Rifle Elk Caliber and Bullet Choice for 2023

[6mm Remington]

Ruger 1B single-shot 30-06 165 gr. Accubond hand-load. (Have Never shot anything else buy my own reloads since I was 12 years old under my fathers watchful eye.)

Winchester Model 70 280AI 140 gr. Accubond

Ruger 1B 6mm Remington 100 gr. Partition


My son next year. Can't do it this year as he just moved back home from Texas.

Winchester Model 70 EW 300 WSM 180 gr. Partition

Ruger Model 77 MKII 6mm Remington 90 gr. E-tip

 

[mtmuley]

It's interesting to watch the evolution of elk hunters and the cartridges they are willing to use. mtmuley

 

[brockel]

It's interesting to watch the evolution of elk hunters and the cartridges they are willing to use. mtmuley

I think it speaks for the advancement in projectiles and just equipment in general

 

[mtmuley]

I think it speaks for the advancement in projectiles and just equipment in general

Maybe. I see a lot of things that lead me to believe killing elk with the smallest bullet and cartridge combo is some kind of "accomplishment". mtmuley

 

[brockel]

The more things I kill the more my mind is made up that bullets matter more than headstamps and things just aren’t hard to kill if your first bullet is placed correctly. Probably 95% of the population maybe even higher than that will shoot a rifle better the less recoil they have to deal with and will also practice more with said combo. That’s been proven time after time.

 

[SilverDollars]

Wind Gypsy is correct. First choice is 77TMK from the 223.

Sorry about that. I saw that, but considered some states don't let any large game animal to use a .22 cal. But I also had no state listed to review. So I went with the next one which is legal in any western state for large game. Thanks tho!!!!

 

[SilverDollars]

152mm howitzer, probably gonna use some air burst shells, I feel comfortable out to 7,000 ish yards if I have a decent spotter. I do have some API shells for follow up shots when needed. I’m afraid I’m a bit undergunned, but there was nothing bigger at my local gun shop. I’m hoping in a couple years to get that rail gun Germany built in WW2 so I can really reach out and poke em.
View attachment 281928

Is that a suppressor or a flash protector up front?

 

[PNWGator]

You bet!

I‘d poke a hole in ANY big game animal on the North American continent with this combo as my first choice as long as it was legal.

Big bears included.

 

[mtmuley]

The more things I kill the more my mind is made up that bullets matter more than headstamps and things just aren’t hard to kill if your first bullet is placed correctly. Probably 95% of the population maybe even higher than that will shoot a rifle better the less recoil they have to deal with and will also practice more with said combo. That’s been proven time after time.

I agree. But if a shooter can handle a rifle that has recoil and shoot it accurately, it opens things up a bit. Shoot what you want, but in most scenarios I like what I am set up with. mtmuley

 

[Whitetail_kid]

7mag seems to be a classic elk cartridge. I’m new to elk hunting, killed a couple cows so far, with a 168 Berger out of my 7mag. Performed well.

 

[Stocker]

Is that a suppressor or a flash protector up front?

Muzzle break, makes recoil way more tolerable.

 

[woods89]

Maybe. I see a lot of things that lead me to believe killing elk with the smallest bullet and cartridge combo is some kind of "accomplishment". mtmuley

For me it's the fact that I like to shoot quite a bit more than the run of the mill hunter. That is much more pleasant and much more affordable burning 40 grains of powder vs 70. So you wind up with this rifle you have fun shooting a lot, and then you realize that you wouldn't have anywhere near the level of familiarity with a larger rifle acquired for the sole purpose of hunting elk. Couple that with the fact that after you break down some animals shot with some of the nastier bullets available today, and see the level of tissue damage they create, it starts to look quite sufficient.

To take this down the line, I have a 223 bolt gun that I shoot 3:1 again to my 6.5. After awhile I realized that if I positively needed to hit something quickly and precisely, that rifle was my best bet. So now I've hunted whitetails with it some, and managed to make a shot with it last fall on my 2nd largest whitetail that I never would have made 5 years ago, before I had that rifle. It was simply the result of hundreds of popped primers in that specific rifle. It's quite painless to shoot at 25 grains per case!

This sort of gets to what @PNWGator is saying. The number of people shooting 500+ rounds a year out of rifles with recoil above 6.5 Creedmoor level is pretty small.

Lest you think I'm antagonistic about this, my hunting buddy shoots 215 Bergers out of a 300 WM. He shoots it quite a bit, and shoots it well. He sends me Creedmoor memes, and I hassle him about his cannon. We get along........

 

[PNWGator]

Muzzle break, makes recoil way more tolerable.

Muzzle breaks are a loosing proposition. They suck.

 

[mtmuley]

For me it's the fact that I like to shoot quite a bit more than the run of the mill hunter. That is much more pleasant and much more affordable burning 40 grains of powder vs 70. So you wind up with this rifle you have fun shooting a lot, and then you realize that you wouldn't have anywhere near the level of familiarity with a larger rifle acquired for the sole purpose of hunting elk. Couple that with the fact that after you break down some animals shot with some of the nastier bullets available today, and see the level of tissue damage they create, it starts to look quite sufficient.

To take this down the line, I have a 223 bolt gun that I shoot 3:1 again to my 6.5. After awhile I realized that if I positively needed to hit something quickly and precisely, that rifle was my best bet. So now I've hunted whitetails with it some, and managed to make a shot with it last fall on my 2nd largest whitetail that I never would have made 5 years ago, before I had that rifle. It was simply the result of hundreds of popped primers in that specific rifle. It's quite painless to shoot at 25 grains per case!

This sort of gets to what @PNWGator is saying. The number of people shooting 500+ rounds a year out of rifles with recoil above 6.5 Creedmoor level is pretty small.

Lest you think I'm antagonistic about this, my hunting buddy shoots 215 Bergers out of a 300 WM. He shoots it quite a bit, and shoots it well. He sends me Creedmoor memes, and I hassle him about his cannon. We get along........

My .222 Remington barrel gets hot. Practice is practice. mtmuley

 

[PNWGator]

Maybe. I see a lot of things that lead me to believe killing elk with the smallest bullet and cartridge combo is some kind of "accomplishment". mtmuley

Not at all!

Killing elk is about killing elk efficiently! All big game animals for that matter!

It’s about that open mind I mentioned earlier. Just sayin.

 

[millerkiller77]

Muzzle breaks are a loosing proposition. They suck.

Maybe some Loctite or the correct torque and they would be " loosing" so much

 

[PNWGator]

Maybe some Loctite or the correct torque and they would be " loosing" so much

Ever shot cans?

 

[JLS]

Elk aren’t bulletproof and some folks realize the number on the headstamp doesn’t mean much. I really could care less whether I kill an elk with my 6.5 or my .300. It’s white packages in the freezer, not an accomplishment.

On the days I pack my 6.5, I realize and accept the longer cross canyon shots are probably less likely to occur. It’s also far more pleasant to carry and a dream to shoot.

Shoot what you want to shoot and believe what you want to believe. Frontal energy and a pencil dick for Mrs Krinklesworth…

 

[BackofBeyond]

Maybe some Loctite or the correct torque and they would be " loosing" so much

Better use the red stuff though.

 

[deerhunter24]

6.5 creedmoor browning Abolt with 140 grain winchester ballistic silvertips