It's still winter here in northern Mn. and a great time to look at dead elk and rifles...let's see your fav...

Mine is a pre 64 M70 300H&H with a #2 Lilja, shooting 180 TTSX's, bedded to a MCM Echols (edge ) stock, wearing a swaro Z3 3-10x42, weighs, 7 3/4 lbs.


https://imgur.com/a/1fLnJ

Dats a nice elk rifle!

I have Bob Marshall elk hunt planned this year and am having a hell of a time deciding what to bring?

My pre64 fwt 30-06 in a synthetic stock is giving me accuracy problems.

My other choice is my fwt pre64 270. It is loving 150 nosler partition at 3000fps with RL26. I just have to wrap my mind around the damage a horse may inflict on the stock?

This was my first centerfire rifle that I put together in 1967 from a Herter's Model U-9 barreled action in .30-06 and one of their semi-inleted stocks. It wore a Weaver 3-9x40 scope. In about 1978 I had it rechambered to .30 Gibbs. From 1971 until 2003 it was my favorite elk rifle. As a .30-06 I loaded 180 grain Sierra GameKing bullets for its elk load, and as a .30 Gibbs I loaded 180 grain Nosler Partitions for elk hunting. It put an elk in my freezer most of those years.

Here's its last bull as a .30-06 from northwestern Montana.


In 2009 I fulfilled a long time dream of having a .300 Weatherby. I put a AA Fancy Walnut stock on a Vanguard barreled action. I had a KDF muzzle brake installed on it, then I glass and pillar bedded the action, installed a Timney trigger, put a mechanical recoil reducer in the stock, and hand checkered the stock with my favorite multi panel wrap-a-round checkering pattern. I now have a Leupold VX 3i 4.5-14x40 30mm scope with a CDS turret for my 180 grain Barnes TTSX load. It is now my favorite elk and just about everything else rifle.

This is the first elk that I shot with it.


And the last animal that I shot with it, a Dagestan Tur in Azerbaijan last year.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/fO9caki.jpg?1[/img]

My favorite elk rifle. Actually my favorite anything bigger than a coyote rifle.

Not the best picture of the rifle, but a custom 28 Nosler.

The rifle fired two rounds last hunting season. A coues at 719, and the bull at 676.

I know. Y'all have seen it before. Still my favorite elk rifle!!

1968 Sako 338, Bofors steel barrel. McMillian stock, Cerekote finish, with a Schmidt scope. Shoots 0.4" groups with 225 grain North Forks at 100 yards.

300 yard shot on a 2015 bull:


342 yard shot on my 2017 bull:

Dang, that thing looks like a charolais, what's the rifle?

It is an Echols Legend in 300 win mag. We (mostly he) built it when I worked for D'Arcy.

Though in this pic it's laying on a pronghorn, my favorite elk rifle is a Ruger MKII in 338 Win Mag with a Leupold 3-9X40 shooting 210gr Partitions.
1stBuckPronghornWY439-16-07thePipel by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr

Pretty tough to beat a straight 338 for a dedicated elk rifle.

It works. I'll be using it this fall on "your" tag in MT.

Now, if I could just find a black bear to poke with it...

Pointer, that's a great picture man.

Thanks! It was my first buck pronghorn and the last hunt I ever did with my Dad.

[align:center][/align]First Model Newton rifle chambered in 30 Newton. 200gr partitions.

It's been a few years since I've done much elk hunting, but the last one I shot was with this Mark V 270 Wby. I think it's the only rifle I currently own that I've taken elk with so that must make it my favorite, but then it's also the one I hunt the least with

Wow, 1st model Newton in .300 Newton. Way KOOL !!!!!

God you're a sexy beast!



Anyhow, now that I got that off my chest, my "favorite" elk rifle is my good 'ol 6.5x284, though I have only taken 4 elk with it. 3 bulls and one extra cow. A bit heavy, but it straight up works, especially with the old 140 AMAX.

kimber 260

Wby Mk V UL in 7 Wby

Borden 280 AI by Kampfeld Kustoms

280 AI

Sako 85 Finnlight 300 WSM

Very nice!

My favorite elk rifle is my favorite rifle period.

