Best rifle calibers for deer and elk hunting

[tac]

Love that rifle tac.
Andy

Best $150 I spent on a centre-fire rifle.....

 

[Gunner3456]

As for caliber, the guy already has an AR-10. Why not go .308 to consolidate calibers?

 

[Curt2933]

575 trex. YouTube it. Deff will kill a dear. Should be able to take down a elk

 

[titsonritz]

575 trex. YouTube it. Deff will kill a dear. Should be able to take down a elk

I assume you mean .577 T-Rex...

 

[Curt2933]

Lmao that's the one

 

[503_Hunter]

I bought a savage ultralight 6.5cm drop cow elk at 507yards. 143gr eldx. Lung shot and past through didnt hit any bones. Went 5 yards and fell over. Handloads similar to match the hornady precision eldx since i couldnt find them at the stores. I think my leupold vx5hd with cds helped a lot with my shot.

 

[3MTA3]

If I could only have one rifle for all lower 48 game, it would be a 280 ai with 160 partitions. A close second would be 270 win with 140 accubonds.

It approaches 7mm Rem Mag velocities only with less powder and less recoil.
It's a beautiful round with the 40º shoulder and straight case, kinda like lookin' at a bird dog and knowing he'll hunt.

Also easier on barrels, though that's not as much as issue in a hunting rifle. The 280 AI is a design masterpiece.

Wanted one for years, like teenage years and finally got one with part of the sale of my machine gun, a Savage Timberline. I even found brass and some ammo, both Nosler.

 

[Wyo79]

The answer to this is simple.
Ready ?!?!…….

The one you can afford, practice with and are completely comfortable shooting.
Anyone that says different is blowing smoke up your…..

 

[JRuby]

The answer to this is simple.
Ready ?!?!…….

The one you can afford, practice with and are completely comfortable shooting.
Anyone that says different is blowing smoke up your…..

I agree but it is an incomplete answer.. The cartridge that you practice with and are comfortable shooting must be up to the chore ( surely a 17 HMR does not make a deer cartridge ) and the rifle must be legal to use for hunting the game chosen ( large game typically does not allow 30 round magazies with a semi auto).

 

[fredoesway]

Its been all down hill when folks quit using these rifles :


View attachment 1045339

Just kidding....kinda...
Andy

yes and "smokeless powder is a passing fad" quote from Steve Garbe

 

[Andy54Hawken]

yes and "smokeless powder is a passing fad" quote from Steve Garbe

Don't really care for Steve Garbe....but thanks for quoting me.

That rifle pictured....is from 1800-1820...Its a antique J.Henry Trade Rifle.
.58 caliber....I took my last elk with it.
Andy

 

[fredoesway]

Don't really care for Steve Garbe....but thanks for quoting me.

That rifle pictured....is from 1800-1820...Its a antique J.Henry Trade Rifle.
.58 caliber....I took my last elk with it.
Andy

that shoots a big hole in this debate. i have my father inlaws muzzeloader maybe i need to start shooting it, i have taken 1 elk with a bow, that was a big thrill. i have taken a lot of flak about being a bow hunter over the years but i like to hunt and see game up close and personal, real hunting is becoming a lost art

 

[Andy54Hawken]

that shoots a big hole in this debate. i have my father inlaws muzzeloader maybe i need to start shooting it, i have taken 1 elk with a bow, that was a big thrill. i have taken a lot of flak about being a bow hunter over the years but i like to hunt and see game up close and personal, real hunting is becoming a lost art

Yep it does...both figuratively and literally....
My shot was around 80 yards or so...One hit...the elk went down.
When I was reloading the elk got up , ran about 20 - 30 yards and died.
The elk was hit in the heart and lungs.

My primary shooting and hunting rifle is .54 caliber Hawken Rifle replica.
it has taken :
Grouse
Coyote
Antelope
Deer
Elk
And black bear

All of the above have been one shot kills...ranges have been within my limits for my hunting skills and hunting shooting level.
The longest shot has been about 175 yards for the antelope.
I do know my rifle and load well as I have been shooting the same rifle and mostly the same load for over 20 years.

Actual hunting , hunting skills and hunting shooting * does indeed seem like a lost art at times....
What with all the talk / emphasis seemingly focused on solely just what gun / cartridge is "best" and or what new "tech" or item is a "must" use.

*By hunting shooting...I mean to say accurate shooting when you are cold , wet , tried , hungry....
And after you have been out all day , carrying your rifle....
As well as off the bench and not in a controlled situation , like at a rifle range.
Andy

 

[bbbass]

In my best (worst) Foghorn Leghorn voice:

Son, I say again, SON,

.22lr for the win!!!

