Elk Caliber comparison

3MTA3 · Dec 8, 2016

Koda said:
That is a good explaination, makes sense. Even a small difference in bullet length would be enough to offer more options in grains... i would think.

I added some illustrations to my post that shows both rounds - it's pretty obvious when you look at them side by side that that looks to be the case.

Ura-Ki · Dec 8, 2016

DeadEye should be the grand master of the Swede for any tech you would ever need to know! For my part, I have always had great results using a 124 gr Spitzer and 140 gr round nose Norma PH line, both Bullets are hard to come by, but when needed, well worth the time and price.

Certaindeaf · Dec 8, 2016

Don't forget the 7x57 Mauser. Remember back in the day when all the writers would be talking about the best cartridge for this and that.. and they'd always give the 7mm Mauser a tip o the hat.

3MTA3 · Dec 8, 2016

Ura-Ki said:
DeadEye should be the grand master of the Swede for any tech you would ever need to know! For my part, I have always had great results using a 124 gr Spitzer and 140 gr round nose Norma PH line, both Bullets are hard to come by, but when needed, well worth the time and price.

Certaindeaf said:
Don't forget the 7x57 Mauser. Remember back in the day when all the writers would be talking about the best cartridge for this and that.. and they'd always give the 7mm Mauser a tip o the hat.

Both rounds are more than adequate for anything in North America that won't try to kill you back before they go down. Now I'm starting to jones for a 6.5x55. Thanks a lot.

Oregonhunter5 · Dec 8, 2016

Stick in the muds.
Live a little.

Oregon Rob · Dec 8, 2016

In my day I used my Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! But then I shot my eye out

Ura-Ki · Dec 8, 2016

3MTA3 said:
Both rounds are more than adequate for anything in North America that won't try to kill you back before they go down. Now I'm starting to jones for a 6.5x55. Thanks a lot.

So, go out and get three of um, then you can be cool, like me! I have a CG 63 and Re barreled 03 Springfield, and A Sweet Heart Husquvarna, ALL shoot lights out in 6.5X55 Swede!

Ura-Ki · Dec 8, 2016

Ah........the good "Old" 7X57 Mauser!!! How I lust for a nice Sporster Mauser 98 with extra fancy Claro wood stock!

bsa1917hunter · Dec 28, 2016

salmonriverjohn said:
I've taken elk with everything from the old .30-30 to a .45-70 double rifle (both barrels at once) and damn near everything in between.
My oldest daughter wrested my .338 WM from me at has taken six with it since then, she weighs approx a buck&45 lbs. she loves that old smoke pole.
Seven of those elk fell for me in a total of eight shots using the .25-06 with Nosler partition hand loads.
If you do your part, the rifle will do its. I've never lost an elk that I've shot using any of these calibers, but then again I've never fallen into the (gotta be a long range ultra sonic magnum) crowd that so many fall for.
To each their own I guess, but there are a bunch of "magnums" that were developed to catch those in the markets eye that have fallen by the weigh side, that didn't offer much if any improvement over their counter parts.

I do love the .338 WM for elk, what a sweetie, but to tell the truth I've went back to what I started with over a half century ago, the venerable old hide buster and skin bruiser .30-06 is all the rifle I'll ever need for all I'll ever hunt. But as I said, to each their own.
But please, there's no excuse for depending upon someone's "magnum" to compensate for poor shot placement, once the trigger is pulled all big bore long range BS goes right out the window after a poorly hit animal runs off to suffer a slow miserable death.

Awesome post man. I give you and your daughter both credit and big kudos... My youngest daughter (11) has started shooting with me and I think she's hooked. As for her shooting my 338wm, that will be quite a few years down the road. I love the cartridge and do shoot with it for practice, but not nearly as much as I shoot my 30-06 rifles. One thing about my 338wm is it's always ready to go elk hunting. It's always dialed in and spot on. It's probably the epitome of elk hunting rifles as far as I'm concerned. However, I started out on a 30-06 when I was 12 years old and I know how capable that cartridge is on big game. This year I decided to hunt my "new to me" sporterized m1917 (having grown up with a nearly identical rifle). Like I said, I love the 338 (it's in my Avatar), but the 30-06 just hits home more for me than anything else. I've seen guys come to their senses and make the full circle back to what they started out on. It also sounds like your daughter is hooked on shooting and hunting, keep up the good work sir.

