ideal elk round
- Thread starter derk22
- Start date
Throttle_monkey1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
live4therut
CGN frequent flyer
This thread is showing a variety of choices, pretty well all of which will make decent Elk rifles if the respective range of the chambering is respected and the bullet placed in the correct spot.
I have shot 35 Elk, and have taken them with everything from the 264 Win Mag up. a couple with the 7x57, 1 with the 7mm Rem Mag, 4 with the 7mm STW, 5 or 6 with the 30-06, the rest have fallen to one of the big 30's [mostly the 308 Norma Mag]
One thread common to all my elk...they were shot with Partitions.
The longest one went without piling up was 80 yards, several died right there at the shot.
I agree that Elk are harder to put down than are Moose.
I suspect that the 338 would make a very fine Elk rifle, but have never used anything with that big a hole in the barrrel to shoot one myself.
Whatever one chooses, learn to shoot it well, use a good bullet, and place it properly. Those steaks sure are delicious!! Eagleye.
I have shot 35 Elk, and have taken them with everything from the 264 Win Mag up. a couple with the 7x57, 1 with the 7mm Rem Mag, 4 with the 7mm STW, 5 or 6 with the 30-06, the rest have fallen to one of the big 30's [mostly the 308 Norma Mag]
One thread common to all my elk...they were shot with Partitions.
The longest one went without piling up was 80 yards, several died right there at the shot.
I agree that Elk are harder to put down than are Moose.
I suspect that the 338 would make a very fine Elk rifle, but have never used anything with that big a hole in the barrrel to shoot one myself.
Whatever one chooses, learn to shoot it well, use a good bullet, and place it properly. Those steaks sure are delicious!! Eagleye.
I think some posters honestly think they are impressing someone with drivel like this. If they actually knew what sort of impression they were making, they might refrain.
I can recognize a horse turd on the road when I see one. LOL,
Eagleye.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If they actually knew what sort of impression they were making, they might refrain.
I can recognize a horse turd on the road when I see one. LOL,
Eagleye.
You said it... They impress those who don't know better, those who do, cringe...
Sure, the 280AI doesn't have the powder capacity that the 7mm Remington Magnum, and never will. All things being equal, the 7mm RM will always be faster when the bullet, powder, pressure and barrel length are equal. Cartridge shape etc, has little to no affect on anything in the relm of physics, it is capacity to bore size, and the .280AI crowd (most not all) seems to believe that their pet superceeds all the applicable and reasonable laws of physics.
3150 for a 140gr bullet in a 24" is the reasonable max for a 280AI. The same bullet at the same pressure will go 3250 out of a 7mm Rem Mag in the same barrel. It is that simple.
And yes, a 280AI makes it to factory 7mm Rem Mag velocities, but at higher pressures than the factory ammo. Not everyone likes to ride the redline.
And as that goes, both are very applicable to Elk.
And as that goes, both are very applicable to Elk.
That was all I was getting at. Sorry if saying "it performs LIKE the 7mm RM" gave you a wedgy or something. I have both calibers... which would be how I could see them perform very similar. Maybe you've only read about the .280AI, or tried one made by Nosler? I don't know.
Seeing how after being shot, an animal doesn't raise its head to congratulate you on how fast your bullet was going, I don't really care about the speed either.
Instead of a chrono, I shoot ballistic jelly blocks and I pay attention to bullet drop from 100, 200, 300, and I'll bet you have no idea how close a .280AI is to a 7mm in that department.
I have owned both, and found that neither had anything on the .270 Winchester, either on paper or in the field, so stuck with that and a .284 Winchester, a ballistic twin. In fact I find that the .270 through 300mag crowd is rather yawn worthy in ther ability to consistently create the same reaction on game within the 400yd mark. They all move a few yards and die, which is the "congratulations" I am looking for.
As for your lack of chronograph and need to pay for ballistic gelatin, good for you. There are holes in that statement not worth pursuing.
My experience with all said cartridges happens to come from the well over 100 game animals I have personally shot or witnessed shot, and that happens to be all the evidence I need. Are you happy now that your statement has been overly generalized?
ThanksSure, the 280AI doesn't have the powder capacity that the 7mm Remington Magnum, and never will. All things being equal, the 7mm RM will always be faster when the bullet, powder, pressure and barrel length are equal. Cartridge shape etc, has little to no affect on anything in the relm of physics, it is capacity to bore size, and the .280AI crowd (most not all) seems to believe that their pet superceeds all the applicable and reasonable laws of physics.
3150 for a 140gr bullet in a 24" is the reasonable max for a 280AI. The same bullet at the same pressure will go 3250 out of a 7mm Rem Mag in the same barrel. It is that simple.
And yes, a 280AI makes it to factory 7mm Rem Mag velocities, but at higher pressures than the factory ammo. Not everyone likes to ride the redline.
And as that goes, both are very applicable to Elk.
canadaman30
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Many elk are shot with 243win. and end up in a freezer. Pic a gun you can shoot with confidence and you'll never have to question it's ability.
