Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Elk rifle for a beginner

Hello all
I have a friend that got an elk tag for Colorado or Wyoming (I don't recall which) He has been told he needs a 300 Win mag. He is a beginner big rifle shooter and I'm telling him he needs to get good with a .270 or a 30-06 before he moves up to a 300 win mag. I'm thinking a 30-06 with something 168 grain is plenty good if the shot isn't too long. (more than 300 yards) Am I out of line ?? I just can't see this guy getting good with a 300 Win mag in the next 60 days. He stands a chance with a .270 or 30-06. He's just not built for that much rifle.

kwg

6.5mm of whatever flavor with a partition is what I keep reading is a good pick for that

06

If he’s not going to listen he’s not ever going to. A 270 or ‘06 will kill elk farther than he will shoot. Feed it good ammunition and he’d be fine. 140 grains or better in the 270 and 165 or 180 in the ‘06 . Make sure it’s good ammunition and have him practice with it. He’s going to feel like a dumb ass showing up with a 300 Mag he can hardly shoot when the locals are knocking over elk with 243’s.

I tried to convey that to him but he is stuck on the 300. The most powerful rifle he has shot up to now is a 30-30 Winchester 94.

kwg

.270

Not all 300’s are punishing. I’ll be honest with you - I had a TC Venture 300 that was softer shooting than many of my .30/06’s. Don’t know if it was the stock design or what, but it was actually very enjoyable to shoot. Recoil was more a push than sharp.

That may be a junk rifle to many on here, but it was so pleasant I actually miss it.

If he’s a beginner and dead set on a magnum maybe that would be a good one to try.

I just can't believe all the pussies out there that can't shoot 300's or 338's. I mean come on. When I was twelve I lived in a shotgun only county. Can't remember what I weighed then as that was many years ago but maybe a 100 lbs. I shot a 12 gauge along with most of my buddies. I don't remember any of us having flinch issues. I moved up to 3 1/2 slugs when I was 18. According to charts using a 870 pump that weighed about 5-6 pounds it was putting out 56 lbs of recoil and at 50 yards my rifled barrel slug gun would almost one hole 3 shot groups. A 300 win mag in a 8 1/2 pound gun probably puts out 26 pounds of recoil.

All you guys think people should start out practicing with little guns and move up. You really want to learn to shoot start with bigger guns. And learn good habits right away. All you pussies that need to shoot .243's should join the girl scouts and quit hunting. This subject gets really old on these threads.

.260, 6.5cm, 7-08, .308...all kill elk.

He could not go far wrong with a 270 a 308 a 7-08 or a 30-06. If recoil is a factor I'd advise the 270 or 7-08 without pause.

I have killed many elk with many calibers and I can tell you from about 1/2 a century of experience that any of those (and many other also) will work every bit as well as a 300 mag or a 338 mag.

I know...........I have used them. from the 270 clear up to the 375H&H and also some kills with 62 caliber round balls, 44 mags 454 Casull and wood arrow with a 2 bladed broad-head and turkey feathers. In addition to these I have seen probably 5X more killed by other hunters I have guided, The idea that you need a 300 mag is simply not based in anything factual.

Not that a 300 mag is not a good rifle it use. It absolutely is.

But "needing one" is just not a case you can make if you know what is real and what is salesmanship. Marksmanship beats salesmanship in the real world------------------- every time.

The old bow and arrow comparison. Arrows kill by cutting, guns kill mostly by shock. Can't compare the two.

I can kill an elk with a .22. Why not suggest that. I'm not saying you need a .300 or .338 but if the guy want's to shoot a 300 let him. The worst thing you can do is scare him about the 300. If he wants to shoot it, teach him, if you don't feel qualified then take him to someone that is.

