New Elk Hunter: Flatter Trajectory: Does it matter & What Caliber?

amosfella said:
In my opinion, I'd say that for the OP, a 270 Win would be the best choice for a first rifle. Shoots flatter than a 308 or 3006 with more energy imparted at 500 yards than either the 308 and 3006. Also, almost every store I've seen in the middle of nowhere stocks ammo for it... Most of the other cartridges I've seen mentioned other than 308 or 3006 are kinda hit and miss in the small town ufa, coop, general hardware store, or home hardware... Ammo availability helps when you forget your boxes of bullets on the kitchen counter at home, and realize it when you get to the place you're hunting...
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by your argument of what's on "small town hardware shelves"- you'd have him toting a 30/30- this "embarrassment " is negated by MAKING A CHECKLIST AND PLANNING YOUR HUNT IN ADVANCE- ie not just a grab and go hunt- a good 4 person guided hunt has at least 2 guns and ammo of the same caliber- and a shotgun for security- you ARE in BEAR country, you know
we have a SUPPORTING DEALER in Grande PRAIRIE- might be an idea to ck with him and the ATHABASKCAN hunters
 
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amosfella said:
In my opinion, I'd say that for the OP, a 270 Win would be the best choice for a first rifle. Shoots flatter than a 308 or 3006 with more energy imparted at 500 yards than either the 308 and 3006. Also, almost every store I've seen in the middle of nowhere stocks ammo for it... Most of the other cartridges I've seen mentioned other than 308 or 3006 are kinda hit and miss in the small town ufa, coop, general hardware store, or home hardware... Ammo availability helps when you forget your boxes of bullets on the kitchen counter at home, and realize it when you get to the place you're hunting...
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If your pre hunt planning is so poor that you run out of ammunition on a hunt; I definitely don't want to hunt with you. I know a few people that have run out of ammunition on hunts, and those clowns never even bothered checking the zero , when the replacement ammunition that they found was a very different load.
 
BULLCHIT- if you think you'll go through 1 box , carry 5- a hundred rounds is nothing in terms of weight- and in different containers- most tags only get 1 animal, even if you lose a horse, pack, and most if your supplies, you still have backup- the old army loadout of 100 rounds made a lot of sense, even if you're groundpounding- my rig has 2 usgi ammo pouches, 2 canteens and an alice buttpack- ie it's an old alice, but it carries just about everything you need- there's a spare mag, ammo, cleaning kit,( a segmented rod, not a pullthrough) all on that rig- yes, it's a squared away nam rig
 
t-star said:
there's a REASON you haven't heard of the 6.5 x284= it's a WILDCAT not available otc at your local hunting store let alone a big box- ie canadian tire- wholesale, cabelas etc - it's a 6.5 mm bullet on top of a 284 Winchester case- go this route and you or your friends have to get a press involved, custom dies, and have to be AVID handloaders- the 284 is NOT a common case to begin with( it's basically Winchester's version of a short 7mm) same length as the 308, but fatter ( ie you only get 4 in a magazine instead of 5) factory loads are non- existant afaik
I believe you're going to be into NEXT season before you finally settle on what to carry - by that time the rest of us have our animals in the freezer-even though you have the recommended answer and from authors with PROVEN track records
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Nosler, Norma, HSM make factory ammunition for the 6.5-284.
 
t-star said:
there's a REASON you haven't heard of the 6.5 x284= it's a WILDCAT not available otc at your local hunting store let alone a big box- ie canadian tire- wholesale, cabelas etc - it's a 6.5 mm bullet on top of a 284 Winchester case- go this route and you or your friends have to get a press involved, custom dies, and have to be AVID handloaders- the 284 is NOT a common case to begin with( it's basically Winchester's version of a short 7mm) same length as the 308, but fatter ( ie you only get 4 in a magazine instead of 5) factory loads are non- existant afaik
I believe you're going to be into NEXT season before you finally settle on what to carry - by that time the rest of us have our animals in the freezer-even though you have the recommended answer and from authors with PROVEN track records
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Pretty sure you said this........

No harm in not knowing. ;)
 
great thread this one.

