Im fairly new to hunting. As a Brit there isn't the accessibility that America offers. I moved to Texas last year and this year I'm excited to tag some deer. Randys videos are great, no nonsense, full of knowledge and not a 10minute advertisement for the latest gadget.
If you are in Europe 2 great cartridges are a 243 winchester or a 6.5x55 Swedish. The Swedish is a cartridge known for great performance on game for nearly the last century and ammunition is prolific over in Europe.
I'm a hunters Ed instructor in Utah and I get asked this question often. I tell them one they can shoot accurately and comfortably. It does you no good if you flinch when you pull the trigger trying to anticipate the recoil. I have no problem hunting elk with my 243. I'm going to get close enough and I'm accurate with it so I'm confident in my shot. Love your videos.
You are absolutely correct. And thanks for being a hunter education instructor. I still remember mine from 1965 and watching trigger happy Harry movies.
I used to own 7mm Rem Mags for years. As I got older, I realized the extra recoil / punishment on my shoulder really wasn't necessary. Now I use .308 and 30-06 (have both) for all my large game hunts. They're both virtually equal regarding capability and effectiveness, but I tend to gravitate towards the short action of my .308 only due to feel and comfort of that particular rifle. Both those calibers are just as deadly as my 7mm! Whitetail, Elk and even Moose can be harvested with a .308 or 30-06 with relative ease. I also hear amazing things about the 7mm-08 which I'd also take without hesitation!
in the same boat haha - bought 2 7mm RMS for me and the wife - man they are pretty brutal. Had i known what i know now id have gone for the 08! 30% less recoil!
THANK YOU!!! This video is exactly what is needed! My first rifle was a .30-06, and that is what I've always stuck with. 165 grain Accubonds do the trick on elk, and 165 grain ballistic tips on deer and antelope. My friend uses a .308 loaded with 150 grain pointed soft points on everything and has killed elf every year. I get so frustrated when I hear so many people talk about how you need a magnum to kill elk. ESPECIALLY when they say they just bought a .300 RUM so they can take a 600 yard shot! Guarantee they aren't a good enough shooter to take that shot....especially with a gun that kicks so much!
Sonny Vigallon yeah how true.If most people would stay away from the magnum calibers they cant accurately shoot anyway and get a good 3006 with good 180 gr noslers or trophy bonded tipped they would have no problem killing elk.
Well, that is the very best take I have ever heard. Randy, you are a Gem. After 55 years of hunting with just 2 "Lost" animals, one of which I found 3 weeks later after it had slid under a deadfall in a steep gully, it is indeed all about placing that bullet. Now I have messed up. I have spent hours tracking for miss-hit deer, but always got lucky except for one. I have used .308, .270, .243, 7 mm mauser, 6.5 x 55 Swede and lately a 7mm Rem Mag as I age and become more staionary. They all work when shots are placed correctly. However, the bigger hitters give you an edge. Don't forget that.
Thanks! It's so encouraging to hear that you use a .308, especially after having several people tell me "you need at least a .375 shoulder-buster magnum to kill elk. Anything less and you'll have a tracking job on your hands." I heard that before the doughboys came back from WWII, the old timers hunted elk with .30-30's and thought the .30-06 Garands were overkill. I love my .308 Win with 180 gr Nosler Accubond (white tips) for elk. The last elk I shot didn't complain one bit! For kids starting out, you can start them at the range with a reduced load, like a 125 gr Ballistic Tip over 41.5 grains of IMR 4895 for 60% of the recoil. When they're ready to hunt, you can sight in with the elk loads. They will learn to handle their rifle without developing a flinch, and they'll have more fun doing it! I talked my buddies into shooting .308 too, and now I've got enough brass to last a lifetime...
I went through that phase of thinking I needed to biggest, baddest, caliber I could find. I did that for a few years and surely killed many elk. Then, when I started searching for lighter weight rifles that would still kill elk without crazy recoil (and no muzzle break), I settled on the .308 Win. And I have now killed the majority of my elk with that cartridge. Best of luck to you.
Living in S.E. Montana I have killed whitetails, muleys, antelope and elk all with my Winchester model 70 7mm rem mag using 140gr ballistic silvertips.
7mm-08 is indeed underrated. It strikes a great balance in regards to high velocity, efficient ballistics, low recoil, and decent bullet weights. Great for deer, elk, hogs, wolves, and there's even some videos on youtube of people dropping moose in their tracks at close range with 7mm-08.