Medic! · Dec 28, 2016

JRuby said:
Please tell me what a mans guns definition is.

bsa1917hunter · Dec 28, 2016

Medic! said:
View attachment 331642

Shouldn't those be closer to the butt? Oh wait, I'll bet you don't like them hanging down by your chin when you pull the trigger...

osprey · Dec 28, 2016

It seems elk hunters are the worst of the bunch for being closed minded about caliber . Shooting a caliber that you shoot well and proper bullet selection are probably more important than the caliber itself. The grand old swede has a great reputation for a reason. The sectional density on the. 6.5 bullets is high allowing them to penetrate well. With todays bullet selection I believe many calibers not considered traditional elk calibers can be used to great affect. I personally hunt all my big game with rifles chambered between 6.5 and 7mm, with none of them being magnum. It doesn't mean I have disdain for those that choose a larger caliber, I just do not see the need in my situation.

salmonriverjohn · Dec 28, 2016

@bsa1917hunter, thank you sir.
Buddy, having daughters that hunt with you beats hunting for your daughters hands down, and your a lucky man to have one.

Those three ladies are local legends around here, they have been very successful for deer, elk and bear year after year.
I honestly have no idea how many they have taken between them, but they've done their part.
Keep up the good work dad!

Oathkeeper1775 · Dec 28, 2016

clearconscience said:
I'm just going to get a Barrett 50 and know I have enough.
I'll just stick to under 100 yards to be safe.

The Ruger M77 African in 300WM looks like a good deal for around $940.00...

edit: Real Guns - The Ruger® M77® Hawkeye® African Rifle

Oh my Lord, I would love to have one of these...

edit 2: Some come equipped with a factory recoil compensator

pharmseller · Jan 2, 2017

This was an interesting discussion...

Knockdown power is a myth - www.ifish.net

I'm a big fan of the 7mm-08 cartridge paired with a 140 grain Partition at 2870 fps muzzle velocity. Or, for my dad's rifle, a 140 Accubond. Very close, in fact, to the venerable 7x57.

I believe that placement is the most important variable, with bullet construction second. I believe that lighter recoiling rifles promote better accuracy, as they are easier to shoot. I believe that "knockdown power" is a myth, based largely on my own experience.

I also believe that my opinion is worth what you paid for it, but I've put two bulls in the freezer, one shot each, with the farthest recovery distance of about a foot and a half. That's out of 13 elk. Six with a .30-06, five with a .300 Weatherby Mag. Upon review, there's not a one of them I couldn't have killed with the Mighty -08. In 2015 my dad took a nice 5x5 at 225 yards, one shot behind the shoulder, the bull went 90 feet or so. Pic is above.

I filled my buck tag this year on a good mulie fork in a wide open alfalfa field, one shot through and through at 541 yards. I practice a lot, because I'm not getting beat up every time I squeeze the trigger. It works for me.

P

No_Regerts · Jan 2, 2017

pharmseller said:
View attachment 332765

This was an interesting discussion...

Knockdown power is a myth - www.ifish.net

I'm a big fan of the 7mm-08 cartridge paired with a 140 grain Partition at 2870 fps muzzle velocity. Or, for my dad's rifle, a 140 Accubond. Very close, in fact, to the venerable 7x57.

I believe that placement is the most important variable, with bullet construction second. I believe that lighter recoiling rifles promote better accuracy, as they are easier to shoot. I believe that "knockdown power" is a myth, based largely on my own experience.

I also believe that my opinion is worth what you paid for it, but I've put two bulls in the freezer, one shot each, with the farthest recovery distance of about a foot and a half. That's out of 13 elk. Six with a .30-06, five with a .300 Weatherby Mag. Upon review, there's not a one of them I couldn't have killed with the Mighty -08. In 2015 my dad took a nice 5x5 at 225 yards, one shot behind the shoulder, the bull went 90 feet or so. Pic is above.

I filled my buck tag this year on a good mulie fork in a wide open alfalfa field, one shot through and through at 541 yards. I practice a lot, because I'm not getting beat up every time I squeeze the trigger. It works for me.

P

Ever notice how people describe the 7mm-08 or 270 or even 243 as being "good for beginners and women"? I figured that any cartridge adequate for big game in the hands of less experienced or recoil sensitive shooters would be borderline overkill in the hands of someone who really knew what they were doing. That is why Ive always described the 243 as an "expert's cartridge".

tac · Jan 3, 2017

Re: Osprey's POV and the 6.6x55SE.

Over here in Far Northern Europe, AKA Scandinavia, we have been shooting the Elg, a moose by any other name, but weighing up to 1400 lbs, with the little 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser.

Since 1896.

My own elg, taken back in 1990 on a cull, weighed just over 1100 pounds, but it was starving. A seventy-five metre shot with a beat-up m/38 carbine and open sights, shooting 140gr Norma stuff, did for him right where he stood. He dropped as though switched off - a merciful release instead of dying of starvation.

It's true that Swedes and Norwegians are now finding the joys of .30-06, 9.3x72/73 and 74 and other similar calibres, but for over a hundred years the meese did not seem to know that they were being killed by a 'not big enough' bullet.

tac