Elk Rifle

[wapahiti]

I am thinking 7MM Mag for elk. Good ballistics lesser recoil than 300 win mag. I am thinking topping it with Vortex scope. Rifle I am looking at is a browning hells canyon.
Give me your thoughts on this rifle and caliber.
Thanks
Skip

 

[42769vette]

Nothing wrong with that caliber.

Personally I'd go Begara, or tikka over browning.

 

[DadSmith]

My dad used a 7mm Remington Magnum for our Elk and Mule deer hunts we use to go on when I was younger to Colorado.
He used 150gr soft point ammunition. He used whatever brand was available, and he would buy two boxes. One to sight his rifle in here, and in Colorado.
The other he had a nice leather pouch that held 20rds of 7mm Rem Mag rounds on it, and it fit on his belt. He also carried a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44mag for bear, mountain lion protection.
He shot a lot of mule deep and elk with it. Our favorite place to hunt was west of Saguache, Colorado.

I used a 7.7 Jap rifle he bought for me. He had a gunsmith make ammunition from 30-06 brass. It was a good shooter.

 

[rooster]

heavy rifle is usually heavier to shoot but a light rifle is easier to carry up the mountains. That’s why most guys you see on YouTube and TV are carrying lightweight bolt actions from tikka ,savage and others.

 

[bwframe]

Is .308 a worthwhile caliber for this? What about a single shot, T/C Encore for example?

 

[nascarfantoo]

7 Rem Mag is the caliber I use for elk. Definitely a good choice. I am not a long-range shooter and it easily handles my shot distance (<400 yds). I went with the 7RM because I wanted little less recoil than 300WM. I added a Limbsaver pad and it seemed to reduce the recoil 25%. My first bull was my longest shot @ 325 yds. One shot and he took 2 steps then dropped.

I have no personal experience with the Browning, but I wouldn't hesitate going that direction. If it is right for you, go for it. Read some good reviews.

I have a Tikka T3 Hunter and love it. Little heavy, but most of my trips use horses for long hauls. Shoots sub moa with the right ammo. I do not reload so everything is factory. Mine likes the Federal w/ 160 gr Nosler Partitions or Nosler w/ 160gr Accubonds. Just glad to have plenty of inventory because I have not seen either readily available for going on 2 years.

I have Vortex scopes on some of my long guns and like them. The 7RM carries a Zeiss but wouldn't hesitate to use a Vortex. Some good manufacturers out there. Just try to use the best glass you can afford. If I am spending decent cash for an elk hunt, I am not going to pinch pennies on the scope.

 

[nascarfantoo]

Is .308 a worthwhile caliber for this? What about a single shot, T/C Encore for example?

The 308 has taken a lot of elk. Great caliber.

Based upon my experience I wouldn't use a single shot. Sometimes one shot isn't enough to get a bull to drop, even at close distance. Had one guy in camp need 5 shots to drop a bull and that was no farther than 125 yards. Lungs were mush but it took taking out both shoulders to get him to drop.

 

[DadSmith]

Is .308 a worthwhile caliber for this? What about a single shot, T/C Encore for example?

Old family friend used the 308 Winchester and took many Elk. He used 150gr bullets. He died in 1989 but he was a lot of fun to have at the camp site and on the hunt.

 

[Leadeye]

The Winchester 1895 in 30-40 with 200 grain bullets was the old timers elk combo.

 

[1nderbeard]

The Winchester 1895 in 30-40 with 200 grain bullets was the old timers elk combo.

It's funny, that reminds me of an old black and white picture I saw of an old timer standing over a big moose holding a revolver. I assume it was a .357 or maybe .44 mag. Shot placement mattered a lot more back then.

Not saying modern cartridges aren't better in every sense. But there was a day where men shot big animals with arrows from primitive bows too.

 

[Tactically Fat]

.308 Win is excellent medicine out to about 250-300 yards. Absolutely it is.

 

[Jaybird1980]

7mm Mag will get the job done for sure.

I think my choice would still be 30-06.

Realistically there are many calibers that can get the job done, shot placement is most important.

 

[two70]

I am thinking 7MM Mag for elk. Good ballistics lesser recoil than 300 win mag. I am thinking topping it with Vortex scope. Rifle I am looking at is a browning hells canyon.
Give me your thoughts on this rifle and caliber.
Thanks
Skip

Some follow up questions for you:

Do you know the type of terrain you'll be hunting or is this a someday/general elk hunting rifle? I ask because in some areas, a good lever action with a red dot would be a better fit than a long barreled bolt gun with a scope.

Do you reload? There are other good calibers to consider but some are better suited to reloaders.

What is your comfortable max range? There's no need to suffer extra recoil from a magnum(or a heavier rifle to mitigate that recoil) unless you're comfortable to 350+ yards.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Some follow up questions for you:

Do you know the type of terrain you'll be hunting or is this a someday/general elk hunting rifle? I ask because in some areas, a good lever action with a red dot would be a better fit than a long barreled bolt gun with a scope.

Do you reload? There are other good calibers to consider but some are better suited to reloaders.

What is your comfortable max range? There's no need to suffer extra recoil from a magnum(or a heavier rifle to mitigate that recoil) unless you're comfortable to 350+ yards.

Excellent questions for the OP to consider. A 7mm-08 will kill an elk deader than a hammer with very little recoil.

Dirty Steve

 

[Noble Sniper]

Excellent questions for the OP to consider. A 7mm-08 will kill an elk deader than a hammer with very little recoil.

Dirty Steve

I second that opinion…. I know a gentleman out west who has hunted elk for years and all he, his Father, and his three sons have ever used were 7mm-08….. deadly medicine on elk without all the rocks and dynamite!!!

 

[wapahiti]

We are debating between Wyoming and Colorado. We will go with a guide. I do not reload and my effective shooting range would be 300 yards and in. I have elk hunted Colorado with a bow 20 years ago and killed a cow on a DIY hunt.
Thanks
Skip

 

[42769vette]

For 300 and in, 7mm will be outstanding. Zero at MPBR, and no need to think about compensating for elevation, and rarely need to think about wind. Just aim and shoot

 

[two70]

We are debating between Wyoming and Colorado. We will go with a guide. I do not reload and my effective shooting range would be 300 yards and in. I have elk hunted Colorado with a bow 20 years ago and killed a cow on a DIY hunt.
Thanks
Skip

In that case, virtually anything .270 Win up to .30-06 should work well for you. The 7mm mag would be an excellent choice. Be sure to post photos and the story of your hunt whenever you go.

 

[drm-hp]

Seeing that your max range is 300 yards I would use either a 30-06 or 35 Whelen. The magnums are just more than what is required at these ranges, everything else being equal.
If using factory ammo I would use a premium bullet at 165 to 180 grain weight in the 30-06.
If you handload a 225 to 250 grain Nosler Acubond is a sledgehammer in the 35 Whelen.

 

[Mongo59]

7mm Win Mag, killing everything deader than hell since 1962...