Elk Rifle

[Wildabeest]

Bell and Carlson make a great fiberglass stock for the Tikkas that feel much nicer than the factory stock.

I have one and second this recommendation.

 

[belshawelk]

I have a Browning x bolt. Composite/Stainless. Great in elk weather and shoots 1" with just about any ammo I use. Mine likes Hornady Precision Hunter 178GR, the elk and deer do not

 

[ismith]

Looking at 30-06 for dual purpose of elk and whitetail. I’ve always been a “tried and true” over “bells and whistles” guy, but a flat lander like me appreciates a lightweight rifle in the mountains. Tikka superlight? Browning x bolt? Howa? Just looking for opinions!

Winchester model 70, pre-64, prewar if you can find one.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I bought a Tikka T3 light SS before they added the “x” to the end. The upgrades are nice, but you’ll still want to add a limbsaver airtech recoil pad. Easy swap out and makes a world of difference. Mine is a 30-06 and accounted for my only elk, but has also taken numerous deer. I love the 165 NAB over 57.5gr of I4350. Boringly accurate and reliable, and the bolt is as smooth as glass.

I have no qualms with a Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard (same rifle, different stock), but the bolt is not as smooth. My Howa mini in 6.5G shoots great and I’d love to have another.

Those would be my top two in that order, and the 30-06 is great for what you want it for. .270 Win or 7-08 or 308 or… would also work well.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Bell and Carlson make a great fiberglass stock for the Tikkas that feel much nicer than the factory stock.

I’m gonna be the oddball here and say that I actually like the T3x stock, but I guess I’m weird like that. I have a B&C stock on my savage 116 that was definitely an upgrade over the factory plastic, but the Tikka is stiff enough with its factory stock and I like its lines. YMMV

 

[elkfanatic]

I like the way my browning x- bolt 300 win mag carries and handles in the field ,plus it's very accurate. It's a bit heavier than some but feels very solid compared to some of the other brands. One thing to be aware of with the x- bolt if you want to run a suppressor, mine came with a radial muzzle break threaded in metric thread . If I'm not mistaken they have a new model with 5/8-24 threads but not sure what that model is. I would feel comfortable with a 30-06 for anything from moose size game on down within reasonable ranges.

 

[brymoore]

The question was asked "How's the 257 perform on elk?" I've mever shot a .257 Wby, but since 1978 my deer and antleope rifle has been my .257 Ackley. It would not be my first choice for an elk hunt, but one year a 117 gr Sierra GameKing bullet from it literally dropped my second best 6x6 bull elk in his tracks. I also had another friend that shot several elk with his .25-06. A .25 caliber bullet put in the right spot will certainly kill a bull elk.

My family has killed a handful of elk with a 257 Roberts including a bull I killed at 400 yards. They all died having traveled less than 50 yards after being shot.

It’s not my first caliber choice to elk hunt but wouldn’t be concerned if I had to carry it again.

 

[Wildabeest]

The upgrades are nice, but you’ll still want to add a limbsaver airtech recoil pad.

The factory stock in that pic above has a Limbsaver pad on it. Made a big difference in felt recoil when shooting 180gr 300WSM. The B&C stock seemed to either have a better pad out of the box or it absorbs more recoil. Didn’t feel like I needed to upgrade the pad on it.

Tikka stock just always felt flimsy to me, and out of character with the super smooth and tight action. Holding the B&C stock and Tikka factory stock side by side without the action and bolt mounted was a noticeable difference in feel.

 

[CoHunter1991]

Tikka all the way. I have a 3006 tikka and it is a hammer.

 

[brockel]

My family has killed a handful of elk with a 257 Roberts including a bull I killed at 400 yards. They all died having traveled less than 50 yards after being shot.

It’s not my first caliber choice to elk hunt but wouldn’t be concerned if I had to carry it again.

People make killing elk way tougher than it is. Place your first shot correctly and they die like everything else.

 

[brockel]

Looking at 30-06 for dual purpose of elk and whitetail. I’ve always been a “tried and true” over “bells and whistles” guy, but a flat lander like me appreciates a lightweight rifle in the mountains. Tikka superlight? Browning x bolt? Howa? Just looking for opinions!

I’d go tikka but I’d probably save the extra money on the super lite and just get the lite. The barrel contour on the tikka is just a sporter so you might be saving 4oz going with the fluted superlite. Not worth the extra $100 to me.

 

[morley.tyler]

I was a Ruger M77 man for decades. Now I'm moving to Model 70's.

This is the proper evolution. As always, 1L to the rescue.

 

[6mm Remington]

I love the 165 NAB over 57.5gr of I4350. Boringly accurate and reliable, and the bolt is as smooth as glass.

My load with the Nosler 165 gr. Accubond & Partition is 57.4 grs. of IMR4350 which is essentially the same load as you use. As you state it is extremely accurate and just works. I've shot that load in two 30-06 rifles I have owned and it shot very well in both rifles. I never had to change it one bit!