Elk/Deer Combo Gun

conor_90

conor_90

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
91   0   0
Location
NW BC
I've been looking for a smaller gun for whitetail and mule deer/elk hunting so as not to destroy all the good parts of a whitetail deer. Would be good for target shooting also (not long range).

I'm torn between a 7x57 and a 7mm Remington mag. No unrealistic ranges of shooting intended. The environment would be mixed montane forest with shots ranging from spitting distance to 200 yards.

I know, I know "if you have to ask", "elk are the toughest deer in NA" etc.

I have no experience with the 7x57; but I know elk have been taken with .270, .308 and 30-06 and even lesser rounds. Is the 7x57 in this class? Or is it more of a "deer sized game only" round. Would heavier RN bullets be appropriate in this caliber for this application?

Curious if anyone has taken elk with the 7x57?
 
It is plenty adequate. Look up the 7x57 and 7-08 (ballistically extremely similar) threads on here. This one had been whooped many times. Under 400 yards is lots of power from a 7x57 with good bullet choice.
 
I'd say go with 7mm mag becuase it's plentiful and commen.
Click to expand...

Would be reloading either way. I also figure 7x57 would be a little cheaper to reload.


Is 7-08 not a questionable elk round?
 
Ballistically, the 7-08 and the 7x57 are, for all practical purposes, identical.

140's at 2850 - 2900, 150's at 2800 - 2850, 160's at 2750 - 2800.

Trust me, I have shot everything but a grizzly with my 7x57 over the years, and it kills well inside
of 400-450 yards.

I shot a nice Elk at 220 yards with the 160 Partition....he went exactly 27 yards, and tipped over on his nose.

Eight moose have fallen to the 7x57 in my hands, only shot one twice, the rest were 1 shot each.

Use any of the 7's from the 7-08 to the 7RUM with confidence. Dave.
 
conor_90 said:
I've been looking for a smaller gun for whitetail and mule deer/elk hunting so as not to destroy all the good parts of a whitetail deer. Would be good for target shooting also (not long range).

I'm torn between a 7x57 and a 7mm Remington mag. No unrealistic ranges of shooting intended. The environment would be mixed montane forest with shots ranging from spitting distance to 200 yards.

I know, I know "if you have to ask", "elk are the toughest deer in NA" etc.

I have no experience with the 7x57; but I know elk have been taken with .270, .308 and 30-06 and even lesser rounds. Is the 7x57 in this class? Or is it more of a "deer sized game only" round. Would heavier RN bullets be appropriate in this caliber for this application?

Curious if anyone has taken elk with the 7x57?
Click to expand...


Your quest to "not destroy the good parts " is directed entirely in the wrong direction. The amount of meat you ruin is entirely on your shoulders, not the gun/caliber. A whitetail can be shot with the biggest gun you can handle without ruining a hamburger sized amount of meat with a direct "thru both ribs" shot or a "directly down the throat" shot. Between the blinkers works as well but it is sometimes more difficult to make and if you do make the shot my opinion is that it "kills to quickly", the animals heart stops instantly leaving the meat all blood filled...much better meat with a body shot that the chest cavity has a couple gallons of blood drained into it.

However a shoulder, neck, back, hindquarters shot on a moose or elk with a .243 will ruin a minimum of a five gallon pail of meat.... Shot placement dictates the amount of wasted meat...not caliber.
 
The 7X57 is my all-time favourite cartridge... I have three at present, which is saying alot, because I have downsized significantly and it and .308 (X2) are the only duplicate cartridges I own. However, with your parameters, I would be more inclined to choose a .30 cal of your preferred flavour.
 
fingers284 said:
Your quest to "not destroy the good parts " is directed entirely in the wrong direction. The amount of meat you ruin is entirely on your shoulders, not the gun/caliber. A whitetail can be shot with the biggest gun you can handle without ruining a hamburger sized amount of meat with a direct "thru both ribs" shot or a "directly down the throat" shot. Between the blinkers works as well but it is sometimes more difficult to make and if you do make the shot my opinion is that it "kills to quickly", the animals heart stops instantly leaving the meat all blood filled...much better meat with a body shot that the chest cavity has a couple gallons of blood drained into it.

However a shoulder, neck, back, hindquarters shot on a moose or elk with a .243 will ruin a minimum of a five gallon pail of meat.... Shot placement dictates the amount of wasted meat...not caliber.
Click to expand...

Not in my experience..... A fast moving, high velocity cartridge creates more hydrostatic shock and causes more bloodshot meat around the wound channel than a slow moving big bore.....

And as much as I agree with you that shot placement is the most important factor in reducing meat damage, the hunter doesn't have control of where a bullet may deflect.... That being said, I have never seen any evidence of deflection from striking a rib....
 
7x57 is one of my favorite rounds, it is not under powered in any way. Pretty sure that Jack O'Connor's wife, Eleanor(?)....used it as a plains game round in Africa.

All that being said, unless i was holding a drop dead 7x57 rifle, i would choose the 7 mag every time. Very common, one of the three top "all around" calibers in NA, and ammo available everywhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom