Advice on Elk Hunt

[Hookeye]

I don't see why it's so dang tough for folks to shoot a 7mm or .300 Magnum well.

If the rifle fits, then shoot it like you're supposed to.

My old toolmaker was all agog when he got his .300 Winmag for his elk hunt, a M77MkII. Bad verts in his neck, grew up shooting .222 on chucks, he was all about how "big" that .300 was.

And after a summer of shooting, reloading, testing he came to me and admitted (what I told him before he got it)..............that it aint much after all.

The issue I had with the .300, over anything else I've shot, was blast. Recoil was a bit fast, but 700 BDL mags fit me perfectly. My 7 Mag was a cupcake.

I have really bad sinuses, always have, and my face gets kinda beat up (pretty much after 10). I can sit at a bench and shoot 40 rounds without any other issue.

FWIW my cuz has a 760 in '06. He claims it "mean". I sat at the bench and let one rip, looked at him with ????????

He's the same build as me, but kinda "barn kept". He'll shoot his 870 with slugs........and not whine. Maybe he got "bit" in the past with it.
I dunno.

Wear ear and eye protection, don't shoot an improperly mounted and or crap scope and one should be "good to go".

Amazingly, I know of some folks who only wear ear protection when shooting handguns. Shotguns and rifles they don't.

CRAZY!

But I bet they think some rather tame rifles are beasts due to their not taking precautions.

 

[Hookeye]

BTW, my toolmaker smoked his bull on the first shot, double lunged

 

[Whitsettd8]

Savage 11 LRH in 7mm or .300
Adj muzzle break adj cheek piece accu stock accu trigger a nice package for around $800

 

[johnwayne]

30'06 or 270 Win or 308 win

I lived in aurora Colorado for 6 years and hunted every second I had. My first elk rifle was a sport sized Mauser 98 in 30-06. There is nothing in the North American continent that a 06 can not bring down with proper bullet placement and cartridge choice. I then lucked into a Winchester modlel 70 featherweight classic in 6.5 Swedish Mauser. Another cartridge that is an all around performer. A wizz bang super short shoulder cannon can not make an elk any more deader than either of the above. Buy a reliable mid grade or used rifle and spend the extra money on a GOOD scope and lots of practice ammo. Also absolutely do not forget a range finder there is no way to practice out here judging distance on a mountain side. I have a savage that is a tack driver and I would not hesitate taking it elk hunting. Practice practice practice!!! Best of luck. Where are you headed?

I agree with the above. A 30'06 is on the edge of what most people can shoot well. A 270 is superb with a 150 gr bullet. The 308 win is nice as it fits in a short action and military surplus ammo is great for cheap practice. A top grade fixed 2.5 or 4 power scope is plenty. Fixed means fewer moving parts and less to go wrong. Burris used to make a mini 4 power that had a steel tube and no front bell. That scope was strong, light, and simple.

A 270 fires a 150 gr bullet at the same velocity that a 7mm fires a 160 grain. Similar sectional density and a mere 10 gr of bullet weight is all that sets them apart. Well, that and more powder, blast, and recoil from the 7mm. The 270 rocks.

Keep your shots under 300 yards unless you are very good at shooting in field conditions. Mark your shot. Be sure to remember where the animal was when you took your shot. If you shoot and it is still standing shoot again, repeat. Keep hitting it until it is down.

Your boots, socks, underwear, and outerwear are more important than your rifle. Wear wool pants. Wear no cotton anywhere. Cotton kills in the mountains. Wear a good warm hat. Dress in layers that you can peel off if to warm and add on if too cold.

Always be prepared to survive if left out all night. Have plenty of fire starter. If you get cold have an old dead tree picked out that you can set on fire. Pine pitch is common and makes a great fire starter and easy to find and works wet.

A light weight rifle with moderate recoil with a simple fixed power scope will be inexpensive and won't let you down. Again, keep your shots under 300 yards. Long shots add doubt and make tracking harder.

Good luck!!!