Got my first elk hunt this year - Help me pick a cartridge

[ryno111]

7 PRC!

 

[Flipper Dude]

30-06. 180g TSX

 

[samson7x]

My choice has been 6.5prc but I’m not familiar with that bullet which seems light for the cartridge. I’ve killed bulls with 140vld and 140eldx though.

 

[Aaron N]

Id love to get feed back on how a .30 cal raptor works on elk, so the '06 gets my vote

 

[Daisy]

A 375 Ruger, or H&H, shooting a 175 gr bullet just doesn’t sound right. Sectional density and BC can’t be very good. Minimum weight that I have used is the 250 GMX. They shot several inches high compared to my 300 gr Swift A Frame loads.

I suggest you take your 30-06 with some quality 180 to 200 gr bullets. I think Swift has 200 gr, .308 bullets available. Get within 300 yards and shoot your elk.

Youve got it backwards. It’s actually improved. Bullet diameter is greater.

G1 BC is 4. As good or better than any other ammo listed in the thread. A BC even as high as 6 wouldn’t show any benefit until about 600 yards.

So benefit is using increased case capacity to push a bigger diameter bullet at faster speeds. Leaves muzzle over 3k fps. Zero downside on the terminal end, only benefits.

You do have increased recoil.

I know this all goes against what we were taught growing up. But it’s still true

 

[Daisy]

The bullet he would be using is a solid 1 piece mono metal. SD isn’t a applicable function when comparing two different materials. Mono metal bulllets out penetrate their weight.

Exactly.

 

[Daisy]

My choice has been 6.5prc but I’m not familiar with that bullet which seems light for the cartridge. I’ve killed bulls with 140vld and 140eldx though.

110 raptor would out punch both of those. Have shot many things with both.

 

[nomspc]

I’d actually be fine with the .30-06 in good conditions, but weather, longer range and/or a tough angle make me want more mass and velocity. This was a 300 WM 200 grain Terminal Ascent, but the .30-06 would have been fine on this day.

 

[Daisy]

I’d actually be fine with the .30-06 in good conditions, but weather, longer range and/or a tough angle make me want more mass and velocity. This was a 300 WM 200 grain Terminal Ascent, but the .30-06 would have been fine on this day.

View attachment 609888

That’s beautiful.

I used terminal ascent before switching to CEB.

 

[gillettehunter]

I’ve been fortunate to kill close to 4 dozen elk. Many were with a .270 and a 150 gr bullet. Now days I usually consider my 7 SAUM as a minimum. I’d suggest dropping the 6.5 PRC from the list and any of the others will do just fine. If I was expecting my shot under 300 yds I’d use the 06. Longer I’d likely use the 338.
Bruce

 

[Berettaco]

Any of your listed will get it done. I am from Colorado and go back to hunt almost every year - have shot elk with 270, 7mm mag, 30-06, 300WSM, 300win and 50 cal muzzle loader. Prefer a near side vital and offside shoulder shot with a swift scirocco or aframe.
From your list of options I would choose the 338 first and 30-06 second - dependent as to what range you are limiting yourself to. Haven’t used a raptor but others have attested to their solid performance

 

[sgtsabai]

Admittedly my guiding and hunting times were many, many moons ago before we had access to the bullets we do now. I hunted in terrain that could produce shots from anywhere from 50 to 500 meters. I never liked it if a client showed up with less than 30-06. Longer shots demand a flat shooting, hard hitting cartridge. The main thing was could they hit the target and many could not. I did my best to keep a client's shot well under 300 meters. Even today, I'd still stick with my 300 WM, just with better bullets.

 

[1dirthawker]

don't use the lapua; a 3006 with 180+ gr bullet is a better choice.

the 375 ruger with 250 gr GMX bullets are a good choice as well, i have shot moose and caribou with that bullet and it worked great.

 

[Daisy]

don't use the lapua; a 3006 with 180+ gr bullet is a better choice.

the 375 ruger with 250 gr GMX bullets are a good choice as well, i have shot moose and caribou with that bullet and it worked great.

Really don’t want to turn into a bullet debate. I believe in the ones I chose!

 

[Bullthrower338]

338, but does that surprise anyone?

 

[WAB]

OK, I’m going to suggest a different direction. You’re using an R8, what better pairing for a German rifle for elk/red stag than an 8x68? It is about as perfect an elk cartridge as you could find and a perfect pairing for a German rifle.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Youve got it backwards. It’s actually improved. Bullet diameter is greater.

Bullet diameter is greater you say???? Won't it be a problem to squeeze it through the barrel?

The 250 gr Hornady GMX or now the CX is monolithic metal and is about the lightest bullet I personally would shoot out of a 375.

 

[Daisy]

Bullet diameter is greater you say???? Won't it be a problem to squeeze it through the barrel?

The 250 gr Hornady GMX or now the CX is monolithic metal and is about the lightest bullet I personally would shoot out of a 375.

Its diameter is greater than the caliber you would normally shoot a 175gr, such as a 308. Yes.

 

[EarlT]

300 WM. 180 grain Barnes TTSX

His original choices all suck. 300 WM way better.

 

[CoElkHunter]

338 win mag , 225 Barnes TSX

+1.