Lightest Practical, Responsible Elk Load

[sdupontjr]

If you like .308, then keep shooting it and get a Tikka .308

 

[Wrench]

I've killed a bunch of elk with a 260ai, and most of those were at least double if not triple the distance you're asking about. I've shoved a 100tsx through a Roosevelt at 400 with a 257.

I hear a lot of talk about how tough this new elk is, but I just don't see it. I thumped a couple of them this year with a 300rum and all I gained was tinnitus from the brake.

 

[OXN939]

Several disclaimers: I'm a solid shot, can consistently punch holes in a dinner plate in real-life field positions to 500 yards. I'm a little short on terminal ballistics knowledge, but know that bullet construction has improved hand-over-fist, allowing loads that were once considered light for elk to become more commonplace. I also am planning on buying a new ultra-light rifle for mountain hunting, and considering it will be sub-6 pounds loaded, I want to choose a caliber that doesn't kick like a mule. I'm very much in the camp that a well placed, ethically taken shot with lighter rifles will bring down game, but you definitely need to "use enough gun" while dealing with elk.

What is the lightest practical, responsible elk load today out to 300 yards? I don't shoot past that on game, because getting close is always a good idea and you can always get closer. Is the 6.5 Creedmoor or the .280 Ackley Improved the lightest you would go? Part of the reason I ask is I want this to my one go-to rifle on a variety of smaller game as well, Antelope, Mule and Whitetail deer, though probably at lighter bullet weights. I currently shoot a .308 Win. which I love, but the rig is too heavy for backpack hunting.

The advice in this thread, in particular by Newt and wildwilderness, is spot on. 6.5 CM or 7mm-08 will both do the trick well, especially with copper monolithic bullets like the LRX wildwilderness mentions. As long as you push them with sufficient velocity, consider copper bullets to be like stepping your load up in terms of efficacy- the 129 grain 6.5 LRX has the killing ability of a traditional 150 or 155 grain cup-and-core lead projectile. Basically, when used properly, copper projectiles are a step or two up in lethality from what you see on the box. I'll be taking a .243 shooting 80 grain copper monos for Caribou this year, which would be on the light side if using a standard lead pointed soft point.

 

[Laramie]

I would agree- some solid advice given in this thread. In reality, elk die very quickly when you take both lungs out. I have been a part of around 40 elk kills with various calibers. All elk shot behind the shoulder, through both lungs were dead in a relatively short distance, regardless of the caliber. It's the shots that don't hit ideally where the extra insurance provided by a larger caliber comes into play.

 

[208backcountry]

I agree with the above! Hit where you are aiming and you should have no issue.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

the lightest I would go is 140Gr in whatever caliber/cartridge combo of your choice.

 

[Ultraheight]

OP here, thanks for all the feedback. I never previously considered .243 as an option but it does remind me of old W.D.M Bell, who shot +1k elephants with a 7mm Mauser. The .243 gets ignored at times due to it being considered the go-to youth or lady's option for whitetail, though it is plenty of gun for deer and great overall cartridge. It looks like to me there is some consensus at the ~6.5 class being the widely accepted low standard for elk, with the 7mm class being more popular. If I can punch my Idaho and CO tags this year with a 6.5 CM I'll circle back here with photos.

 

[SteveCNJ]

I have some substantial money (at least for me) invested in a Weatherby DGR in .300 Wby magnum. I love the rifle and how it shoots. The recoil is very manageable with the Pachmayr decelerator pad. It shoots so much better than the shoulder busting Sako 30.06 I had I got rid of the Sako. I do have a Sako 308 with a 20" barrel I like. It has to be about 3 lbs lighter than the Weatherby which is 9 3/4 lbs without a scope. Now at 64 yrs old and now being able to sprint up mountains with my gun between my teeth I'm thinking about bringing the 308 to Colorado for the 3rd week rifle hopeful elk/muley hunt. There's definitely a mental hurdle involved here.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I prefer to carry a 300winmag simply because it'll kill anything in No. America...even a grizz I wasn't hunting but decided to come at me anyway.

