Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Best Elk Cartridge in the World??

How about this for a hypothetical question:

You have won a lottery draw for a rut elk hunt on one of the big southwestern reservations. All expenses paid.

Shots can be inside 50yds to as far as the eye can see and the bulls are 350++ but as always the big boys (380+) are scarce and wary.

What rifle/cartridge/bullet would you choose???

What shots would you be willing to take with your cartridge of choice regarding range and angle??

The point is instead of worrying about adequate let�s talk about what is the absolute best elk cartridge in the world??

I don't pretend to know what the best elk cartridge in the world is, but I'd take my .300 Wby. Vanguard loaded with 168 grain TTSXs.

30-378 wby 180 Swift Scirroco

I'd carry my Sako Finnlight in 300 WSM as confidently as Grant marched through Richmond, loaded with 150 E Tips.

Grant proceeded around Richmond, through Cold Harbor, down to Appomatox.

In that scenerio, I might actually opt for a bow and some arrows. If you can't get within a couple hundred yards of a bull in a situation like that, you should find a new hobby. But to answer your question, I'd just grab my 300, and would be comfortable out to 600 yards if the conditions were good. If I couldn't close the gap to 600 or better yet, 200 or so, I'd do a field penectomy on myself.

8mm Remington Magnum

John Burns: I would take along my tried and true Remington 700 Classic in caliber 7mm Remington Magnum!
This Rifle is equipped with an equally tried and true Leupold 3.5x10 variable A/O scope.
It shoots the wonderful, reliable and lethal Nosler 160 grain Partitions REALLY well!
Yeah that reservation Hunt would indeed be a "dream" as I certainly would not pay the asking price they are going for these days.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Destined to be a classic.

Slam dunk 4 me John, I'd take my old 700 in 7 Mashburn Super. 4-14 Leo with Premier dotz to 700, Jewell and the load I've used the most of 7828 and a 150 NBT.

Then I'd just need someone like Greeenie to carry my bullets and tell me which one to drop the hammer on so I didn't shoot Ronny the Rat...grin

Dober

... IN THE WORLD!








Couldn't resist!

FC

My pet 270. It's lucky. I must have been holding it when I won the hunt.


ddj

Even if I'd won the lottery I'd take my PreWar M70 in 30-Gov't-06. I may spring for some premium ammo over the 180gr Corelokts........or not. Any elk standing still 400 yards or under is in big trouble.

Heck if I couldn�t make the shot at 650yds on a 380 bull I would find a new hobby but it wouldn�t be performing field penectomys.

I'd end up flipping a coin between my .300 Weatherby with 180TSXs, and my more recent favorite the 338-06AI with 225 Accubonds. Be happy either way although the 338 is about 3 lbs lighter.

To me, big screaming bulls are a [bleep] more exciting under 100 yards.. but that's just me. You can snipe them any other time of the year.

Something you can hit the vitals with at whatever distance you'd plan on shooting is the obvious answer. With the parameter that we're talking elk and possibly longish shots I personally would think the lower end would be some kind of fast 7mm.

As for me I guess I'd take my .340 Fibermark.

John, you KNEW no one would agree on the BEST.

But the best for me right now, would be my 700, 7 Wby, 3x9 Zeiss with turrets shooting a 168 Berger or JLK over either Retumbo or 7828.

Good to go to 7 broadside, maybe up to 500 with an angle shot, depending. But at distance, I could probably wait for the shot I wanted.

Fun Thread!

I can only practice to 600,so that's my limit.

Of rifles currently in the stable,it would be my 7RM,or more likely my new 7mmMashburn Super.

I would use Remington model 721 300 H&H with a Leupold VXII 1.5x5x20mm duplex reticle. Shooting a Nolser 200gr. Partition handload that I inheraited from my father. My backup would be a Remington 700xcr in 270wsm with a Burris Euro-Diamond 2.5x10x44mm with the ballistic plex reticle. Shooting a Nosler 140gr. Accubond handload.