Elk rifle

[Mattt]

Maybe I just need to add another 30-06 to the safe. I'm not hell bent on the 300 win mag

I just went full circle over the last 20 plus years.7 or 8 years ago I was on a hunt and lost zero on a magnum so swapped over to the .308 backup gun I took. Ended up taking my biggest muley to date on that hunt. What I realized on that trip was all the time money and effort I put into finding that magnum I thought I had to have should have been spent hunting or scouting. The caliber is probably the least important factor in a successful western hunt. Literally years wasted on the 300. Anyway after that hunt I got a 7mm08 mountain rifle and since then it has slayed everything but grizz out west and more than a few whitetail. Gave it to my son this past season and got myself a new one. In 30/06 though but just because it's what I found. I hunt almost exclusively spot and stalk and even though I may spot them at a mile and a half, I shoot under 400. If I can get within 600 yards I can probably kill it but if I can get there I can get to 400 and it's dead for sure.magnum does not translate to easier or less work.

 

[Crappieaddict]

Heck ya, I'm all for not shooting any more than one can handle, that surely does cut down on the flinch factor for sure. I can still shoot a magnum relatively well, even tho I do own a 6.5 CM and a .243, but lately I've been bitten by the .22 rimfire bug. I bet I could kill an elk with my .22 even!

All I use to elk hunt is a .22, and I'm yet to lose one. Of course, I'm hunting in Blount County, so I'm yet to see one.

 

[mike243]

270 or larger in Ky I am pretty sure, western states might have had cal limits at 1 time. Seems Tn might have 1 also

 

[Remi]

270 or larger in Ky I am pretty sure, western states might have had cal limits at 1 time. Seems Tn might have 1 also

Hilarious that a 270 Ren or a 30 Carbine is legal but a 6.5 PRC or .264 Win Mag wouldn't be in Ky. Some real rocket surgeons came up with that one.

https://static.hornady.media/site/hornady/files/obsolete-data/270-ren.pdf

 

[Joe2Kool]

Quick question.
What is the TMK bullet?
NAB?

NBT is Nosler Ballistic Tip

 

[Remi]

TMK is Sierra Tipped Match King

NAB is Nosler Accubond

 

[Joe2Kool]

About 5 min after I typed the question, AccuBond popped into my head. Still didn't know TMK. Thanks!

 

[rickyk280]

Hilarious that a 270 Ren or a 30 Carbine is legal but a 6.5 PRC or .264 Win Mag wouldn't be in Ky. Some real rocket surgeons came up with that one.

https://static.hornady.media/site/hornady/files/obsolete-data/270-ren.pdf

You can use any centerfire to deer hunt here in KY.

 

[Jcalder]

You can use any centerfire to deer hunt here in KY.

For elk?

 

[Remi]

You can use any centerfire to deer hunt here in KY.

Yes, but we are talking elk


Ky has a .277 minimum

 

[rickyk280]

Yes, but we are talking elk


Ky has a .277 minimum

My bad, never hunted elk here in Ky.

 

[jlanecr500]

Been watching this thread progress. You guys are a hoot. Can you make a lesser caliber work ? Yes you can but it leaves less room for error. Carry what you want but as far as I'm concerned, bigger is better. Bigger holes and wider wound channels bleed out faster. If I'm ever drawn here in TN, I'm carrying the 40 cal.
The same one I kill deer with every year.
300gr Pittman Aeromax hard-core at 2800fps carrying over 5000 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Recoil isn't bad and it's over in under a second. The only thing I've ever recovered is the tip.

 

[DeerMan66]

I would take my 270 and be very confident in its abilities to kill an elk to 4-500 yards with partitions. If i was buying 300 to elk hunt it would be an x bolt with break!

I agree on the portions and the X bolt with a break. The X bolt has an excellent recoil pad as well. I have an X bolt with a break in 7 mag. The recoil is significantly less with that set up vs my 700 in 7 mag.

 

[FastXD]

I just bought a Browning X-Bolt Speed SPR in 300 PRC with a 22" barrel and I would put it up against any factory rifle out there. The velocity is about the same as a 300 mag but the downrange energy is better than the 300 mag because you can shoot a heavier longer bullet. I did change the brake to a Recoil Hawg break and change the trigger spring out and it has a crisp 1.5 lb trigger. It shoots great with minimal recoil. Like was said above you definitely need hearing protection or a suppressor. Only drawback is ammo as Hornady was the only one making it but I have noticed several other manufacturers coming out with it this year.

