Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Nearly Perfect Elk Rifle....Caliber

The last two elk I killed (include the one yesterday) were both cows. One was shot with a .260 Remington, the other with a 7mm Remington Magnum and neither took a step.

Obviously a cartridge with Remington in the name is the perfect elk cartridge.

If you said anything other than .280 Remington,...then you are wrong.

Dave

I have the "elk rifles" in the following- 25-06AI,280 Rem,30-06, 308 Win, 300 Win Mag, 300 WSM, 300 RUM and 375 H&H.
There are many ways to hunt elk. If I was hunting private ground really all I would need is the 25-06. However, I feel more comfy with a 300 mag of some sort. Especially so given the rising grizzly population.
Most years I use my 300 RUM exclusively for everything in MT because it is like an old friend and it's been a plain lucky rifle for me.

Wow! I guess I asked for it! Looks like anything from 260 rem through 340 wby!

I’m trying to be just a bit weight and recoil efficient! I’m back to 284 AI and 30’06 AI. ‘06 AI looks real nice with Lapua brass and 30 cal. bullet selection!

I vote for the 7 Mashburn

It's not for everyone though. I wouldn't want to push a wildcat on anyone not prepared to learn a ton about reloading for the same result as a 7 Weatherby. But it sure is fun!

I have had many Ackleys. The most "not worth it" for me has been 2 30-06 AI. One in a rechambered 22" ADL and another in a 26" Shilen. "Maybe" with 150gr it was a bit faster, but honestly, it never gained more than 50fps "with any kind of accuracy. Sure, you can push an Ackley to 74K quick, but seldom is it accurate. Rifles are a gamble, as you might spring for a custom .280 AI or even a .280 Sherman...and barely beat a 24" .280 for a combo of speed and accuracy. If you can handle the recoil...300WM through 338 RUM are flat shooting, hard hitting rounds. If you "know" you will be cruising timber, closer shots, the 338/06 to 35 Whelen AI, or 9.3x62 will hammer them down! Have a ball though!

I've killed a number of elk with 30-06, 300 H&H, 338 WinMag and even a 7-08 (won't do that again - it worked, but I think an animal that big needs a bigger cartridge/bullet. That's how I justify having too many rifles...).

I just got a 35 Whelen as the newest Nearly Perfect Elk Rifle.

As I've always said:

"The 'best' elk rifle is whatever the best elk hunter has in his hands"...

That and a 338 sure have been pretty decent to me.

When I shot my bull this year, I was glad I used my 338wm, instead of my 6.5 cm... Just sayin..

At the expense of beating a dead horse... perfect to me means under all conditions.... big bulls, expensive guided hunts , limited opportunity, bad angles etc... that means 300 mag , 338 mag.

For a "nearly perfect" elk rifle, I'd be looking at weight and balance, as well as that "perfect" cartridge to go with it.... There are some cartridges I'd just a soon leave at home or on the range and take something more suitable.



And rather than worry about what's perfect for shooting them with (that rifle above is about as perfect as you'll get), more focus should be put on boots, knife, pack, GPS, rifle scope, bullets and binocs. IMHO...

Your new 35 Whelen, with the right bullets, should be a hammer, but it's not going to be any more impressive than a good ol 06 with 200gr Nosler partitions...

Perfect:

Since this is the "custom rifle" forums...

Well everyone knows that the .308 Norma is the perfect cartridge. Not just for elk.

Lots of good options in here....looking to not increase diameter above 30’06 and would like to use 30’06 Lapua brass. This leaves me at 30’06, 30’06 AI, 338-06, 35 Whelen.

All good rounds, but I really want to shoot a 180-220 gr 0.45 or greater bc hunting bullet over 2700 FPS. 30’06 ai seems to do that. Nosler data is: 200 gr Partition or Accubond at 2700fps....nice.

35 Whelen would be my next choice, but bc’s are lower by a bit...and recoil!

I've always wanted a 358 Norma Mag. Hardly necessary with a Whelen and a 338 but I'll end up with one I'm sure. Just need to decide whether to get it before or after the 9.3x62...

Although you finally got something right, this is comedy gold coming from you.

You said you want to talk caliber. Everything you cited are cartridges. What you should be thinking is learning the difference between the two.