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Use the 30-06.

Shoot a 200 grain bullet.

Practice to 300 yards.

At what distance? I'm shooting a 7mm RM, using 120 grain @ 3850 fps. too light for elk????

Not if it's a Barnes 120 grain bullet. Those will saddle-stitch 'em at just about any reasonable distance you'd care to shoot.

You carry an elk rifle more than you shoot it. Which is your lightest rifle?

I absolutely agree with you. The Barnes bullets perform like they were a much heavier bullet. Hunters used to traditional bullet weights have a difficult time understanding how the lighter mono's penetrate. It seems hunters have to actually see them work before they will believe. If my 260 Rem 120gr Barnes @ 3000fps will give complete penetration on a mature elk the 120gr from the 7mm at 3800 will accomplish the same, just faster & flatter. Most of the elk we shoot are under 200yds. Although we make every effort to get as close as possible we have taken two over the years at longer range. One 275 & another at 347yds. An ethical hunter will make every effort to get closer.

The 06 will more than meet the needs you posted, my first 12 elk were killed with the 3006. The 180 Partition, or Accubond would be my bullet, choices. That's field experience talking not book experience. My average shot is somewhere around 300 yards, as I hunt a lot of open country. Not to say I haven't killed a number of them under 50 but most are longer shots cross canyon.

Summarizing what's been said so far:

1. Your 308 and 30-06 are fine.
2. Shoot any good cup and core bullet you like as long as it's from 150 grain in weight on up.
3. Shoot what you've been shooting.
4. Acubond LR will kill an elk as dead as needs be. Then again, pretty much any bullet, well placed, will do that.
5. Get in shape
6. Wear good, well broken in boots
7. have a good pack/ pack frame - unless you are lucky enough to kill one next to a road, you'll be carrying it out on your back
8. Get in shape
9. Get a good pair of 10x40/42 binoculars - Doug and the folks at Cameraland can help you there.
10. Shoot your rifles in field conditions - PRACTICE LOTS and out to range (400 yards or so).

I think I've taken 3 elk over 200 yards. Most have been under that range. Closest(not counting one's taken with a bow) was shot with a 25-06 using partitions at 42 steps. Last elk I took was shot at 137 yards with a 142 gr Acubond LR. Complete pass-through both shoulder blades. Took another shot to convince him he was really dead. That bullet was recovered after passing through 4-5' of elk and weighed 60 gr.
To the above list I would add a couple of things:
1. get a good compass and know how to use it. If a GPS goes tits-up, you'll need it.
2. get the best maps you can find of the area you'll be hunting.
3. Learn how to use the compass with the map. Finding your way back to camp in the dark or in a dense fog or snow storm (or a combination of those) can be nearly impossible without them. (voice of experience here)

My .30-30 Model 94 Winchester is my lightest rifle, but its not even on my list of elk rifles...

This should be a sticky at the top of the elk forum.

What about 30-06 in 165 accubond

Communist Connecticut!

Why not - LOTS of elk have been killed with the 30-30 - and many more probably will be.

30-06 with a 180g partition or a 200g trophy bonded bear claw. I’ve had good luck with these.

What about a .260 with 140 gr factory Corelokts? Worked for me. DRT.

Danged near anything works on danged near anything with proper placement.

Don't over-think it- just shoot 'em right.

Basically because I don't want to use it. My list of elk rifles is the rifles in my safe that I would take out to go elk hunting with, and to me, some of my guns are better choices than others.



True

I've killed a number if mule and whitetail deer with a.22 LR rifle and pistol, but they are not on my list of deer guns.

I have a friend that hunts elk every year with his .22-250. Last year he killed a B&C bull on a DIY hunt in eastern Montana with it. I have killed deer and pronghorn antelope with my .22-250, but it is not on my list of elk rifles.

I killed my second largest 6x6 bull elk with a DRT shot from my .257 Ackley, and if the situation would repeat itself, I would not hesitate to shoot another bull with it, but it is not on my list of elk rifles.

My .30-06/.30 Gibbs that over the years put 29 elk in my freezer is still in my safe, but it is no longer on my list of elk rifles.

I've heard guys say that you need a .375 H&H to kill elk, and undoubtedly elk have been killed with rifles in that cartridge. I've killed African Cape Buffalo and African antelope from the size of 20 lb Steenboks to 1500 lb Eland with my .375 RUM, but that rifle is not on my list of elk rifles.

My gun safe is full of guns that could kill elk (including my .30-30s), but that doesn't put them on my list of elk guns. .

Theek -

I load 168g TTSX for three of my .30-06 rifles, Daughter #1 is using 130g TTSX in her .308 Win. The fourth .30-06 gets 150g AB. Shot a cow with that combo in 2010 and it was on the ground before I recovered from the recoil.



Take what you shoot well.

Twenty years ago we started with 300's and 338's. Now we are down to 270's 308's and the 30-06 as "the heavy".

From your original post, I would be hard pressed to not use the 30-06 and 165gr monometal bullet of some type.

Oh yeah, and all the other great info from above.

3850fps in a 7mm RM? That's 28 Nosler territory.

Sure that isn't a typo?

Never had a fail with 165 TSX or 168 TTSX on mule deer or elk from .30-06 or .300 Wby. Never shot a whitetail with one. I’m inclined to not consider anything lighter than 140 gr in 7mm or 150 in .30s, but that’s just me.