I have a Model 99 Savage in 300 Savage caliber I inherited from my grandfather. It has done a good job over the years on deer and elk. I used to use 150gr Hornady Interlock Spitzers. I am working up a 165gr reload for it. I also have a 30-06 and a .270 Win. All good calibers.
The guy that taught me too shoot told me. "Shot placement and distance to target is EVERYTHING. no use in trying to make a 500 yard shot on the bull moose with a .243. But close that distance to 40 yards with proper shot placement and a strong bullet.......Different story". In the field you're a hunter first, shooter second. Learn how to stalk and get in close to your game, then place that FIRST shot in the right place. Above all else....PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE shooting with your rifle in the rain, wind and snow. Learn how you and your gun react under tough conditions.
ruthless4645 That's why I chose the 7mm Rem Mag because I may have to/want to take a shot at 500 yards and it will kill anything in North America-with good shot placement.
That is some great advice your coach gave you. Unfortunately, very few hunters really take it to heart. Just read some of the responses to your posting and other comments on this thread. Lots of "I need to know I can hit it at 500 yards and it will die" nonsense. A true hunter wants to get real close and make that first shot hit the most vital part of the animal's vital organs, and be the only shot needed. Also, shooting an elk at 500 yards (or more) increases the odds that the shot won't be as effective as it would be if one were closer. That means tracking an animal known for moving miles after receiving a fatal but not immediately debilitating wound and your starting to track from over a quarter mile away. I've always felt that if hitting targets at 500 yards or more is what attracts you, then you should get into long range target competition shooting.
Ruthless4645 and Wayne Parker AMEN! ‘Get as close as you possibly can to ANY game, and put the first one exactly where it needs to go’ is the best advice ever given. ‘Use enough gun’ is good too, AS LONG AS YOU CAN HIT WITH IT. Placement trumps all else, with a suitable caliber/proper bullet a close second. The guy that was told a ‘7mm is too small for deer’ ( ANY 7mm... 7mm Mauser, 7mm/08, 7mm-06 ( .280 Rem.), 7mm Rem. Mag.) needs to find a smarter ‘gun store guy. He is full of BS! Personally I’d pick a 7mm/08 and never look back. My opinion.
@@larrygreen4058 That is one caliber I have always viewed as rather interesting. A 7mm bullet driven by a 30-06 sized case must have some astounding ballistics. The sectional density and BC of this caliber will retain energy well at longer ranges, and coupled with a quality bullet, it should drive deep and destroy massive amounts of tissue on it's way through. The 280 Remington deserves more attention than it gets.
bowhunter 85 yeah, honestly a shotgun or a muzzleloader will do it at 100 yrds. No need for a magnum at those ranges. 30-30 or 35 rem, 44/357 mag would be fine at those short ranges too for deer. Oh the 6.5 creed is on my list. Had my eye on it for a bit. Be a good pronghorn,mule deer caliber in my mind if i ever get to go out west. Ive seen vids of people taking elk with them too.
i believe ya, havent seen one that wasnt accurate yet. I was just speaking with a outfitter that must be a magnum junky. He said he likes only 300 mags and not a 30-06. Should at least be good with a 30-06 out to 500 yards in my opinion. I saw a guy on yourtube get one with a 308 at 800yrds. Farther than id try but he did it and its a 30-06 short basically. Yardage id try depends on how good i can shoot my rifle. Im good with making 500 my max, preferably closer. I dont want wounded lost animals. Possibly got some major home/sewer line repairs, so probably no 6.5 for me this year. As popular as they are they aint going anywhere.
People are getn them with 6.5s too. I dont have a 308, just 06. im thinking 6.5 for pronghorn/mule deer but not against for elk. I just like idea of the 30 cals just in case of a bear attack. You can keep 200+ grainers on your buttstock cartridge holder.
I even thought about the 375 ruger. Then your good for everything and its a no nonsense bear stopper if need be, but rifles chambered in it usually are a bit hefty.
Thanks Randy Newberg for this straight forward, sensible elk hunting video. I totally agree with you about closing the target distance, using the best ammo and shooting the most accurate cartridge. This video dispels the many stories of hunters who take shots in excess of 600 yards for no good reason. Thanks again!
Mr Newberg I have shared this video to many new Elk hunters over the past 3 years, you speak clear truth about calibers, shot placement and range one can reliably get a clean kill. Thank you sir.