Love that picture. Way cool. Nice Kudu too.

Elk chaser, that .30 Newton is the coolest rifle on the fire..

Buffy, a bit of change since the .30 Gibbs and the Wea.. You have some great posts..


T man, the 6.5 cool, but the H & H is the coolest!!!

TC Omega.

Ya, it's a good one too. Really like it so far but it only has one elk to it's credit.

Rifle?

It's around here somewhere

Shoot more!!

That's my "blue steel" look!

Ruger 77 .338 Win Mag with Colorado bull:

Outstanding, both the rifle and the story behind it.

Would have to be this one - my .280 KS Mtn Rifle. I'm not much of a elk hunter but this rifle has taken all the ones I've shot over the years.

Ted - rifle cartridge and blueprint? I like it.

As a few have mentioned....my favorite elk rifle is my favorite ( in my case.... only) hunting rifle!













Win. Model 70, .375 AI, 24” Douglas SS Match Grade barrel, Leupold QR base/rings, and express sights, 9.0# scoped, fully loaded, with sling. My only hunting rifle since Feb. 1990. memtb

Being from the NE, if I'm on an Elk hunt, it's because I paid good money to do so. Give me a 338 or a 340 Wby. While a 25-06, 243, 6.5 Creedmoor, etc may kill an Elk with the perfect shot presentation, I want to be able to make any shot that may present itself.

Pre '64, 30 Gov't 06 Given to me by my Grandfather who won it in a Big Buck Contest in 1937.


Still works pretty good on Mule Deer also. Have yet to find one like the 38-3/4" bruiser my Grandpa won it with though - but I'm trying!

"Favorite elk gun" is a bit hard for me to pick.

If I had to name one that is the rifle that I have used to kill the most elk it's my 375H&H.
In 2nd place is probably my 270 Winchester.

But I find more enjoyment there days in using other rifles. None of what I am using today are better. In fact balistically they are often not as "good".
But I hunt to fill the freezer and also to enjoy the days of hunting. In the last 15 years of so I have not killed an elk with my old Mauser 270 or my Mauser 375H&H. I have been using other guns to do it for the fun of trying a new gun.

Last year I had truck problem and didn't get to go get my elk. The year before I used an 8X57 Mauser with a full stock. The year before that I used my Benelli R1 270 Short Mag and my 308 Mossberg. The year before that I used my Ruger #1 in 9.3X74R.
The year before that I used the same Ruger #1 but with a different load and also I used a 44 magnum revolver with 320 grain LBT bullets.

And so it has been.

Thinking back over the last 14-15 years I have used a lot of different guns and been successful with nearly all of them and yet I still have about 4 more I need to "try" and just have the fun of using them.

I'd love to take an elk with my 6.5X54 Mannlicher, one with my 9.3X57, one with my 9.3X62, one with my new 303 British, maybe one with my 404, and so it goes.
These days I don't think I have a favorite elk gun, but I do have favorite hunts.

Thanks guys! How about one in 256 Newton?

nice and cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and a .256 !!! You live in a special world indeed. YA !!!!!

I hate trying to get pictures on here, but my favorite is my Remington SPS, 7 mag, with B and C stock, 6x Super Chicken, shooting 160 Partitions at 3006 fps. Six elk with it from 300, to 443 yards.

Mines my P64 Alaskan 338 WM. I did restock it with a Legend and put a 6X SS on it last year. It’s been a steady rifle for me while Elk hunting for a couple years now.



With the wood stock in Oregon one year.



It has been a safety blanket for me.

Very early M70 SS Classic 300Win mag. 1st 2 elk were w/200gn partitions, the next 7 have all been w/200gn TSX. I've had multiple stocks and scopes mounted to it. The stock for the last 10yrs is a McMillan in Super Grade pattern and currently I have a non-AO 4-12x40 Leupold mounted in dual dovetail mounts atop it. I've killed 9 elk with it from 125yds out to 450yds, it just works and I have the utmost in confidence in the package.

These threads always make great viewing, but the only rifle I posses that is not for elk is a .22LR as I really don't like, nor have any use or interest in small caliber rifles.
John

Nice thread.

