That's certainly a nice setup, Fotis, but I notice that where you kill your elk and where I kill mine are VERY different. All of mine are up on mountains, and I'm not packing a monster rifle up to where the elk are.
My favorite rigs:
1) Rem M7 in 300 SAUM that Remington put in a B&C stock, shortening the whole package, and calling it the Alaska. It is light and handy and kills well way out there with bullets from 180-200gr. The stock fits me perfectly, making recoil seem milder than it is with the light rig, even shooting big bullets as fast as I can. Last elk taken with it was killed at 437 yds with 190 ABLR. Longest shots have been around 550.
2) Savage 116 in 270, also light and handy, and pushes several 150gr bullets to 3k with excellent accuracy. It is a newer one for me, and it broke a 4 year drought for elk. I've had a successful hunt every time I've carried it. I have much confidence in it. I've never missed with it, including Elk to 450yds.
3) Rem 700 BDL 30-06 that has killed many, many animals for me. My preferred load is Berger 185's. Again, I just have confidence in the combo, out to farther than I will shoot animals. I've made several of what would definitely be called "unethical" and "trick shots" with this rifle. Sometimes, 200 gr Partitions sneak into the magazine. Bastards.
Setting up a 6.5 CM for my wife this year. Hoping it becomes a favorite elk rig around here. There's also a 35 Whelen in the mix that has yet to kill an elk, but has been packed a few times. May try some more trick shooting with a 243 or the AI version this year, using target bullets. The secret is to put some tape on the gun, then write "BIG BORE & HUNTING BULLETS" on the tape. It seems to fool both the deer and the elk.
