First Big Game Rifle

[Ross]

Similar to 5mile here..started with a 7mm bdl as my only put west gun...bought tikka7mm in 03...topped with leupold vx2and ballistic dots. My one and only hunting rifle. No break and no mods. Never an issue in field. At range after ten rounds I do start to feel it.

 

[elkduds]

Some feedback on 7 Rem mag for elk. For 20 years I shot 175 gr Sierra handloads. 8 elk w 1 shot through both lungs and another, one shot frontal, same result every time: dead after about 100 yd. Various ranges out to 250 yds. Mine is an Interarms Mark X, 9# w glass. Very confident w this rifle. 160 bonded or partition is a better bullet choice for elk than 175 IMO.

I got tired of carrying that weight over hill and dale. Got a 6# (w glass) Stevens in 270 win, w 160 gr partitions for elk. Same results as the 7 RM. I use either depending on how far from the truck I'm hunting, and whether I expect shots over 300 yds.

 

[orionsbrother]

if you'd shoot "150 reduced recoil loads" then why in the world shoot a 300 Win Mag ? For every box of 300 WM on the shelf there'll be 3x the 30.06 and 5x the .308 ammo there - I am at a loss why the Xbolt's "that stock", plastic and all, will not kick as much ?

I'd chime in along these lines. I think there's something to be said for the all around rifle that shoots all around ammo readily obtainable in gas stations and small country stores almost anywhere.

.270 .308 30-06 Staples. Pick one. Shoot it as often as you can. Make it your friend. Knowing it and shooting it well is what matters. You're going to purchase other rifles down the road. Then your all around old friend can be back-up to your Weatherby 338-378 or 300 WSM or 6.5X47 Lapua or whatever.

This is, of course, just something to consider. I am not a gun guru. I am not a guide. I am not lobbying for a caliber. I'm just trying to be a practical voice of reason... and helping to enable another more specialized rifle purchase down the road.

 

[Felix40]

I like my model 70 300 wsm a lot but I don't think it's really any better than anything else. Compared to a buddy's tikka 308 my rifle is dang heavy. I am used to it though so the weight doesn't really bother me. The thing that I appreciate about a slightly heavier rifle is that when I lay it down and put the crosshairs on something I know it's gonna do work. Light rifles tend to be a little twitchy for me. Also recoil isn't bad at all with the extra weight. My wife will be hunting with it this spring if that tells you anything(no muzzle brake). As far as caliber choice, nobody here can really tell you what to pick. I'm a big fan of the wsm myself. You get a 2" shorter barrel than the win mag plus the short action and a little less powder but still considerably better ballistics than the 308 etc. It makes things really simple when you don't have to really worry about holdover for anything inside of 300 yds.

 

[GKPrice]

some of you guys may want to check bullet trajectories out to 400 yards or so when a 180 partition leaves the muzzle at 2600 fps, or so, and is zero'd for 300 yards - in fact, check the trajectories at 50 yd intervals all the way to 450 - on an adult elk

 

[luke moffat]

some of you guys may want to check bullet trajectories out to 400 yards or so when a 180 partition leaves the muzzle at 2600 fps, or so, and is zero'd for 300 yards - in fact, check the trajectories at 50 yd intervals all the way to 450 - on an adult elk

True but why would one want to be over 6.5" high at 150 yards.

But even with a 308 at 2650 or a 300 wsm at 3050 the difference in drop at 300 yards is less than 2.5" with a 200 yard zero. The boring old 30-06 is barely over an inch lower than the 300 wsm.

But as I said before it's more about what mentally gives you a warm fuzzy to help make a good shot than what actual ballistics matter.

The OP should def get whatever the guy that is inviting him to his elk camp suggests over what we are saying anyways as he is the one gracious enough to have him come out there and therefore I would abide by his "rules" whether or not the elk will know what it's shot with.

 

[GKPrice]

True but why would one want to be over 6.5" high at 150 yards.

But even with a 308 at 2650 or a 300 wsm at 3050 the difference in drop at 300 yards is less than 2.5" with a 200 yard zero. The boring old 30-06 is barely over an inch lower than the 300 wsm.

