Light weight left handed elk guns, what does a guy buy?

I would say the recoil is stout but not unmanageable. A past shoulder bag helps quite a bit as does a limbsaver and keep your range sessions short. It also helps to shoot light for caliber monos that hit hard and fast. Ie 150ttsx in 300wsm and 185 or 210 ttsx in the 338.
 
I found with a good pad the recoil of factory 250s was manageable, for deer hunting I would do 225s

All in the gun is light for the chambering, the pain is in your head but physics dictates that the rifle will move around a lot
 
I was shocked by how much recoil is generated by 270 150s loaded hot from an ~5.5 lb rifle. It’s no wonder the 338 fed Adirondack never took off
 
Brian46 said:
I can make a jiggly bolt bind on command, no thanks, couldn't pay me to own one
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Which model did you inspect? I’ve had about a dozen give or take and none of them bound worked fast or slow. I do admit the sako has a very nice smooth bolt, until you go to ram it closed on the empty sitting on the top of your mag :)

Edited to add; the Sakos do have probably the nicest detachable mag system to grace a factory hunting rifle. I prefer floor plates or blind mags but the sako mags work very well.
 
As a lefty elk hunter I was reading this thread with interest. I own a few of the rifles mentioned so out of curiosity I weighed the ones I have used elk hunting. The Ruger #1A in 7mm Remington Magnum with a Burris Fullfield 3-9 x40 weights 9lb 3oz. This was a fun rifle to use when I was in my early 30's. Not any more. My Browning A-bolt II Stainless Stalker in 280 Remington has a Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-15 x 42 scope in Talley steel rings and bases weights 8lb 12oz with the magazine. This was used for many years while wearing a Bushnell 3200 2-7 scope. I weighed 6oz less then. Easy to carry all day through the densest brush. A more than adequate cartridge for elk too. Finally I have been hunting for the last few years with a Tikka T3 Stainless synthetic in 338 Winchester Magnum. It has a Meopta 4-12 scope in Talley lightweight rings. It weighs 7lb 12oz after I replaced the Tikka hard rubber butt pad with a Pachmeyer. It is much nicer (but not pleasant) to shoot now. It is a handful from the bench but with good technique it shoots well. You do have to pay attention when you squeeze the trigger though. I could go lighter but I don't think I would ever do it with a 338. The 280 for sure, and the 7mm maybe. For the price you just can't beat the Tikka though.
 
How/ where do you hunt elk? In my neck of the woods we call and track. Most times shots are within bow range. I prefer a sbr of the lever variety in 45-70. Hits hard and carries nice. You are limited to around 200 yds but incidentally where/ how I hunt them a 200 yd shooting lane doesn't really exist. Prairie land/ foothills Elk are different of course
 
If no one else suggested a Savage 99 in 358 Winchester I will. Leupold 4X scope. Not the easiest to find but if you can find a 70’s model or the 99F you would have a reasonably light and handy rig

I admit I like the 99 ��
 
The only thing lighter than a Tikka that doesnt cost and arm/leg and your nuts is a Savage 11 lightweight hunter. BUT, I dont think they make them for the left handed crowd. +1 for Tikka. They're great.
 
Do they make left handed x bolts? I have a few tikkas and a few x bolts. All have 3-9x40 scopes. My wsm x bolt stainless stalker is the lightest. Few ounces over 7 pounds with empty mag.
 
prairie lover said:
Do they make left handed x bolts? I have a few tikkas and a few x bolts. All have 3-9x40 scopes. My wsm x bolt stainless stalker is the lightest. Few ounces over 7 pounds with empty mag.
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They do, I was in at Reliable a few year ago and one of the guys there suggested I add it to my list of LH bolt guns we were chatting about. It was real nice to handle and shoulder, as well as being in my price range.
 
prairie lover said:
Do they make left handed x bolts? I have a few tikkas and a few x bolts. All have 3-9x40 scopes. My wsm x bolt stainless stalker is the lightest. Few ounces over 7 pounds with empty mag.
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Browning does, but only in the hunter versions and not in the stainless stalker. I'd never buy an x-bolt though, I really don't care for the fit, finish, feel or look of them... I wish browning would have kept making the A-Bolt 1s and 2s, those were mighty fine firearms....
 
obsessed1b said:
How/ where do you hunt elk? In my neck of the woods we call and track. Most times shots are within bow range. I prefer a sbr of the lever variety in 45-70. Hits hard and carries nice. You are limited to around 200 yds but incidentally where/ how I hunt them a 200 yd shooting lane doesn't really exist. Prairie land/ foothills Elk are different of course
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Forest, farm land, pasture, everything. It depends on the year, day, weather, how the elk are moving, etc. This years was around 150 yards in a clearing, last year was 188 yards across an open field, before that was 200 yards and change, across a watering hole in the middle of the bush. I took the last 2 with my .280 shooting 160gr accubonds and the one before that using my .260 and 140gr partitions. I'd prefer bolt action over a lever or an auto loader. I've had win 94s in 3030 and 375 win, marlin SBL in 45-70 and a savage 99 in 308, but I didn't overly care for any of them.
 
Dunno said:
As a lefty elk hunter I was reading this thread with interest. I own a few of the rifles mentioned so out of curiosity I weighed the ones I have used elk hunting. The Ruger #1A in 7mm Remington Magnum with a Burris Fullfield 3-9 x40 weights 9lb 3oz. This was a fun rifle to use when I was in my early 30's. Not any more. My Browning A-bolt II Stainless Stalker in 280 Remington has a Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-15 x 42 scope in Talley steel rings and bases weights 8lb 12oz with the magazine. This was used for many years while wearing a Bushnell 3200 2-7 scope. I weighed 6oz less then. Easy to carry all day through the densest brush. A more than adequate cartridge for elk too. Finally I have been hunting for the last few years with a Tikka T3 Stainless synthetic in 338 Winchester Magnum. It has a Meopta 4-12 scope in Talley lightweight rings. It weighs 7lb 12oz after I replaced the Tikka hard rubber butt pad with a Pachmeyer. It is much nicer (but not pleasant) to shoot now. It is a handful from the bench but with good technique it shoots well. You do have to pay attention when you squeeze the trigger though. I could go lighter but I don't think I would ever do it with a 338. The 280 for sure, and the 7mm maybe. For the price you just can't beat the Tikka though.
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Thanks for the input! Ultimately, I think a 338 win mag would be ideal for elk. The majority of guys i know who fill their OTC elk tags year, after year all shoot 338 win mags. When you only have the chance for 1 shot, the bigger and heavier chunk of lead you can throw at them, with the most possible kinetic energy, is best.

I'm not the biggest Tikka fan, but it is an action I am very familiar with. I'll go handle a couple in 300wsm and 338 win mag and see what theyre like.
 
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