.308 for Elk

[Elkmagnet]

BUENO. What scope are you using? I had a 1986 Bushnell 2.5-8x40 for years. Upgrded to a Vortex Crossfire 3-9x40 with the multi-plex 2 years ago. Not real happy with the HUGE dots!. Would love to have something in the 3-16x with moa lines instead of dots.

Leupold 2-7x

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Good point. I have been shooting 165gr Sierra Gamekings for years because my gun loves them and shoots postage stamps at 100yds (MOA).

Keep using those, you're golden.

BUENO. What scope are you using? I had a 1986 Bushnell 2.5-8x40 for years. Upgrded to a Vortex Crossfire 3-9x40 with the multi-plex 2 years ago. Not real happy with the HUGE dots!. Would love to have something in the 3-16x with moa lines instead of dots.

You're gonna want a better scope. Look at the Trijicon offerings for less expensive stuff but there's a LOT of good scope talk here on RS if you use the search feature.

 

[DaveBarrows]

The .308 will work just fine on elk. My grandson carries a .260 Remington and a previous hunting partner carried a 7mm-08--neither cartridge was severely limited in effectiveness with elk. I would load a premium 165/168 grain bullet that gave me decent accuracy and go hunting. I've worked up loads for several people that were using the .308 Winchester for elk, and they appear to have brought home the game. Fine cartridge that will work just fine.

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

So....how many of you hunt elk with a .308?

There isn’t a critter on god’s green earth that’ll walk away from a 168 Amax in front of the diaphragm, as long as it hits above about 1800 FPS.

I'll second the recommendation for the 168 Amax. I've been impressed with what I've seen on a buck, a cow and a bull so far. Only a small sample size personally but a lot of good data points on this forum. There's a thread with some good .308 examples here:

Post in thread 'Kill pictures from cartridges above 6.5 Creed???' https://rokslide.com/forums/threads...artridges-above-6-5-creed.387099/post-3946766

 

[ResearchinStuff]

308 is a fine choice. Skip all the so called "premium" hunting bullets that are super tough and make really small holes in game. Gamekings are great for killing stuff at 308 velocities.

 

[dreamingbig]

I have hunted whitetails with my .308 Browning BLR since 1986. Now that I live in the mountains of Colorado and I am transitioning to Elk hunting I was planning on moving to a bolt 7prc or 7rem mag but budget will not allow me to do it this year.

So....how many of you hunt elk with a .308?

My plan for this year was to continue to use my .308 but keep shot distance to 300yds. I have downed whitetails at 300 yards with my BLR but with these bigger bodied elk, would you feel comfortable shooting them at 300yds and in?

They work great. I shoot 165grn nosler accubonds and they kill elk quick.


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[Throwin Darts]

I destroyed a nilgai with a 308. Everyone told me I was undergunned


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[JackButler]

I killed a 360” bull this past fall with 308. 178eld-m. Didn’t even take a step.

 

[Mountainrancher]

Good point. I have been shooting 165gr Sierra Gamekings for years because my gun loves them and shoots postage stamps at 100yds (MOA).

Just keep using this combo and shoot confidently. My biggest bull was killed with a 308 somehow he didn’t seem to realize it wasn’t a magnum or prc and died anyway.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

168gr eldms and fire away. You should be good out to 600 yards depending on your blrs accuracy

 

[doc holiday13]

Just cuz I'm a troll, ill post these needs

 

[Next Ridge]

Your rifle is fine as is

 

[LongWayAround]

Keep the gun, ditch the scope.

 

[TaperPin]

Remember, a 308 does everything a 30-06 will do just 100 yards closer. I’d not hesitate to take an elk at 400 with the 308, and even 500 yards if the tracking conditions aren’t bad - it’s going to croak, it’s just nice to be able to find them.

Personally, I’ve chosen 165 gr Partitions for the 308. Accubonds a have a better BC, but under 500 yards it doesn’t amount too much. The difference in penetration between 165s and 180s is minimal - neither the animal or you would be able to tell the difference. Without dialing it’s also a little flatter shooting, which doesn’t hurt.

I walk around with the scope set for 300 yards - without dialing you hold a little under the back for 400 yards and bang bang.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My dad killed an elk last year with a 308/130g ttsx.

 

[Aerosith]

I have hunted whitetails with my .308 Browning BLR since 1986. Now that I live in the mountains of Colorado and I am transitioning to Elk hunting I was planning on moving to a bolt 7prc or 7rem mag but budget will not allow me to do it this year.

So....how many of you hunt elk with a .308?

My plan for this year was to continue to use my .308 but keep shot distance to 300yds. I have downed whitetails at 300 yards with my BLR but with these bigger bodied elk, would you feel comfortable shooting them at 300yds and in?

308 is a great elk gun out to 500yds with a good bullet. I'd say 300yds and in is a comfortable distance to make an ethical kill. In 2023 I shot a bull @270yds with a 175 barnes lrx at about 2650fps muzzle velocity. It was a double lung shot and the bull dropped dead in the spot with the first shot.

 

[HOCM60]

I've used .308 for last 7 Elk, most in the 400-590 yd range. 168 berger hunting vld, bang/flop one shot kills. It's more of a "where you put it" than "WHAT you put in it"
practice-practice-practice

 

[Cowboy20x]

There are certainly better options, but keep your range under 400 and use a good bullet and you’ll be fine with .308. I killed my bull a couple years ago with 165 gr TTSX out of my 22” .308 at 300 yards. Bull was quartered away and I put it on the last rib and it stopped in the hide of the offside neck, bull died 10 yards away.

 

[JP7]

Just to reiterate what has been said on this thread, I've killed two elk with a.308 (Youth Rem 700) and a Leuopold 3-9 and 180 grain Core-Lokts. My first elk was a cow at an undetermined range, next was a rag bull at 270 yards that took one step before expiring. It'll get the job done.

 

[LightFoot]

178 ELDX impact velocity over 1800 in the boiler room and elk steaks for dinner.

Or Nosler Partition over 1900.
Or TTSX over 2000


>>>——JAKE——>