308 MT is probably my favorite...

Brad, that's a nice picture

Some great rifles and elk in this thread. Thanks for sharing!

So far, this Montana is my favorite.

Great thread fellas. Some nice pics! Makes me wish I'd have put in for elk along with the deer tag.

My old .300 Win.. It is on its 3rd barrel.. Had it built in 1970. I suppose it has killed close 40 elk with everything from 150 Sierra's to 200 grain Part. When getting elk meat was important to me, I killed acouple elk at over 600 yards.. This was the days before turrets and range finders..

If I live long enough, it will probably take a couple more.. I wouldn't even bother, but my wife and the kids like elk meat..

Favorite elk, borrowed rifle. .300 Wby Vanguard, 180 NPT factory ammo.

DF

Holy Schnikes, DF!!

I like this photo...

Holy shït!

That is a great photo Brad.

Shootem by the pair.

You should keep the rifle...Very nice bull. Congrats 😎

Holy brows and 3rds dirtfarmer!!!
What did that beast gross? Limited entry tag?

I have yet to see, "Front-End Loader" or even "Chain Hoist or Come-Along" on any elk outfitter's gear list. However, having been able to use a front-end loader for elk a couple of times and a chain-hoist for my moose, I'd say they're nearly indispensable!

I prefer the "drive to em in the hay meadow" approach. With the trailer. However I have been dang thankful the ranch also has several nice front end loaders! They are real handy!!

Recovery vehicles, electric hoists make the job easier. This one dressed nearly 800#'s, was probably around 1,200 or so on the hoof. Lots of good eating. I find it entertaining to watch a real pro undress one...

DF

DF- Where on earth did you kill a bull THAT big AND the ability to get it out of the woods whole!?!

Thats an absolute friggen MONSTER. Congrats

as to my favorite elk rifle.....here it is....M-70 featherweight .30-06.....slightly embellished

I went to the wodpile and found some old maple laying around and just glued a few boards together....turnrd out fairly nice I think

I need to take gluing lessons...

Very nice.

DF

Canadian guide had an old 4x4 Dodge 3/4 ton pick up set up as a recovery vehicle. He knew how to use it.

I was able to drop this one before he hit the "bush" as they call it. In that case, recovery would have been a real b....! Like chain saws, 4 wheelers and winches, or quartering on site and bringing him out in pieces. It worked out well.

DF

Remington 700 in 300 RUM

South Gate Mauser action 300 Weatherby, 1957 manufacture.

Now, that’s a collector, a real piece of history.

Nice.

DF

vdog nice wood on that rifle good job

Thank you....it's a sandwich laminate....three boards glued together to make a 2 1/4" thick blank. The wood is curly maple I purchased in Wisconsin just for this stock.... I've done two more in this manner.....both in fancy walnut. The more I do this the more I like it....especially the extra strength of the laminations.

Did you do the inletting, checkering, etc.?

Or just glue the boards together...?

Nice work whomever did it.

DF

Damn nice bull.

I'm jealous! Great picture

I purchased the curly maple boards from the Amish in Wisconsin....planed them, sanded them, and glued them together and sent them to Dennis Olson in Plains Montana who routs the blank.

From that point I inlet the blank, attach the rosewood fittings, install swivel studs, glass bed the barreled action, sand and finish and in the end do the checkering.

When one has tool room taste and sand cast budget he learns to do things for himself.....that is if he don't want to hunt with an ugly gun!

Ugly gun is a no no.

Did you fit the forearm tip with the “widows peak”? That takes skill.

Nice stock.

DF

For the male piece I simply use a 3/8" diameter end mill in the milling machine....and for the female part I made this broaching tool




the result looks like this



breakout some acetone to remove any oils naturally occurring in the wood by simply wiping it off at the glue joint and use some 20 minute epoxy



one can then even do thungs like this

Thanks for the tutorial. I like that.

I like to soak oily rosewood pistol grips, forearm tips, etc. in acetone before finishing. Turns the acetone pink, allows the rosewood to take a finish that will dry.

DF

I learned about rosewood the hard way....it took an extremely long time for the finish to dry....until I discovered the trick of removing it's natural oils.

