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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,855
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2003
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I'm taking a Kimber Montana 308 this year. It was a 280 last year. 270 in past years. You get the drift. Shoot good bullets.
Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 4,730 Likes: 10
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Throw in the 338-06 with 210s just cuz.
The way life should be.
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,746
Campfire Tracker
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30-06, .270, .308- but in a rifle that is handy and a 2-7 or 3-9 scope. I carried a Remington 700 BDL 7mm Mag, leupold 2.5x8 scope as my only rifle for 10yrs, down in SE Texas. I used 150 Partitions (didn't tear up 80 pound deer!) and "made" an elk load with 160 Partitions. I never used it on elk, killed deer with it 15 yds- 50 yds. Loaned it to a friend who went elk hunting, killed a bull with the 160PT. the rifle was "perfect" in a deer blind, but "too heavy, too long" for still hunting. I missed a lot of deer because of this. So...consider how you will be using the rifle, for deer and for elk. Example, I have a hunting buddy out here who has used the same Browning BLR .308/3x9 he bought in 1970. he uses nothing but factory 150 Corlokt ( or equiv handloads with same bullet) on antelope, mule deer, elk and once a cow Bison. Its "perfect".
Last edited by Jim_Knight; 10/01/21.
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,519
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,519 |
In my book, a 7mm-08, properly loaded, will do all you are going to ask for it to do, according to your ogininal post.
If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.
Doug
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,235 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Joined: Jan 2001
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My main two rifles are a 7mm-08 and a. 338-06. If I was going to do it all over again, I'd have the 7-08 for deer and a .30-06 for a traveling do everything rifle.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 534
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 534 |
I have narrowed it down to the 7mm-08 and 30-06. I still have a .270 but haven't picked it up in a few years. The 7mm-08 gets the most use.
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,078
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,078 |
7/08 with varget and 140TTSX and you’re good to go!
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,125 Likes: 6
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Hypothetical / arm chair analyst here. For me, I would go with a 300 WSM, with a Swarovski Z6 1.7-10x42 mm (or similar). This setup would get me distance wise as far as I would be shooting, and as close. Bullets, I would choose a tipped monolithic or solid shank, in the 165-180 weight range. I would consider this more-than-adequate, for me and any elk involved. I am not a longer-range shooter so that eliminates lots of other brain numbing possibilities. Of course, picking someone’s else’s rifle, bullets, and optics is like choosing their spouse. Best avoided. If you lived in the east/south and 95% of your hunting was deer/hog size animals with an occasional Elk size animal every 2 or 3 years. Would you have a full blooded “Elk Rifle” just for those occasions or would you have a deer rifle in a caliber that is adequate for elk size animals now and then. What would your set up be rifle, cartridge and optics? I do have some strictly deer rifles. I dunno, picking someone else’s spouse could be a lot of fun. Just don’t let anyone pick yours. All the good cartridges for this have been named, so “Amen!” No question. .270 Winchester/150 gr. PSP. ... out of this exact rife. But dats just me. 8>) GR
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,429
Campfire Tracker
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The only issue I ever had with elk was on a medium sized cow in which a 117-grain Hornady .25-06 factory load only penetrated one lung and it ran a little ways. Out side of that I've killed both cows and bulls with .270, .30-06 and a couple of .300s on both guided and DIY hunts. Most of mine have been with .270 and 130 Hornadys. I would use whatever you want if you plan DIY. Use whatever the guide wants on guided. I find it annoying but sometimes guides have strong opinions on a cartridge or bullet, and it makes it easier to go with what they want in my opinion.
Last edited by DesertMuleDeer; 10/02/21.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,429
Campfire Tracker
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,429 |
Hypothetical / arm chair analyst here. For me, I would go with a 300 WSM, with a Swarovski Z6 1.7-10x42 mm (or similar). This setup would get me distance wise as far as I would be shooting, and as close. Bullets, I would choose a tipped monolithic or solid shank, in the 165-180 weight range. I would consider this more-than-adequate, for me and any elk involved. I am not a longer-range shooter so that eliminates lots of other brain numbing possibilities. Of course, picking someone’s else’s rifle, bullets, and optics is like choosing their spouse. Best avoided. If you lived in the east/south and 95% of your hunting was deer/hog size animals with an occasional Elk size animal every 2 or 3 years. Would you have a full blooded “Elk Rifle” just for those occasions or would you have a deer rifle in a caliber that is adequate for elk size animals now and then. What would your set up be rifle, cartridge and optics? I do have some strictly deer rifles. I dunno, picking someone else’s spouse could be a lot of fun. Just don’t let anyone pick yours. All the good cartridges for this have been named, so “Amen!” No question. .270 Winchester/150 gr. PSP. ... out of this exact rife. But dats just me. 8>) GR I like that.