I've always used my 300 WM with 100,% success. With that said, I can understand that not everyone can or wants to shoot a 300 WM. Therefore, you should first and foremost be familiar with your rifle and have the ability to be as accurate as possible. Great video with great advice.
Randy - Another great video. It is awesome to hear someone with the authority of lots of experience provide hunting information. Lots of gun magazines and bloggers lead people to believe their deer rifle is insufficient for elk (e.g. 7mm-08...got to have a 338). Your experience is irrefutable proof to the contrary. Your emphasis on accuracy, the right ammunition, and shot placement are spot on. Keep up the great work and God bless!
I have a Winchester Model 70 280 Remington and I stopped counting at 24 Elk. The Barnes 140 grain X bullet never required a second shot to seal the deal. It's comfortable to shoot and I'll never burn out the barrel.
As said before, 100 yards and you have no worries in caliber. People should pride themselves on a close stalked kills, and should not be bragging about distance, unless it's paper punching.
Have to agree... even hunting on the high prairies and plateaus of northern B.C. it is a rare thing to have to shoot over 400 yrds... trigger time ( to achieve proper bullet placement) is paramount, and if you can stalk your prey to closer distances you are the superior hunter... practice all conditions and at your extreme yardage, but closer is always better... i also agree, keep hammering them until they drop... as my uncle hammered into me, 3 quartes in the freezer is better than 4 in the bush... I've never been able to prove him wrong on that, lol
A long time Wyoming guide told me that he only recommends two calibers for western game. The .270 and 30-06. I have killed everything from a coyote, wild boar, mule deer, antelope, elk and if all goes well this year, a shiras moose with my .270. I love that gun but I am lucky enough to own several bolt guns in .223, .243, .308, .270, 30-06, .338, 7-08 and 6.5 prc. Randy is right, find what is comfortable for you and use it. To me it is my .270 but debating cartridges is part of the fun and occurs around campfires during hunting season. All good clean fun.
sheepdawg I used to hunt elk and mule deer with a .270 got the job done no problem then bought a .300 Remington ultra magnum and I love that rifle, in real life where there’s an infinite number of different scenarios where sometimes you can’t close the distance, maybe you place a poor shot for some reason, the bigger caliber will help you reduce a lot more factors then a small caliber
.308 Accubond Nosler Trophy out of a Kimber Mountain Ascent has served me well. Drops elk and mule deer in their tracks. Very accurate combination. Great video. Thanks.
That's an excellent bullet. It pays to spend just a bit more on your ammo by either getting factory loaded with premium bonded bullets (the Accubond is one) or by rolling your own with premium bonded or homogenous bullets for hunting, especially for bigger critters like elk. My .30-06 brought down its first ever deer last fall, loaded with my reload consisting of a Federal case, CCI 200 primer, 57 grains of IMR4831, and 165 grain Barnes TTSX bullet. The buck didn't go fifty feet before dropping.
I think its funny how people say “308/7mm-08/270” makes a good “beginners” or “womens” cartridge. If a beginner can take animals cleanly with a 7mm-08, and “expert” surely doesn’t need a magnum. Good video!
Great advice. I went on my first elk hunt 15 months ago. People were saying 7mag or 30.06. I have a 30-30 that I love and am very accurate with. Due to pressure, I used a 7mag at 80 yards. Two shots and down. Wish I had taken my 30-30. At 80 yards with the ammo I had in it, it was very capable. Wish I had used it instead. The trip would have been just that much more memorable.
Got a Cow Elk in N.Idaho with a 6.5 Grendel @ 208yds and it went maybe 5 feet down the hill and then folded. I've put down Brumbies in Australia with .22LR's from a little over 100yds. Everything is shot placement for me. I'm born/raised in Oregon with property down near the legendary Roosevelt stand on the Alsea river (the flat off Little Switzerland was the best place to catch them early in the morning) and we saw sign of Elk who had been shot and lived every year.
Great videos Randy! I was handed a 30.06 at age 12 and still pack one 23 years later. Starting out with an 06 is how we build character up here in NW Montana. I've shot deer, elk and bear using an 06 with great success over the years and have never felt the need to go to a larger caliber.
