Elk Rifle

[Teaman1]

I’m no elk expert, only killed 2 elk.
If you just want a little fatter bullet than the 6.5, I like 300 wsm or 30-06 for “normal” hunting ranges.

Hard to beat a 180 grain accubond for elk.
200 grain ELDX worked great for me too.

Leupold vx3’s have been good on rifles that I just sight in and leave.
I prefer nightforce if I’m gunna be dialing for longer range.

 

[Byrdman]

So this year I drew a once in a lifetime elk tag in New Mexico. Haven't really had any exceptional tags or guided hunts up to this point, and have mainly used a 6.5 PRC to take deer sized and below game. Nothing as big as an elk. I also have a mountain goat hunt in the pipeline that if I can't upgrade, I want this rifle to be able to serve that purpose as well.

My total budget is ~$3k or slightly more if it makes a meaningful difference. I'm thinking putting $1k towards the rifle and $2k scope so my setup would be this.

Weatherby Vanguard 7mm rem mag or **300 win mag** (maybe tikka t3x lite with brake)?
Nightforce NX8 4-32x50

My vanguard shoots awesome so I’m thinking another one. Unless I was doing a custom build I can't see the juice being worth the squeeze spending an extra 1k on the rifle. Suggestions?

EDIT: **I truly appreciate all input on the cartridge, nobody is wrong if they shoot what they’re confident in, but recommendations on scope and rifle setup would be ideal**

I feel you should just shoot the 6.5 prc . Spend the money on a variety of bullets designed for heavier game and find what your rifle likes. Then get (or handload if you do that) a bunch of it and practice a lot. Shot placement is key within your rifles limitation. I took a 270 Winchester and didn’t feel under gunned. Ballistics are pretty close to equal of the 6.5 prc. Place a bonded or mono bullet where it needs to go and it will work fine.

 

[Ross]

Stacked a few bulls with the 7mm. No regerts and enjoy the 7.5 pds carrying up and down the steeps. Recoil never felt it hunting. As to scopes, lifelong user of leupold and have had ballistic dots about 20 yrs out to 600yds. Can’t go wrong with either choice you noted and my 223 is for plinking

 

[cuttingedge]

7mm Rem Mag is an awesome cartridge. It will cover a wide range of animals with manageable recoil. If I could only have one rifle here in CO, it would be hard to beat the 7 mag. Besides, any excuse to get a new gun is a good one. I've done a lot of research on calibers in comparison to the 7 mag. I found that yes, stouter calibers beat it, though a lot of them are just marginally better. But! The price paid is often pretty substantially higher recoil. Ammo cost for some of the newer offerings can also be higher. I try to come up with the logical scope of what I need a gun to do, and shop accordingly. A 7mm Rem Mag will do anything I need a rifle to do, and do it very well.

Right now though I'm favoring a 7mm-08 with Barnes TTSX 120gr bullet hand loads. My rifle really likes this bullet and the recoil is mild. 400 yards and under this rifle will do just fine.

 

[buffybr]

There isn't an Elk alive that can't be easily killed with a .30-06 wearing a 3-9x40 scope.

The most important factor is bullet placement and correct placement comes from practice, practice, and more practice.

I've chose to and have been lucky enough to live most of my live in elk country. I haven't elk hunted every year, but I have killed 35 elk, all were DIY hunts, and most on public land. Most of my elk were killed with .30 caliber bullets, and I only shot at one of them at over 300 yards.

I shot about a dozen of my elk with Hornady or Sierra cup and core bullets, 20 or so with 180 gr Nosler Partition bullets, and now my favorite elk rifle is my .300 Weatherby vanguard shooting 180 gr Barnes TTSX bullets. It wears a Leupold VX 3i 4.5-14x40 CDS scope.

My best elk is this 375" bull that I killed with a less than a 200 yd shot with one 180 gr Partition bullet, on public land in northern Montana a number of years ago. My rifle was a Herter's .30-06 that I had rechambered to .30 Gibbs, wearing a Redfield 3-9x40 scope.