400 Yard Elk cartridge . what's your Pick

Pudelpointer said:
Yes, it does work exactly that way. Every rodeo I have been involved in has resulted from one thing - crappy shooting. If you want to argue about poor angle shots, offhand shots, running game shots, and other sillyness, go right ahead. Facts are facts - a hole through both lungs with a hunting bullet within its design parameters, and / or heart = dead animal, every time, no exceptions. Will an elk bleed out quicker with a .458 caliber hole vs a .264 hole all else being equal, yes. But, it will still bleed out.

The 6.5s will kill whatever you shoot well, and have for well over 100 years. A "magnum" is not a solution to poor shooting ability and limited hunting skill. Is my 8 mag a better elk gun then a 6.5 CM? Probably, but I would not hesitate for a single second to send a 140 gr pill into the biggest elk on the planet with one.

But hey, you do you brother.
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Amen, and some who get to participate in many rodeos due to line of work, and who are paying attention, have noted that majority of those rodeos come from the magnums. So there's that. Most guys shooting them...compensating, just don't know any better.

Then add to that, guys come on here and say I've shot 22 elk etc. and have never tried anything but what the old timers told them to use, big ole magnums, 30's and 338's etc....and talk they know a 6.5 isn't adequate, lmfao. Ok.
 
hoytcanon said:
Only if you are a moron and zero at 100 yards... zeroed at MPBR with a 150 grain at 2900 fps, the zero is at 300 yards, the drop at 400 is 10"... it doesn't drop 30" until 510 yards out.
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Drop is drop, it doesn't really matter where you zero your rifle, as long as you know where its hitting at a certain distance. Sure you can zero your rifle at 300 and have less "drop" at 400, but you will also be shooting high at 150.
If all you want is "point and shoot at elk" then zero at 300 is fine, but there's more than one way.
 
Joel said:
Ah but that is where you are wrong!

See, it's really tricky. Hard to explain...thats why no one can explain why exactly a GOOD 6.5mm bullet at Creedmoor speed cannot kill an elk, even when placed well.

The effectiveness is inversely correlated to how preoccupied you are with homosexuality lol.

All joking aside I'd like a bit more speed at 400 yards but I'd prefer nice presentations and the opportunity to shoot again to any caliber. With elk hunting being a rather rare occurrence for some I see why they want more insurance. If you shoot something well, you shoot something well. Go get em!
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There does seem to be a preoccupation... maybe just by a Ram 2500, jack it up 8" and run 37" mudders to drive around the paved roads in town. And adjust your f****** headlights!!!
 
Pudelpointer said:
There does seem to be a preoccupation... maybe just by a Ram 2500, jack it up 8" and run 37" mudders to drive around the paved roads in town. And adjust your f****** headlights!!!
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You forgot to mention that the Rims/Tires combo on said Ram are/is worth more then the actual truck in reality..
 
Pudelpointer said:
Yes, it does work exactly that way. Every rodeo I have been involved in has resulted from one thing - crappy shooting. If you want to argue about poor angle shots, offhand shots, running game shots, and other sillyness, go right ahead. Facts are facts - a hole through both lungs with a hunting bullet within its design parameters, and / or heart = dead animal, every time, no exceptions. Will an elk bleed out quicker with a .458 caliber hole vs a .264 hole all else being equal, yes. But, it will still bleed out.

The 6.5s will kill whatever you shoot well, and have for well over 100 years. A "magnum" is not a solution to poor shooting ability and limited hunting skill. Is my 8 mag a better elk gun then a 6.5 CM? Probably, but I would not hesitate for a single second to send a 140 gr pill into the biggest elk on the planet with one.

But hey, you do you brother.
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Careful, he knows better than we do.
 
Mr.Rigpig said:
Drop is drop, it doesn't really matter where you zero your rifle, as long as you know where its hitting at a certain distance. Sure you can zero your rifle at 300 and have less "drop" at 400, but you will also be shooting high at 150.
If all you want is "point and shoot at elk" then zero at 300 is fine, but there's more than one way.
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That's why Hoyt talks about MPBR. You're familiar with the concept, yes?
 
