Lightweight Elk Rifle - help me decide

[Slagiatt]

Do you guys usually hunt in the dark ? How many lumens is your spot light ? Lol

You never killed an animal at last light?

 

[Curt2933]

That doesn't look like last light. And if it went 90' it didn't take long to fined. That picture looks like o dark 30

 

[Slagiatt]

Yeah or maybe before cutting it up he went back to his rig for a pack or who knows. A pic of somebody with a dead animal in the dark doesnt make them a poacher. Thats ridiculous. Anybody who has hunted much will end up with a dead animal in the dark at some point. Unless theyre the type thats back in camp by the fire sucking down coors an hour before dark.

 

[41mag]

Years ago I happened across the perfect budget elk rifle; my 'smith-sporterized Romanian Mauser 308 with 2-stage trigger; weighing under 6#; cost me $200.
Brought home the elk.

 

[pharmseller]

That doesn't look like last light. And if it went 90' it didn't take long to fined. That picture looks like o dark 30

Brother, I hope you're joking, because that's a mighty insult.

Maybe, just maybe, a 75 year old man kills a bull near last light, and needs help from his boys to gut and recover the animal. Maybe, just maybe, the younger of the two boys was a couple of miles away and needed time to get his pack board (look at the pic) and get over to him. Maybe, just maybe, the group took a bunch of pics in good light, but the 75 year old man wanted pics with his boys (one of which needed time, recall) and the light faded quite a bit in the interim.

Maybe, just maybe, that old man was good enough with that little rifle that it was all he needed.




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[No_Regerts]

if it works for you then run it. But I hear every year people loosing elk or blowing the bubblegum out of them cuz it won't drop. A well placed round is most important but a 7mm-08 is a deer round.

Would you hunt elk with a 7mm Magnum? Same bullet. Bullets do the killing, not the headstamp.

I was with my best friend and his son when he took an elk at 175 yards using a 140gr Powerpoint from a 7mm-08. $20 a box ammo and he not only dumped the elk, he got a good exit.

 

[pharmseller]

Years ago I happened across the perfect budget elk rifle; my 'smith-sporterized Romanian Mauser 308 with 2-stage trigger; weighing under 6#; cost me $200.
Brought home the elk.

Ain't nothin' a .308 in the right hands can't handle at ranges 99% of hunters should be shooting.



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[pharmseller]

if it works for you then run it. But I hear every year people loosing elk or blowing the bubblegum out of them cuz it won't drop. A well placed round is most important but a 7mm-08 is a deer round.

Spoken with the confidence of inexperience.



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[MrMillspecer]

At 12 years old I took an elk with a 257 Roberts. I'm not saying it's the best or even close. But with a shot behind shoulder blade the spike elk made it maybe 75 yards. Now days a 30/06 is my elk hunting rifle. An old mod 70 featherweight.

 

[pharmseller]

At 12 years old I took an elk with a 257 Roberts. I'm not saying it's the best or even close. But with a shot behind shoulder blade the spike elk made it maybe 75 yards. Now days a 30/06 is my elk hunting rifle. An old mod 70 featherweight.

My dad used to carry a .300 Wby Mag, shooting 180 gr Partitions. He shot a spike many years ago in a leave strip, 80 yards maybe. Two shots tight behind the shoulder, zipzip, the bull just sort of hunched up. Third shot broke his neck.

You never know. In my experience, however, "knockdown power" is a myth.




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[tkdguy]

View attachment 697986

This one went the farthest, 90 feet, before tipping over. A single 140 grain Accubond at 250 yards, through and through. Note the bright red wound behind the shoulder, halfway up. 2870 FPS or so, my handloads. My Dad's biggest bull. Bigger than most elk hunters ever kill, I'll wager.



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I missed something. What caliber too this elk? 7 mm 08? 2870 fps is impressive.

 

[pharmseller]

I missed something. What caliber too this elk? 7 mm 08? 2870 fps is impressive.

Sorry, I mentioned 90 feet in post #37, should have been more clear.

Caliber was 7mm, cartridge was 7mm-08. Nosler' s Trophy Grade claims 2825 FPS, my handloads are a little faster but not much. 45 FPS is insignificant unless you're shooting a looooong way.



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[pharmseller]

My apologies to the OP for the hijack. To recap, a .30-06 will do everything you need.

But a 7mm-08 will, too.

Edit to add, I know because I've done it. .300 Weatherby Mag (look those ballistics up!), .30-06, 7mm-08. So yes, I've been there.


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[PaulB47]

My elk rifle is a Winchester 1885 in .300 WSM. No, I haven't shot an elk, and probably won't as I am 70. But it is not a killer to shoot, even with 210gr bullets at a max load.

Still, if you are really doing a lot of hiking, a nice light .308 makes a lot of sense. Just keep the range under 200yds or so and you will be fine.

 

[pharmseller]

My elk rifle is a Winchester 1885 in .300 WSM. No, I haven't shot an elk, and probably won't as I am 70. But it is not a killer to shoot, even with 210gr bullets at a max load.

Still, if you are really doing a lot of hiking, a nice light .308 makes a lot of sense. Just keep the range under 400yds or so and you will be fine.

fify

 

[matts]

7-08
.308
30-06
.270
My first four choices

 

[Ura-Ki]

.30/06, problem solved!

 

[jake2far]

Winchester, 300 wsm feather weight.
Around 800-900 dollars

 

[turq]

Every elk rifle should be lite.
Mine is a Rem ADL re-barreled by Shilen to 35 Whelen 7 1/4 lb with 3x9 compact sling and shells (5). Longest shot was 125yrds. I hunted elk;;;I didn't set up and shoot at elk.

 

[pharmseller]

Every elk rifle should be lite.
Mine is a Rem ADL re-barreled by Shilen to 35 Whelen 7 1/4 lb with 3x9 compact sling and shells (5). Longest shot was 125yrds. I hunted elk;;;I didn't set up and shoot at elk.

I used to jump shoot bulls in the Cascades. You had anywhere between 3-7 seconds to identify the elk as a bull, and shoot. At eight seconds the horn went off and he got away.




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