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Joined: Feb 2009
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
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I can't say I've really developed a favorite elk rifle yet. I have a favorite rifle, and I've killed several elk with it. That'd be my maple stocked .264 Win Mag. But she's long and heavy, and not really ideal in my mind. I built her for prairie deer and antelope. Then I built my lightweight .358 Norma, which I thought would be ideal. But after two days in a wet snow, I decided that gun needed to be stainless steel.
Prior to that, I had used a M70 Sporter .300 Ultra Mag but it was heavier than I wanted and not as inherenthly weather resistant as I wanted. So, my primary gun before I started playing with customs was a Ruger 77 .280. It was nice, but never what I considered a true elk rifle. It was just a good versatile gun. Also dabbled briefly with the .270 WSM, also nice and did the trick, but the gun wasn't ideal either, so it got sent on down the line also.
Maybe I won't ever settle on an ideal or favorite elk rifle, but I'm still trying. I'm going to go back to the .358 Norma route. But I could also see doing an 8mm Rem Mag or .325 WSM. Also want to do a .338 WSSM on a super short action. Just not sure if I'll ever develop a favorite elk rifle. I love guns and I love hunting, and I derive additional pleasure out of hunting with guns that I'm attached to. But the guns I love the most have beautiful wood, so I'm just not sure I can build an "ideal" elk rifle that I'll learn to love. Kind of a pisser. Maybe try both routes; the pretty wood ones in "elk" calibers and the rugged ugly ones, then see which ones I actually end up using.
Last edited by exbiologist; 12/18/09.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Exbiologist, you need a .325 WSM Montana. Trust me on this. Problem solved, and then some!
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,322 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,322 Likes: 5 |
Jeff, one dead elk hardly qualifies that kind of confidence... trust me 
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
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I've thought about a .325 Montana. I load the .325 for a buddy who has a coyote lite, and I've been really really impressed with it. But they are ugly as hell. So I'd have to really do something to dress it up, but somehow try not to make it uglier in doing so. Probably get cerakoted metal and some sort of green and black paint job that I could match with a leupold custom shop job or some more cerakote.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
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Oh yeah, and then I've got the problem of wanting to do a pretty muzzleloader for elk. Even though I suspect a modern one would do pretty well, weigh less and be more durable. In Colorado you can't use any sort of scope, and I've never seen a factory set of iron sights that were any good beyond 100 yards.
Got it in mind to do something festive like a 36" .58 cal with a flip up tang sight in addition to a more conventional quicker rear sight. But I also want it to look like a traditional muzzleloader to some degree, and yet be able to use 209 primers. I've never seen that conversion done on a #11 nipple, but it must be doable. Right?
Unlimited wants, limited cash.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Jeff, one dead elk hardly qualifies that kind of confidence... trust me Hey!! TWO elk, thank you very much!
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 23,319
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 23,319 |
I bought an MS7 custom in .350 Rem mag just for elk hunting. Haven't had an opportunity to try it out yet.
"All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth." – Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2006
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I can't say I've really developed a favorite elk rifle yet. I have a favorite rifle, and I've killed several elk with it. That'd be my maple stocked .264 Win Mag. But she's long and heavy, and not really ideal in my mind. I built her for prairie deer and antelope. Then I built my lightweight .358 Norma, which I thought would be ideal. But after two days in a wet snow, I decided that gun needed to be stainless steel.
Prior to that, I had used a M70 Sporter .300 Ultra Mag but it was heavier than I wanted and not as inherenthly weather resistant as I wanted. So, my primary gun before I started playing with customs was a Ruger 77 .280. It was nice, but never what I considered a true elk rifle. It was just a good versatile gun. Also dabbled briefly with the .270 WSM, also nice and did the trick, but the gun wasn't ideal either, so it got sent on down the line also.
Maybe I won't ever settle on an ideal or favorite elk rifle, but I'm still trying. I'm going to go back to the .358 Norma route. But I could also see doing an 8mm Rem Mag or .325 WSM. Also want to do a .338 WSSM on a super short action. Just not sure if I'll ever develop a favorite elk rifle. I love guns and I love hunting, and I derive additional pleasure out of hunting with guns that I'm attached to. But the guns I love the most have beautiful wood, so I'm just not sure I can build an "ideal" elk rifle that I'll learn to love. Kind of a pisser. Maybe try both routes; the pretty wood ones in "elk" calibers and the rugged ugly ones, then see which ones I actually end up using. Thats exactly what I built my .264 for though I know it would be more than adequit for elk. I couldnt imagine lugging a 30" barrel through the evergreens. Anyway I know I posted "my" favorite rifle for elk already but I think something in .338 flavor says elk all over it...think Federal. All done up in a TI configured rifle would be smoking awesome.
