Deer / Elk / Etc. Caliber Choice?

[Ryan500L]

Agree to a point, but the only time I've ever been scope bit was on a Zytel stock Ruger M77 in 30-06. That thing wopped me like my big bore guns lol. Shot it a couple of more times just to see if it was me the first time or not. That thing kicked lol. My .280 in a Ruger M77 wood stock is nothing like that 06, virtually the same case, and just 10gr bullet difference. Probably just the stock.

Crazy now how people pay 3 times what they cost new for a Ruger with one of those stocks!

 

[dennishoddy]

I’ve killed 10 elk with a 30-06 and my hand loads of 165 Barnes TTSX bullets. Never had one take more than a few steps before falling over.

 

[dlbleak]

Crazy now how people pay 3 times what they cost new for a Ruger with one of those stocks!

That’s the first ‘real’ deer gun I ever bought. My son has it now and it has taken a lot of deer for both of us.

 

[SoonerP226]

Do you think a 308 could put an elk down?

A .308 is basically a modernized .30-‘06, and .30-‘06 is generally considered to be capable of humanely bringing down any game animal in North America. The main reason some prefer .300WinMag for elk is its better ballistics at longer distances, and you might have to settle for a longer shot in elk country.

 

[Survivor]

For someone that does not reload I would suggest the 270 or the 7mm rem mag.
But I would first look and see how available ammo is for those 2.

All the rifles i have seen shot with store bought ammo the 270 and 7mm mag seem to be the most accurate. These were older rifles though.


308 store ammo in all my 308 rifles is not accurate enough for me to want to take a 200 yard shot.
If your shots are under that it may not be an issue.

Or maybe step up to trying many different brands of ammo until you find what your rifle likes best.

I reload my own ammo and would not hesitate to take elk with my 243,308, 6.5 cm, 6.5x55 or my 30-06.
I have a relative that exclusively uses 7 mm rem mag and store ammo on elk every year in Colorado.
There are 2 guys in his camp that use the 30-30 every year and always get their elk and those 2 guys stated 250 yards is the max range for them on elk and the 30-30.

Know your rifle and put the shot where it needs to be and do not take a willy nilly shot.

Friend of mine wounded dozens of whitetail deer with his 30-30 because he would not wait for a good shot.
He would always end up calling me to help find his deer. It got old and after 8+ years of that I finally convinced him the bad shots are just wrong and the deer will return later for a better shot. Especially if you are not busting through the woods looking for the bad shot one.

Practice at the distance you expect to shoot a critter and do not rely on computer generated drop.
You may get the drop right but that does not prove if your gun or you are accurate at longer ranges.

You may know all this stuff.

4-14 scope or even 3-9 would be fine as long as it is a quality scope with clear glass.

You could have more power and think it is all good but if the glass is washed out or glares badly then all bets are off.

Many times shooting at paper at 500 yards my little .243 Mossberg with 3-9x50 Tasco has outshot the heavy barrel .308 with 6-24 scope.
That is an older Tasco and it stays on target and stays clear.

Not a scope issue just stating things I have experienced.
Did I need a lot of power? No. But I did need an accurate round.

In the field hunting I have dialed in more magnification to get on a deer and after the shot i look and see what I dialed up to and it has never been more than 10 power.
Those longer shots were 350 yards which is not a long shot by many peoples standards.
Most of my shots are under 100 yards.
If you hunt thick brush you will like the lower power.

Video below is a .243 with 105 gr vld.

Very true and I totally agree with you.

 

[dennishoddy]

A .308 is basically a modernized .30-‘06, and .30-‘06 is generally considered to be capable of humanely bringing down any game animal in North America. The main reason some prefer .300WinMag for elk is its better ballistics at longer distances, and you might have to settle for a longer shot in elk country.

I will say most of the elk taken with my 30-06 have been at 400-500 yards with complete pass throughs, only recovering one bullet at my first elk. Very close to 500 yds.
What I will say is flatlanders need to learn how to shoot at Altitude, lower temperatures ranging as low as 25 degrees below zero and the principles of shooting up and downhill.
It’s a whole new ballgame vs a trip to the range in Oklahoma mid summer to establish a load for the mountain in the winter.
There a couple of OSA members that have been on those hunts, taking their own elk, one pretty close to 600 yards uphill at probably 30 degree or steeper angle. Steep enough a snow mobile couldn’t reach it.

 

[P6Shooter]

My previous post brought to mind my first real rifle (bigger than a ,22). My Dad loved to hunt, but never had a rifle larger than a .22. All he hunted was quail, pheasant, Dove and Duck (a;though he carried some BB rounds in case he saw a goose, he never even loaded them in his shotgun) Deer were very few in SW Okla where we lived. He once went to Colorado with some friends and borrowed a rifle, he didn't enjoy it and always said he would rather take the money he spent, pay a farmer and shoot a cow getting better meat.
In '63 in a local hardware store I found a Enfield Jungle Carbine and bought it for 20 bucks, my Dad hit the it.ceiling, but I was working and used my own money. I still have that little rifle and took many Bucks with it.

 

[swampratt]

I will say most of the elk taken with my 30-06 have been at 400-500 yards with complete pass throughs, only recovering one bullet at my first elk. Very close to 500 yds.
What I will say is flatlanders need to learn how to shoot at Altitude, lower temperatures ranging as low as 25 degrees below zero and the principles of shooting up and downhill.
It’s a whole new ballgame vs a trip to the range in Oklahoma mid summer to establish a load for the mountain in the winter.
There a couple of OSA members that have been on those hunts, taking their own elk, one pretty close to 600 yards uphill at probably 30 degree or steeper angle. Steep enough a snow mobile couldn’t reach it.

Love it.
I have purposefully gone to the range when it was 17° F outside. Not near -25 though.
I was the only one there.
I have also went when the wind was 25-30 mph. Friends told me it was a horrible day to go shooting. Yea I hunt in the wind so there is that.

I have a couple places I can shoot over 1000 yards and it has the hills.
400 yards was easy with both .308 and 30-06.
Then 700 yards from peak to peak provided 2 foot groups if we were lucky for either rifle.

When we walked down the valley we were hit with wind at our back and going up the other side wind from the left and right of us and then wind blowing in our faces before we reached the peak of the next hill where we had targets set up.

Swirling unpredictable winds with nothing to tell us which way it was blowing. Just rocks and dirt.
It will humble you.
It will also make you rethink about being a sniper on a far away critter.
I like to hunt and get in closer whenever it is possible.

I have slowly belly crawled many times to get in really close to what I want to shoot.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I have killed 3 deer with my elk guns. One was a .300 RUM Sendero. It destroyed the both front shoulders, and had bruising in the front part of the backstrap. 168 grain matchking. (Load worked up from previous owner)
A buck with .300 RUM, 180 grain Accubond. Hard quartered to me. Belly split open from hydrostatic pressure expansion ( I am guessing). Bullet was under hide in opposite side rear quarter.
A doe with suppressed .300 Win mag, 180 grain accubond at 167 yards from a crossed leg sitting position. Head shot. Eyes bulged out, pushing anywhere on the head sounded like stirring macoroni and cheese.

I killed a 2 elk with the .300 RUM. I killed 4 with the .300 Win.

I have killed piles of deer with a .30-06 before getting into the 6.8 spc game.

What I am saying is get the rifle that is chambered for what you are hunting majority of the time. No need for a heavier recoiling magnum elk rifle for deer hunting 90% of the time. The .308 and .30-06 will kill an elk just fine if you use a good bullet and put it in the vitals.