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,746
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[ Use whatever the guide wants on guided. I find it annoying but sometimes guides have strong opinions on a cartridge or bullet, and it makes it easier to go with what they want in my opinion. [/quote]
Agree 100%. Case in point, my last cow hunt, guided/private land in the Book Cliffs. I had my little Kimber 84L Classic .270 all set with the Barnes 127 LRX. Its a dream. The guide wasn't thrilled, said he preferred "big guns" as he "hates chasing elk down." He carried a 6.5/300 Wby. Said a lot of shots are/can be around 500yds sometimes ( after they run out of the creek bottom) He asked if I had a "big gun" I said, sure, a 300WM ( it too was all set with Barnes 175 LRX.) The first evening after I arrived, we left camp around 5PM, drove 1/2 hour down to the creek bottom, and up on a side hill was my cow...100 yds away. I popped her, end of story. I could have killed her with an iron sighted 30-30, ha. But hey, the guide was happy!
Last edited by Jim_Knight; 10/02/21.
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 518
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Man, if a guide told me my 270, 280ai, or 30 06 was too small for his liking, I would likely not hunt with that outfit.
In your case since you have deer rifles, I'd buy a bigger gun just for the hell of it, doesn't mean you have to use it for elk haha. Thinking 300 win, 35 whelen, 338 win.
For someone who needs a rifle to mainly hunt deer and hopefully elk and does not have a rifle for this, I would have to suggest the 270 or 308 in a good fitting rifle that catches their eye.
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Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 344
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 344 |
30-06 with 130 ttsx, 168 ttsx for elk, for nostalgia big bears 200 partition Ass whuppings come in all sizes. Enjoy you won’t be disappointed. MAGA
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,905 Likes: 1
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I’m a reloader so my 338-06 would be my one rifle battery. If you want to buy only factory ammo, I say a 280 Remington would be something to consider. Pleasant shooting, good ballistics and has enough energy for wapiti sized game. I like to have a dedicated elk rifle and for me that’s a 338 win mag. I shoot 338-06 for most everything else because I like to be different and I like 338 bullets.
NRA Endowment Member
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Obey lawful commands. Video interactions. Hold bad cops accountable. Problem solved.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Member #547 Join date 3/09/2001
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Man, if a guide told me my 270, 280ai, or 30 06 was too small for his liking, I would likely not hunt with that outfit.
In your case since you have deer rifles, I'd buy a bigger gun just for the hell of it, doesn't mean you have to use it for elk haha. Thinking 300 win, 35 whelen, 338 win.
For someone who needs a rifle to mainly hunt deer and hopefully elk and does not have a rifle for this, I would have to suggest the 270 or 308 in a good fitting rifle that catches their eye. Sometimes it's easier to hunt where you want and do what the guide wants with cartridge / bullet combinations. I've particularly found African PH's to be opinionated in this regard, including being unhappy when I showed up with 180 Partitions and not Barnes in one case and unhappy that I was shooting 168 TSXs and not 180 TSXs in another. Not sure what difference 12 grains of bullet would've made on that hunt, but I had to hear about it the whole time.
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,488
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 1,488 |
I bought the one new rifle when I was 17 a Ruger 7mm Mag that was made in 1976. It shot well & killed truckloads of deer for 20 years before it ever went elk hunting. Killed several elk wearing a 3x9x40 Conquest mostly during its life now wearing a Leupold 4.5-14x50.
These days I’m shooting a 300 Weatherby with a 3-15x50 Conquest & Z800 reticle that works fine on deer but is a 600 yard elk killing tool. Any deer rifle with a good bullet will kill elk with decent shot placement. That doesn’t make them elk rifles that kill at longer ranges & at marginal angles. That allow you to hunt 100 yards from the private property & still anchor a bull before he crosses the line wounded or makes it over the hill into a 2 day pack out canyon.
I think a Tikka or Vanguard in 300 WM or WSM with a Zeiss v4 4-16 is about the best bang for the buck in an elk rifle but there is no doubt more than one tool will work even a pipsqueak 6.5 Creedmoor when you shoot it well & aren’t too far away.
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 19,179 |
I bought the one new rifle when I was 17 a Ruger 7mm Mag that was made in 1976. It shot well & killed truckloads of deer for 20 years before it ever went elk hunting. Killed several elk wearing a 3x9x40 Conquest mostly during its life now wearing a Leupold 4.5-14x50.
These days I’m shooting a 300 Weatherby with a 3-15x50 Conquest & Z800 reticle that works fine on deer but is a 600 yard elk killing tool. Any deer rifle with a good bullet will kill elk with decent shot placement. That doesn’t make them elk rifles that kill at longer ranges & at marginal angles. That allow you to hunt 100 yards from the private property & still anchor a bull before he crosses the line wounded or makes it over the hill into a 2 day pack out canyon.
spec - you ARE singing my song. I see you don't post too much, I don't know how much your lurk. You just posted what I've been saying for quite a while in other words of course. I 'used' to be a 300 WM addict. In recent years I've 'adopted' the 7 RM in it's place. On WT I limit myself to 400 yds. Elk are noticeably bigger. I could easily establish a 600 yd confidence with the 7 Mag. Appropriate bullets are available. 458 Win - says the 30-06 is entirely adequate for Brown Bear ....so... 7 RM is even more. I shoot my Tikka T3X Lite SS 7 RM well and have killed numerous WT with it since 2018. I'm ready. I posted early in this thread, "seems some are scared of the 7 RM or Mag. in general". As you described but in my words.... there's NO substitute for SPEED (flat trajectory) for longer distance. Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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To the OP.... do you reload?
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