Elk rifle

[elkhnter]

@elkhnter, you've got plenty of time to change your mind 3 or 4 more times, right up until the day you leave. Just be sure that you have packed the proper ammo for the rifle du jour

I may be the guy rolling down the road looking like a portable armory.
There’s a 7mm, couple 300’s, a 388, a 270 and a ‘06 that I haven’t drug out yet.
A 5 day hunt and I could carry a different rifle each day.
Wish you guys would just tell me which one to take!!

 

[TheJason]

Wish you guys would just tell me which one to take!!

Take all.

 

[elkfanatic]

Which one do you want to take? They are all good choices. You are the one that knows the rifles and how well you can shoot them. I always think the elk deserve whatever I shoot best so that I'm most likely to make a clean ethical kill with no suffering on the elks part. I'd rather suffer having to work closer for a shot than winging bullets long range. Whichever gun you choose spend plenty of time practicing and getting familiar with your chosen one.

 

[bucdoego]

Which rifle to take? Sounds like a fun question to solve.

I agree that you will be fine with which ever one you choose.
My choice, if I had a tag - would be between a 6.5CM and a 270WSM. Both with FireDot scopes. Both shoot copper bullets well (Federal Trophy Copper & Hornady CX). I wouldn't hesitate to take the CM, but an Elk hunt would be why I got and kept the 270WSM, so that would be my choice.

Best of luck with your hunt!

 

[Caseknife]

I may the guy rolling down the road looking like a portable armory.
There’s a 7mm, couple 300’s, a 388, a 270 and a ‘06 that I haven’t drug out yet.
A 5 day hunt and I could carry a different rifle each day.
Wish you guys would just tell me which one to take!!

Don't listen to us "armchair QB's", it is your tag, your hunt, your rifles, and any one of them will get the job done. Have fun and shoot straight.

 

[elkhnter]

Which rifle to take? Sounds like a fun question to solve.

I agree that you will be fine with which ever one you choose.
My choice, if I had a tag - would be between a 6.5CM and a 270WSM. Both with FireDot scopes. Both shoot copper bullets well (Federal Trophy Copper & Hornady CX). I wouldn't hesitate to take the CM, but an Elk hunt would be why I got and kept the 270WSM, so that would be my choice.

Best of luck with your hunt!

But I don’t have a 6.5 CM or a 270wsm!
I do have a 270 Winchester.

 

[bucdoego]

But I don’t have a 6.5 CM or a 270wsm!
I do have a 270 Winchester.

I saw your list of "current options" for this hunt - you will be fine!

You can choose any one of them and know that others have taken lots of Elk, in lots of different conditions, over the years/decades - successfully. You will too.

Good luck with you choice and the hunt!

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I may be the guy rolling down the road looking like a portable armory.
There’s a 7mm, couple 300’s, a 388, a 270 and a ‘06 that I haven’t drug out yet.
A 5 day hunt and I could carry a different rifle each day.
Wish you guys would just tell me which one to take!!

That 388 must whump like a mother! Must be easy to find ammo though when everything is sold out as I don’t know anyone with that caliber But for serious, your 270 is all you need.

 

[benclimbing]

The one you enjoy shooting the most.

 

[Misguided]

The lightest one.

 

[arkelkhntr]

The lightest one.

Take the one you shoot the best. As a side note, a 270win with a 150gr partition will kill any elk you encounter. It also won't kick the heck out of you. Regardless, have a good hunt.

 

[Braveheart]

weatherby 300

 

[brockel]

Might try and fill a tag with this one this year if my banish backcountry shows up before November. Christensen arms ridgeline fft 300 rum. 7.4lbs as it sits. Will be right at 8lbs with a bipod. Have some 215 bergers to try in the morning with it

 

[huntin24/7]

We’ve taken elk with the 257 weatherby, 270, and 7mm from 110, 130, and 168 grain and they all died about the same. Can’t decide between 7mm 168 vld and 6.5prc 139 scenars for WY this year. They both shoot great. Doubt it matters either way.

 

[Thehillbilly]

Get another tag and use one rifle for each!

 

[Scott85]

Might try and fill a tag with this one this year if my banish backcountry shows up before November. Christensen arms ridgeline fft 300 rum. 7.4lbs as it sits. Will be right at 8lbs with a bipod. Have some 215 bergers to try in the morning with it
View attachment 285737

Really hopping to have my banish backcountry in time for my hunt too.

 

[danr55]

One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is that Elk are large animals. They deserve respect and consideration before you try to kill them. Use enough rifle and enough bullet to kill them quickly. There is nothing I hate more than hunting elk in the mountains and seeing a three or four year old bull walking around with a broken leg and a bullet hole in his shoulder. That puts me in a position to shoot the bull out of respect for the animal when I am actually hunting a trophy.

 

[EYJONAS!]

 

[brockel]

One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is that Elk are large animals. They deserve respect and consideration before you try to kill them. Use enough rifle and enough bullet to kill them quickly. There is nothing I hate more than hunting elk in the mountains and seeing a three or four year old bull walking around with a broken leg and a bullet hole in his shoulder. That puts me in a position to shoot the bull out of respect for the animal when I am actually hunting a trophy.

Elk are big as far as length and brisket to backbone sure. As far as depth through the chest they aren’t this animal that everyone thinks they need 30” of penetration for.

 

[Fire_9]

One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is that Elk are large animals. They deserve respect and consideration before you try to kill them. Use enough rifle and enough bullet to kill them quickly. There is nothing I hate more than hunting elk in the mountains and seeing a three or four year old bull walking around with a broken leg and a bullet hole in his shoulder. That puts me in a position to shoot the bull out of respect for the animal when I am actually hunting a trophy.

What is the magic number for cartridge and bullet and how did you arrive at that conclusion?