Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 308 for Elk

If a guy thinks he needs a magnum to kill elk, then he does. Some of us just know all we need is a 308.

My clients have 10 days to hunt or less. Still with any round we have to pass shots. Had to pass 400 yard shot on a big bull wit 338 win mag. Client said he couldn't do it. Ok.

Frankly if the bullet is chosen correctly and can penetrate, it doesn't take much to get through hide and a rib and get both lungs. Thats all one needs. Even the 243 with the right bullet can do it on elk I'd bet.

That said if I was a client I'd bring along the gun that could shoot the south end of a north bound animal and hopefully be headed on towards Santa., Just in case.

In TX I'd shoot deer with a 22 LR if legal. One HP in the ribs and they are done just as often as with an 06. Note I've seen an 06 go through both lungs and not kill a deer here too. So you can't cover every single animal.

And if DRT is needed for terrain reasons, the ONLY way to do that is shot placement. That can take a larger round/bullet penetration, but also takes a perfect shooter at the same time.

Whats my backup as a moose guide 338-06. But this year think I"ll carry a garand because I want to. I'd carry an M1A but the ones we own are too heavy.

How about some 180 grain Swift Scirocco?

I knew another sourdough in AK who shot a 308 with 220 RN bullets at moose and elk. Said it's his "308-6.5 Swede." Looking at the ballistics, that's not far off.

He said he'd never lost an animal since switching to this.

308win is just fine for elk. I'm sure many have been taken using 150gr cup and core bullets. I too use a 308win for elk except I shoot 180gr partitions. Tell your friend he'll be fine.

sure

my last LE bull elk I used a 308 & 180 Scirroco's

In his bed @ 90 yds..2nd shot for good measure

helluva bull & right at 360"

My father in law dropped a 340+ bull in his tracks this year with a Mountain Ascent .308, while I ate my tag holding onto a .340 weatherby.

This is the way.

While the 308 with good placement will certainly work and has for many here if your friend is looking for an excuse to buy a new rifle there is no better excuse than an elk hunt. Any flavor 300 magnum with a good 180 grain bullet extends the effective range another 150+ yards and opens up lots more angles. New Tikka or Vanguard with a Burris FF2 4.5-14 and his sub $1000 elk rifle will be ready to get lots of practice before the trip.

Your .340 Roy ain’t the reason you ate your tag. Fess up.

A couple of weeks ago, 308, 180 gr ttsx

The moral of 6 pages is - shoot what you have confidence in. My Alaskan guides' 13 year old shot a trophy caribou last year with his .223 Rem.. His "big gun" was a 7-08 for a bull moose and a Dalls sheep. Go figure..............

I have a good friend who killed a couple of bull with 308 shooting 165 Accubond handloads.

I've done the same on a number of bulls with the 165 AB, as well as a myriad of other "lesser" bullets.

This just isn't that hard...

Like ^

Yeah, me too.

Lots of elk, bear, moose killed very dead with the old 30-40 Krag and its 180. A 308/180 can beat it safely another 100fps second! The 303 Savage (think 30-30) and its 190gr was only around 1900, and killed gobs of big game. So I think the 308 is plenty for elk, especially after seeing my buddy use his and just that old 150 corlokt! ha I do believe a 150-160 Mono really beefs up the old war-baby!

Only three things matter:
Shot placement
Shot placement
Shot placement

Nuff said.

I picked up a real nice 88 Winchester in a 308, been doing load development with it. I settled with 165gr Hornady btsp, Accurate 2460. It shoots 180 partitions pretty good. But I don’t want to beat this rifle up with 180’s. The 88’s were known for cracking stocks, so I figure 165’s be a happy medium.

Hows the trigger on that 88? Everyone I ever tried felt like a double action revolver trigger? ha