Need elk gun recommendations

[Lakenut]

Like someone else said earlier...once you have a good trigger, spend the rest of your $$$$ on ammo and go to the range as often as you can.

 

[7stw]

The 06 is plenty enough for elk. Don't own one converted them all to .280 ai or 6.5-06. I use .300 win mag or 7stw for elk myself. Like others said barnes tsx bullets are perfect I won't shoot anything bigger than a coyote with anything but a barnes. If you don't handload barnes vortex factory is excellent stuff. Federal loads barnes in their premium ammo line as well. As far as glass like bassin said with elk form my limited experience less magnification is good. I use a zeiss 3.5-10x44 on my kimber and a 3.5-10x50 kahles on my lightweight 7stw and I've found them to be nearly the perfect balance of clarity low light performance and still fit a scabbard well. A new stock might be the ticket. Check Boyd's for laminated wood (cheaper and still fairly weather resistant than synthetic) I'll never tell anyone not to upgrade their trigger ! I love timney but jewel and rifle basix are good as well. But you could just take what you've currently got and have fun as well. Good luck ! Here's a pict of a recovered 180 gr .308" bullet from the off side hide of a bull I got in nm a few years ago at 397 yds.

. After recovery and cleaning still weighed 179.5 gr.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.

 

[dennishoddy]

Looks like your expansion is roughly the same as mine. Longer distances don't produce the perfect maximum mushroom that is shown in most factory sales pics of any round. The elk died, is the most important part.

 

[okietom]

I think you need a 300 win mag. A 30-06 is not suitable on modern elk. It might have been ok for the elk from days past but c'mon. Have you seen boots or uniforms from WWII. People were tiny back then. I am pretty sure an elk in the 1940s was bout the size of a shetland pony.

Tell your wife this and buy a new gun. Your 30.06 is a great elk rifle but you should never pass on buying a new gun.

 

[AKguy1985]

I think most of my relatives use 7mm mag for deer and elk.

 

[HiredHand]

I took my elk this year with the 06 at 455 yds. 165 grain Barnes bullet. I recovered the bullet in the off side, perfectly mushroomed, and it didn't loose a grain of weight. I've killed several deer with the same round at 400 yd + distances.

Carmichael(the champion of the .270) took dozens with a .270.

How many were killed with a lever gun in 30-30 back in the day? That's getting too light for anything further than 100 yds IMHO.

Placement, placement, placement.

Dennis, would you mind sharing your load data? I'm curious if a similar load could be worked up for a 308 Winchester.

 

[carleb]

What era is your current Model 70? Push feed, or controlled round? I bought a new Winchester 70 a few months ago in 375 H&H, Safari Express, or whatever it's called. The trigger on it is really sweet! It's the MOA trigger. No take up, no over travel. If the trigger moves, you've fired the rifle! Just like an icicle. Maybe a new Winchester is really what you want?

I have no earthly need for a 375, but I just always wanted a Model 70 375. That's good enough isn't it?

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis, would you mind sharing your load data? I'm curious if a similar load could be worked up for a 308 Winchester.

168 grain Barnes TTSX, b.c.- .470
56 grains of Alliant Reloader 17
Case length, 2.494
OAL, 3.295

 

[carleb]

I'm not suggesting elk justify a 375. The 30-06 with the right bullet is a very good elk cartridge. I've always used the 180 gr. Partition, but I'm sure some of the new design bullets are excellent.

 

[TedKennedy]

I've killed elk with .303 British, and 7x57. My wife killed hers with a 7x57.
30/06 is plenty, if ya hit them right. If you don't hit them right, it doesn't matter how big the bullet is.