Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game A better question than "What is your favorite elk caliber and load?"

I've shot 2 cows both with my 8x57JS mauser using rem 185 gr core lokts at app 2600-2650 fps(no chrono), first one was about 425 yds, a perfect double lung shot, elk went about 50-75 yds and dead. the second was at about 75-100 yards and was a really far back barely clipped in the lung hit. after the shot it all of the herd shuffled & traded places, & I lost track of which cow I had hit. she slowly walked further away, finally presenting a second broadside shot at about 500-600 yards distance,I got up reloading the magazine while running towards her,and finally dumped her after she had gone below the logging road/trail from a distance of about 125 yards, the last shot she just crumpled like a dixie cup in your fist.We were in a hurry to get her quartered and back up to the road to get packed back to the truck, so I failed to do an autopsy to find out where the last shot had hit her.

For me ... 30-06 with 180gr. Noslers

For my Dad ... 25-06 with 115gr. Noslers

all of the elk taken were under 200 yds for the both of us, so far.

.308 with factory Remington 180 gr round nose core-lokt and 7mm SAUM with factory Remington 150 gr core-lokt.

338-06: 185 gr TSX, 210 gr Partiton
35 Whelen: 225 gr TSX
9.3x62: 250 gr X
375 H&H: 260 gr Partition

300 Weatherby with 200 gr Nosler Partition(cannot remember the precise charge of 7828;vels about 2950).

300 Winchester Mag (LT) -76-IMR4831-180 Nosler Partition.Vel was about 3140 from a 24" Krieger SS.

300 Win Mag (LT)-78 IMR4831-165 NPT and BBC.Same rifle;vel about 3250.

30/06 165 NPT 58 IMR4350;about 2850 or so from a 22" tube.

7 Rem Mag 160 NPT and 160 BBC.Charges have varied, depending on rifle, but last was a long throat rifle and 70 gr H4831 for about 3090 fps at muzzle.

I have killed bull elk with these;never shot a cow but would love to....I like elk meat

My next elk will undoubtedly be killed with the 7 Mashburn that I built, and a 175 gr bullet of some type.73 gr H1000 starts them at 3075 from a 24" barrel.

2 bulls with 300 Win 180 gr NPT 70 grs IMR 4350 & 75.5 RL-22
1 bull and 1 cow with the 35 Whelen 225 gr NPT max dose IMR 4320
Magnum Man

I have shot one with a 7mm RemMag and 160 accubonds.
The other guy in our group that got one used a 7mm RemMag as well with 154gr Superformance.

So obviously this is the best caliber and loads.

Really.

I hunted elk once with, I don't quite recall.....I know one of us had a M788 Remington 308 loaded with 165 Nosler Ballistic Tips. They must be scary deadly; we never saw a thing.

Moose is another story.

After reviewing 5 pages of information, I can see why the OP asked a more specific question. He is looking (I believe) for
some "real world" experiences, not how well you did from your keyboard.

I hear a LOT of B.S. and rarely see truly good field shooting.
The 700 yd shots you hear of make me sick. IF someone is shooting at any animal at that range, they have bigger problems than caliber or scope.

400 yards is a long ways to shoot, even at an elk. Quite a bit can happen in the time it takes for the bullet to reach the animal. One step, one small flinch, a shift in the wind, etc. can throw a bullet out of the vital zone. My father always made us qualify before the season with a 10" paper plate at 200 yards, from a field position. If you couldn't hit the plate, you either practiced more or didn't carry a rifle that year. I bet if we applied that same test to ourselves, we would find ourselves disqualified on occasion. Try it.

In the meantime, anything in the 30-06 class will kill an elk out to 400 yards. You don't need a 30-378 Weatherby, and you probably shouldn't use anything smal.ler than a .243 Win.

There are my two cents.

Elk

.30-06 with 168 TSX at 2850.

Ken

I've only killed six bulls, all with a .30/06 700 Mountain Rifle LSS w/ 22" barrel and a 180 Nosler Accubond/58 grs/H-4350/WLR Mag primers,R-P nickeled brass which gives about 2740 fps. In chronological order, 23 yds, 250 yds, 25 yds, 473 yds, 150 yds, and 50 yds. Worked like a champ on all of them.

270.Winchester 150gr Nosler part.
7mm Rem mag 160 Nosler part.
280 rem 150 Nosler part.

I've only taken three elk (not big ones by any means -- spikes here in Washington). All three with a .280 Rem and 150g TSX's.

I have taken 3 elk in my time. The first was with a .308 using 180 grain soft point factory loads and a distance of about 20 yards. The second was with a .30-06 using 180 grain factory loaded Federal rounds with soft point. This bull was at approximately 425 yards. The last elk was at approximately 200 yards and I used a 7.82 Lazzeroni Patriot and a 165 grain Hornady Interbond.

2 elk with .300 Sav 150gr Hornady SP
1 elk with .243 100gr Hornady SP
Numerous elk (~7) with 30-06 150gr Hornady sp and Rem Core-lokts.

Exactly 1, a 5X5 in Colorado. I used a 6.5X55 and 140 grain Core-lokt bullets. One shot the bull never got up, but I applied a finisher. In retrospect I am absolutely assured the caliber is more than enough, however next time I'll be shooting Nosler Partitions. Just a little better suited for elk. I am suprised to see the 6.5X55's absence on thelists. Even scenarshooter's list doesn't have it and he's seen lots of elk fall over.

I have personally shot elk with:
stick and string
270 Win 140gr Barnes X
338-06 210gr NP and Barnes TSX
338 Win Mag 225gr Trophy bonded bear claw
375 H&H 270 gr Hornady

I have personally witness/helped
archery
243 factory 100gr Winchester
270 Win 150gr Grand Slam, 150gr NP, and various others
7mm-08 140gr NP
7mm Rem Mag do not know specifics
30-06 factory 180gr Remington, and various others
300WSM 150gr Ballistic Silvertip
300 Win Mag 180gr NP
35 Whelen 225gr Speer? I think

My personal favorite right now is the 338-06 210gr TSX.

I would honestly take most of the cartridges listed on this thread with proper bullet placement.
Shot placement trumps!

This is a good post! That sead I best stop there.

Now Fotis, if a reloader knows how to work up a load judiciously, and installs the proper recoil spring, and more than likely uses a 230 gr cast lead bullet; heck, he might even use a 6" barrel. He can obtain the 980 or so, fps required to obtain 500 FPE @ 100 yds with a 1911. I know, I've done it with my 5" Ed Brown and 230 gr FN LBT's using Veral Smith's molds and his LBT blue lube. Utah, my home state, has the same FPE requirement as Wyoming.

Alan

I have used:
7mm Mag. 160 Barnes, 175 Hornady
300 mag 180 gr Nosler (6 elk)
30-06 165 gr Barnes
375 H&H 260 Accubond

I witnessed:
30-06 180 Nosler
308 150gr. Barnes
375 H&H 270 Barnes
280 140gr. TBBC