Best elk cartridge: what are you actually using?

[FURMAN]

There are a lot of opinions on the best elk cartridge, but I’m more interested in what people are actually carrying into the field.


What cartridge are you currently using for elk hunting, what bullet are you shooting, and why did you choose that setup?


I’m especially interested in real-world experience from people using cartridges like the 6.5 PRC, 7 PRC, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, 300 WSM, 300 PRC, 338s, and everything in between.


What has worked well for you on elk, and is there anything you would change about your current setup?


Let’s keep this focused on actual elk hunting experience rather than just ballistic charts.

 

[Ladd]

My two biggest bulls were each taken with the 7 Rem mag shooting the 168 gr Berger VLD in HSM Trophy Gold factory ammo. Great ammo!

One bull dropped in its tracks at 700 yards. The other bull at 500 yards. DIRT, as they say.

I killed my first bull with a 180 gr 300 Win mag. Another with a 180 gr 300 RUM. Another with a 400 gr buffalo bullet out of a .50 cal muzzleloader and a few cows with the 7mm mentioned earlier.

I’ve settled in on the 300 PRC this year and will be shooting the 217 gr Berger for data collection and to finish out a two part video series on the Berger. Sorry, I’ve failed to get part one edited so I’ll do both at once, hopefully with two kills on video.

Talking to Chris and Milo last night, Milo is bringing his Fierce 7mm PRC shooting ELDx and Chris is bringing two, his 300 PRC custom built by Alamo, shooting ELDx, and his 375 H&H, not sure what he shoots out of that but probably doesn’t matter.

I will say my biggest bull, a mid 350 bull was my 2nd choice. There was a bull we figured in the 370s about 1100 yards out without a way to get to him through the elk. Very steep mtn and difficult shot shooting at that angle.

Funny, when I got back to my truck that night there was a note on the windshield with a question, “why didn’t you shoot the bigger one?” I am happy with what I did. I knew the limitations of my abilities, my rifle’s and the bullet/cartridge combo itself. I do want a bigger bull but at the time 350 was my biggest and I am very proud of him.

I’m sitting on 27 bonus points and am waiting it out, to draw what I consider the best unit in my state. Once you’ve seen a big bull, and I mean 375 or bigger, that is a bucket list item for me. My friend Keean has a bull that is 386 and holy F, it dwarfs a 350.

When I draw that unit I will be hiring someone, then taking my 300 PRC and will be shooting the 215 gr Berger Hybrid. I may reconsider and take my 338 Terminator with the Tangent Theta that shoots the 300 gr Berger OTM, but we'll see. It’s a bit heavier but I think it will give me 100% confidence to shoot long range.

 

[RBanta66]

So this year I'll be shooting a 30 Nosler and a Berger215 for my elk hunt. Chose this cartridge and bullet based on info gathered here on LRO. With one more range trip I'll be very confident in this rifle as it shoots great. Now my second choice would be my 7PRC and the 180 Hybrid. Ive got full confidence in this rifle and would not hesitate out to 800yds. This rifle is very accurate. Hopefully there is a mtn whitetail that's gonna eat a piece of lead from this rifle.
Killed my first elk with a 7Rem Mag and a 168 Berger VLD HSM factory ammo with no issues.

 

[scottrod338]

My first 3 elk were with the 338wm and a 225 accubond. No complaints there although one was about 125yds and the other 2 were between 250 and 300yds. All the rest of the with the exception of one have been with the tried and trued 300wm 215 Berger. All the 300wm elk either dropped or went 2 or 3 steps before falling over. Shots from 50yds to 630yds. The other one was with the 338 Edge at a little over 400yds, no surprise that one just dropped.

 

[tdogg]

I started with a Ruger M77 Stainless in 7 Mag. I have a Warm Nosler Accubond LR 168gr load that it loves. Only once did I have to make a follow up shot at 580 yds staring directly into the sun. I missed 6inches to the rear and she just stood there. The follow up shot dropped her.

I've taken at least 8 elk with the 7 Mag ranging from inside 100 yds to 580yds.

I've moved to a 7 PRC to light rifle (Ridgeline FFT) running Cutting Edge 160 gr Laser. It is has taken two elk one at ~350yds and the other at ~30yds. Both dropped. I moved to the cutting edge bullet to eliminate lead bullet hunting. I also wanted the explosive expansion with deep penetration. That is what the CEB delivers.

Cheers,
Toby

 

[FURMAN]

I started with a Ruger M77 Stainless in 7 Mag. I have a Warm Nosler Accubond LR 168gr load that it loves. Only once did I have to make a follow up shot at 580 yds staring directly into the sun. I missed 6inches to the rear and she just stood there. The follow up shot dropped her.

I've taken at least 8 elk with the 7 Mag ranging from inside 100 yds to 580yds.

