What caliber rifle would you buy for elk?

Have been using a 30-06 since 1991...In the past 6 years have killed 5 elk with it....Use 180 grain Hornady bullets and no problems at all.....Bang - Whack - flop !!!! Never had to trail the elk, they either fell over or moved a very short distance...Very capable round even at longer distances....Have taken a mule deer at 470 yards with it and it fell over too....

Most elk shots are (for me) under 100 yards, however I would not hesitate to throw lead at 400 with my trusty old 06...
 
There are many capable rounds,you would be better of asking for a list to choose from..
30-06
7mmRm
8mmRm
300Wm
338
338-06
270wm
270wsm
7mmrum
300rum
the list goes on and on,recoil is going to vary among them as is price and availabilty of factory ammo.
 
I love my 7mm WSM. I have a Winchester 70 coyote lite. I use a Lyman 54 cal in the traditional blackpowder hunt. Look into going blackpowder. In Idaho we would never see anyone hunting when we were. Mostly because people dont like using blackpowder. I enjoy the challenge, its like bow hunting you need to in get close. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
+1 for the 270WSM. Great ballistics, very managable recoil, and has plenty of energy for anything in north america. That being said, I agree with NONYA, there's a pretty long list of capable cartridges.
 
If you haven't shot a lot of centerfire rounds stick with the non magnums to begin with. I guided way to many hunters on elk hunts that brought way to much gun. Typically they were afraid of it and couldn't hit a 5 gallon bucket at 100 yards yet alone an elk at 400. I killed many elk with my old 270 Win. Both of my kids killed their first elk with a 257 Ackley (kept the shots to under 150 yards and both made one shot kills) I don't recomend a .257 or 25 06 but they can kill elk if you have the patience and resolve to wait for the right shot. The 3006, 308, 280 Rem are all enough gun to put down an elk. Whatever gun you choose shoot at least a hundred rounds through it from various positions not just the bench to make sure your ready. Practice off sticks, prone, your hat, pack, whatever so your ready. Nothing use to make me more sick than to guide a hunter to a great trophy and watch him miss easy shots.
 
Ya we have are own season for blackpowder. It opens up in the first half of September. I use BP for deer in areas that call for short range weapon.
 
Wish we had one,they proposed one years back,the (traditionalist) crowd showed up at the first public comment meeting and raised so much hell about not allowing inlines and scopes that the F&G commision decided it was more trouble than it was worth.So now they have to hunt side by side with me and my 8mag,all because of their elitist (ethics).
 
Skippy,

As a famous hunter and gunwriter said way back before we were born, "The .30-06 is never a mistake" (although the .280 and .308 will do just fine as well).

It kicks a bit, so if you are small of stature you might want to put one of those Limbsaver recoil pads on it. This, so you can put in 40-60 round practice sessions once or twice a month.

Get back to Cherry Ridge and join up. Get out there and watch one of their highpower rifle matches in the summer and start talking to the competitors. Find some (it won't be hard!) who are willing to teach you basic rifle position skills. Learn to hit a paper plate at 100 yards from standing, 200 yards from sitting with a loop sling, and 300 yards from prone with loop sling. Loop sling = Ching sling or the old GI M1907. When you can do that, you will have learned to do without shooting sticks or bipods, yet if you still chose to use them, you will be able to use them better than most. Get Jeff Cooper's "Art of the Rifle" and G. David Tubb's "The Rifle Shooter" and study.

Oh, and while you're at it get a .22 rimfire rifle of the same action type as what you want in a centerfire. Set it up with the same sights and loop sling and do most of your practicing with that. If you can't afford it talk your dad into getting one for himself (if he doesn't already have one) and borrow it whenever you can.

Then, when the long-awaited (and expensive) day comes that you find yourself out here in God's high country with a big bull in sight, you will be fully prepared and confident.

Remember, your skill counts more than anything else.
 
I have a 338win and use it for deer/elk or what ever I'm hunting at the time, ammo is kind of expensive though.
I would look at anything in the 30-06 family, 7mm, 308win, or the new 338federal. There are a lot of calibers out there that will do while for deer/elk. its realy up to you on what you want.
 
I bought a Rem Sendero in 7mm RUM about a year ago with the intention of getting out west to hunt elk, but I have one problem. Our economy has gone down hill and I can't aford to go on an elk hunt. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Maybe I will put it in the classifieds tomorrow if anyone is interested.

I will probably get something a little better suited for Michigan that I will get a lot of use out of. For us guys that live in the east, a smaller caliber for deer and maybe an elk, on very limmited occasions, would be best.
 
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I would like to purchase a new rifle to use on deer and possibly elk if I get the chance what caliber is most common for this? I dont own any centerfire as of yet just a Rem 700ml in 50cal.



Based on your question: Mostly deer and possibly elk, the 25-06 is my recommendation. It has the knock down power to take whitetails and mule deer out to 300 yards and enough(very close to the 270) at 200 yards for elk. Use the 120 grain bullet. The recoil is milder than the 30-06 and the 270 and much milder than any of the magnums. check this link for a review of cartridges and their ballistics.http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.rifle-cartridges-ballistics.html
 
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I would never use a 25-06 on elk. They may work (hell a 22LR may too) but it is far from anything I would even consider. A guy in camp decided to bring one once and 10 shots later a 280 had to bat clean up.
 
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