Stock fit is everything. I shoot a model 70 lt wt laminated 30-06, factory 22" bbl. Best stock profile ever made for a factory rifle! My other favs are Howas and Vanguards, but the model 70 pushfeed is still my all-time fav! I like Remington as well for varmint and ligher rounds, but the 06 in a remington is more punishing recoil in that ADL or BDL style stock. They are accurate rifles but the Model 70 fits me best! In short, 06 is a pleasure to shoot, even heavy grain, as long as that stock fits you well!
agreed my man 30-06 is probably the best calibre i hunted with one for most of my time but switched to a 308 for the lighter weight, but if i had a 06 that would match my 308 in weight i would still be shooting it
I have a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 SM. Tack driver accuracy. After seeing this video, I think I'll take that one on my elk hunt this year. Thanks for your videos Randy.
I think that one other thing people tend to forget is how much energy is being dumped into the target by the bullet. Even a FMJ will take down an animal ethically if it starts tumbling once inside the target. It's energy HAS to be mostly dumped into the target. That's why soft points and polymer tipped are so effective because they mushroom and use the mass it is going through to slow down. After seeing a few other videos, I am considering using 6.5 grendel for elk. The bullet it lighter, but seems to dump its energy well into the target.
There are 2 vids on RUclips with elk kills with the grendel: One is on a cow at roughly 100 yrds and another was over 390 yrds by a 14yr old girl on a very nice bull. There are other listings and reports, those were the vids. They were using a 123 grain SST. Many keep saying it's anemic, even with the proof before them for fear of unethical shots with such a caliber.
I think that will work for you in Sweden a lot of people hunt swedish moose ( almoust the same size or maybe little bigger). 7mm08 are very simular to 6.5.
Thank you! Common sense! If you can't hit the elk with your .300 Remington Ultra Mag (and you probably can't), it wouldn't matter if you were using a .338 or a .375. A cowboy I knew in Colorado's San Luis Valley used a .25-35 WCF from 1934 until he passed away in 1988. Most were 1 shot kills, seldom 2 shots. He said the range varied from 5 yards to 75 yards, but most were shot under 50 yards. I'm not advocating that small of a cartridge, but he fed his family with it. My wife used a .308 for years very successfully. A friend uses a 7x57 Mauser. I have killed about 30 elk over the years and mostly used a .30-06 with Hornady 180 gr bullets for years. Most were 1 shot kills. Today I use a .270 with Barnes 130 gr. bullets. Most shots have been between 100 and 300 yards although one was at 5 yards and one out at 475 yards. I don't recommend the long shot, but it was silhouetted on a hill at sunset standing still and it was a 1 shot kill with the .270. You don't need a cannon, you need practice with the rifle you are going to use. BTW, the same cowboy won a $50 bet in 1954 that he could rope and tie an antelope. They don't make them like Elmer anymore.
As a new hunter and new sub I appreciate Randy’s clam demeanor and knowledge. There is so much junk on the internet. I really like this guy, I don’t feel like he is yelling at me.
that's some pretty open area he's hunting, hunt in the pacific north west where its super dense and not as easy to stalk and get a closer shot with a million trees in your way.
With todays competitions between the best cartridges and calibers for deer/elk/moose/Martian/vampire, this video made me feel a lot better about my cartridge selection. Thank you for the quality content.
I bought a 7mm mag as an all-purpose hunting rifle 12 years ago and I'm still amazed at how it performs on game. A round in the bullseye means end of story. Having cast my vote for favorite cartridge, I agree with Randy 100%. Most important thing is to practice- different shooting positions, different distances, different conditions. Know how your rifle performs, know your limitations and the limitations of the cartridge you use. As a hunter, there's nothing more satisfying than a "dead right there" before you can close the bolt to chamber another round, and nothing worse than following a blood trail for hours.
I love the 7mm-08. Better ballistics than the 308 with more velocity. Don't get me wrong. I love the 308 too. But less recoil with less holdovers and wind drift what's not to like.
Coy Bowyer compare 7m08 150 grain eldx vs 308 178 grain eldx. by 350 yards 7m08 beats 308 energy wise. so past 350 yards it has more energy drops less, drifts less in the wind and has less recoil
@@jumpy5064 Neither the .308 nor the 7mm-08 should be used to kill deer at more than 350 yards anyway. The .308 has more sectional density if you use a 180-grain bullet, which makes more difference in killing power than the difference in energy.
