If the hunter lives in elk country, has many or will have many opportunities to hunt/kill elk, use whatever you want to use….no matter how inadequate! Assuming that wounded elk do not cause you concern!
For the hunter with limited opportunities…..I’ll stay with my suggestion of the 270 Win. with a premium bullet (preferably a Partition or a Barnes mono) as the practical minimum! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
I assume that this was a question, with a dash of sarcasm……if so, my response is a resounding “yes”! memtb
It was a statement. Pretty clearly written too.
Try using punctuation….it may help others determine what you are attempting to communicate! 🤬 memtb
It would not help you.
No go back to waxing about crippled animals while simultaneously suggesting people use bullets that are affected more in wind and produce narrow wound channels. Ironic lol.
I shot a bull at 173 yards with a 105 amax & it was like he was hit by a lighting bolt. (high shoulder) I shot a bull 2 years ago 4 times with my beloved 7saum & partitions. 3 in the boiler room and last one neck, at 150ish. He never took a step but, just wouldn't flinch or fall over. Spit just happens, sometimes. I've killed lots of bulls with the saum & not had a problem, until I did.
I shot a bull at 173 yards with a 105 amax & it was like he was hit by a lighting bolt. (high shoulder) I shot a bull 2 years ago 4 times with my beloved 7saum & partitions. 3 in the boiler room and last one neck, at 150ish. He never took a step but, just wouldn't flinch or fall over. Spit just happens, sometimes. I've killed lots of bulls with the saum & not had a problem, until I did.
High shoulder…..likely some trauma to the spinal cord, even if not hit directly! A spinal cord shock “Will” do that! 😉 memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
Yep, these kind of threads always have a little bit of the "ONE TIME AT BAND CAMP" mentality.
First, under the most ideal conditions and PERFECT shot placement you'll hear how many elk are killed with a .243 WIN: and then it will be stated that it was a cow shot with a .243 and not a mature bull ..... huge difference my friends.
Second, what kind of shot was presented? Was it a perfect broadside shot under 150 yards? Of course smaller calibers will kill an elk under ideal conditions.
LASTLY, what kind of hunter are you? Have you haunted elk for decades and don't really care if the big one gets away? Are you a crack shot that can place an OFFHAND shot at 200 yards into an 8-10 inch vital area?
The OP should, as an ethical hunter, rephrase the question to something like .... "WHAT IS THE MINIMUM CARTRIDGE THAT THE AVERAGE SHOOTER SHOULD BE USING TO HUNT ELK"?
Yep, these kind of threads always have a little bit of the "ONE TIME AT BAND CAMP" mentality.
First, under the most ideal conditions and PERFECT shot placement you'll hear how many elk are killed with a .243 WIN: and then it will be stated that it was a cow shot with a .243 and not a mature bull ..... huge difference my friends.
Second, what kind of shot was presented? Was it a perfect broadside shot under 150 yards? Of course smaller calibers will kill an elk under ideal conditions.
LASTLY, what kind of hunter are you? Have you haunted elk for decades and don't really care if the big one gets away? Are you a crack shot that can place an OFFHAND shot at 200 yards into an 8-10 inch vital area?
The OP should, as an ethical hunter, rephrase the question to something like .... "WHAT IS THE MINIMUM CARTRIDGE THAT THE AVERAGE SHOOTER SHOULD BE USING TO HUNT ELK"?
AMEN Brother!
And perhaps edit your last line to: "WHAT IS THE MINIMUM CARTRIDGE THAT THE AVERAGE “ETHICAL” SHOOTER SHOULD BE USING TO HUNT ELK"? memtb
Last edited by memtb; 08/06/23.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
Yep, these kind of threads always have a little bit of the "ONE TIME AT BAND CAMP" mentality.
First, under the most ideal conditions and PERFECT shot placement you'll hear how many elk are killed with a .243 WIN: and then it will be stated that it was a cow shot with a .243 and not a mature bull ..... huge difference my friends.
Second, what kind of shot was presented? Was it a perfect broadside shot under 150 yards? Of course smaller calibers will kill an elk under ideal conditions.
LASTLY, what kind of hunter are you? Have you haunted elk for decades and don't really care if the big one gets away? Are you a crack shot that can place an OFFHAND shot at 200 yards into an 8-10 inch vital area?
The OP should, as an ethical hunter, rephrase the question to something like .... "WHAT IS THE MINIMUM CARTRIDGE THAT THE AVERAGE SHOOTER SHOULD BE USING TO HUNT ELK"?
Oops almost forgot..... the minimum for the AVERAGE shooter needs to be something .277 caliber or larger that delivers a minimum of 1500 Foot Pounds of energy at the point of impact.
Ballistics typed on paper is not what always happens in hunting conditions.
What do you think would put an elk down quicker at 100 yards........... A 220 Swift with with a 55 grain bullet or a 410 grain from a 45-70?
220 Swift energy is 1,004 by the book. 45-70 energy is 895.
I have yet to see a grizzly guide use a 220 Swift, but many carry a 45-70. Yeah I know newer guns can handle potent 45-70 loads, but I have used factory Remington ammo (to old load pressures) in my original 1873 trapdoor to take several elk.
“Book energy” by no means indicates penetration capability. But, you already knew that.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee
243 win. As long as you’re not trying to break shoulders. Good bonded or mono 24 cal bullet with in the 300 yard OP range. Elk aren’t bullet proof. Shot placement over displacement. How did guys shoot elk with 30/30 or less. We became too focused on Ft/lb and all the other BS Hype.
All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.
243 win. As long as you’re not trying to break shoulders. Good bonded or mono 24 cal bullet with in the 300 yard OP range. Elk aren’t bullet proof. Shot placement over displacement. How did guys shoot elk with 30/30 or less. We became too focused on Ft/lb and all the other BS Hype.
Placement is critical ……with anything! Though……few brag about those they wounded with 30-30’s, ect.!
Just like many on these forums, they are every bit as good as Jerry Miculek …..they just don’t have a website! 😉. memtb
Last edited by memtb; 08/06/23.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
243 win. As long as you’re not trying to break shoulders. Good bonded or mono 24 cal bullet with in the 300 yard OP range. Elk aren’t bullet proof. Shot placement over displacement. How did guys shoot elk with 30/30 or less. We became too focused on Ft/lb and all the other BS Hype.
Placement is critical ……with anything! Though……few brag about those they wounded with 30-30’s, ect.! memtb
Even less brag about wounding animals with magnums (I'm mean who knows, but if we can just make up hypotheticals why not?). I'm guessing they just assume "the bullet done blowed up!" In their defense due to recoil they have no idea what happened....
Your constant strawman of "we don't hear about the wounded ones" goes both ways genius.
It’d be pretty cool if folks just mentioned what they used and how they worked rather than hammering one or another about how the other guys choice sucked. As have been said, a lot of stuff works and some people have specific reasons for using what they do.
I guess there’s no fun in that though.
These can be pretty good threads when folks post up what they use, bullets, outcome post shot and let the chips fall where they may.
