Hard hitting cartridge for Elk.

[Boboclown]

8mm Mauser. You can make your own 250 gr pills of fun!

 

[No_Regerts]

If you HAVE to use a 250gr bullet, buy a 338 win mag and cut the barrel to 22 inches to make it handier, then mount low powered scope.

 

[Vaultman]

Im assuming short range means timber? I'd buy a lightweight bolt action and put a low power scope with a bold reticle. Something like a Remington Model Seven, Remington 700 Mountain Rifle, Kimber 84 Montana, Tikka T3, even a Ruger American. Something light enough to not need to sling it all the time. Get it in 308 or 30-06. I'd load a heavy for caliber bullet that will penetrate so you can reach vitals from whatever angle you get.

I am with you 100% until that 2nd to last sentence. I am looking for about a 250 gr bullet.

375 has crossed my mind, the 35 Whelen would be great, and i think a 45-70 would be good to.
458 SOCOM, hmmm is there a manufacturer that makes them in a standard bolt action.

 

[No_Regerts]

I am with you 100% until that 2nd to last sentence. I am looking for about a 250 gr bullet.

375 has crossed my mind, the 35 Whelen would be great, and i think a 45-70 would be good to.
458 SOCOM, hmmm is there a manufacturer that makes them in a standard bolt action.

If looking for a 250gr, a 250gr 338 bullet will have greater sectional density than the same weight bullet in a larger caliber. It will give you greater penetration on quartering shots. 250gr at 2700 fps is nothing to sneeze at.

I'd be tempted to run a 210gr barnes TTSX at 2900 fps for a little less recoil. A 250gr jacketed lead bullet will likely shed enough weight after impact that it weighs less than 210grs.

 

[MasterChief]

I'm not a recoil sissy but those 45/70 lever action rifles are definitely not plinkers.

Get the ported barrel....really not bad

 

[Boboclown]

I wonder if the recoil of the mentioned rounds are as bad as launching rifle grenades.

Cause I almost dislocated a shoulder once doing that.

 

[Joe13]

Get a S&W 500 with a 10" barrel.

Pistols FTW

 

[74bronco]

take your pick of the below

 

[41mag]

Remington 180gr Core-Lokt

took my elk with 308 180gr soft point.....he was nearly a mile away running 56mph....etc

oh, sorry, forget the elk*story details...but it WAS a 308 that performed perfectly: it dropped my elk without an oz. of meat wasted.....hit the center mass of the C5 vertebra....elk went down immediately ....

 

[Stomper]

took my elk with 308 180gr soft point.....he was nearly a mile away running 56mph....etc

oh, sorry, forget the elk*story details...but it WAS a 308 that performed perfectly: it dropped my elk without an oz. of meat wasted.....hit the center mass of the C5 vertebra....elk went down immediately ....

Mic drop.... BOOM!

 

[Jamie6.5]

The .338-06 or .35 Whelen would be my choice for that. Next up would be the .358 Win, which can still be had in a lever gun IIRC.

One of the problems with elk, even at shorter ranges, is the terrain they're most often found in is usually damned steep. At high angles, trajectories can be deceptive, so while larger is better, slower complicates things.

 

[Vaultman]

Just looked at the 375 ruger.
Thinking about that or the 35 Whelen, 444 marlin, 45/70.

 

[Joe13]

Anything less the a 700 nitro is just taking too much risk of loosing your elk with a flesh wound.

 

[No_Regerts]

Just looked at the 375 ruger.
Thinking about that or the 35 Whelen, 444 marlin, 45/70.

.338 bullets come in the same weights as .358 bullets, but with higher sectional density and more penetration. If the 35 whelen is in the mix, I'd be more tempted to chamber the 338-06 if you didn't want to go magnum.

 

[No_Regerts]

Or, get something cool like 9.3x62 and shoot 286gr bullets.

 

[DirectDrive]

Or, get something cool like 9.3x62 and shoot 286gr bullets.

On a Mauser of course.

 

[Jamie6.5]

.338 bullets come in the same weights as .358 bullets, but with higher sectional density and more penetration. If the 35 whelen is in the mix, I'd be more tempted to chamber the 338-06 if you didn't want to go magnum.

See, that's he dilemma for me, and I've stated it here before.
I just can't decide between those two rounds, the .338-06 and the .35 Whelen.
One offers better sectional density and BC per grain, but the Whelen offers more Light-For-Caliber bullet options for handloads, and more choices of factory ammo.

I've been mulling this over for 3-4 YEARS and still haven't made up my mind.
If I could, I'd get both/have both built, and shoot them for a year or so.
And knowing me, I'd probably end up keeping both too.

Oh well.

 

[Stomper]

How about we ask the elk what they'd prefer?

 

[Boboclown]

How about we ask the elk what they'd prefer?

I think they prefer a pellet of salt. Not sure why, could be the not dying part.

 

[Stomper]

I think they prefer a pellet of salt. Not sure why, could be the not dying part.

Think of it as pre-seasoning before cooking it.