Thank God somebody has a realistic take on this! Randy and Wayne Van Zwol are the only sane people left in the hunting world! Close. Getting close is what makes it a hunt. Getting close is also what kills game. At 100yrds all rounds are very lethal if they strike vital organs. And at 100yrds almost anyone can make a bullet strike vital organs...though i have missed an entire animal from less but hey.
Andrew Wolter Yes . finally someone who has it down .getting close and placing your shot.THATS HUNTING. NOT THIS BANGING AWAY AT 600 YDS AND BEYOND.I love it.bet his advice really turned the ANY SHOT UNDER 800 YARDS CROWD GREEN.
Andrew Wolter yup you got it.stalk in close and put s good bullet in the vitals .Dead elk. Hunting is getting in as close as possible not this bullshit 600 to 1000yd shit.All that does is wounds and loses animals.Anyone saying they kill elk at 1000yds and beyond with creedmoors or another light round are simply full of shit and SLOB HUNTERS too damn fat and lazy to hunt like the ones out there getting in close for a SURE SHOT.
I couldn’t agree more with you guys. I commented above on ‘long range hunting’ being crap. All it takes is one step at the same time you pull the trigger, and you have gut shots at those ranges. The .300 Weatherby I would use for elk I would not shoot past 400 yds MAX.... just too dicey. My .270 and .30-06 are 300 yds Max! I would do whatever possible to get as close as I could before firing. The ‘armchair snipers’ mentality makes me nuts. Kudos to those that still have some common sense left!
Randy, you and your crew are simply the best. I feel as if we are talking to each other over a beer. Keep the vids coming. Also a big fan of the pod cast.
Randy Newberg, Hunter Why the switch to .308 from .270? I’m a new hunter and purchased a .308 based on your advice. I live in the southeast and shot my first 3 deer this season using 150 grain partitions.
I think it's preference, bullet availability, and rifles that come chambered in whatever round you want. Can't speak to his reasons but I can say that my personal opinion is that the .270 is more versatile then the .308 and competes with the .308 on one end of the spectrum and the 6.5 Creedmoor on the other end of the spectrum, to name some popular ones. I am susceptible to buying into the conventional wisdom but from all the ballistics that I have seen, the .270 seems totally underrated.
A .270 loaded with 150gr. Partitions is DEADLY to 300 yds.+ easy. Same with a 30/06 with 165 to 180gr Partitions, Accubonds, Barnes TSX/TTSX, etc. Plenty of horsepower, PLACEMENT is what makes the kill.
Man I love hearing this honest view point, well done Mr. Newberg. I've taken most of my cow elk with my 243 and all my bulls with my 270. It's always an interesting discussion with people who say you have to run a 338 or whatever huge caliber for elk. If you want to carry that in the woods so be it but I'm sticking to my tried and true 270.
I love my .308 and I love it for Elk Hunts here in Eastern KY, Personally I use 180 grain Winchester Super X .308 ammunition the ballistics are astonishing on it and it’s a lot of 1 shot drop for Elks as it blows a pretty solid football hole in them.
Great answer. People get way to bent out of shape over it. Always feeling a need to have some new oddball cartridge that is supposedly better than anything else. Or that bigger is always better. Id say buy something lighter that is $20 a box over something that is $50 a box so you can afford to practice and actually become proficient. In all reality it doesn't matter that your whatever extra super mag can kill an elk at 1000 yards when you cant hit something past 200. Iv seen of a lot of this where just because your equipment can do something, people automatically think they are somehow capable of it.
LOL I've shot at a range with a $300 rifle shooting 1 inch groups, and there's always somebody bragging about their $5000 rifle and how accurate it is. I take a peek in my spotting scope and he has a 6 inch group. lol
I have several rifles but wasn't sure any of them were right for my daughter. This video convinced me that the 7mm-08 would be a great choice for her. I'll be taking her shopping when I come out to visit her in Missoula this summer. Thanks again!
I had a couple friends offer me their '06 when I drew a NH moose tag. They didn't think my .270 win was "big enough". I'll admit I should have practiced more and upgraded my scope but when the shot came the moose went "thump". It did take a couple more rounds to keep it anchored but it never succeeded in standing back up. My bigger concern when choosing my rifle caliber was availability ( and being a Jack O'Connor fan what caliber choice did I really have ?). Would I be able to find the caliber in the local bait, bullets & wedding dress shop in East Overshoe, 3rd Buckle up, Maine in the unlikely event I forgot the box at home? The whizz-bang gotta get one probably wouldn't be too available.
