Elk Rifle Conundrum

[TheJason]

You clearly need a 6.5 CM.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Take the one you usually shoot

 

[Sawtooth]

Great video to watch to give you perspective on whether or not you are able to Ethically shoot long range shots at an animal. Look at the success rates of these shooters who are using high performance firearms, on a target they know is not about to walk away. In my opinion, nothing will ruin a hunt faster than a wounded animal.

 

[TN2shot07]

New Seekins PH3 in 7 prc 7 Backcountry with the short barrel.

FIFY

 

[F250]

Take the most accurate rifle you now own. Practice shooting from sitting, prone, kneeling and off hand positions. Real life hunting situations… not from a shooting bench. I believe your max range distance will shorten up a bit.

 

[cgasner1]

I’d rather have a client show up that has been practicing and shooting out to 600 and competent with his weapon than the guy that shot it last season. Hopefully he is telling you that to motivate you to spend some trigger time this year and your dumping elk over at 300ish

 

[belshawelk]

Id get either a 270, 300Wm or a 7mm-08.

 

[Wind in His Hair]

You clearly need a 6.5 CM.

I do have full sleeve tatoos. I haven't done any hard time, been in the military, or killed anyone (yet), but I can make a mean balsamic drizzle

 

[noharleyyet]

I’m planning to go on a backcountry elk hunt this year where I need to be ready for a 600 yard shot.

Here is what I currently have:

20 inch 270
22 inch 300 win
24 inch 7mm-08

I’ve run the numbers on all of these with loads I have on JBM ballistics and a 200 grain accubond out of my 300 win would be just under 1800 ft lbs and 1983 fps @ 600 yards, which is acceptable, but the short barrel without a suppressor will be a fire breathing dragon, and the rifle is heavy at almost 10 pounds all up.

My thought right now is I need to get a 6-7# 24 inch 7mm rem or 26 inch 280 AI and roll with 160 gr Accubonds

Should I just go with what I have, or get another rifle? Thanks for any advice

If you go with what you have, take the 300...if not, the 24" 7 mag

 

[Hem]

I do have full sleeve tatoos. I haven't done any hard time, been in the military, or killed anyone (yet), but I can make a mean balsamic drizzle

First criteria for a newbie...thick skin.
Second...sense of humor
Third...humility

Smart guys here, smart azz too.

So far so good @Wind in His Hair

 

[WVmike]

I have a Seekins in 7mm Rem Mag and it's the nicest rifle I own and honestly is the last rifle I should ever have to buy with any animals that I hunt anyways. I saved up my money for it and put a Nightforce optic on it and yea could I probably shoot out to 6-700 yards or more sure. Could I shoot even further? If I do my part, absolutely. Do I want to shoot an animal at that far? Not really. A steel target, whatever, I don't have to worry about it being wounded or running off. Use what you are comfortable with and more importantly proficient with. People shoot animals with a bow every year and they do just fine and that's only 10-50 yards or further depending on yet again their comfort level and how proficient they are. I've been bow hunting 5-6 years and I'm not quite as comfortable shooting a deer at 50 yards as say my friend who has been bow hunting for over 10 years.

 

[LuketheDog]

I’m planning to go on a backcountry elk hunt this year where I need to be ready for a 600 yard shot.

Here is what I currently have:

20 inch 270
22 inch 300 win
24 inch 7mm-08

I’ve run the numbers on all of these with loads I have on JBM ballistics and a 200 grain accubond out of my 300 win would be just under 1800 ft lbs and 1983 fps @ 600 yards, which is acceptable, but the short barrel without a suppressor will be a fire breathing dragon, and the rifle is heavy at almost 10 pounds all up.

My thought right now is I need to get a 6-7# 24 inch 7mm rem or 26 inch 280 AI and roll with 160 gr Accubonds

Should I just go with what I have, or get another rifle? Thanks for any advice

Why do you have to be ready for a 600-yd shot? That's ridiculous...but buy a new rifle anyway because it's fun

 

[WapitiBob]

I’d rather have a client show up that has been practicing and shooting out to 600 and competent with his weapon than the guy that shot it last season. Hopefully he is telling you that to motivate you to spend some trigger time this year and your dumping elk over at 300ish

The problem is people shoot at 100 yards and think the 1" 3 shot group they finally got, translates to a 6" group at 600, never bothering to actually shoot 600 and seeing it doesn't work that way.