I was at Elk camp this year and my buddy brought a 7mm rem mag and a 1/2 dozen guides booed him. They wanted .300 or larger. Sounds like his guide wants him to have a 300 also. Their argument was that 7mm's did not leave good blood trails with too small of holes. I just chuckled and told my buddy you've got a hell of an elk caliber so pay no attention to them. He killed a bull using a 150 grain ttsx. Devastating wound. I agree it didn't leave much a blood trail but it only went 60 yards. Did he really need a blood trail?

Is there really that much difference in recoil between a 270, 308, 30-06, or 300. Again come on guys. I shoot them all. They all kick. You can flinch with any of them. If you have proper training or train yourself properly none of these calibers make any difference.

Don’t hold back...tell us how you really feel...😄

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Don’t hold back...tell us how you really feel...😄[/quote]




This same old subject gets so old. Flinching is totally a mental thing. You can control your thinking. Flinching causes more felt recoil than not flinching. I never think about flinching. I only think proper gun placement to the shoulder, slowly squeezing the trigger, and following through. If those are the only three things you think about you'll never get scoped, and you'll be a shooter. Then when the opportunity arises to shoot an animal the goods thoughts happen automatically.

If you're a flinch-er you need to change your thinking. Tell yourself If I flinch it will only cause more felt recoil or a bloody circle above your eye and then stop thinking about it. Concentrate on what it takes to make a great shot. Block everything else out. It is really that simple if make that simple.

Thanks szihn. It all sounds logical.

kwg

338 Lapua or bust......

That, and the best camo you can afford.

Now come on. I was following you until your last sentence. How someone is "built" has nothing to do with how much recoil tolerant they can be. Trust me, I've seen some small guys handle recoil just fine. Now back to the subject at hand. You are correct in the fact that a 30-06 will kill elk. It will do it very effectively. I've done it a few times. Just so you know, a 308 win, 7mm08, 243, and the newer 6.5 creed will also work. Along with a myriad of other chamberings. One doesn't have to use a 300 magnum or 338 magnum to kill elk. They are outstandingly effective, but not necessary. Think good proven bullets (partitions, tsx, or any other controlled expansion bullet) and just about any cartridge is adequate for elk. If your buddy is new to shooting and he doesn't have any big game rifles, he's going to need more than 2 months (who know's how many times to the range that will be???) to get familiar with shooting from different field positions required for elk hunting. I imagine he's going to be out there "hunting" for elk and not shooting from a blind?? While doing that, you take the shots that are presented and sometimes those are far and few between. Dark heavy timber poses challenges and even a proficient shooter/hunter will struggle. I sure hope you are kidding when you say your buddy is that much of a beginner. However, we all have to start somewhere. I hope he gets out there and takes advantage of the shooting opportunities he will have in the next 60 days. Also keep in mind he'll need a good/proper scope mounted properly and securely. He'll also need to find good ammo that his new rifle likes. There's a whole lot to consider when going elk hunting: Clothes, good boots, properly equipped day pack, pack frame, GPS, etc. etc... I wish him the best of luck..

He will have the most fun and versatility w an ‘06

Easy to get ammo, cheaper ammo, performance out of a shorter barrel, low recoil practice ammo

Mine is a 20” barrel, shot an Elk at 400y last week, DRT

Shot 5 others w that rifle, all but one went 10y or less, the other went about 100y, the hit was a little back

I use hornady superperformance 165g SST. They group about 2.5” @ 400y out of an old browning BOSS a-bolt

308 with good bullet

Any of your suggestions will do fine. But so will the .300. it's a GREAT option for elk.

-Jake

I started hunting elk over 50 years ago when I moved to Steamboat Springs in northwestern Colorado. The local long time elk hunters that I worked with suggested that I get a .270 Win or .30-06. They said that only the city dudes from Denver hunted with .300 Wins. I bought a .30-06 and killed a pile of elk with it before I "upgraded" to a .30 Gibbs, mainly because I thought the Gibbs case looked cool. I killed a lot of elk with that cartridge.

The .300 Win is a fine elk cartridge, but its not for everyone. My favorite elk (and most everything else) cartridge now is my .300 Weatherby.