I am a .270 believer. I am a west coast high country hunter and my .270 has served me well. Too many one shot kills on mule deer, antelope, and elk to recall. 130 gr. Nosler BT dropped my elk this year. I anticipate drawing a moose tag in the next few years in WY and I asked an old time WY guide what caliber he recommended and he said .270 and he has killed more game than I will in 3 lifetimes. I just read Jack O'Connor killed all 32 species with a .270 in a 140 gr. partition. Randy Newburg is correct. Shot placement is everything and over the years I have built confidence in my Model 70 in .270 cal. To me that is the more important point. Beware of the man with only one rifle. Happy hunting.
Buy a 30-06 or 308 this is almost a guarantee all over North America you can walk in the hardware store and find ammo . These 2 calibers will do most anything in North America. You don't need a 6.5 , 280, 7mm 08 or any other hard to find round. We could narrow the whole 200 different calibers to about a dozen . I know it will hurt a lot of guys feelings but there's no need for all these calibers
Went to buy my first rifle Mossbarg patriot 6500 Creedmoor with vortex for $650 buy few recommendation got me buying Browning AB3 308 with leupold scope for $999. Hope it will be one all-rounder from WT to Moose and 50% extra price worth it .
Great video with some excellent points. I have never hunted elk, and I have been researching to determine if my .308 was up to the task. It looks like it will be just fine. Thanks for sharing this info. Scott
Nailed it!!! Experience with the cartridge and riffle to place the bullet where it needs to be in that one moment. The Elk Talk podcast is money too! Thanks for sharing.
Best Elk hunting advice ever! I've been preaching it forever. Close the distance! Thanks Randy for this video. I use a .280 and close the distance as much as possible!
Glad it made sense. Given how this choices is so much a personal preference, I expected a lot of blow back, but so far it has all been good. Good luck this season.
My thoughts exactly! Sambar deer in Australia are similar in size to an elk. In the 80’s everyone used 30/30’s, 303’s, 308’s, or 270’s. When it was legal I used a 6.5x55. Now all the new shooters are saying you need a 338 or 300 win mag or even a 375 h&h. It’s all about shot placement.
knowing where ur bullet will hit.. well say.. any bullet will take an elk.. research b4 using small calibers... 243 will take an elk.. so anything bigger can too.. take ur time and whatever you r after.. will drop.. love the video
kong vue Anyone taking a 243 for elk is seriously UNDER GUNNED.YES you dont need a 375 but you. Dont take a 22 250 for african lion either although a close perfect shot would kill it provided he cant get to you.
My old man bought a M700 300 WM in 1981 for a 1982 elk hunt. He used five round to sight it, one round (Rem Core-Lokt 180 gr) to get his 4x4 Colorado Bull....I have a few rifles, but I want to use his to harvest its second ever game animal.....using the ammo from the same old box. It's going to be great!
Yes, I shot an elk last week with my 25-35 , one round with 110 grain FTX bullet. I shot from 75 yards and the elk walked about ten yards and fell over. Your 25 06 would be better.
East Texas Deer Slayers It would but there are much better choices out there.If thats all you got get in close like under 400 and put that nosler in the boiler room.
I took my first bull this year @ 215 yards with a .308. The first shot was fatal but the guide advised me to shoot until he dropped, so I placed a total of 3 rounds, all fatal. When I asked about caliber, his reply "Whatever you can hit with". He then told me a story about a client who missed 17 times with a custom .338 Lapua that he had built just for the hunt. The guide told me, "I'll take your 3 hits with that .308 than his 17 misses with a .338 any day." I used a 165 gr. bonded bullet with great results. We recovered one of the bullets in the hide. If anything, I might would switch to a 180 gr. in the future. Thanks for the great content and the no-BS content.
I'm just a deer hunter but I've been doing it for over 40 years now. Almost any gun larger than .223 works at under 200 yards on large northern Minnesota whitetails. .243, 7mm-08, 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel. I've used them all and started my kids on them so they don't develop a flinch right out of the gate. The problem comes in at longer ranges and situations where an ideal follow up shot placement isn't possible. And let's face it. Sometimes shots don't go where you plan. That's where a .270 or 30-06 can and will make a difference.
Great topic! I try to tell my friends this type of stuff and they think I'm crazy, some people will never learn lol keep the great content coming Randy!
