Elk Caliber comparison

[Koda]

Damn, I was using those cor-locked bullets my last couple years of hunting!!

No wonder I didn't find anything to shoot at

the core loked are just fine as long as they group well from your rifle. Id rather hit a large elk in the heart with a lightweight caliber core loked than in the gut with big heavy magnum premium bullet of choice.... the practical difference in bullet design alone is there but negligible with modern rifle velocities. By all means use the best bullet you can afford though might as well.

 

[Joe13]

I'm a fantastic shot so I don't have any doubts I could hit a heart at 200 yards off hand with just about any bullet as long as the critter isn't moving.

I'm damn good at clays also so maybe that transfers to Rifles though I'm not sure.

Today I'm practicing being modest. I find people doubt or hate on braggers

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Look at the old Remington Cor-Loketd, a very fine design that did a marvelous job pf putting meat in the freezer, would you even consider using that bullet today?"

I would, and do use her. I've taken more tonnage of elk than I can remember with the Remington round,,, as ancient and obsolete as it is.
I've never lost one and have kept many records of recovered bullets and have found them to be very durable with excellent weight retention, +80% on average.
I do reload for everything I/we shoot as a family, but can attest to the ability of the "deadliest mushroom in the woods" to flat do what it's supposed to do, and for an over the counter selection, do so at least as well as most of its class competition.

 

[JRuby]

If how good a elk cartridge is defined by the number of elk that have been taken with it I think it could be argued that the good old 30-06 is the best. If I only had one rifle for all my hunting it would be a 30-06 but what fun would there be in having only one rifle or round.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I'm not bashin on the Cor-Locked. I have, and still use them to harvest game when the conditions call for it!

 

[Joe13]

If how good a elk cartridge is defined by the number of elk that have been taken with it I think it could be argued that the good old 30-06 is the best. If I only had one rifle for all my hunting it would be a 30-06 but what fun would there be in having only one rifle or round.

Hunted with an old guy in OR a few years back that was left handed and had a lever action .308win that he bought at 25 and was 65 at the time we hunted. Said he had used it for all of his hunting over the last 40 years.

Saw his trophy room and he apparently was at one with his rifle because he has some impressive stuff in that room.

I'd like one hunting rifle, maybe 2 a one for the west side and one for the east side of WA but then I just want a bunch of toys

 

[pharmseller]

I said 30-06 for a lot of it's versatility - However there is another HUGE benifit of that round...

There are literally dozens of boxes of hunting rounds in EVERY store that sells bullets the day before hunting season starts.

That is NOT the case with some of the less used cartridges.

If you think ahead a few months or load your own then that's not an issue but I've seen the sporting good stores the day before opening day on big game. It reminds me of the day before Valentine's Day and a bunch of dudes crowding around the last few crappy cards and getting flowers from Safeway lol.

If a guy isn't serious enough about elk hunting that he needs to buy ammunition the day before the season starts, I'd prefer he stay home and help the missus in the kitchen. That's where he belongs on the holiest of holies, Opening Day.

The "ammunition availability" argument cracks me up.




P

 

[CoastRange57]

I have a 30-30 Model 94 my father bought me at 9 years old back in 1966. I took a 3 point deer that year with it and it has put some meat on the table over the years. I have dropped elk with it in Western Oregon. The last elk I took about 10 years ago walked by me in a stand of reprod at about 20 yards and dropped like a rock. It worked great as a brush gun in Western Oregon and as a saddle gun when hunting off horses in Eastern Oregon.

Elk or deer in the high desert I used a .30-.06.

I am selling raffle tickets for a Savage 30-06 for my fraternal group fund raiser. PM me if interested.

 

[bbbass]

Look at the old Remington Cor-Loketd, a very fine design that did a marvelous job pf putting meat in the freezer, would you even consider using that bullet today?

Yes I would! I've killed all my elk with a Core-Lockt. 7mm Mag, 300WM, and now 308. It is what my rifle is sighted in for, it is what I have, therefore it is what I use. I'm not going to throw out perfectly good rounds that still go boom and that kill just fine.

If I was handloading for hunting would I use something different?... Nosler or maybe Barnes.

 

[Koda]

The "ammunition availability" argument cracks me up.

that is until one realizes we are all human when they drove half way across the state and realize they left their ammo on the table at home.

and lets not forget about the last ammo crunch.

I do think availability is a valid consideration when selecting a caliber, especially for the one gun person.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I kinda ride both sides of the fence on the availability argument. On the one hand, having a common cal. available that I can find any place I go, sure makes things much more better Like Koda pointed out! On the other side, some hunts and game favor a more specialized loading that you just cannot find any where, it must be hand loaded!
For those situations, I always have a few rounds tucked away in my Jacket and a few more in my hunting rig, Just in case!

 

[pharmseller]

that is until one realizes we are all human when they drove half way across the state and realize they left their ammo on the table at home.

and lets not forget about the last ammo crunch.

I do think availability is a valid consideration when selecting a caliber, especially for the one gun person.

I must be less human than some, then. I've forgotten the whiskey, but never the ammo.




P

 

[Koda]

I've forgotten the whiskey, but never the ammo.

yeah, but like the 30-06 you can get the whiskey in most any small town...

 

[USMC-03]

yeah, but like the 30-06 you can get the whiskey in most any small town...

But seldom whiskey worth drinking...

 

[Koda]

But seldom whiskey worth drinking...

But even Remington core-lok's get the job done...

 

[USMC-03]

But even Remington core-lok's get the job done...

Well, as I've found over the years, when it comes to whiskey, women and bullets quality over quantity served the purpose and leaves less trouble in the wake...

 

[CoastRange57]

Well, as I've found over the years, when it comes to whiskey, women and bullets quality over quantity served the purpose and leaves less trouble in the wake...

Bet you did not feel that way when you were 20 years old.

 

[USMC-03]

Bet you did not feel that way when you were 20 years old.

You bet correctly; but 20 years old was a long time and a lot of miles ago. I like to think I'm at least a little wiser now...

 

[bbbass]

yeah, but like the 30-06 you can get the whiskey in most any small town...

Unless you're in a blue law state!

 

[pharmseller]

yeah, but like the 30-06 you can get the whiskey in most any small town...

Two things:
I'm a handloader so no, I can't get my ammunition in any town.

And I've seen factory loads from different manufacturers have significantly different points of impact even as close as 100 yards. So Bubba who forgets one of the Trinity (rifle, ammo, tag) on the kitchen counter (where he should be anyway on Opening Day) would have to re-zero his rifle when he gets to camp, which dollars to donuts says he wouldn't even consider.

So no, ammo availability IMO plays no part in cartridge selection.




P