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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,841
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2007
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anyone else look over the cartridges list and realize that damn near anything in a center fire cartridge, used in the hands of a decent shot that knows the games anatomy will work, its simply getting into reasonable range and finding the game, not the limitations of the rifle being used thats critical to success. I'm certainly not suggesting some choices don,t have advantageous properties, in range and penetration or flat trajectory, only that its the hunters skill and experience, not the rifle selected, thats more critical. if guys are successful with a 44 mag, and other guys use a 375 H&H, or a 257 Roberts ,successfully obviously power and penetration and flat trajectory are not as super critical, as getting a shot at the vitals,within reasonable ranges your comfortable with, with a rifle your familiar with using
I was surprised at the 22 centerfires. I hunt with a 338 RUM and I know its over powered, but I like it. My partner hunts with a 7mm RM. I shoot 210 grain, he shoots 160 grain. Ive seen 28 of 29 elk shot that we've taken together. He shot one when we were separated once. If the bullet is in the vitals, there is little difference in killing efficiency. The RUM does hit harder, and the animals often display a larger reaction to the shot. However, if that first shot is in the vitals, they don't go anywhere to speak of. Maybe a death dash down hill or something. If the first shot is in a bad spot, they require follow up shots. Doesn't matter which gun is used. We have been hunting elk in Colorado with over the counter bull tags and left over cow tags. So our bulls are rag horn 5points. I guess 3 year old bulls most of the time, so not huge elk. My brother hunts private property (for big $) in southern Colorado and his elk are in the 6-9 year old range and they are noticeably larger animals. He uses a 300 RUM. There is actually a sign hanging in the outfitter's lodge near the door that STRONGLY recommends 300 win mag as a minimum cartridge. I find that silly, but that is their point of view.
Salmonhead
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,325
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,325 |
.308 Win Savage 110 .308 Win Rem 700 .35 Whelen Rem 700 .356 Win Win 94 7x64 Brno 21H 7x57 Brno 22F .270 win Sauer 200 .35 Whelen Sako AV .35 Whelen Ruger 1S .375 H&H Ruger 77 RSM 9.3x62 Sauer 202 8x57 Brno 21H 30-06 Sako L579 maybe a couple more...
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 762
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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7mm mag 160 partitions .338 WM 210 and 250 partitions
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,428 Likes: 2
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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The first rifle was a Sako AV in 375 H-H.
Next was Mossberg Patriot in 30-06.
last two were with a Howa in 308 winchester.
My biggest was with a 20 year old bow. High country machined supreme. LOL.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” Tolkien
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 36
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 36 |
30.06 Remington pump .300 win. Mag Ruger bolt 30.06 Tikka bolt.
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 171
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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I admittedly spend much more time on this forum reading others posts than I do offering any input. That being said, I've noticed that one of the most repeated themes is what rifle/caliber/load do you use or is best for elk? That in turn got me thinking about my own experience & was struck by how eclectic it is. So, here goes what I can remember. Largest bull was killed with a 7X57 shooting 175 grain Hornadys. Smallest bull was shot with a .270 using 150 grain Sierras. Longest shot was with a .338 WM using 250 gr Sierras. Closest shot was with a .416 wildcat based on a blown out .325 WSM shooting 400 gr Hornadys (really glad nothing was behind that one....) Most elk overall with the same rifle is a 7X64 Brenneke shooting 154 Hornadys, only because it has been my trusted go to for the last 20 years or so if I'm not trying something different. So here is a list of rifles I have killed elk with, some of them just one while some of them multiples. Pre 64 Winchester .270 standard grade, pre 64 super grade .270 Winchester, commercial Mauser 7X64 Brenneke, custom commercial Mauser.338 Win Mag, Custom Mauser .270 Win.,Ruger 77 7X57, previously mentioned .416 on Montana Rifle action, 1895 Winchester .30-40 Krag, original Newton Arms .256 Newton, 1886 Winchester (reproduction) extra light .45-70, and last but not least, a 2nd year production 1894 Winchester .30-30 takedown rifle. That is it as I recall. Hunting partner has taken more elk than I ever will & every one of them was with the same pre 64 standard grade 30-06 using nothing but 165 grain Speer flat bases. Please tell what you have used, I'm really interested to hear what others have used over time.
"Eclectic" is a word I don't see used much on hunting and gun forums. Are you one of those transplanted Californians by any chance? Seriously that's quite a list of rifles you've named! Couldn't quite figure out which one you really favor huh?
My g8-g8 uncle was Barney Riggs. Google and read about him. He roamed around the southwest, mainly west Tx and Az and NM territory. History credits him with from 9 - 12 men he killed, not counting Mexicans and Indians. Family lore has it at 18.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,325 |
The first rifle was a Sako AV in 375 H-H.
Next was Mossberg Patriot in 30-06.
last two were with a Howa in 308 winchester.
My biggest was with a 20 year old bow. High country machined supreme. LOL. yay! good on ya!