Burl rosewood grips for Rugar Old Army. Soaking in acetone took the black paint background from the Ruger medallions. On a stainless gun, it's not a bad look, just an unintended consequence. Finish is Pro Oil, a tung oil/urethane product from Brownells.

Sorry for hijacking the thread...

DF

that's a very good looking piece of rosewood.

I have another sandwich laminate coming up now. This one has a long ways to go but is on track for elk hunting this fall. It's going to be a .308 Winchester

I think you 'bout got this glueing stuff down to an art form...

Nice.

DF

Yep!

Beautiful stocks.

Old "ugly"--6.5 SAUM

Getting a few battle scars.....

Put me down on the hand me down list when that bagged up old thing is ready to be out to pasture.

Don't know why, but I always think guns with "battle scars" are more attractive than those that are pristine.

That's a gun that could tell some stories......

Very cool.

Yep.

Not as ugly as Phil's "Old Ugly" .458 WM Mauser, Big Bear back up rifle. I'm sure that Old Ugly could tell some stories as well.

Pat's rifle is pure class all the way, just showing some wear. A well worn rifle is like an old shoe, comfortable. If it didn't perform to Pat's expectations, it wouldn't be worn, wouldn't be showing battle scars. Takes battles to do that, lots of them.

DF

My favorite is my grandfather's 30 Winchester model 94. By the serial number it was made in 1906. I've never taken it after elk, but granddad put a few in the pot for my Dad and his brothers way back when along with a couple of wagon-fulls of mule deer. .



I took this one with a Model 70 in 264 WM. It's taken whitetail and axis but will probably get relegated to a 'back-up' soon.




This is why it will be a back-up - 1st Model Newton rifle in 256 Newton. Elkchsr isn't the only one... My desire for one of these started when I saw an Uncle had a couple of them. Always loved those things. And that set trigger is something to behold.

Remington Mod 7 300SAUM...20 inch tube and Leupold 3.5x10..No pics yet because I haven't taken the time to figure this pic posting stuff out yet lol.

Ruger 77 7x57 154 gr Hornady InterLock

I have to say that for as much as I'm not a Ruger fan, they sure make a good looking rifle.

Yep.

The plow, fence and place make a great back drop for the gun.

Nice, all the way around...

DF

Don't know that I have a 'favorite' elk rifle. My Ruger M77 7mm RM has taken the most, but it has a 20+ year head start on all the others. Don't think I even have a photo of it.

Here's my 2015 elk, taken with my buddy's wrong-handed Ruger MKII in 7mm RM, 411 yards, 160g Speer Grand Slam, 4 steps and down. Same bullet and load I used for most of those 20+ years.

Pre64 Model 70 in 338 WM with 225 grain Partitions. Works good on Oryx too!

A lot of folks don't like the the old Ruger skeleton Zytel stocks. For me their beauty is in their function. All three of these have proved themselves on elk and I don't worry about scrapes and dings in the stock, warping due to wet weather or temperature/humidity, etc. Took the built-from-Ruger-parts .338WM on the left and the re-stocked .30-06 on the right to the range for one last scope check before an elk hunt. checked at 100 yards, then headed to the long range where I set up some clay pigeons at 60 yards. Busted a clay with the .338 on the 3rd try, switched to the .30-06 and busted one on the second, then called it a day.

These guys aren't going anywhere except on more hunting trips.

L to R, .338WM, .300WM, .30-06.

Circa late 90’s before cell phones became ubiquitous — a pic of a pic. This is about as much of a close-up I have. A blueprinted 700 BDL in 340 Wby with a 3-position wing safety, Shilen 24” barrel, Sako extractor, a Brown Prec stock on its second paint job and I believe a Swaro- 3-9x AV at that time. This particular bull caught a 250-gr Nos Part behind the last left rib at about 150 yards. It traversed the chest, broke the neck, and exited as the bull had his butt toward me but had turned his head to look back at me. I took ten bulls with this rifle and loved it.

While I’ve taken some other elk and I no longer have this rifle I really liked it and still consider it my elk rifle. I’ve downsized since.



If you click the pick and it won’t “open” — I don’t know...something is going on with the “postimages.org” website.

