Rifle Elk Caliber and Bullet Choice for 2023

[BlacktailMaster]

7mm rem mag federal terminal ascent

 

[OntarioHunter]

307 gr Hammer out of 404 Jeffery ... if I can make them pattern. If not, 190 gr in 30-06. 404 Jeffery is a postwar Czech 98 Mauser and 30-06 is WWII Springfield 03A3.

 

[Dakotakid]

300 WSM loaded with 168gr Barnes TTSX
Idaho

I am going to try 130ttsx if I can get an accurate load for my 300 wsm.

 

[275Rigby]

I am going to try 130ttsx if I can get an accurate load for my 300 wsm.

I’ve seen that 130 work great in a 308 and can only imagine it would work better in a 300 WSM as long as it’s accurate - good luck

 

[Bennitto]

I'm running a 300 WM with Barnes TTSX 168gr hand loads. It's done well for me on several cow elk and a spike elk.

 

[Caseknife]

I am going to try 130ttsx if I can get an accurate load for my 300 wsm.

Loaded those for my Kimber 300WSM with a full case of RL19 at 3250.

 

[Caseknife]

Think my new 338 Federal will make the trip to Wyoming in a few weeks.

 

[MHWASH]

308 w/155 Scenar. WA state

 

[Westelker]

270 win, 150 partition, Colorado, season TBD

That's a perfect choice.

 

[Outdoorsfl]

I'm going with a Remington 783 .30-06. but it will be for next year

 

[F250]

That's a perfect choice.

I’ve used that combo on deer, elk, caribou and moose with great results.

 

[Jbotto]

If I get my act in gear and fix/pillar bed my stock: .338-06 with 210gr TTSX. Fallback plan will be .30-06 and 150gr Nosler E-tips. Late cow tag, Wyoming. 300 yards maximum unless lots of things fall into place and I get more range time than I think I’ll get.

Update. Used the .30-06 and 150gr Etips on my first tag this year with undeservedly good results. Farther shot than my expected maximum. Elk took one bullet quartering away. Liver, lungs, heart. 20 yards later did a nosedive.

 

[Cornbread]

I got my first elk Oct 24 2022 with a 7mm Rem Mag with 160gr Accubonds. I came away feeling like I was undergunned. Bought a Browning BLR and a Browning BAR this year, both in .300 win mag. Then I had the opportunity to pick up a Browning BAR in .338 win mag. I'm perplexed. I've got an outfitter lined up for next year and one PP bought in July. My hopes are up. I have a Leupold VX5 HD 3-15 on both .300s, and I intend to buy a VX5 HD 2-10 with a firedot for the big hitter. I have to sight them all in. Ammo has been very hard to find for the big hitter. I only have 2 or 3 brands for it to try out. I have to see how they all shoot and the triggers on all 3. I also have a stainless Browning BLR I found this year in 7mm rem mag. But it has a Swarovski scope on it I absolutely hate. Just not very user friendly like the Leupold. It came with the rifle.

Which one should I bring? All 4??

I picked up a sweet LH Ruger M77 in .25-06 for mule deer and such. It should come in a week. I really think that the .25-06 is a much much better caliber than that 6.5 Creedmore. Just my personal opinion. It is such an under-appreciated caliber in the East.

 

[Schism]

I used a 140 eld-m in a 6.5 prc on a cow elk this season. 300 yard broadside shot behind the shoulder. Complete pass through. She walked about 20 yards, wobbled and tipped over.

 

[BenhuntinMT]

This year was my Seekins Precision Ph2 in 300wm with a 200 grain terminal accent- Montana
To be fair, its my new rifle and I used it to shoot all my animals this year. Deer, antelope and elk.

 

[Doublecluck]

Probably I’m gonna shoot another bull with a 7 rm and a 168 vld, it will die, statistically where it stands. If I’m feeling frisky I might bring out the prc and 156’s again. Who knows might even get a wild hair and send one of those solids everyone is talking about out of my 30-06 at something.

Strange how things change, in all we knocked down 7 elk, 3 bulls and 4 cows all with my 6.5 prc and the 156 Bergers. Too many advantages to Shooting suppressed. The 7 rm stayed in the safe most of the season. Closest was 336 and both me and my daughters bulls were just over 600. All 1 shot kills except my daughters which went down within 20 yards of the first shot but still had its head up, she put a second one in him for good measure.

 

[YoungGun]

I got my first elk Oct 24 2022 with a 7mm Rem Mag with 160gr Accubonds. I came away feeling like I was underpinned. Bought a Browning BLR and a Browning BAR this year, both in .300 win mag. Then I had the opportunity to pick up a Browning BAR in .338 win mag. I'm perplexed. I've got an outfitter lined up for next year and one PP bought in July. My hopes are up. I have a Leupold VX5 HD 3-15 on both .300s, and I intend to buy a VX5 HD 2-10 with a firedot for the big hitter. I have to sight them all in. Ammo has been very hard to find for the big hitter. I only have 2 or 3 brands for it to try out. I have to see how they all shoot and the triggers on all 3. I also have a stainless Browning BLR I found this year in 7mm rem mag. But it has a Swarovski scope on it I absolutely hate. Just not very user friendly like the Leupold. It came with the rifle.

Which one should I bring? All 4??

I picked up a sweet LH Ruger M77 in .25-06 for mule deer and such. It should come in a week. I really think that the .25-06 is a much much better caliber than that 6.5 Creedmore. Just my personal opinion. It is such an under-appreciated caliber in the East.

Whichever you shoot best. I'd look at your bullet selection, and less at the cartridge.

 

[Cornbread]

Whichever you shoot best. I'd look at your bullet selection, and less at the cartridge.

I'd only use Accubonds or TTSX's. My first step is to see which factory ammo shoots the best group. I don't reload, but have a friend with a reloading FFL. Good point about see which trigger, recoil, firearm feel is more important. I do have a Hatch bipod.

 

[nastynate]

Update. Used the .30-06 and 150gr Etips on my first tag this year with undeservedly good results. Farther shot than my expected maximum. Elk took one bullet quartering away. Liver, lungs, heart. 20 yards later did a nosedive.

Exit? I have similar set up in my 06 but 165 grain. Never been on elk rifle hunt but hopefully will soon. Just curious at 300+.

 

[Jbotto]

Exit? I have similar set up in my 06 but 165 grain. Never been on elk rifle hunt but hopefully will soon. Just curious at 300+.

Honestly, I can’t say for sure. The group I was with had me kinda hurried more than usual for a good inspection. I wanted to grab the heart at the end, so that’s the only reason I know I hit the heart. Ended up leaving that with carcass after getting the meat off it. Trying to remember it all and honestly, from the shot angle, how it was laying and the amount of blood on the ground, I don’t think I got an exit. If I did it probably pencilled out.