 

[timekiller13]

I'm kind of in the same boat as the OP. Looking for a lightweight, sub 7lb (hunting weight) rifle adequate up to elk size game. I'm not a 6.5 fan boy, but after a lot of research, I'm kind of digging on the 6.5 PRC in the new Savage 110 Ultralite. I feel like with a 143 grain bullet, that 6.5 will do anything I need it to do inside of 300 yds.

If I was looking for something to go sub 6lb hunting weight, that Weatherby Backcountry Ti in 6.5 RPM would be really intriguing.

 

[jfs82]

I'm kind of in the same boat as the OP. Looking for a lightweight, sub 7lb (hunting weight) rifle adequate up to elk size game. I'm not a 6.5 fan boy, but after a lot of research, I'm kind of digging on the 6.5 PRC in the new Savage 110 Ultralite. I feel like with a 143 grain bullet, that 6.5 will do anything I need it to do inside of 300 yds.

If I was looking for something to go sub 6lb hunting weight, that Weatherby Backcountry Ti in 6.5 RPM would be really intriguing.

It'll do whatever you need to do well outside of 300 too.

 

[204guy]

I prefer to carry a 300winmag simply because it'll kill anything in No. America...even a grizz I wasn't hunting but decided to come at me anyway.

You killed a grizz in self defense?

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Was speaking hypothetically.

 

[bluetick78]

My wife has killed a load of elk with a 7mm08 with different 140 gr bullets. My son killed 2 bulls last year with a 6.5 Creed and hand loaded 129 SST's. They were perfectly adequate and we will continue using those loads. I'm not in the camp of using premium bullets in smaller calibers. I think in the 2600-2800 fps range that most cup and core bullets expand well and kill quickly. That's the range they were designed to work in, and they will do the job fine. Nothing wrong with bonded or mono's, but they usually aren't necessary in short action cartridges, unless it's a WSM, PRC, ect.

 

[Currahee13]

I am also looking for a light weight rifle. What would be the lightest you guys would go on a magnum?

 

[jfs82]

I am also looking for a light weight rifle. What would be the lightest you guys would go on a magnum?

What magnum?

 

[Currahee13]

What magnum?

I am trying to decide between a 300 win mag and 300 WSM. They seem pretty close but I am not sure which way to go. I am just getting into reloading if that matters

 

[Clayniss]

Several disclaimers: I'm a solid shot, can consistently punch holes in a dinner plate in real-life field positions to 500 yards. I'm a little short on terminal ballistics knowledge, but know that bullet construction has improved hand-over-fist, allowing loads that were once considered light for elk to become more commonplace. I also am planning on buying a new ultra-light rifle for mountain hunting, and considering it will be sub-6 pounds loaded, I want to choose a caliber that doesn't kick like a mule. I'm very much in the camp that a well placed, ethically taken shot with lighter rifles will bring down game, but you definitely need to "use enough gun" while dealing with elk.

What is the lightest practical, responsible elk load today out to 300 yards? I don't shoot past that on game, because getting close is always a good idea and you can always get closer. Is the 6.5 Creedmoor or the .280 Ackley Improved the lightest you would go? Part of the reason I ask is I want this to my one go-to rifle on a variety of smaller game as well, Antelope, Mule and Whitetail deer, though probably at lighter bullet weights. I currently shoot a .308 Win. which I love, but the rig is too heavy for backpack hunting.

I'm using a Kimber 84L in .280 AI w/ a brake. With a Burris 3-9 and Talley mounts it weighs 6.7 lbs. I'm going to be shooting handloads with a 175 gr. ELD-X which I've clocked at 2875 fps @ 6000 ft. This is the lightest I would go personally but I guess I have more of an Elmer Keith mindset when it comes to cartridge/load selection.

 

[.270]

My vote is a .270 with bonded or mono bullets or something bigger. Nothing against the 6.5, my 6.5 saum is my goto deer rifle but I prefer something else for elk. I have used a 270 with mono bullets for elk with great success. For under 300 yards a nosler partition or mono bullet would be my choice.

 

[Newtosavage]

I am trying to decide between a 300 win mag and 300 WSM. They seem pretty close but I am not sure which way to go. I am just getting into reloading if that matters

There's a pretty good deal on a stainless model 7 300 WSM in the classifieds right now if that makes any difference to you.