I've moved to a 7 PRC to light rifle (Ridgeline FFT) running Cutting Edge 160 gr Laser. It is has taken two elk one at ~350yds and the other at ~30yds. Both dropped. I moved to the cutting edge bullet to eliminate lead bullet hunting. I also wanted the explosive expansion with deep penetration. That is what the CEB delivers.

Cheers,
Toby

CEB makes some great bullets, especially if you are looking for deep penetration.

 

[windypants]

As an elk hunting guide, I would tell people to bring anything (within reason) that they can reliably hit a paper plate at 300 yards with. In field conditions. It’s surprising how few hunters can do that. My preference would be .7mm minimum. But I wouldn’t think twice about a 6.5 if they could shoot. I wouldn’t recommend this, but I put down a wounded cow one time with the 25 creed/135 Berger. Dropped her in her tracks at 840 yards. I grew up hunting with a .270. I knew its limitations and picked shots accordingly. I would shoot them in the seam at 300 yards max, and expect them to run 50-75 yards before crashing. I never lost one.

I had a client last year that filled his tags (elk and mule deer), but I lost track of how many rounds it took. A lot! He wants to bring his sons back and asked what rifle (cartridge) should they get. All they had was 30-06’s. I told him to bring the 06’s—just spend the money on ammo and practice until they can hit that plate at 300.

For hunters that can truly shoot, I would recommend something shooting 215’s minimum. 245’s or 300’s would be even better. Something that does well in these big windy canyons. That opens up a whole new world of potential opportunities for an elk hunter. But only for those who pay their dues and truly learn to shoot out in these conditions.

 

[elkguide]

Windy said it well.
When I was guiding, I was always happy when my hunters rode into camp with a beat up .270 or .30-06.

Before we got on the horses and rode 30 miles to camp, every hunter went to the range to check their rifles. One hunter had stopped at Cabela's on his way to hunt and had picked out a Remington 700 .300 RUM without a brake. He couldn't keep 3 shots on paper at 100 yards and said that the scope must be off. The boss said, "Lanny, you're a good shot, you shoot that rifle." The hunter was right.... my 3 shots were 2" high and an inch to the right, but all touching.

I've had hunters using everything from a .44 magnum pistol, a guy and his father's old .30-30, a woman shooting her favorite .25-06, up to a guy with a big Lazzaroni and everything in-between. Give me a hunter that knows their rifle and shoots it often and I'm OK.

I only shoot 2000 - 3000 rounds a year anymore but any chance that I get to go after elk.... it seems to always be one of my .300 Win Mags. As to which bullet, I have used just about every bullet that you can imagine. The last few years I have been using 180 grain Cutting Edge bullets and have been very happy with the results. I love hunting elk, but I hate tracking a wounded elk. The only elk that I have shot that I ever had to track were ones that I shot with Eldx or Ablr.

 

[Willys]

I used 338 wm for 40 years quite successfully with 225 gr out to 400 yds.
In 2014 my son and I moved to 300 gr Bergers and Smk with Lapua, LapuAi, and 338-378 and that moved our average kills to 750-950 yds with zero losses. I know we could go smaller but at least we will never feel under-gunned. We hunt nasty breaks where you don’t want them traveling far.

 

[The Coach]

300 WM 200gr ELD-X Peterson Long Brass H1000 GM215M avg velocity 2984fps
For over almost a decade I was using 215 Berger's
I put a Proof Carbon on the rifle. This is what shoots best.
I have killed 4 cows with a 6.5PRC, 2 with 140 VLD's, 1 with 153 A-Tip, 1 with 156 Berger. All were head shots between 300-400yds.

 

[BCJR]

Being from the SE I’ve only killed 5 Elk. My first was over 30 years ago. So what do you think people used back then? I used a .300 win mag with 180 Nosler Partions. Great results with that combo on lots of animals. That gun had a 10 twist and liked those rounds. I’ve recently acquired a new custom built 300 win mag and it has a 9 twist and really likes the 215 Bergers so that will be my next elk shooter. However I might try my 7prc with 180 hybrids if the hunt requires longer shots.

 

[Spreedizzle]

300PRC out of my Gunwerks Endex.....I'll be shooting 2 different loads.

Option 1 is the Gunwerks loaded ammo with the 210 Berger, that is currently traveling at 2903 fps on the brand new barrel. Currently shooting at .36 MOA.

Option 2 is my handloads for my prior 300PRC, which are shooting great as well at .42 MOA. This is 215 Berger, over 79.5 grains of H1000 in Lapua brass with a 215GM primer. This is travelling at 2883 fps.

For any that would ask the difference between the 2 at 1000 yards is .7 MOA in drop and .2 MOA in drift (at 5 mph) with the advantage to the 215 berger.

 

[Rjk300]

My CA Ridgeline 300wm my primary carry rifle, the rum+p is second being 3# heavier. My new 300rum is strictly a truck gun because of weight but it will be in MT later this month also. These all spit 215 bergers!

 

[jmyers]

Leaving Saturday using my custom Nanook shooting 215s at 2940 very well