The place in which I typically hunt elk unfortunately offers regular long shots, lots of deep ravines and some heavily forested areas. I have taken quite a few over 300 yards and a number at 400+. My shooter of choice is a .338 RUM with 250 LRX at nearly 3000 fps. I am zero'd at 200 meters and I know where it hits beyond that. As BUM already said, it doesn't really matter where you zero as long as you know where it hits.
 
BigUglyMan said:
That's why Hoyt talks about MPBR. You're familiar with the concept, yes?
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You bet, hence my last sentence.
I doubt many take a scope with a ballistic recticle and sight in that way though, kinda defeats the purpose of the scope. He stated only a moron would zero at 100.
 
400y is a good poke on game (for me),

A 35 Whelen loaded with a 250gr pill leaving at 2600fps+ Is my setup of choice for elk.
 
Mr.Rigpig said:
You bet, hence my last sentence.
I doubt many take a scope with a ballistic recticle and sight in that way though, kinda defeats the purpose of the scope. He stated only a moron would zero at 100.
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Betcha there are a lot of people with bdc scopes that haven't ever checked that their hash marks are actually on target at 300/400/500... and a lot of them won't be, especially at the longer ranges... And even if they are on, game is rarely at that perfectly even distance...

The MPBR makes sense for a guy who's willing to limit his shots to that MPBR. I've got two buddies who hunt but don't shoot enough to be comfortable with shots over 200. For them MPBR with a duplex reticle is more useful than 100yd zero and a bdc reticle. But you've got to be willing to know when to say OK that's too far for me...
 
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Suther said:
Betcha there are a lot of people with bdc scopes that haven't ever checked that their hash marks are actually on target at 300/400/500... and a lot of them won't be, especially at the longer ranges... And even if they are on, game is rarely at that perfectly even distance...

The MPBR makes sense for a guy who's willing to limit his shots to that MPBR. I've got two buddies who hunt but don't shoot enough to be comfortable with shots over 200. For them MPBR with a duplex reticle is more useful than 100yd zero and a bdc reticle. But you've got to be willing to know when to say OK that's too far for me...
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You will get no argument there.
I don't believe there is a "wrong" way to zero. (Well, maybe if you zero at 25 yards or something, and never check it further. lol)
MPBR is likely the easiest, for a strictly hunting rifle, as long as you know your limits.
 
I prefer simple scopes with simple reticles zeroed at MPBR, I heard to many stories of guys screwing up a shot picking the wrong hash mark or setting the wrong elevation on there turret… and miss or worst wounded animal!
For hunting up to 300-400 m I think MPBR is a great way to have reliable shot placements!
And to be honest I’m not a fan of all that ELRH!!
 
DGY said:
I prefer simple scopes with simple reticles zeroed at MPBR, I heard to many stories of guys screwing up a shot picking the wrong hash mark or setting the wrong elevation on there turret… and miss or worst wounded animal!
For hunting up to 300-400 m I think MPBR is a great way to have reliable shot placements!
And to be honest I’m not a fan of all that ELRH!!
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400 yards is a heck of a long shot for the average shooter!
 
The most important thing of all of this, for me at least, is the rangefinder to tell me that elk is precisely at the range hes at like Suther said. Big diff between 325, 375, 425 and how many people can accurately decide that without the laser?

I can't
 
The best cartridge is one you can stalk within 200 yards and place it in the boiler room. Take your pick of any standard caliber and a well-constructed bullet. Why risk the shot of a lifetime…
 
Never shot game past 300 yards, so I couldn't tell you. I'd guess a cartridge/ rifle/ scope package that can keep 6" of pie hole from 50 to 400 yards and still have the steam to down an elk? It's not rocket surgery in the choice. But skill & money in hardware to do it consistently & ethically.
 
Ah, the world is spinning smoothly on it's axis again. Things are back to normal, trying to pee all over another 'school of thoughts' caliber...without getting your own feet wet...CGN at its finest.
Get the odd fellow throwing ad hominem responses... spring is here. I'll watch from the sidelines...go team go!
 
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