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

Oooops....338-06 Ackley....I'll edit.....

That would be a dandy over in this country, bout the same as my whelen . Nice rifle man

There’s something intriguing about the 338-06 to me. Looks like a good combo with a 210 NP. What velocities are you guys getting with the shorter barrels?

I'm at 2830 fps with 210 Sciroccos out of the 21" barrel from my standard 338-06. Part of me wishes I went all the way with the AI route, but I didn't so stuck with it.

I'm getting right at 2700 from a 22 inch barrel.

[img]https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/14342668/338-06[/img]

An old classic that’s stood the test of time.

What loads are you guys using?

DF

I'm using 55gns of RL-15, RP .35 Whelen brass, WLR primers.

54 gr Varget with 210 NPT shoots sub MOA in my FN rifle, (.8”) as does 61 gr H-380 with 200 gr Combined Technologies (a black NBT) (.65”). Seafire and Gunner500 both like H-380 in the 338-06. I do too.

DF

Pretty sure I answered this. Why are you guys still talking about this?...

Dave

A Loony should understand such goings on.

DF

I have killed a handful of elk (no monster bulls yet) with a model 70 270 shooting 130 partitions manly back when it was the only rifle I owned as a poor high school then college student and newlywed...Now I have many rifles and am confident the seekins havak 6.5 PRC with 139 scenars at 3100 will handle my elk hunting needs.

Sure would love to hear the stories behind all those bulls that BSA shot...

So would he.

😆🤭

Probably a .338 or .340 but I don't carry either. Too much recoil and too heavy for me. The 30/06 with a top bullet and a light little carbine works in my case.

BSA you got some elk pics your hiding?

Food for thought. 338 Federal. I've looked at it seriously in the past, it just doesn't fit in with what I have right now. I recently came across this short article from Ron Spomer.https://ronspomeroutdoors.com/shooting/ballistics/cartridges/338-federal/

Just looming in the back ground here again, so I thought I'd add a bit more:
I have several "Perfect" elk rifles. Elk can live in a lot of different places and so "perfect' is going to be defined more by the ground you hunt then the gun with hunt with.
So, my most perfect elk rifles are as follows.

For hunting elk is very steep and thickly covered ground with a lot of high brush and heavy forest:
Mauser M98 in 8X57 with 18" barrel, loaded with 200 grain Nosler Partitions.
Mauser M98 "Scout" in 30-06 loaded with 180 grain Nosler partitions or 220 grain Partitions.
Mossberg MVP with 18" barrel, Weaver K4 scope, and loaded with Nosler 180 grain Partitions
Ruger #1 in 9.3X74R loaded with 286 grain Noslers
Mauser M98 in 9.3X57 loaded with 250 grain Accubonds
Browning M95 30-06 with issue Irons, loaded with 220 grain bullets.
M1 Garand loaded with 220 grain bullets and 3031 powder (so the port pressure is mild enough to not harm the Operating Rod)
Lee "Speed" loaded with 180 grain Nosler partitions (yes it shoots them REALLY well, despite the fact the bore is .310 and the bullets are .308) Iron sights.
Remington M81 in 300 savage with iron sights loaded with 150 grain Barnes X or 165 grain Partitions.
Savage M99 in 300 Savage with peep sight, also loaded with the same loads as the above Remington.

Again, hunting for elk in heavy brush as above, but in the places inside Wyoming and Montana where we have a LOT of grizzlies.
Ruger #1 in 9.3X74R loaded with 286 grain Noslers
Mauser M98 in 9.3X57 loaded with 250 grain Accubonds
M1 Garand loaded with 220 grain bullets
Mauser M98 in 9.3X62 loaded with 286 grain partitions.
Mauser M98 in 375H&H loaded with 270 grain Power Points.
Mauser M98 in 8X57 loaded with 200 grain Partitions.

In more open areas with good cover but also good visibility, all the above, plus the following:
Mauser 98 in 270 Winchester loaded with either 150 grain Remington Core-Lokts, 150 grain Nosler Partitions or 160 grain Nosler partitions.
M98 Mauser in 30-06 loaded with 165 grain AccuBonds
Mauser 98 in 300 H&H loaded with 200 grain Partitions.
Mauser in 375H&H loaded with 270 grain Power Points.

Are my choices "Perfect"?
Yup..............for me.
Why?
Because that's what I like and I like to enjoy my hunts.

I would use the .270 or .280 Ack., only because you left the wonderful 30-06 firing a 175 grain Barnes LRX bullet at 2,800 fps mv off of the list. That load combo will put a moose-elk down at 500 yards and shoot through most any grizzly. It has all of the "right stuff".

How about the 300 Sherman?