Image won’t open

Coyote Hunter. I love your Zytel ( paddle stock) 77's
My all time favorite rifle. I currently have a 300 Win Mag in one with a 3x9 vx 2 resting on top of it. I cant think of a better Elk rifle. The rest of the posted rifles are all beauties also. I love the mix of nostalgia and function. I struggle with both options myself.

Capt Kirk

FYI I would post more on here if i could figure out how to post pictures. I try for a few minutes then give up. It's probably easy, but I'm not afraid to admit my limitations. Or else you would see a picture of my rifle.

Ok post a pic but Remington 7600. 35 whelen. 1x4x24 vortex. Not pretty not technical but functional

SLDUCK. My other elk rifle is a 7600 35 Whelen with a 2x7 Leupold. Great rifle.

If someone wants to personal message me how to post picts off of a cell phone I'll post some.

Capt Kirk

Beautiful rifles guys.
Mine is not even close.

I hunted with it for 2 seasons before I could afford a scope for it.
I wanted a Leupold and when I finally got the money for one the M8 was the big thing at that time.
The old M8 is no longer clear but still adequate. Both the scope and rifle carry deep scars from a nasty fall on ice above treeline, a spooked mare that pinned me against a gatepost, and an ill advised step onto a frosty log. A guy doesn't forget those. The bluing is worn bare and both stocks have some deep scratches.
We hunted in rain the entire 2015 season and by the end I was having to bust the rust away from the ejection port each morning.
That was the last of the wet weather hunts for it.
I worry that I have put so many rounds through it that perhaps the barrel is compromised, but still seems to hold it's own at the range.
These days I have many lighter or more accurate or more powerful rifles but this rifles history is intertwined with my own.
This is still the gun I am most comfortable with and (weather permitting) still gets the nod over my rifles that are 3 or 4 times the cost.
It is a Model 81 BLR in 7mag.

Not a thang wrong with a model 81!

My Howa 308 has brought down my last two elk.

[img]https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...a846d92212e74ff3b01fba9d&oe=5B5B875E[/img]

[img]https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...4e7971b07e3646e652847d0a&oe=5B5C2C27[/img]

This has been my favorite for the few elk I have killed.



It belonged to an old friend who cancer took to young. South Gate 300 Weatherby with aftermarket barrel, Canjar trigger and Zeiss Diavari-C. He bulged the original barrel when he shot at the best bull he had ever put sights on in Montana years ago. It was snowing and he got snow in the barrel from the saddle scabbard. Missed the bull! The stock is also aftermarket. Very accurate rifle, but heavy. This year I am working on a Browning BBR in 300 Win Mag that belonged to my old deer hunting partner. He is gone too. Rifle shoots 3" groups at 100. I am going to bed it and replace the scope and see what happens. It is heavy but its a little lighter than the Weatherby.

Great rifle Marc and a good reason to carry it. Thanks for sharing.

This Remington 721 in .300 H&H and I go back to the 1980s when I first purchased it....and for a song!!!! But the poor fitting stock wasn't to my liking so I traded it for something alse.....and then as I was visiting Fajen's in Warsaw MO.....I took a detour to the Bishop factory and found a nice stock just for the old work horse.....So I bought it and when I got home the old Remnton 721 was srtill for sale, so I purchased it a second time..this time to restock

I used it on two African safaris with the new stock but with 100 % of the metal untouched. It's been a special gun to me but it started to have some problems with case separation and hard bolt opening. So I removed a thread from the barrel and rechambered it .055 to a snug fit on the go-gage and while the barrel was off (that was quite a job!) I polished the metal, removed two inches of barrel to make it a 24" gun and installed new iron sights.....it also got the 11 degree crown I like.

The forend and grip cap are walnut root wood that was dug out of a river...it's full of sand and is very hard on saw blades!

John Farner (too many tools) did the bluing for me and walla....here it is!

[img]https://image.ibb.co/m6629H/IM [IMG]https://image.ibb.co/hUMPOc/IMG_2877.jpg[/img]

G_2869.jpg[/IMG]

MODEL 70 SS Classic. Hart bbl. @ 1 in 9, 280 AI. Z3 2-10 BRH
Its a bit heavy at 8.5 all up.
Shoots OK,



Has always seemed to like 160 NABs and IMR 4831.

