Which Caliber for Elk

[Johnny Bravo]

I've shot more elk with a .308 and that 75 year-old design called a Nosler Partition than I have any other cartridge-bullet combination. And most of those were out of a 20" barrel, including the 2022 Wyoming elk. The options you have will do just fine. Make the first shot count and you'll have a dead elk.

Good luck.

Imagine that...a 308.....

 

[USAF Ret]

Those CC are good down to 1500fps also.

250 is about the max I would go with the Ft lbs of energy

 

[Caseknife]

250 is about the max I would go with the Ft lbs of energy

View attachment 268399

Yep, you will run out of energy before the velocity drops below 1500 fps.

 

[USAF Ret]

Yep, you will run out of energy before the velocity drops below 1500 fps.

Heck of a deer load, though. Still, 250 is acceptable to try and get in on an elk. 300 or so is my max comfortable range to shoot.

 

[USAF Ret]

Not another which elk load thread!!

I sure have gotten a lot of good information.

Much appreciated. I need more powder for load testing.

Basically, run through all that folks suggested and the most accurate and comfortable to shoot will be the choice.

 

[Caseknife]

Tipped TSX® - Barnes Bullets

www.barnesbullets.com

In stock right now. Powder Valley has a pretty good selection of powder in stock right now also.

 

[USAF Ret]

Tipped TSX® - Barnes Bullets

www.barnesbullets.com

In stock right now. Powder Valley has a pretty good selection of powder in stock right now also.

Thanks, will be getting some more 5744. Just ordered a box of 50 for testing.

 

[old roper 42]

250 is about the max I would go with the Ft lbs of energy

View attachment 268399

Your going to be at higher elevation. If I can help let me know, Tom

 

[USAF Ret]

Your going to be at higher elevation. If I can help let me know, Tom

Thanks Tom. I put 3k ft in the ballistics calculator. I will know more in June.

 

[JohnCushman]

I would build an AR10 in .308 and hunt anything in North America. My buddy built one and has killed deer and antelope and elk with his and the recoil is no worse than an AR15 in .223

 

[HandgunHunter]

Energy calculations leaves out a lot of the formula. Just ignore that section on the ballistic tables.

Just worry about staying above minimum expansion velocity.

All of your cartridges you posted in the beginning will take an elk with Remington core lock factory ammo…..I’m not suggesting you use Remington ammo….I’m suggesting not to over complicate this decision in your head.

I use the 130 BArnes in single shot handgun and have taken elk at 350 yards…..getting a lot less velocity than you will with a rifle.

Once again…..from the guy who uses a wee little wheelgun to shoot elk….

 

[USAF Ret]

I would build an AR10 in .308 and hunt anything in North America. My buddy built one and has killed deer and antelope and elk with his and the recoil is no worse than an AR15 in .223

I am pondering a Ruger SFAR 20" if I sell a few more things.

 

[JohnCushman]

I am pondering a Ruger SFAR 20" if I sell a few more things.

My buddy built his in pieces with a scope for around $1300

 

[BoomerUSAF]

Things I can’t stand; things in my way. Don’t make things complicated. Which caliber do you shoot the most accurately? Go kill your first elk!

 

[ImBillT]

6.5CM. It’s not too light. Why would a 7-08 with a 140 be good for elk, but a 6.5CM shooting a 140, with a higher SD, at essentially the same velocity not be enough? The truth is, the higher SD suggests it might be ever so slightly better than the 140gr 7mm. It’s at least enough better to make up for the near meaningless decrease in velocity compared to a 7-08.

The same can be said for a 270Win with reduced recoil loads. You’re not beating a 6.5CM by much if anything.

If you could handle the recoil, then by all means, shoot a full power 270Win with 150+gr bullet or a 308Win with a 168.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Take the guns that you listed out and shoot them. Whichever one you shoot the best at the distance you plan on hunting should be the gun you take hunting. All those calibers will kill an elk.

 

[ImBillT]

250 is about the max I would go with the Ft lbs of energy

View attachment 268399

Just comparing a 270Win and 6.5CM

A 270Win pushing a 127gr at 2700fps uses about 48gr of powder, and a 6.5CM pushing a 140gr bullet at 2700fps uses about 41gr of powder. Plugging both of those into a recoil calculator actually resulted in identical recoil energy. So, there is no advantage of one over the other for recoil.

Looking at ballistics, the 6.5CM kicks the 270Win’s butt, producing 1798ft*lbs ke @250yds compared to 1438ft*lbs from the 270Win. 350ft*lbs due to increasing bullet weight and BC, all while having the same recoil due to the decrease in powder charge, and that’s at only 250yds. You can literally go to 450yds and have the same energy as the 270Win at 250yds.

The bullet in the calculator was a 140 Elite Hunter, but bullets of a lower BC than the Berger will still have a substantial advantage over 270Win due to the increase in mass and decrease in diameter. I compared a 130gr, .277” Classic Hunter and got numbers not too far off of the Lehigh.

 

[mtmuley]

I reckon 308 it is. Thank you for sharing your experience with me. Will be looking at some of the lower grain Barnes bullets as well. Time to do some accuracy testing. I can say, the CVA eats up Norma Whitetail with sub-MOA groups. Hoping I can do that with my handloads.

The .30 caliber 137 grain Hammer is proving pretty deadly. Lower recoil in the. 308. mtmuley

 

[USAF Ret]

My buddy built his in pieces with a scope for around $130

What is the weight running at?

 

[USAF Ret]

6.5CM. It’s not too light. Why would a 7-08 with a 140 be good for elk, but a 6.5CM shooting a 140, with a higher SD, at essentially the same velocity not be enough? The truth is, the higher SD suggests it might be ever so slightly better than the 140gr 7mm. It’s at least enough better to make up for the near meaningless decrease in velocity compared to a 7-08.

The same can be said for a 270Win with reduced recoil loads. You’re not beating a 6.5CM by much if anything.

If you could handle the recoil, then by all means, shoot a full power 270Win with 150+gr bullet or a 308Win with a 168.

Yeah, can't do a full load with 270 and I usually run on the low to mid on 308. 6.5 is definitely a sweet spot for me on recoil.