Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Best Elk Cartridge in the World??

I use a 300 Win.Mag. That works. I am also confident that a .270 Win. works too since I have seen it with my own eyes and have also shot Kudu and Zebra with one and have had them drop at the shot.

The .264 Win Mag seems like a great choice. Have you tried the new 6.5 Wea. RPM? Approx same case capacity, but rebated rim. Else, the .264 Win.Mag is a Classic.

In fact, that's what was used to shoot the current World Record Mule Deer from Colorado.

300 WM, by far. I have had many years experience hunting with that cartridge.

The 2 I have the highest counts of dead elk with are
1 375H&H
2 (close 2nd ) 270 Winchester

My old Mauser in .338--06. I like the way it carries and shoots, it fits like a glove.

My highest success number goes to the 300WM
Number two is the 30:06
Then a variety of 7 mm's and a 50 caliber muzzleloader.

The list of adequate to excellent cartridges is a mile long, a lot of what makes a preference of one over another is personal experience and success.
My go to cartridge for a majority of my hunts has been the 7mm RM. it checks off a lot of boxes for a go to rifle chambering. Large availability of good brass, a large selection of very good projectiles in a variety of weights. Lots of powder selection that seem to work well.
With decent case capacity, and the powders available today it’s not hard to push 150’s to over 3200, 160’s to 3000+, 175’s at 2850. It shoots fairly flat , hits hard, has manageable recoil it’s pretty easy to like.
Even though I have a couple of 300 mags 1winny set up as a dedicated longrange rifle , and a 300 Bee that I horse traded for and I do like both a fair bit I find my self gravitating back to my 7mm for most of my hunting . Including heading out for moose here Nov. 1.
Again most people have their own personal preferences which is what makes the world go around.

The "best cartridge" will vary depending on the shooter and their capabilities. There is no universal best.

I'd take my .300WM. That doesn't make it the "the absolute best elk cartridge in the world", but it is one I already have.

In a few days I'll be taking that rifle as a back-up for my elk hunt. A SIL will be using it during 3rd Rifle Season while I use my .280 Rem. Another SIL and Daughter #1 will hunt with me during 4th Rifle, using a 7m RM and .270 Win respectively. Shots could be out to 600, the limit of our practice and even then only under ideal conditions. Not worried about any of the rifles or loads being inadequate or less than "the absolute best elk cartridge in the world".

Hypotheticals are awesome.

In this hypothetical, I've opted to pack a 45 Colt Blackhawk loaded with 315gr LFN bullets at 1100. The easily 400+ bull steps out of some timber at 110 yards, and I whip out my improvised rest. He takes the first shot though the lungs, takes three steps forward, and gets the next shot though the shoulders, dropping right there. Other hunters seem to show up out of nowhere to congratulate me, help me cut this guy up, and help me pack him down and out to the truck. I get photos of each with the bull, and have acquired new lifelong friends.

Amazing. I have just successfully completed the hunt of a lifetime. I'm pretty proud of myself. When I get home, my wife and kids are there to shower me with congratulations and hugs, tears of pride welling up in their eyes.

It's Miller time!

LOL, that's awesome and so true. thank you for posting that.

Here's a good read when it comes to the OP's question. It reflects my experience as well with different calibers and cartridges. personally I junt with a .308 suppressed shooting 168 gr berger VLDs. it's poison on elk, most drop within feet of where they are hit. This article breaks down the science between cartridges and the give and take of a few popular cartridges.

I did find it amusing that so often I hear about guys not taking long shots because that's not hunting, or they like to get in close etc. we've all read them and some of us feel the same still, and that's ok. The article shows difference under 400 yards between cartridges is negligible from a practical standpoint. no doubt someone will go off on a tangent disagreeing with me and pointing at the difference in energy etc. that's why I put the word "practical" in there. and the article pretty much says the same thing showing there's not a whole lot of difference in what it takes to kill and elk and what they deliver. the cartridges are 308, 300wm and 338 wm for those who are curious. spoiler alert, the magnums really only shine at extended ranges and poor shot angles with mono bullets. granted you can't always pick how the animal is standing and I absolutely get that. But the practical reality is that it's pretty unlikely that you often get a texas heart shot (yes it has happened to me once and no rifle choice is going to make me want to take that shot ever, I ate that tag). I've only killed 16 or so elk and magnum or not wouldn't have made a difference on any of them when it was said and done. 4 were shot with magnums the rest with everything from a .243 to 30-06.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/elk-car...g5FHtrJyLvq9C8ZO6QBOeMAtqrhLX0b0shnsjZSI

Interesting read...but why does Ron run ballistics charts at zero elevation, and standard conditions that never applied to elk hunting or the Rocky Mountains, all the while discussing packing rifles up the Rocky Mountains? I get tired of this kind of error, as it is very significant, and easily avoidable. All the energy and trajectory numbers are seriously skewed because of this.

I get that the article is a comparison between 3 typical cartridges for elk, but it reminds me of comparing three makes of truck to use for outdoor recreation, but then picking the smallest engine package in each. The comparison ends up not matching real world results.

I know right? and then a 10 mph crosswind to boot. come on, all hunters know you hunt into the wind therefore the shot will be into the wind. throws the whole thing off and makes the comparison irrelevant.

Have been hunting mostly with a 8x68S for the last six or seven years with 200 grain Partitions. Shots from 50 yards to 530 yards.
Elk, moose, stag, deer, boar and even little the roe.

However, the 7mm Remington Magnum with 180 grain Berger’s out to 800 yards (my personal limit) would be my choice of world’s best elk cartridge.

I didn’t go back and read 30 pages of posts but in my opinion, the .300 Weatherby (or .300 RUM j is about the best elk killer out there. If extreme range is not on the menu, then .35 Whelen. Happy Trails

John, I haven’t read all of the contributors posts, but I’m assuming that every cartridge has been covered....with the possible exception of the “lowly” 22 Long Rifle! memtb

7mm rem mag

308 Norma

Where are all the Creedmoor guys?

Getting their "bores" fouled....

Last time I elk hunted I took my 8mm rem mag. It’s in a light weight stock and shoots 200TSX about 2950...it’s no feather weight but it’s light enough. And though I’ve never killed an elk with it it has absolutely hammered everything else I’ve ever shot with it.

Ben