Identical set of Remington Model 700's. One in 7mm Mag and one in .270 both are deadly on elk. 7mm is my (the old guy) favorite and .270 is my son's favorite.

300 WM, Browns Precision Stock, black wrinkle paint, leapold 3-9 scope and 23 inch barrel. Been hunting this rifle on and off for 20 years now. It's light weight and easy to carry.

You killed a calf elk?

Did you not want the extra 300 pounds of meat?

Winchester Model 70 XTR Magnum re-barreled with a Lilja .358 Norma Magnum, riding in a synthetic stock with Bausch & Lomb 1.5x-6x scope in Redfield Sr. mounts.

3584ELK, That's the perfect meat elk. Easy to pack out, clean ivories, tender meat. Most important she was dry.

Same rifle but in the factory stock.

Nice Tikka. What's it chambered in?

Thanks
30/06, 168 ttsx, in pic she has 2.5-10 monarch. Now wears vx3 3.5-10 cds

I've purposefully waited for a calf to step clear of 200+ other elk...way easier to pack out and when your freezer is full already there's no point in shooting a big mature cow, from a practical standpoint at least.

Maybe from an elk management standpoint there would be reasons, but barring that I normally prefer a calf over a mature cow.

She wasn't shot on purpose. I was in thick trees, in middle of a large herd. She was the only elk I had a clean lane to shot without an elk behind her. She was fully grown, just no filled in yet. Made the back out easy, two quarters in the pack per trip. After shooting her I agree that the smaller elk are much easier to pack and taste much better. I'd take one of these every year if I could choose. I'll leave the big smart cows to care for the herd.

Calves are good vittles.

Nice photo and rifle!

If I'm going meat hunting I prefer a spike or calf, preferably a calf.

Something that I'e never seen addressed on the forum is the practice of hunters shooting the lead cow. They're big, old and tough, which makes me wonder why anyone would shoot one since they have no head gear. The worst part of shooting a lead cow is all her hard-won, critical knowledge and wisdom is lost to the herd. NOT a good practice...

A very good point!!! But....
If your carrying multiple tags or have multiple hunters.....you can end the season pretty quickly, if meat is all that you’re after!

Thanks to The Taxman Enforcer to the Obammacare Extortion, I sold off everything awhile back! It took me a bit of time/looking but I managed to obtain a like new Mod 70 FWT PF in 7x57 and an older Mod 77 "tang safety" 338WM. The stock of the 77 has been slimmed/trimmed and recheckered. I have it at the smiths for a new recoil pad and bedding (for strength, I had a bad experience with a Mod 77/338 MKII) it will be my primary elk/big hogs, etc ( using anything from the 180AB to the 250AB/PT) and a Beanfield deer rifle with the 160TTSX. These two rifles will go everywhere with me and back each other up. No pics of the 7x57 but I think I have one of the 77... only one I have. Just think of an older 77 that is so slim and trim and lively in your hands that you "wonder" if its really a 77! ha Its another reason for the Limbsaver pad!

cool great combo

I have shot a few lead cows over the years. I honestly think they're one of the hardest "trophies" out there to hunt.

If outsmarting the smartest thing in the woods is a person's game, lead cows can serve that purpose. Aged properly, they're not as bad as their reputation is IMO, though I do prefer a calf if given the choice.

This is irrelevant from your point of the herd losing the critical knowledge and wisdom (I am unsure if those are the right terms, but I see what you're getting at) but it is one reason why one person would shoot a lead cow.

That certainly qualifies for Pre 64!!

I hunt a couple for elk, depending on where I’m headed, and how far we’re hiking in...300 Wby on its 2nd Lilja barrel and a Sendero 300 RUM with a muzzy break that looks bedazzled with its side exhausts...😎

I haven't done nearly the elk hunting some of you have accomplished. My "do it all, including elk" rifle is a 30-06 Rem 700 CDL. It's pictured with an old 2-7x Redfield and is now topped with a 6x Leupold. Normally I use 165 gr Noslers.