X-Bolt Speed SPR - Bolt Action Rifle - Browning

Bolt-action Browning X-Bolt with suppressor-ready, match grade, fluted sporter weight barrel. Composite stock with OVIX camo. Smoked Bronze Cerakote metal finish.

www.browning.com

 

[hittingsteal]

I've got a hankering to buy a new rifle. Just can't settle on one. I'd like it to be for elk and mule deer if and when I get those hunts started. It's a good excuse to buy one. I want it to be in 300 win mag. I'd like to get one of the new Remington 700 cdl. But I can't decide if they are worth a flip or not. I keep seeing Bergara B-14 pop up in my search. I have no experience with bergara. I want one with a wood stock. Personal preference. The bergara has a 24 inch barrel. Would I be hurting myself with a 24 inch barreled 300 win mag?

So many better ops than a factory 300 win. Seekins precision , fierce firearms in the carbon rival, christensen arms , but if you want light go with fierce firearms in carbon rival. Have it in 7 prc. Bergara in the hmr premiere. Remington use to be great gun it's went junk unless you get sendero, or find good rem 700 mod.

 

[Mattt]

Been watching this thread progress. You guys are a hoot. Can you make a lesser caliber work ? Yes you can but it leaves less room for error. Carry what you want but as far as I'm concerned, bigger is better. Bigger holes and wider wound channels bleed out faster. If I'm ever drawn here in TN, I'm carrying the 40 cal.
The same one I kill deer with every year.
300gr Pittman Aeromax hard-core at 2800fps carrying over 5000 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Recoil isn't bad and it's over in under a second. The only thing I've ever recovered is the tip.

View attachment 216170

I'm gonna kinda agree. I too like big tough projectiles.my first choice since I quit reloading is the nos partition. Accubond is doing well also. Big fan of sierra too. Just never could get past a belted case not being a magnum and think the .300 is overkill for anything smaller than grizzly and not enough for them. Love the 06, if I could only have one bolt gun that is it. If I could only have one gun it would probably be 45/70

 

[Texan11285]

My first elk hunt in 2015 Colorado I toted my Remington 7mm. I never realized how heavy it was till after the first day of carrying it around the mountains. Great time to start looking for a new gun. Thought about going the .300 route and after a bunch of research and guys comments I asked myself, do I really "need" that caliber. So I decided to keep looking. I wanted a lighter rifle that wouldn't punish you at the range. So I went with a a Tikka .308 T3 stainless with a fluted barrel in camo stock. Also had the bolt fluted. Did it help make it lighter, probably not, but it sure is pretty. Drew a mule deer/elk combo tag in Montana in 2018. It was nice to not be drug down trapsing around the Bitterroots and that 165 grain Nosler Partition dropped the mulie in its tracks. Couldn't catch up to the elk herd. Seemed like they always knew where the private property line was. So, with all that said, pick what works for you buddy.

 

[DC219]

If I was an avid elk hunter I might get a larger, dedicated elk rifle. Same if I intended to shoot ultra long distances. No more than I hunt elk though, and with a self imposed 350 yard limitation, I just took the .308 I already have. I killed a bull with a 130 grain Barnes ttsx and it closely resembled everything else I've deflated the lungs on. It killed it just fine. People kill elk all the time with muzzleloaders. Point being, in a pinch, most deer rifles with good bullets will work just fine. However, I applaud any excuse to buy a cool new gun. There's no need in justifying it. If you want it, get it.

 

[rickyk280]

If I was an avid elk hunter I might get a larger, dedicated elk rifle. Same if I intended to shoot ultra long distances. No more than I hunt elk though, and with a self imposed 350 yard limitation, I just took the .308 I already have. I killed a bull with a 130 grain Barnes ttsx and it closely resembled everything else I've deflated the lungs on. It killed it just fine. People kill elk all the time with muzzleloaders. Point being, in a pinch, most deer rifles with good bullets will work just fine. However, I applaud any excuse to buy a cool new gun. There's no need in justifying it. If you want it, get it.

Very well said.