Preferred Elk Caliber?

[Boogra]

Hey all.  Newbie here.  I wanted to get some opinions on what you guys think an effective caliber might be for elk.  I may eventually use this mystery rifle for buffalo someday, assuming I get that draw within my lifetime.  I'm leaning toward 7mm PRC, as I'm looking for a flat shooting cartridge that won't leave my shoulders worse off than they are at present.   

If my budget for the rifle is upwards of $1500, which brand do you guys like?  

Right now, I'm looking at the CVA Cascade LRH, which is about $700 under my budget, but the reviews I've read and watched seem really amazing, and it is available in 7mm PRC.

Thoughts if you have some on this? 
 

[Alleycat72]

Man I have a 28 Nosler in the classifieds. LOL

[KahrMan]

I used 300 win mag.  Did a fine job on the cow elk I took.

[expendable]

I’ve taken them with 270 Win, 30-06 and 7mm Mag they all work just fine. 
 

will you be hunting in heavy timber or out in the open?

[Darrell]

A single arrow from a compound bow will kill em dead. Choose a rifle that you can carry in the mountains and fire accurately without flinching. 

[Alleycat72]

28 minutes ago, Darrell said:

A single arrow from a compound bow will kill em dead. Choose a rifle that you can carry in the mountains and fire accurately without flinching. 

No,.....it takes a 28 Nosler. LOL  

[DO-TN]

I grew up in Idaho before i left with the Army. We killed more elk with 30-06 more than any other caliber out there. Buffalo is a different matter. Not sure if it is still on the books, but back then the minimum allowed in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming was a 45 class. .458's, 45/70, 45/100. This was per the hunting regs. Western buffalo compared to elk was like a bull cow compared to a white tail deer here. They are bigger, tougher, meaner. Go with enough gun!

[Frog4aday]

On 8/23/2024 at 11:48 AM, Boogra said:

Hey all.  Newbie here.  I wanted to get some opinions on what you guys think an effective caliber might be for elk.  I may eventually use this mystery rifle for buffalo someday, assuming I get that draw within my lifetime.  I'm leaning toward 7mm PRC, as I'm looking for a flat shooting cartridge that won't leave my shoulders worse off than they are at present.   

If my budget for the rifle is upwards of $1500, which brand do you guys like?  

Right now, I'm looking at the CVA Cascade LRH, which is about $700 under my budget, but the reviews I've read and watched seem really amazing, and it is available in 7mm PRC.

Thoughts if you have some on this? 
 

Welcome!

Yes, the rifle and cartridge you are looking at will be fine for elk & bison. The 7 PRC is essentially the same "power" as the good old 7mm Rem Mag, but the PRC barrel twist is faster, allowing heavier (more ballistically aerodynamic) bullets to be used.

Elk are tough. They don't usually "bang, flop" so just keep shooting until it goes down, or no longer presents a shot. Better to 'overkill' vs losing an animal that is potentially wounded. Some dislike this philosophy due to potential meat loss. Elk are huge. There will still be plenty of meat to eat. Imagine how much meat you've lost if the animal walks off and dies miles away, never to be recovered. 

As for bison, they have huge hearts & huge lungs but they are not bullet proof. Same guns suitable for elk and moose, like the 7 PRC, will take out a bison. Same rules as elk apply (don't just shoot once and figure its all over; keep firing for effect.)

I shot a bison with a .308 Win (150gr Nosler Partition bullet) and another with a .338 Win Mag (250gr Hornady Interlock bullet.) Neither bison died faster or more dramatically than the other. Don't be worried about needing more gun. Just use good, deep penetrating bullets (i.e., Nosler Partition, Nosler Accubond, Barnes TTSX, Swift A-Frame, Hornady Interbond, and other bonded or controlled expansion bullets.)

Edited August 25 by Frog4aday
Typos

[Sunfish]

You really don't need a fancy PRC. Anything in the 30-06 class case like 8-06 ,338-06, 35 Whelen or the 9.3x62 will take anything you walk up on. As stated above use good bullets  

[pop pop]

The old Western gun writer, Elmer Keith Father of the 357 and 44 magnums, said that anything walked on the North American continent can be taken with the 30 06 if loaded correctly (with the right bullets). Of course, his writings were old world 60 to 80's.  If you are not recoil sensitive, I see a lot of hunters, on TV today, using a 300 Win Mag, however it kicks like a mule. I like the 30 calibers also, but there some good PRC's and Nosler's, if ultra-modern is your cup to tea. 

Edited to add; My deer rifle is a 7 MM 08. Not sure I would trust it with Elk sized animals and for sure not Buffalo. I did see a Buffalo hunt on TV last spring and the hunter took him with 1 shot with a 30 06 at 80 yards. The bull Buffalo was an older banished from the herd fellow. 

 

 

 

Edited August 25 by pop pop

[Jpoc700]

I've used 30-06  for 5 elk 180grain and 308 168 grain for 2elk. 