There are over a dozen 6-point bull elk on my shop wall that evidently did not get the memo that some of your friends sent out saying that a .308 Win is not a good elk caliber. A few more that proved the .270 Win 150 grain Partition to be adequate elk medicine. Best to you this year.
When I get a chance to hunt elk I am going to use my 308 win or my 280 rem. Both loaded with Accubond bullets. I use 165 grain Accubond in my 308 for whitetail in Southeast Oklhoma. I would not think twice about shooting an elk with that load.
It will work fine. I killed my elk last month with a .270 with 130 gr Nosler BT. 100 yards broadside. Passed right through but the elk only ran 25 yards and collapsed. I want to build up a load with the accubonds.
If it works why punish yourself with more recoil. Not only will some smaller rounds work, but they also tend to go further while dropping less and maintaining higher speed.
Great video. I use the .30-06 and my wife uses the .308 (Ruger American Compact...the wife is small in physical stature...but she did her best with the Model 70 in .30-06 for several years). Again, great video!
Now tell them 1/4 MOA rifle doesn't help a 5 MOA shooter 😂😂😂. Watch the steam roll out them ears. Then tell them 1.5-2 MOA will kill elk and their heads will explode.
If I have narrow down my rifles to just one, I would keep my 3006 because of the versatility and flexibility with the wide variety of ammo available, 125 gr. for javelina, 150 for deer, and 180 for elk. I have taken all of these with an 06. The cost of ammo is where I can afford to practice enough to be proficient.
Tom Hawkins great minds must think alike. WHEN I get to go out west I'm taking my Win model 70 in 30-06. Probably gonna have a 180 or 165 sierra btsp on top of some H4350 if i had to guess.
If I can't get a rifle to shoot 1 moa, then it goes in the closet. A wise old man once said though, there are a lot more 2 moa shooters than 1 moa rifles.
Everyone says I'm under powered on mine... 5.56 hot loads with 62gr Barnes TSX It's legal in Kansas and has never failed to drop a deer within 20 yards and typically they drop where they stand
I live in the east so the only caliber big game hunting rifles I have are : 30.06, 308, and 3030! But from what you said I should be fine at decent range and shot placement .! The only other calibers I’m interested in are a 300 win mag and a 7mm rem mag.
You can talk bullets till your red in the face, but the Remington core lokt works outstanding and has for many years. You don't need the best newest "super bullet" any seasoned hunter will agree... just some advice for those new to hunting
Jon Smith Core Lokt bullets are good, but I still think that John Nosler created the perfect hunting bullet all those years ago after a failed moose hunt.
i appreciate this man's philosophy. to paraphrase "a larger calibre round will not make up for bad shot placement". there are both ethics and ballistics in that statement.
7mm-08 or the 308 would be my first choice personally. I use a 308 for both deer and also bear paired with a 165 grain hornady sst and they do a number when you hit deer with them
16 elk over 30 years....M70 .30-06 3-9x Luepold ..180 gr Nosler Partition 2780 FPS 3" High @ 100 yards zero at 250, -4"@ 300 yards still has 2000 FP @ 300 ..... 9 elk Western Wa longest shot 227 yards shortest 31 yards average 119 yards...Eastern Wa ( Okanagon ) 7 elk longest shot 324 yards shortest 75 average 190 yards total shots, 18 ( 2 elk took a second bullet was a little too far back) Accuracy at 100 yards (averaged after 60 3 shot groups) , .0.81" .. Every year the firearms companies come out with some new Super Zapper but the reality is, though there have been little improvements here and there, pre scouting, practicing at various distances, positions and knowing your rifle/load are 10xs more important. The M70 is 82 years old, Nosler Partition 65 + years, the .30-06 over 110 years. It may not sound glamorous but simple, reliable , effective I'll take every time over flashy. .... Good Hunting
Washington hunter here as well. I also shoot a 30-06 and Remington Core-Lokt ammo in 180 grain. Great all American round with the most diversity in grains of ammo.
Love the advice given in this video. I just bought a Mauser 98 Custom chambered in .30-06 for the express purpose of hunting deer, bighorn sheep and (hopefully someday) elk. Please keep up the great work and happy hunting!!
You will do fine with that rifle. When hunting elk, make sure you have quality bullets and the elk will be in danger. Good luck and thanks for watching.
My only addition is that where there is elk.. there is often grizzly bears. I have personally defended myself against a charging grizzly with a 375h&h, i rarely carry that rifle because it weighs 13.5 lbs but i thank my lucky stars every day that i was.Thats the only reason you wouldn't see me out hunting with a very light deer cartridge.
