Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Which would you choose?

I’d love to know of those voting, who has used any (or all three) on elk?

This is going to be my next topic. If spending money on a new rifle, 300 WSM probably makes more sense than another 30-06. Weight might be an issue though.

Good info, thanks. How long was the shot?

Theeck, I only read your first post! Answer #3. So, I still suggest the .338......only now the Federal. Provided you don’t try to stretch the shots very far .....say under 400. Shouldn’t be an issue, as you mentioned 300 as your hoped for maximum! memtb

If a 165 Partition won’t kill it then a 300 anything won’t change much under your max ranges. I love 300 mags and just about everything else but the 165 Partition will do the work.

I'd take all three rifles to the range and shoot 10 shots from each at paper plates at 200 yards from field positions. Whichever gun I shot better would go to the top of the list.

All three loads are perfectly adequate. Other factors will determine your success.

150 yards.

Because they are all Partitions I doubt any would be a disappointment. I have killed elk with 308s and with bullets as light as 150 grains If the bullet is a food one and holds together the kills are just fine. I do like exits on my game in case I need to follow a trail, but the 165s and the 180s seem to go about the same depth from my 308s and those I have seen used on elk, as long as the bullets hold together.

If you place the bullet well any one of those will do the job perfectly. The 338 will give you a larger diameter wound channel, but I don't know that it will out penetrate a 180 grain 308. Probably about the same I am going to guess.

I have killed elk with the 210 Grain Nosler partition from a 338-06 (MV about 2750) and one time the bullet was on the skin of the off-side. One other time I got an exit. Both made very wide and lethal wounds and both elk hit the dirt within about 4 seconds of the shot.

So depending on your hunting style you should select the bullet. Not on any set of ballistics you get from a table or ballistics software. The real issue is the hunter, not the tool.

Another vote for the 180 Partition.

The most accurate. I would never assume equal accuracy.

The 155 Scenar is a great elk killing bullet out of the 308. I had good results with a 180 accubond out of the 308 too.

I’d 338

Since the OP said to consider equal accuracy and max range 300yd I would recommend they take the 338.

All would work just fine. I love the 180 Partition so I’d go with that load of the three. But I’d bump the 210 load up to just shy of 2600 and use that. I like the way animals react when a .338 bullet hits. End result will be the same with any, have a great hunt.

180 Partition.

Creedmore?

I much prefer the Creedmoor.....

The 180gr Creedmoor? Or the 165gr Creedmoor?..........

I have a Creedmoor but wouldn’t use it on elk.

Why not? I have a pair of 243's that have accounted for 14 elk.

Use a Partition and up to a point it really doesn't matter how much powder is behind it..........