Keep it simple.
6.5, 308, 270, 30/06.
You don’t need a magnum for elk. IMO only time you need magnum is you plan on shooting 600+ yards.. Elk are not bullet proof. If you can bury 130-180 grain bullet in the boiler room under 500/600 yards you are good to go. Aim small, miss small.
Anyways get a tikka, slap a Leupold 3.5-10 with CDS in Talley or dnz and be done.

Last edited by Dre; 09/26/21.

All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.