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 434
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2007
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.280 Rem with 150TSX ![[Linked Image]](http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq156/JeffMacey/IMG_1376.jpg)
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,058
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2009
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Oh yeah, and then I've got the problem of wanting to do a pretty muzzleloader for elk. Even though I suspect a modern one would do pretty well, weigh less and be more durable. In Colorado you can't use any sort of scope, and I've never seen a factory set of iron sights that were any good beyond 100 yards.
Got it in mind to do something festive like a 36" .58 cal with a flip up tang sight in addition to a more conventional quicker rear sight. But I also want it to look like a traditional muzzleloader to some degree, and yet be able to use 209 primers. I've never seen that conversion done on a #11 nipple, but it must be doable. Right?
Unlimited wants, limited cash. In re: 209 on a Hawken type nipple. My brother found a 209 conversion for an Italian Hawken back in the mid-80s and it worked fine. Surely someone still makes them...
�When in doubt, I whip it out.� Uncle Ted ![[Linked Image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/elrata/imagejpg1_zps585f4bbf.jpg)
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
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If you build the rifle correctly, you don't need or want a 209 primer going off that close to your eye. Just isn't necessary.
Brent
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,696
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
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Lately, this one: ![[Linked Image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/Blacktail53/SAKO-Elk.jpg) .358 Win, 225 Nosler Pt, 2x7 Leupold. I need to take some new pictures of the old girl.....
BT53
"Where do they find young men like this?" Reporter Savidge, Iraq
Elk, it's what's for dinner....
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,090
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
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My favorite has been in the past years, my model 70 .338 Winchester pre-64 action with Leupold 2 x 7 power. Shootnig 225 grain TBBC bullets.
The favorite next year will be my lightweight model 70 in a .338/06 with a Leupold 2 x 7 power shooting 200 grain Accubonds at 2900fps. In the high country it is a joy to tote!
Thank Our Veterans!
GOD Bless Them All
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900 |
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,402
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 2,402 |
I like ny 348 with a 250 hawk
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Posts: 1,841
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,841 |
338 RUM in a M700SS with a Leupy VXIII 3.5-10x40, handloaded with 210 Swift. Lighter than my 7mag. My buddy uses a 7 mag and I have seen no difference in killing power from either rifle. Still have to hit them in the vitals.
Salmonhead
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900 |
338 RUM in a M700SS with a Leupy VXIII 3.5-10x40, handloaded with 210 Swift. Lighter than my 7mag. My buddy uses a 7 mag and I have seen no difference in killing power from either rifle. Still have to hit them in the vitals. salmon: I have sorta noticed the same thing..... 
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Maybe it is my .375 H&H pre-64 Model 70.
"It's sad that governments are chiefed by the double tongues." Ten Bears
NRA Benefactor LIfe Member
USCG Veteran
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Joined: Dec 2007
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Campfire Regular
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Have to admit, simply growing up in Michigan hunting whitetails and reading lots of magazines, it's easy to get caught up in the bigger better type thing. When it boils down to it, you have to hit them in the vitals and that means you have to be able to handle your gun. I bought my 7 mag at age 16 and have killed a fair pile of deer with it. The ONLY reason I carry the 338 up the mountain is it's actually lighter than my 7. I also need to re-do the stock on the 7. It had a bad week in alaska and is showing the effects of contant moisture. The 338 is synthetic and stainless and handles the crap better. It also is balanced better and I prefer the scope on the 338. But, little things aside, I sure wouldnt hesitate to carry my 7. Funny thing is there is a sign at the outfitter where my brother hunts HIGHLY discourageing the use of anything less than a magnum 300 and 338 are prefered. "they loose too many shot with 7 mags". Just doesnt make sense to me, but it's their camp.
Salmonhead
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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A light, custom mauser 30'06 or my light custom M77 Ruger in .280. "Light" meaning about 7 1/4-7 1/2 lbs empty. Both wear 6X42 Leupolds w/ the Heavy Duplex. E
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