[CastNblast04]

On 8/23/2024 at 12:48 PM, Boogra said:

Hey all.  Newbie here.  I wanted to get some opinions on what you guys think an effective caliber might be for elk.  I may eventually use this mystery rifle for buffalo someday, assuming I get that draw within my lifetime.  I'm leaning toward 7mm PRC, as I'm looking for a flat shooting cartridge that won't leave my shoulders worse off than they are at present.   

If my budget for the rifle is upwards of $1500, which brand do you guys like?  

Right now, I'm looking at the CVA Cascade LRH, which is about $700 under my budget, but the reviews I've read and watched seem really amazing, and it is available in 7mm PRC.

Thoughts if you have some on this? 
 

I am also looking at the 7mm PRC for my long range/ elk cartridge and have read a bunch of good things on it.  I am a Tikka fanboy so I am just waiting until they put out a few rifles in that caliber and then I may jump on one!

[Ropin4gold]

I went 308 on my elk setup. Shooting Hornady 178grn precision hunters. Haven’t got to test it out yet (still buying points) but did a ton of research and it shoots nice. 

[MacGyver]

Unpopular opinion as it would be bad business for the gun mags - and probably cut the postings on this forum by at least 50% - but if they had quit making new cartridges at 30-06 we’d all be fine. 

[Hozzie]

I use a 300 WSM, but I would be less worried about the caliber (there are many that will do it) and more worried about a lightweight, accurate rifle I want to carry potentially all over creation.  For me this means something I can load test for and know my ammo, ranges, etc perfectly.   I would guess you will be using shooting sticks of some sort, but weight is my worst enemy on any hunt I may have to do a fair amount of hiking.

[pop pop]

Watched Ike Eastman take a 6X6 bull this morning on "Eastmans Hunting Adventures" TV program. He was concerned that if the elk went 200 yards, after being shot, they would need to get permission to enter neighboring private property. He shot the bull at 390 yards with a 300 Win Mag and the elk went 40 yards and dropped. Ike believes in the 300 W M for a quick kill. 

[Nikiski Dave]

30 06 is what i started at. Now abit older i have been packing a 280AI in a Kimber rifle with a Leupold 4.5-14x40 CDS. 160 Accubonds or 160 Partitons. Works on everything without the recoil. 

[AuEagle]

On 8/23/2024 at 12:48 PM, Boogra said:

Hey all.  Newbie here.  I wanted to get some opinions on what you guys think an effective caliber might be for elk.  I may eventually use this mystery rifle for buffalo someday, assuming I get that draw within my lifetime.  I'm leaning toward 7mm PRC, as I'm looking for a flat shooting cartridge that won't leave my shoulders worse off than they are at present.   

If my budget for the rifle is upwards of $1500, which brand do you guys like?  

Right now, I'm looking at the CVA Cascade LRH, which is about $700 under my budget, but the reviews I've read and watched seem really amazing, and it is available in 7mm PRC.

Thoughts if you have some on this? 
 

Elk or Buffalo, I'd recommend buying Kahrman's Sako .338.  Fantastic rifle in a great big game caliber at a great price.

Look in classifieds. JMHO.

[Handsome Rob]

Late to the topic, but for future reference I'm either carrying my 6.5x55 or .358win.

If it was legal in Wyoming, I'd 100% take the .223 I kill everything else with. I've seriously considered building a 6mm ARC or 6x45 on a lightweight bolt action, just as a handy elk buster. 

Use the right bullets & don't sweat the diameter too much

[Fredumseed]

Hard to beat a 300 WinMag. 

[Alleycat72]

On 11/13/2024 at 8:01 PM, Handsome Rob said:

Late to the topic, but for future reference I'm either carrying my 6.5x55 or .358win.

If it was legal in Wyoming, I'd 100% take the .223 I kill everything else with. I've seriously considered building a 6mm ARC or 6x45 on a lightweight bolt action, just as a handy elk buster. 

Use the right bullets & don't sweat the diameter too much

I kill most of my deer with either a 5.56 or 308. The 308 is 90% subsonic. Mabe 1-2 with the 6mm creedmoor. The majority are inside 300 yards through. I'd be weird about an elk just because I've never had the opportunity to shoot one.

[Handsome Rob]

1 minute ago, Alleycat72 said:

I kill most of my deer with either a 5.56 or 308. The 308 is 90% subsonic. Mabe 1-2 with the 6mm creedmoor. The majority are inside 300 yards through. I'd be weird about an elk just because I've never had the opportunity to shoot one.

They die just like deer do. 

Hit em in the right spot with the right bullet & they go down quickly.

The whole "tough to kill" thing comes from years of people making bad shots, with magnum cartridges they can't shoot well & extremely tough bullets (the ones that make perfect mushrooms in the adverts) I'll take a .223 or 6mm match bullet over a .308 cal heavily constructed, "deep penetrating" bullet every day of the week. 

[Handsome Rob]

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/223-for-bear-mountain-goat-deer-elk-and-moose.130488/page-161#post-2961500

[Will]

Fifteen years of working with lifelong die hards in North NM most agree  on 300 Mag or above,reasoning that for a longer shot you got the extra umph and some that guys that guide hunts require it. That being said one of the guys has shot many with his .243 truck gun while working on his place.