Rifle for elk hunting

[EmperorMA]

Tikka T3X lite stainless steel in 6.5 creedmoor. This rifle/caliber combo has very little recoil, excellent accuracy, and is lightweight. You can shoot it all day long and not get beat up by recoil and develop bad habits. I think this is beyond important.

My buddy bought his first rifle this year for his first elk tag. Tikka T3X lite in 30-06 and he struggled with the recoil at first and developed a flinch. Luckily he fixed it before the season started and filled his tag with a great bull.

Tikkas are horrendous for recoil. At the very least they require installation of a Limb Saver and they really should have the stock replaced with a better aftermarket version in anything .270 and above.

 

[jacknifejc]

One can never go wrong with a 30-06. That being said, if I could only own one rifle it would be a .300 WM. If I was limited to two it would be .300 WM and a .270 Winchester. Those two would cover any game animals in North America.

 

[Kevinal201212]

What about the 7mm mag


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[brsnow]

I have a 6.5 creedmoor and a 30-06, I would use both for elk with no preference. Historically most of my elk where taken with a .308

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What about the 7mm mag


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easily my least favorite cartridge.

 

[Rob5589]

What about the 7mm mag


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It's a great all around cartridge, common, lots of factory ammo options.

 

[Ross]

I started with a borrowed browning 7mm bar in 1980 then to a 7mm Remington bdl bought at a pawn shop in Missoula in the 80s then a tikka 7mm in 2003. never had a flinch problem though do have 3scars from the borrowed 7mm with wrong eye relief for me7mm a great caliber and these ancient elk slayers can attest but is not for everyoneYes guns unloadedthese magnums from the 70s have been well heated and oiled

 

[Kevinal201212]

easily my least favorite cartridge.

Haha!! Would you explain?


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[thinhorn_AK]

Haha!! Would you explain?


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it’s all just personal preference. If I’m stepping up to a magnum, I’m just going with a 300.

 

[tdot]

^^^^^

100% agree with this.

Anything above a 308win and I'll jump to a 300wm, I have a really hard time finding a reason to have a cartridge in between these, and I am very good at justifying things.

Worst flinch I've seen was developed from a 270win.

I learned to hunt with a 30-06. Shot my first black bear with my grandpas 30-06. The cartridge is super nostalgic for me. But, I can never justify getting one though. More recoil then the smaller cartridges and not enough of a performance jump to justify.

But the truth is, that all these cartridges mentioned in the thread will kill an Elk.

But more importantly find a rifle that fits, learn how to shoot properly, including field positions, choose an appropriate bullet (know its' limitations) and then go hunt. Confidence in your skills and equipment will kill more animals then the perfect cartridge.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

If you are considering a 30-06 now and getting a 300 Win Mag later, just get the 300 Win Mag now. There is too much overlap in capabilities to warrant having both. Get a complimentary caliber (ex: 6.5 Creedmoor) and you'll have all of your bases covered.

I completely agree if you’re talking identical setups, but most people forget that rifle/scope differences can far outweigh the differences between cartridges.

A 7 lb, 20-22” barreled .30-06 with a 2-7x scope is quite a different gun that a 9 lb, 26” barreled .300 WM with a 4-16x scope with turrets set up to dial.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I completely agree if you’re talking identical setups, but most people forget that rifle/scope differences can far outweigh the differences between cartridges.

A 7 lb, 20-22” barreled .30-06 with a 2-7x scope is quite a different gun that a 9 lb, 26” barreled .300 WM with a 4-16x scope with turrets set up to dial.

From a pure training perspective, I wholeheartedly agree that using the exact firearm and scope is ideal. But let's be honest, whose going to spend $2000 on a primary hunting rifle and then another $2000 for a practice gun? Most people's budgets won't allow for that.

My view point is straight forward. Focus on your shooting fundamentals as that is a constant. Any issues there will be magnified the further you shoot.

 

[marshland_max]

270 - 30-06
or
7 mm Mag - 300 mag

all four are one gun solutions.

If I was just getting my own rifle and all i could have was one gun any of these will do well.

Good Luck!

 

[Kevinal201212]

So I went to sportsman’s the other day. They have several lower priced guns for sale. The ones I looked at were savage howa Remington ruger tikka. Maybe a few other ones. I think they were all in the 400-600 range. That’s a whole new line of options. Which one would be best for the money?


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[jacknifejc]

Rifles are like optics. One gets what one pays for. Save for a while and buy something nice.

 

[Rob5589]

So I went to sportsman’s the other day. They have several lower priced guns for sale. The ones I looked at were savage howa Remington ruger tikka. Maybe a few other ones. I think they were all in the 400-600 range. That’s a whole new line of options. Which one would be best for the money?


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The Tikka offers a ton for the money, IMO. The 700 is the "gold standard" of bolt actions. I never found Savage to be as "refined" as others. Never have handled a Ruger or Howa.
Both of my Tikkas are very smooth, have good factory triggers, decent stocks, and shoot under an inch at 100 with hand loads.

 

[kboatman107]

So I went to sportsman’s the other day. They have several lower priced guns for sale. The ones I looked at were savage howa Remington ruger tikka. Maybe a few other ones. I think they were all in the 400-600 range. That’s a whole new line of options. Which one would be best for the money?


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My wife’s ruger shoots really well. Shoots Remington core lokts sub moa.

 

[marshland_max]

So I went to sportsman’s the other day. They have several lower priced guns for sale. The ones I looked at were savage howa Remington ruger tikka. Maybe a few other ones. I think they were all in the 400-600 range. That’s a whole new line of options. Which one would be best for the money?


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Don't over think it. All of the one's you mentioned are excellent. I'd pick one that feels the best in your hands 1st then look at the tag to see what cartridge it was chambered in 2nd. Go with what feels best to you and $400-$600 on a rifle is plenty and then spend that amount again on optics and you'll have one very capable set up.

I'd stick to a 270, 308, 30-06, or 7mm Rem Mag! I personally use a 7 mm Rem mag....160 accubonds or partitions!

 

[lyle_destroys]

Save yourself the headache and get a tikka in 30-06, 7rm, or 300wm

 

[bowhuntrben]

I recently bought my wife a new rifle. Based on my research, I went with the 7mm08. I wanted something big enough for both elk and deer but something that wouldn’t kick too bad either.

Ok...being honest...maybe I wanted to get one that I could use and used my wife as an excuse

I also have a 300 wby mag...that sucker is heavy...and kicks