I like how they get really really useful an full of info an then it all gets chucked out the window at 110kmh on the hwy............. try keep it together.

threads like this can make Stickies full of usefull info


WL
 
t-star said:
BULLCHIT- if you think you'll go through 1 box , carry 5- a hundred rounds is nothing in terms of weight- and in different containers- most tags only get 1 animal, even if you lose a horse, pack, and most if your supplies, you still have backup- the old army loadout of 100 rounds made a lot of sense, even if you're groundpounding- my rig has 2 usgi ammo pouches, 2 canteens and an alice buttpack- ie it's an old alice, but it carries just about everything you need- there's a spare mag, ammo, cleaning kit,( a segmented rod, not a pullthrough) all on that rig- yes, it's a squared away nam rig
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I take at least 50 rounds per rifle, and usually two rifles. If I fly, I split my ammunition into multiple bags.
 
What kind of shifts do you work?

I have a Remington 700 XCR2 in 300 wm with grains from 150 up to 200, though I'm sighted in with Hornady sst 180 grain.
I also have a 270 with a variety of grains and the dear missus has a 30-06 but she doesn't let me play with her toys normally.

I can probably meet you one week night in the next few weeks at the CSC... I'm back in town this weekend but should have time after I get settled in again.
 
Hi Dang!

Very kind of you to offer that! Actually, I just bought a .270 today, but I'd love to give the WM a try!

I work whenever I feel like it, which is generally a couple hours in the morning, so I'm pretty flexible. I live DT, so getting to the CSC only takes 10-15 minutes tops.

PM me and I'll pass you my mobile number and you can text me whenever you want to head down and squeeze off a few rounds. You have any handguns? I could bring my sig scorpion and CZ shadow. I think I've still got a few hundred rounds kicking about.

Dangphool said:
What kind of shifts do you work?

I have a Remington 700 XCR2 in 300 wm with grains from 150 up to 200, though I'm sighted in with Hornady sst 180 grain.
I also have a 270 with a variety of grains and the dear missus has a 30-06 but she doesn't let me play with her toys normally.

I can probably meet you one week night in the next few weeks at the CSC... I'm back in town this weekend but should have time after I get settled in again.
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I figured that might be the case, and with near zero recoil on my 12ga, I would have been shocked if there was anything outside of a .22 or .223 with less recoil. I'm going to grab my friend's 30-06 tomorrow and take it down tothe range sometime soon. ;)

blasted_saber said:
If you're new to rifles stay with the 3006.

The average recoil from a 3006 will still be significantly more then a 1 1/8oz target load from a semi 12g.
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hahaha!Not a bad yarn there and I'm sure that's happened just like that more times than anyone could count. :)

I went with a .270 win (Sako Deluxe I got off a gentleman here on the EE) as the rifle was quite aesthetic and as has been mentioned, trigger time is super important. So I guess I got lucky for buying a rifle in August rather June! ;)

Still need a scope, however... Talked to my buddy the other day and he said they had elk all over his property last year (there's a lake nearby, woods and open areas), and he was saying it's an elk's paradise. We'll see come time whether there were some exaggerations there...


t-star said:
of course you know what's going to happen - the op is going to show up at some big box store or gunshop, ask for an "elk " rifle, and some pimply faced kid who's never even seen an elk is going to sell him a bolt ,probably in 308 or 06 and a box of "shells" and maybe a 4x or 3x9 scope- all because he's desperate and it's WHAT THEY HAVE ON HAND- granted, it's not a terribly bad choice, and will get the job done, but the first 5 years he'll be lucky to even see an elk- and get a good pair of binocs and a good knife-that way you 'dn't have to use your scope for spotting
all the really good "elk " rifles were gone in may along with the ammo- but if you do get a 30, get a t least 180 180 grains moving at 2600 fps
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lol I see what you mean! But yes, very informative this has been.

WhelanLad said:
great thread this one.

I like how they get really really useful an full of info an then it all gets chucked out the window at 110kmh on the hwy............. try keep it together.

threads like this can make Stickies full of usefull info


WL
Click to expand...
 
Vengeance78 said:
hahaha!Not a bad yarn there and I'm sure that's happened just like that more times than anyone could count. :)

I went with a .270 win (Sako Deluxe I got off a gentleman here on the EE) as the rifle was quite aesthetic and as has been mentioned, trigger time is super important. So I guess I got lucky for buying a rifle in August rather June! ;)

Still need a scope, however... Talked to my buddy the other day and he said they had elk all over his property last year (there's a lake nearby, woods and open areas), and he was saying it's an elk's paradise. We'll see come time whether there were some exaggerations there...
Click to expand...

You made a excellent Choice in rifle and caliber given hell this season but leave one for me lol
 
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