.308 for Elk

[MountainMan83]

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?

Love my 308! I currently use Barnes 168 TTSX in my Savage 110 storm which makes for tight groups at 100 yards. I have taken 7 elk with mine and none of them made it more than 50 yards. I would be comfortable shooting out to 400 yards if I knew I could make the shot. Get a good bullet and shoot them in the boiler room and you won’t have any issues.

 

[peaches]

One more fan of the 308, but skip the target bullets and try a 130g TTSX or plain jane 165g interlock.

 

[Five-Pointer]

The .308 has been my favorite rifle. Hand me down gift from dad when I was 14 and first hunt, it hasn’t let me down since. Savage model 99E. I’ve gotten better shooting out of it since I installed muzzle break 20 yrs back, and since I started shooting Barnes 165 TTSX bullets. I will occasionally shoot nosler accubonds, and they are just as good. I’ve taken many elk and deer with it. I have a 7mmmag, but prefer to tote the .308 in the hills. It gives me a nostalgic feeling when I do!

 

[AZ_Hunter]

Replace your scope and rings. If on a budget look at the Trijicon Huron line with the hunter BDC reticle, they are proven scopes. Get a chronograph, rangefinder, then learn your dope and practice from field positions.

Dead elk will result.

 

[sneaky]

Nothing on this continent that'll walk away from a 175gr Terminal Ascent out of that 308 under 400 yards. Factory loads have shot great in multiple rifles for friends of mine, and they hammer out of my 280AI also. You can only kill something so dead.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[Iceman661]

I had this same question. A lot of positive responses in favor of the .308
I guess it goes back to the “ shot placement over stopping power “ principle.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

It's more that "stopping power" doesn't exist.