 

[Alpine01]

The problem is people shoot at 100 yards and think the 1" 3 shot group they finally got, translates to a 6" group at 600, never bothering to actually shoot 600 and seeing it doesn't work that way.

Agree. I regularly shoot to 600 & 700 yds so I am comfortable making the 300-400 yd shot in the field.

 

[Doublecluck]

Great video to watch to give you perspective on whether or not you are able to Ethically shoot long range shots at an animal. Look at the success rates of these shooters who are using high performance firearms, on a target they know is not about to walk away. In my opinion, nothing will ruin a hunt faster than a wounded animal.

Hate to be the guy but… So 100% of the people with a bolt gun killed the deer first shot if they are using any bullet that is worth a chit?

Also I don’t even aim at animals where the center of that dot is.

 

[ismith]

Hate to be the guy but… So 100% of the people with a bolt gun killed the deer first shot if they are using any bullet that is worth a chit?

Also I don’t even aim at animals where the center of that dot is.

So, headshots with Corelokts out of a semi-automatic?

 

[Wind in His Hair]

The problem is people shoot at 100 yards and think the 1" 3 shot group they finally got, translates to a 6" group at 600, never bothering to actually shoot 600 and seeing it doesn't work that way.

Yeah that's definitely not me. I have a 600 yard range within an hour of my house. And being near the coast we good a good amount of wind. You have to qualify by putting 5/5 shots inside of a dollar bill on a fresh target at 300 with a Range Officer watching the whole thing to even be able to go over to the 600 range. You receive a card that day with the scope and rifle combo you used to qualify that is good for 1 year, and you are only allowed to take that exact rifle/scope over to the 600 yard range, and they do check every person, every time. Most of the guys I see over at the 600 range are the same guys that are always there all day long, shooting their 6.5s and smoking cigars. Dudes couldn't walk up 2 flights of stairs, let alone a mountain, but they can shoot.

 

[Doublecluck]

So, headshots with Corelokts out of a semi-automatic?

If I put a grapefruit in a turkey bag filled with air and hang it from a target at 500 yards and tell you I’ll give you 100 bucks if you hit the grapefruit but I’ll also give you the same 100 bucks if you pop the bag are you gonna aim for center of the grapefruit? Or the center of the bag? Let’s wrap the whole thing in leather and I’ll take 10 bucks back for every 5 seconds the bag is inflated after you shoot. You gonna pick a fmj or something else?

 

[Wind in His Hair]

I appreciate all of the responses. My gut was to just roll with the 300, even if it's heavy. I'm definitely not a fan of the whole "long range hunting" thing. While I do practice at 600, I've never killed anything farther than 317 (mountain caribou). Last elk I killed was 275. Was crouched under a ponderosa pine and had 40 elk, mostly cows, on the hill looking our direction, or we would have gotten closer.
The last thing I want to do, ever, is wound an animal (including coyotes, wolves, hogs) and not give it a quick death, regardless of if I paid money for a guided hunt and might be going home empty handed or not. In that same spirit, that's why the velocity and ft lbs were/are a concern to me. I know headstamps dont kill animals, and pointy sticks do. If I ever do get in a situation where light is fading and it's the last day, wind is still, i got a solid rest, the animal is relaxed, etc. etc. etc., its my responsibility to either be prepared for the moment, and have the proper setup, or let him walk.

 

[ismith]

If I put a grapefruit in a turkey bag filled with air and hang it from a target at 500 yards and tell you I’ll give you 100 bucks if you hit the grapefruit but I’ll also give you the same 100 bucks if you pop the bag are you gonna aim for center of the grapefruit? Or the center of the bag? Let’s wrap the whole thing in leather and I’ll take 10 bucks back for every 5 seconds the bag is inflated after you shoot. You gonna pick a fmj or something else?

Depends on who's holding the bag.