Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Honest elk rifle opinion.

Who said anything about 4 rifles? I've multiples in each chambering - "man card" fully intact.

Fair enough, my ears are turned back on for your advice now

I'm relieved

If I ever draw a tag in a cool state, I’ll use my 22 creedmoor, western wa and Oregon, gets big bullets! 👊🏻

We haven't heard from the OP in quite a while. Oh well. I've use cartridges from the .270 Win. to the .35 Whelen with the .280 Rem. and 30-06 sitting right in the middle. I've shot elk from roughly 75 feet to 530 yards, that last with the .300 Win. Mag. The elk in the middle of those two distanced was about 175 to 200 yards.

On my next elk hunt I'm probably going to take my 7x57 using a stiff load and 150 gr. Partitions. If I planned to hunt elk where I might run into a bear with a nasty disposition it's be my pet elk riffle in .35 Whelen using 225 gr. TSX bullets at 2700 FPS. That load absolutely flattens elk like the hammer of Thor.
PJ

I love my 7mm08 and did take a bull last year with it. It worked well. The one rifle I did not look at and say, "damn Brad was right".. ha ha.. As for 7mm rem mag. Sweet cartridge buddy. I was looking at some of my recent targets from both of my new to me 7mm rem mags and today I realized the BOSS is shooting slightly better than the Classic synthetic. After leaving the range earlier today I thought to myself I would not change a damn thing on that rifle though. Even though I put the old Leupold back on it:

That SOB is staying on there!!! Been swapping that scope around from rifle to rifle and it is without fail. Like you told me in a PM, it will probably break my heart one day though.. Until then, I'm going to use it. Also, those 140gr Federal Trophy Bonded Tips will be some elk slaying pills. I felt guilty for shooting the rest of them up.. Know where I can find more... ha ha..

These conversations are always entertaining as people search for the "ultimate". Well that doesn't exist as everyone has their own ideas and some pre-existing notions. FWIW after being fortunate enough to take 21 elk and watching others take at least 40 more, I can make some observations.
1. Standard deer cartridges with good shot placement are very efficient. Even cup and core bullets work well under 400 yards.
2. Magnums are a step up if you can handle the recoil. But again, there is no need to buy one unless you just want a dedicated rifle. Great! Been there done that with 300's and 338's.
3. The "best" hands down OTC rifle around $800 is a Tikka SS T3 in a standard caliber - 6.5CM, 7-08, .308Win., .270Win. yes even the 30-06 (a little more recoil). No need to get wrapped up in crf vs. pf, magazines vs. blind magazine. Blued barrels are fine to save about $85. I like my Kimber Montanas and Winchester M 70's, but for a no drama out of the box accurate performer - the Tikka T3 is it!
4. If I need something more, I will just reach for the 375H&H.

From my 18 seasons hunting with my elk hunt group, I’d say the 7mm magnums have taken the most elk followed closely by .300 magnums of various flavors. I think I finally eclipsed the number of elk killed by my .35 Whelen with my .300 Weatherby. Never had to shoot an ill-intentioned bear with either, but at halitosis range I’d give the nod to a stiff load in the .35 Whelen. Happy Trails

Going old school this year, will be carrying a 30-06 with a 3-9x40 scope

Killed a lot of elk, bulls and cows, used mostly 30-06 with 180 grain bullets, either Barnes TSX, Nosler Partition or Hornady Interlock, Interlock separated from the cup but it was a neck shot, won't use Hornady on elk anymore.

PJ I am still around and taking in all of the information provided. I have enjoyed reading all of the post from fellow members here on the fire. I do understand that the B.C. is relative to the bullet and not the chambering of the rifle. I was speaking of the chambering’s that are cut for the higher bc bullets using barrels twisted for such bullets as well. (6.5 PRC, 300prc). I haven’t been fortunate enough to take a elk yet and will continue trying this October. I will be sticking to my 30/06 using 165 accubonds. Again I appreciate all of the discussion the thread has brought about.

You can hang your hat on that combo for a lifetime - it's about as good as it gets.

Or the same in a 308 Win

Yup, should easily do the trick. Spend your energies on finding an elk to kill - you've got the rifle thing covered

You know, that is the best piece of advice. I'd also throw in practice with said rifle, because that is the last damn thing I worry about: Making the shot.. Finding them is the hard part, then packing them out the next piece of the pie. Almost any damn rifle you own that you are proficient with, you can kill an elk with. Proficiency in shooting and finding are key. All the other schidt is just "gack". I know, we love gack though. I was thinking about this schidt earlier when working on the shed in 103 degree temps. Just called it a day, now that it is 107 outside!!! As interesting as all this is, some of the guys at the club tell me they know some old timers that used to kill elk with 22 magnums..

Cwill: Been using my Remington 700 Classic in 7m/m Remington Magnum for Elk Hunting since 1978 (44 years now!) - and have NO desire or intention of changing!
Be sure to use the wonderful Nosler 160 grain Partition when you are setting up your 7m/m Remington Magnum.
Don't mess with success!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Yep! There's always only ONE answer, especially among those who've only used one rifle and bullet....

Not that there's anything wrong with the 160 Partition in the 7mm Remington Magnum--or any other 7mm "magnum. I know this having used that very bullet to kill bull elk, and it works well. But its hardly the ONLY answer....

mule deer: Make up your mind (if you can?) is the 7m/m Remington Magnum an "honest Elk Rifle" or not - like the original poster asked.
The Elk I have kill't with my 7m/m Remington Magnum have all been one shot kills by the way.
Nothing you have burped up dissuades my opinion or experiences ONE iota!
The 7m/m Remington Magnum is ONE of the choices the original poster inquired about and I wholeheartedly endorse use of this caliber - based on MY and my many Hunting partners experiences.
I absolutely DID NOT in any way shape or form infer that the 7m/m Remington Magnum "is the only answer" your inference I did is, well short sighted and stupid.
Long live the 7m/m Remington Magnum!
Sheesh.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Gee, don't get so upset!

My point was that there are a bunch of different cartridges that will kill elk consistently when somebody puts a decent bullet in the right place. My point was that because you've used the 7mm RM/160 Partition with fine results doesn't mean there aren't a great many other "honest" elk cartridges that would work just as well. And I base that on me and my hunting partners using a far wider range of cartridges and bullets--though the Partition has worked great in calibers (not cartridges) from .25 on up.

I guess if the 7mm Remington Magnum is the question, then the 7mm Weatherby is the answer.

The same can be said about the 7mm practical and Mashburn. However the 7mm rem mag is easier to find ammo for in the store. Even easier than the WBY. Hell, if the 7mm rem mag is good, maybe the 8mm rem mag is even better? What's the real answer? 7mm08.... Life's too short to just use one cartridge. That's just plain boring as hell. It's like only using Leupold optics or driving the same car all your life..