Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game the 250 Sav as an elk cartridge?

actually im not worried about the 250. she is. i was pretty darn sure good quality bullets will get the job done. the problem is she has seen elk all her life and been quite close to a number of them and she just doesnt think that lil bullet will do it. ive about got her convinced. she even insisted we go out and shoot a few rounds 2 nights ago. shes really siked about getting the tag but shes about worried her self to death over it too.

Rattler

I would put the scope on the 45-70 and load some 405 gr remingtons with a mild load of IMR3031 and she will be set for hunting Elk in the timber..............

how old is the .250 ? most of the older ones wont shoot the heavy bullets because of the rifling twist

its a 1970's model. it shoots 100 grain bullets fine. infact i took an antelope with the 100 grain Remington factory load last year.

Rattler

John is right, my sons have taken two cow elk with the little 250 Savage I have. One using 115 partitions and one using 100 grain partitions. Both were one shot kills and both bullets exited. I don't have a preference over the two bullets other than I had loaded the 100's for a deer hunt and he just used them for elk.

The last cow they shot was with my 260 Rem, which is my second choice for recoil sensitive shooters. The cow also was a one shotter- succumbed to 140 grand slam bullet at 280 yds. Again the bullet exited. The 125 Partition has since proven to be the better shooting bullet. That said, I killed my Montana goat last year with my 260 and a 120 Sierra! Bullet exited.

I am taking the 260 to Canada as a backup rifle to my -06, I stoked it with the now discontinued Speer Nitrex load using 140 Grand Slams.

The 250 Savage is a perfect low recoil rifle- especially with partitions.

It isn't an elk cartridge per-se, but it will kill them quite dead. I would suggest Nosler Partitions and lots of pre season shooting. I have a female friend that has made extensive use of a 99 in .250/3000 for years and it kills way out of proportion to it's size and numbers.AW

The .250 will work but is marginal and she will have to be willing to not shoot if conditions are not perfect.

I would have her find a rifle that fits her, that she feels comfortable with and that is in an elk capable caliber. I would get it in 7mm-08 and have her shoot light controlled expanstion bullets like the X bullet. Recoil will not be a problem if the rifle fits.

Conrad

well she decided she doesnt want to use the 250 so i took the 4X scope i had on a Rugger 44 carbine and put it on my Marlin 1895G in 45/70 and am going to load up some 400 grain hard cast bullets since she is really comfortable with this gun. we are also going to get her a good recoil pad type thing that you where under your coat incase she needs to use my 270 for a slightly longer shot but i dont think she'll need it. we should be able to get her close enough to a cow elk that the 45/70 should put it down quite effectivly. thanks for your input but it came down to what she wanted and i would rather her be comfortable with her desition than for me to have talked her into something.

Rattler

If she can put the bullet where it needs to be, Then it wil work wonders. I have an uncle who hunts elk with a .243 and never has needed a second shot to finish of a bul or cow.