 

[Savage Jav]

The answer to this is simple.
Ready ?!?!…….

The one you can afford, practice with and are completely comfortable shooting.
Anyone that says different is blowing smoke up your…..

Or right now its whatever you can find at an affordable price.

 

[Spitpatch]

Yep it does...both figuratively and literally....
My shot was around 80 yards or so...One hit...the elk went down.
When I was reloading the elk got up , ran about 20 - 30 yards and died.
The elk was hit in the heart and lungs.

My primary shooting and hunting rifle is .54 caliber Hawken Rifle replica.
it has taken :
Grouse
Coyote
Antelope
Deer
Elk
And black bear

All of the above have been one shot kills...ranges have been within my limits for my hunting skills and hunting shooting level.
The longest shot has been about 175 yards for the antelope.
I do know my rifle and load well as I have been shooting the same rifle and mostly the same load for over 20 years.

Actual hunting , hunting skills and hunting shooting * does indeed seem like a lost art at times....
What with all the talk / emphasis seemingly focused on solely just what gun / cartridge is "best" and or what new "tech" or item is a "must" use.

*By hunting shooting...I mean to say accurate shooting when you are cold , wet , tried , hungry....
And after you have been out all day , carrying your rifle....
As well as off the bench and not in a controlled situation , like at a rifle range.
Andy

Kinda funny how the skill, expertise and motivation for a clean kill comes from the human and not the implement.

 

[Zechariah]

Not sure if the OP (Matthew) picked a caliber yet but I wanted to recommend a BAR MK3 mine is 30-06 and it really worked well this year on both animals deer and elk. The recoil is very mild and I just loved everything about it out hunting this year. Very maneuverable, accurate, and fast follow ups.

 

[whiskeybill]

Growing up in Montana I knew plenty of old timers that hunted with whatever they had on hand, and killed game, no matter the rifle they had. Plenty of Elk & Deer have been taken with the 38-55 Winchester, 30-40 Krag, 30 WCF, .270, 30'06, 7x57 Mauser, 40-65 Winchester. The '06 was the prevalent rifle, just because so many of those old timers had served in both world wars, had confidence in the cartridge, and ammunition / rifles were available. The 6.5 Swede has been my favorite for over thirty years. Every elk and deer, whether Muley or Whitetails, that I have shot with it fell dead with a well placed shot. I had hunted for many years with the '06 and I have plenty of confidence in it, but for some strange reason that Swede really whacks 'em with considerably less recoil. As for the 6.5 Creedmoor, it has essentially the same ballistics as the Swede in a short action. I have never taken game with it, but I would not hesitate to hunt with it. I think my admiration of the Swede is that it's an old timer too. First issued to Scandinavian militaries in 1894, it just keeps going with a fine reputation that is often overlooked. Brass and loaded ammunition has always been scarce, so if you don't handload, that is a problem. Just about any of the aforementioned cartridges discussed in this thread will do the trick for you. You don't need a "Bottle of powder Magnum", just a well placed shot with a reasonably powerful and accurate rifle.

 

[Worksjo]

6.5-284 Norma: Deer
300WSM: Elk
These are obviously the best options because they are what I use. I'll update the thread with the new best loads if I change rifles just so everyone will know when there is a new best.

 

[Worksjo]

Growing up in Montana I knew plenty of old timers that hunted with whatever they had on hand, and killed game, no matter the rifle they had. Plenty of Elk & Deer have been taken with the 38-55 Winchester, 30-40 Krag, 30 WCF, .270, 30'06, 7x57 Mauser, 40-65 Winchester. The '06 was the prevalent rifle, just because so many of those old timers had served in both world wars, had confidence in the cartridge, and ammunition / rifles were available. The 6.5 Swede has been my favorite for over thirty years. Every elk and deer, whether Muley or Whitetails, that I have shot with it fell dead with a well placed shot. I had hunted for many years with the '06 and I have plenty of confidence in it, but for some strange reason that Swede really whacks 'em with considerably less recoil. As for the 6.5 Creedmoor, it has essentially the same ballistics as the Swede in a short action. I have never taken game with it, but I would not hesitate to hunt with it. I think my admiration of the Swede is that it's an old timer too. First issued to Scandinavian militaries in 1894, it just keeps going with a fine reputation that is often overlooked. Brass and loaded ammunition has always been scarce, so if you don't handload, that is a problem. Just about any of the aforementioned cartridges discussed in this thread will do the trick for you. You don't need a "Bottle of powder Magnum", just a well placed shot with a reasonably powerful and accurate rifle.

My Dad is the exact same about the 6.5 Swede he's got like 6 of them in various states. He has such a soft spot for them every time he sees one that's been beat up and abused he wants to "save it".