But as I said before it's more about what mentally gives you a warm fuzzy to help make a good shot than what actual ballistics matter.

The OP should def get whatever the guy that is inviting him to his elk camp suggests over what we are saying anyways as he is the one gracious enough to have him come out there and therefore I would abide by his "rules" whether or not the elk will know what it's shot with.

all perfectly valid points ... as usual

 

[Felix1776]

I'd chime in along these lines. I think there's something to be said for the all around rifle that shoots all around ammo readily obtainable in gas stations and small country stores almost anywhere.

.270 .308 30-06 Staples. Pick one. Shoot it as often as you can. Make it your friend. Knowing it and shooting it well is what matters. You're going to purchase other rifles down the road. Then your all around old friend can be back-up to your Weatherby 338-378 or 300 WSM or 6.5X47 Lapua or whatever.

This is, of course, just something to consider. I am not a gun guru. I am not a guide. I am not lobbying for a caliber. I'm just trying to be a practical voice of reason... and helping to enable another more specialized rifle purchase down the road.

This parallels my thinking as well. Those boring rounds your grandpa shot are proven, reliable, readily available, and often considerably cheaper than some of the sexier hot rod rounds. This is important to me.

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[matthewmt]

Shot placement. I like boring common rounds.
I think a tikka is a solid choice, not knocking the Kimber hunter but far more options for tikka.
The plastic stock would be better in wet weather any way, besides tikka stock is hardly as flimsy as other synthetic production stocks.
The T3x stocks have palm swell panels that can be swapped out for better grip too.
I've been shopping calibers and rifles too. I'm thinking about 6.5 CM and was browsing a Cabela's when I noticed 5 boxes of CM and about 10' worth of .308 options as well as when all the ammo scares were happening I was always able to find 30-06.

A friend told me about shooting his bull around 375 with a 338 federal I believe. He shot it 3 times before it fell. Thought he was missing, said it just stood there and eventually fell over. I thought that was interesting.


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[JFK]

270, 308 or 30-06 and I'd pass on the muzzle brake if you value your ears, and the ears of people around you. Don't over think it...those are proven cartridges that will do their job if you do yours. Tons of factory ammo choices too.

 

[njdoxie]

regarding muzzle blast, I always have ear plugs in, whether hunting or at the range, whether shooting a braked gun or not

 

[Doc Holliday]

While bull elk have been killed with all kinds of projectiles, including pointed sticks....for someone who isn't a local hunter with the luxury of multiple outings in a season and being able to wait for a nice broadside shot at relatively close range, I recommend one of the magnums. You may only have one opportunity, and it's quartering away on the edge of a spruce thicket at 250 yards, etc.....I would much rather have more than less when it comes to impact/hydrostatic shock/vital damage. My vote is .300 win mag.

 

[Crapshoot]

While bull elk have been killed with all kinds of projectiles, including pointed sticks....for someone who isn't a local hunter with the luxury of multiple outings in a season and being able to wait for a nice broadside shot at relatively close range, I recommend one of the magnums. You may only have one opportunity, and it's quartering away on the edge of a spruce thicket at 250 yards, etc.....I would much rather have more than less when it comes to impact/hydrostatic shock/vital damage. My vote is .300 win mag.

Good job Doc, you are on the money. Stick with your original idea at the start of this post. Winchester Extreme 7mm or 300Win. No brake, good weight , accurate and one thing that people overlook is that a gun can be an investment(ie, Winchester's, Colts and a few others ).

 

[JO.]

I also suggest sticking to the 300WM. Versatile cartridge and ammo is still cheap for a hunting purposes. I've used my 300 RUM on elk out to 700 yards so far and never thought about needing more horsepower. A 300wm isn't far behind so that will cover any hunt you would probably encounter. My suggestion would be find a rem 700 stainless of your choosing and start there. A model 700 will have any aftermarket product you would want available (stocks, triggers, mounts, etc.)
By the way my 300 is braked, I always carry the earplugs on a plastic band around my neck when hunting, then put them in and shoot.

