Help me pick a new elk rifle caliber.

[bascott1]

Think it might be another ole tried and true 06 added to the stable. Hard to turn away from a classic

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

If you reload let me throw some fun rounds in the hat:
1. 300 H&H. It'll get a 180 grain Barnes over the 3k fps mark no sweat. It's a classic round, with recoil that's a little more push than punch.
2. 30-06AI. This is what I use, and while the 06 isn't the best cartridge to give the Ackley treatment, I get to add a hundred or two fps to my preferred 168 grain Barnes TTSX. I've not played with heavier bullets, but that is where the AI treatment supposedly gives the most benfit. It's also a mule deer hammer with 165 gr Hornady SST's.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Lampers and Call use the 6.5 PRC. Seems like them are sweet rifles. They shoot the Weatherby backcountry TI which is titanium...... expect to drop like $2500 on it tho. They weigh just under 5 pounds. Amazing rifles... someday... someday....

who?

 

[TBass]

So the 6.5 PRC has a little bit less giddy up than the 6.5 SAUM's... but for the sake of this topic I think that they are close enough for comparison. I (personally) would have no issues shooting elk out to 500 or so with the 6.5 PRC. I downed this elk w/ a single shot at at 557 yards w/ the 6.5 SAUM's (thanks GA Precision) and it took less than 10 steps. Although the 30 calibers may be more forgiving when it comes to shot placement, I find that I shoot the 6.5 caliber far better because of the lack of recoil and that I have more confidence in it than the heavier recoiling 30 cals because it's a lot more fun to shoot.

 

[Cxs03g]

Would you guys put 300 wsm and 300 wby in the same class at, say, 500-600 yards?

 

[wesGiddingshunt]

AR-14

 

[Shortstop07]

Looking at picking up a new lightweight mtn rifle. Currently have a 6.5 creed mesa, 300wm (10 lbs set up) and 30-06 (wood blued family gun i don't wanna hunt with). Would like something good out to 600 yards for elk and punching steel a little further. Thinking 7mm mag or maybe 6.5 prc (not sure about performance on elk out to that range). Would also prefer to not double up on calibers. What do you guys suggest?

.280 Ackley Improved my friend

 

[Sled]

AR-14

joe, is that you?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

AR-14

only if it shoots 30 clips per round.

 

[sndmn11]

Joe loves the ‘knock down power’ of this rifle almost as much as he loves sniffing hair!!

He is sniffing scalp, there is a big difference. Hair is anywhere and he doesn't degrade himself sniffing mustaches or armpits. It's that pristine protected from the hair SCALP that is what the pros are after.

I'd spend the money on ammo and range time.

 

[Hogkane]

I would like to see someone with the new Weatherby Backcountry Ti 280 AI.

That would be my choice for a new elk rifle.

I think the 6.5 is adequate but not optimal. 7mm and 30 cal are optimal.

>>>----JAKE----->

"I think the 6.5 is adequate but not optimal. 7mm and 30 cal are optimal." This is spot on

 

[mvrk28]

.280 Ackley Improved my friend

Now we're talking.

 

[S7even]

I have no experience with either caliber, but a lot of people like there 28 noslers and 280 ai for elk.

 

[ryjack70ss]

I would like to see someone with the new Weatherby Backcountry Ti 280 AI.

That would be my choice for a new elk rifle.

I think the 6.5 is adequate but not optimal. 7mm and 30 cal are optimal.

>>>----JAKE----->

I would have gotten this if they made non magnums in lefty. What a disappointment as I love the Weatherby rifle and that is a sweet one to hold. I ended up with a 7mm rem mag cooper 95 instead bc they had lefty and am happy, but boy it would have been the Weatherby.


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[wyosam]

.280 Ackley Improved my friend

It does seem like it fills a nice gap between what you have.


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[MJB]

06 with 180gr lead your gtg......but I like the 6.8 Western

 

[Christian1556]

Looking at picking up a new lightweight mtn rifle. Currently have a 6.5 creed mesa, 300wm (10 lbs set up) and 30-06 (wood blued family gun i don't wanna hunt with). Would like something good out to 600 yards for elk and punching steel a little further. Thinking 7mm mag or maybe 6.5 prc (not sure about performance on elk out to that range). Would also prefer to not double up on calibers. What do you guys suggest?

Cant go wrong with a 7mm or a 30-06. Both are more than capable for 600 yards. It’s whatever you are most comfortable with

 

[mvrk28]

Just my 2 cents, I inherited my dad's 30-06 and still bought a 280 AI, here's my reasoning.

With a similar bullet, let's say the Nosler Accubond, you will get more BC with less weight out of the 7mm than you will the .308". In the 280 you could realistically see speeds over 3100 fps with a BC of .493 out of the 150 gr Accubond. That's a dead bull, every time.

In the 30-06 the 150 gr bullet has significantly lower BC, if you go up in weight to bring up the BC, your velocity will drop and even with a .308" 165 gr accubond, you still have a lower BC than the 7mm 150 gr accubond. IMO the 280 AI is the winner here but both are going to kill whatever you aim them at.

 

[300 win mag]

taking into account all circumstances that could arise,i believe that elk rifles start at a 30 caliber magnum.

 

[EmperorMA]

I'd look real hard at the 6.8 Western.