
The farthest I've ever shot an elk was with the 300 WSM, which wasn't very far at around 350 yards. I've taken one bull just over 300 yards with the 308. Otherwise, most of these kills were under 300 yards, with some as close as fifty.
I haven't seen a bit of difference how they kill, including one of my best bulls, an old 7x7, that I took with the 308 and a C&C 165 gr. at 80 yards.
The 300 WSM with a 180 at 3,000 fps seems to make more of an "immediate impression", but I haven't seen how that affects how quickly the elk die.
I'm guessing ranges need to extend well beyond 500 yards to start seeing any difference between the two, and then I'm not really sure what that difference would be? More immediate visual effect most likely. But again, how is a reaction to the hit "killing power"?
What really is "killing power" anyway?
Seems to me at the essence of "killing power" is the ability to accurately put an expanding bullet through the vitals of a game animal at the distance that game is being shot at. For most of us mortals, a lighter recoiling rifle is easier to do that with, so for me at least, the 308 provides more "killing power" at the ranges I hunt elk, and under the right conditions I'd be comfortable out to 500+ yards with the 308.
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
