Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting The elk killing rifle

Great info.

Man, you’ve really studied the 338’s.

Where else is one gonna find such good, first hand info than here on the Fire.

Thanks again. Actual is always better than theoretical.

DF

I do like to tinker with things...

When you suggested the 160 TTSX or 210 Partition, you summed up my opinion on the 338-06 exactly. I would have a hard time choosing.

For sure. I've heard the average sniper life expectancy was days if not hours. My cousin staying alive in two theaters for over three years was remarkable.

One story he told, one that really upset him, even years after the fact. They were drawing fire from a barn, eventually killed the shooter. When they got there, the German sniper was a beautiful young girl with long hair. What a waste. But, you shoot at our troops, especially our snipers, you're likely to end up very dead, pretty girl notwithstanding...

DF

I'm fortunate that my 338-06 really likes both of those bullets.

I agree. One could park there, use those two and never look back.

DF

Great information!

Here's another example, which might discombobulate some here:

One of my early elk-hunting mentors used a South American military Mauser .30-06 he purchased by mail while in high school in the 1950s, for something like $25. The modifications were all on the stock--it still had the military sights. He never had it scoped, because back then he'd seen too many scopes fog or otherwise fail.

He killed at least one elk a year from then on, along with hundreds of deer and some antelope. He handloaded, but was one of the very few handloaders I've ever known who actually saved money. He had a simple RCBS press mounted on a board across the back of one of the small closets in his tiny house. He used the "middle load " of IMR4320 in the Speer manual, with whatever 180-grain bullets were cheapest at the small local sporting goods store--EXCEPT Winchester Silvertips, which he hated. (Some had failed to penetrate sufficiently over the years.) Am guessing the muzzle velocity was around 2600 fps, which is why the bullets penetrated well.

He also sometimes used a .250-3000 Savage 99, again with the middle load of 4320, and whatever 100-grain bullets were cheapest. It also only had iron sights, but he quit using it on elk after he had to shoot one bull twice in the neck before it calmed down completely.

He learned to hunt elk in far western Montana in thick timber, and I doubt he ever shot one beyond 200-250 yards. He also shot more than one elk in many years, even though it wasn't legal back then. It was traditional to fill other folks' tags if you had the chance--especially if they were family members.

He did occasionally kill a big bull, but mostly because it was the elk that appeared first. One was killed in the classic situation where he was squatting down with his pants around his ankles--but the '06 was leaning on a tree right next to him.

He didn't know exactly how many elk that rifle had taken, but he guessed close to 100.

Thanks John, love these stories. When I handle an old rifle I am always fascinated with the history. Years ago my only rifle was a Belgium Browning safari grade re-chambered to 308 Norma.
My pal at the gun shop said the old owner killed 38 elk with it. It had what is called "honest" wear. Loved that rifle and it had good mojo. My first season with it I got a spring bear, nice antelope buck.
A four point mulie and a bull elk.... used it exclusively for 8 years and for a loony that is forever....

Yep, that a long loony-time!

I am also convinced, against all reason, that some hunting rifles are just plain lucky. Have owned a few that apparently were, but like a true loony sold or traded most of them before I quit doing that....

Somewhere on the list of symptoms of being a rifle looney is if there's ever been a year that you used a different rifle every day you hunted elk.

Being from the East coast, I only get a few days to hunt elk when I go.

Soooo, I tend to grab stuff that will reach out as a long shot might be all there is

I've killed elk with a 300win, 300Rum....450yards, and 7STW.

I really like the STW, shooting 160gr Partitions, which has just a little more thump than the OP set up

That 160NP just hammers stuff.

Tony

I have hunted elk from 100' elevation in the Oregon Coast Range to 11,000' above timberline in Wyoming, and the ideal elk rifle is actually at very least two different rifles. An open country rifle shooting stiff bullets with a competent/reliable longish range scope that makes 400 yard shots quite feasible is a necessity. In my opinion, that can start all the way down at .264 bore up through .308 bore. My current choice is a M70 7 Rem Mag, long throated, shooting 168 Bergers (which act like stiff bullets in their odd way). But then you need a close quarter thumper for thick country and grizzly bear areas. That starts at .338 bore and goes up, although the configuration of the gun and the speed with which it can be put into action may be more important than the chambering. My current choices are both .375--an open sighted Brown Precision ..375 H&H on a Rem 700 and a .375 Ruger in the short barreled guide gun with a low magnification Zeiss Conquest. I also think that a Rem 760/7600 in .35 Whelen checks a lot of boxes.

.35 Whelen is my go to elk caliber, have a 1988 Rem 700 Classic that thumps critters inside 350 yards with 250gr Nosler Partitions. Have wanted to try Barnes TTSX, but the 200gr max weight gives me pause....anybody have experience with this bullet in 35 cal and elk?

There’s a fella I corresponded with here and there that swears by the Whelen and 200 TTSX on elk and I have no reason to doubt him. I’d sling that Bullet out of my Newton and know it’ll get stuff done as well.

I have killed elk with numerous rifles ranging from an open sight Marlin 336 30-30, 7mm magnum, 30-06, and my beloved .358 Winchester. There hasn't been a single elk I've taken that wouldn't have fallen to the .358. It has become my GO TO hunting cartridge of choice. Unlike most hunter's though, I self impose a 400 yard range limit. If I can't close the distance inside that range, then I'm not meant to take that elk.

Great thread, enjoyable to hear hunter-favorites.
I have taken elk with 30-30, 30-06, and 300 weatherby.

I no-longer have the weatherby, gave that butt-kicker to my godson, who wanted a 30 cal magnum.
(Win-win-situation... he WANTED a magnum, and I wanted a good reason to go back to the ‘06!!)

My godson is very happy, and I’m even happier, back to my personal favorite: 30-06/200-grain partition.

Yeah, interesting thread.

Started in 1980 with a .338 in eastern Oregon. Shot several bulls and thought I had the perfect public ground shootin iron.
Then switched to archery for a while. Took my two best bulls with sticks - shot well, I learned they died quickly.

When I picked up the .338 again I was rather astonished at the pounding I received from it!
Somebody wanted that old pre64 more than I did and now he owns it.

Then I popped a five point Roosevelt bull and a few cows with my .270....it did great and is a lot more fun to shoot. That 5 pt was right at 351 yards.
Now days I mostly hunt for cow elk on a damage permit and just use my 6.5CM, .260 and very soon my brand new 7-08.

The 6.5's kill very well - I've not had to shoot more than once. Both 129gr Hornadys and 140 Fed Fusions do the work just fine. The 7 will be running the 139 interlocks this weekend.

The country I hunt is steep, oak savanna ground with plenty of cover. Shots can be from the front door to 400+, if you want to do that. I find the modest rounds more fun to use and easier to hit well with.

Generally the hardest part of killing elk, is finding an elk to kill!

Thanks for your perspective.

MD- How many times have you heard of folks using the .257 Roberts on elk with no problem? I've read about your grandmother using it. Others?

prm- Did that Barnes 160 TTSX ruin a lot of elk meat? Normally Barnes doesn't, but velocity still does. would you trust that 160TTSX at 3050-3100 to penetrate a cow elk on a hard angle at close to moderate range I wonder? I am considering using the lighter weights in a 20" bbl 338 RCM. Even in a short barrel, I still hope get faster than I did a 22" 338 Federal 160TTSX/TAC, 3007fps avg.

I tried this out this year. New baby didn't give me much time to experiment this year. Antelope, Mule Deer and Elk all with a Ruger 1A in .30-06 wearing a Leupold 2-7x28. I bought a box of factory Remington 180 grain Core-Loct. They worked well, but it was kind of boring.