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 13,237 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 13,237 Likes: 4 |
Winchester model 70 .30-06 Mark V Deluxe .300 Wby Mag Ruger #1B .300 Wby Mag Stainless Mark V .300 Wby Mag Accumark .300 Wby Mag Weatherby Ultra Lightweight .30-06 T3 Lite Stainless 7mm-08
14 total
P
Obey lawful commands. Video interactions. Hold bad cops accountable. Problem solved.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Member #547 Join date 3/09/2001
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Joined: Jan 2018
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506 |
Winchester model 70 .30-06 Mark V Deluxe .300 Wby Mag Ruger #1B .300 Wby Mag Stainless Mark V .300 Wby Mag Accumark .300 Wby Mag Weatherby Ultra Lightweight .30-06 T3 Lite Stainless 7mm-08
14 total
P You need to add my Sako AV in 300 Wby to your collection. If you happen to have a SWFA 5-20x50 laying around your house my Sako could be yours...Grin 😎 https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...4a-swfa-5-20x50-or-nf-scope#Post13618195
Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog “Molon Labe”
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Joined: Dec 2010
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Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 225 |
7 with 270 Win and 150 gr Nosler 2 with 30-06. Hornady and Sierra by - 180 gr
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 647
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 647 |
7mm Remington mag. 98 mauser. 160 Sierra 160 hpbt 270 win. Browning bar Hornady 140 spbt and Nosler 150 partition 270 wsm browning abolt 130 Barnes ttsx 140 Hornady spbt 338 win mag browning abolt Berger 250.
In close to 40 years of elk hunting I’ve only seen 3 elk knocked down without a central nervous system hit and it was with the 338. Of course as a precious poster put it you don’t get to hunt a lot in Az. We have packed into the Gila wilderness several times.
Fourth Generation Border Rat
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,807 Likes: 2 |
7mm Remington mag. 98 mauser. 160 Sierra 160 hpbt 270 win. Browning bar Hornady 140 spbt and Nosler 150 partition 270 wsm browning abolt 130 Barnes ttsx 140 Hornady spbt 338 win mag browning abolt Berger 250.
In close to 40 years of elk hunting I’ve only seen 3 elk knocked down without a central nervous system hit and it was with the 338. Of course as a precious poster put it you don’t get to hunt a lot in Az. We have packed into the Gila wilderness several times. The quickest elk kill that I have made was my second largest 6x6 bull that simply collapsed when I put a 115 grain Sierra GameKing bullet from my .257 Ackley just behind his shoulder. I've had a number of other bulls and one cow that didn't take more than 3 or 4 steps after I put a 180 grain Nosler Partition from my .30 Gibbs, or a 168 grain TSX or TTSX from my .300 Weatherby, or a 160 grain Accubond from my 7 mm RM right behind their shoulders.
SAVE 200 ELK, KILL A WOLF
NRA Endowment Life Member
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,441 Likes: 1
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Posts: 1,441 Likes: 1 |
So far (would like to get another trip or two in).
My first 5 were with a pre-64 Model 70 in 270 WCF shooting 150 Partitions starting in 1976, next 4 (three raghorns and one cow) were with my Rem. 700 BDL in 30-06, there has been one cow with a 348 WCF, one respectable 2nd CO rifle season bull with a 30-338, one cow with a 35 Whelen and my last one (raghorn) was with my custom Sako AV in 338 Win. Mag shooting 225 gr. Partitions.
I missed a great opportunity once with my rifle slung over my shoulder and we kicked up a decent bull moving through some dark timber; the old cowboy I was hunting with remarked "you'll never kill one with the rifle slung, keep the rifle in your hands and put the damn sling in your pack or leave it in camp"...wise words.
StarchedCover
Semper Fi
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,418
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,418 |
I have to guess at the chamberings and the number of head. The smallest was a 22/250. , the largest was a .375 H&H. I personally always carried a 30/06, .270 win and 25/06. I gets blurry, separating the elk out otherwise. I worked for various outfitters as a guide as a 20- 30 year old and sporadically since. Those were the Weatherby mark v days. They were zero'd at the factory and tightened up at camp. I still despise them those inaccurate fire breathing things..Just my little old opinion
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,206 Likes: 26
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,206 Likes: 26 |
azrancher,
From your post, it sounds like the 250-grain Berger the only bullet you've used in the .338. Is that the case?
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 195
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OP
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 195 |
"Eclectic" is a word I don't see used much on hunting and gun forums. Are you one of those transplanted Californians by any chance? Seriously that's quite a list of rifles you've named! Couldn't quite figure out which one you really favor huh? R Walter
"Transplanted Californian" ? Really? Honestly, nonsense like that is why I have avoided posting much on not just this forum, but any publicly accessible site. Not that it matters a whit, but I like/liked/favor all of the rifles used & my great grandfather homesteaded part of the place I still have in 1897. To be fair, he came to Montana from California so perhaps the family being on the place for only 122 years qualifies us as transplants.
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 369
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 369 |
375 win 220 Hornady fp 280 rem 160 gr Speer grand slam 35 whelen 225 NP. My favorite elk rifle of all
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 369
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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Posts: 369 |
Forgot about one 4 years ago I got a cow with a 2005 Acura TL at 60 mph. Pretty low velocity round, but lots of energy
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 30
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 30 |
.270 Win. .300 Win. Mag. .35 Whelen
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,135
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,135 |
2 public land bulls
Both taken with a 330 Dakota using 250gr. Swift A-frame.
I was able to recover one bullet from last years Bull. it retained 97.6% of its weight. Shot was at 125 yards broadside.
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