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[KClark]

A friend told me about shooting his bull around 375 with a 338 federal I believe. He shot it 3 times before it fell. Thought he was missing, said it just stood there and eventually fell over. I thought that was interesting.

I think that's common, elk poked through the ribs without hitting major bones take a bit to roll over. My first two elk were riddled, I was shooting them through the ribs and they weren't falling down.

 

[majorskillz]

I 2nd all the Tikka t3 or t3x comments on here. I own Cooper, Sako, browning, and custom built Montana Rifle company action component rifles and I JUST bought at Tikka T3x in 300WSM ($650) and will top it with a Vortex Razor HD LH 12x power scope ($800). That is the ultimate rifle/scope combo that is semi budget minded in my opinion, lol. For white tail, black tail, elk, moose, bear you name it.

 

[5MilesBack]

those "bruised shoulders at the range" are what messes with the shooter when he's (or she) is shooting at game

For me it's the difference in how the gun sits bench shooting versus free hand. Free hand I could shoot it all day if I wanted. But on the bench it just sits differently and hammers a muscle against the bone.

 

[GKPrice]

For me it's the difference in how the gun sits bench shooting versus free hand. Free hand I could shoot it all day if I wanted. But on the bench it just sits differently and hammers a muscle against the bone.

I think we're circling on this one - I am just saying that IF it hurts you at the bench it'll scare you in the field - You cannot fool your mind

 

[GKPrice]

Good job Doc, you are on the money. Stick with your original idea at the start of this post. Winchester Extreme 7mm or 300Win. No brake, good weight , accurate and one thing that people overlook is that a gun can be an investment(ie, Winchester's, Colts and a few others ).

OK .... let's get down to basics .... ELK (we're gonna talk ELK here) get killed with 243's, 6.5CM's, if truth be known I've done it with 22 WMR - Let's sort out the story telling from what the object of this thread is ... what will kill an elk at reasonable ranges, DRT or close to it ? ONE HELL OF ALOT OF CARTRIDGES WILL AND WE ALL KNOW IT ... what is a "REASONABLE" cartridge to buy your first, your only, a new, rifle chambered in ? I won't list them because it's too damn long ... ANY guide should be able to get his client within 500 yards of an elk BUT to the "novice" hunter 500 yards looks like a long ways, even when looking at an elk - Is it not "reasonable" to use 500 yards as a maximum distance ? 30.06 isn't a "recoilless" round in any gun, we know that - magnums, simply for the namesake, rattle some ... not that many of us can or will get out to shoot over a few rounds in practice so let's put that issue aside - maybe we should be suggesting 7mm-08 or .270 or .308 more often - WHY is it these threads end up in arguing ?? RIDICULOUS - I see that a lot of our fellow Roksliders are new or "fairly new" to all of this so why not keep THEIR questions in mind while we banter back and forth on the "BEST" rifle or combo for the POOR GUY WHO ASKED THE QUESTION IN THE FIRST PLACE ??

 

[belly-deep]

Also, the guy who invited me to his elk camp next fall said 30.06 bare minimum for the exact reasons elkguide listed above. He said until you've seen it you wouldn't believe the punishment and elk can take and still cover tons of ground.

Your buddy is right, but comes to the wrong conclusion.

Elk are tough, no doubt. I've shot several of them with 300 and 7mm magnums. I've watched more than one bull soak up two or three shots, with rifles as large as a 300 Weatherby, and just stand around or slowly walk away.

But from what I've seen, that does not mean you need a cannon to kill them. It's natural to conclude that because a "big" gun has such little effect, a smaller one would be inadequate. But in reality, that is not true. The smaller rifles are just as adequate, and if you watched several elk get shot with a 300 magnum and a 270 or 308, you'd have a tough time telling which bull was shot with which gun.

The bottom line is, elk don't seem to care what you shoot them with, and physics/biology catches up with all of them. Put a good bullet through their lungs and they die. Period. Although, it does seem like 30 cal and above are more likely to leave a good blood trail.