Just stumbled across this one, well said. I use a 6.5 Creedmoor and have taken many, many deer and types of them as well as 2 bull and 1 cow elk. Furthest shot I took on the elk was about 250. It is more about a reasonable shot, that you as a shooter are comfortable making with the caliber you are comfortable shooting. Native Americans and people still today shoot elk with a sharp pointy stick, no reason a smaller caliber cannot get the job done if you do your job.
I just bought a 6.5 creedmoor today. but its a PSA Gen3 AR10 with 20" barrel... i have heard good and bad things both about the AR platform (as far as accuracy) and the PSA brand (again, as far as accuracy) for 6.5 cm. do you think it will still be elk hunt worthy as far as accuracy or have you not used AR platform before with 6.5 cm?
I’m planning on a Fall of 2022 Elk hunt and have been thinking of buying a 300 win mag. I came across this video doing some research. I think I’m going to save the money on a new rifle and hand load some quality bullets for my 280 Remington and do more shooting with my old Faithful. Thanks for the video!
he said you can kill a elk with the rifle you have i have a lot of rifles but the main one I use is a .177 air rifle and I dont think that can kill a elk
308 and 6.5CM are my go too for Elk . 338 Fed is my go too for Moose. I only use the AR Platform . I've never had any issues with any type of weather at all.
Kerry Purcell that's because the 6.5 Creedmoor is over hyped. anything that it can do, the 6.5x284 will do better. with equal accuracy. plus there is the 260 Rem, 6.5 Rem Mag, and the grand old 6.5x55 Swede. for me, the Creedmoor is an exercise in redundancy. so what if barrel life is better. that's like passing up on a Boss Mustang because the Corolla gets better gas mileage. if you burn out a barrel.... it can be replaced for not a lot of bucks.
High Plains Drifter even if you don't like the creedmoor it's still a capable elk round. The 6.5's in general are excellent for hunting, regardless of what flavor they are.
why is a 6.5 creedmoor over hyped? The 6.5x284 ammo cost over twice as much. Even the brass is crazy expensive. the 6.5-06 can do anything a 6.5x284 can do and the brass is used 25-06 which is free if you stop by a range. The creedmoor is accurate and is less effected by wind than any 30 cal under 200 gr. Accuracy is king. I like 7mm-08, 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5-06, 7 rem mag. I have several 30 cal rifles, I'm just not a fan. I like just about every gun and caliber ever made and collect them if the price is right. That's what this whole article is about though. Hunt with what you shoot the best.
Like you said, shot placement and range is key. If you're a competent shot, know where to aim, and can get close you can use what many would consider to be a sub optimal cartridge for elk like a 243. In my case I only carry one gun for everything I hunt here in Idaho- a browning with 26" barrel in 338WM that weighs around 7.5 pounds with leupold glass. If doing a pistol hunt then it's a ruger redhawk in 44 mag. Practice makes perfect.
Agreed, 300WM or 45-70, depending on terrain and grizzly bear presence, are my favorite. By far the most versatile rounds I found after looking at a ridiculous amount of load data for many calibers I was considering.
I have shot elks with .308 and 6.5x55SE, both will work really well at normal (under 200m) distance. I have a supressor in .308 and brake in swedish, so follow up shot is fast to do as kick is non existent. Both guns have been in long range shooting as well and both hits targets to over 1000m.(not animals). I have been thinking to get .300 win mag as there's time to time possibility to take longer shots from stands to open field. I would not shot elks with .308 / swedish to over 200m, due lack of power. Win mag have enough knock down power to kill elk in humane way to bit over 500m. I have seen ppl shooting really badly to close distance with .375HH, several shot to one elk. It's truely is not about superior knock down power if shot is not placed correctly. Very good video Randy. I hope that many hunter would see this!
PK PK all the 6.5's are excellent for hunting. The penetrate really well. Bullet selection is important, choose a good bullet and you'll be fine. Too many people have magnumitis
Took an elk this fall at 150 yards using a 6.5 creedmore rifle with a Hornady 129 grain SST round. The bullet went clean through both lungs busting through a rib on the other side.
Keith Sage Love mine too.To hell with all those saying you dont need a magnum.Ive seen too many elk hit with 2506 and 270 in the right spot and had to put them down. Cuz they still had enough left to reach the timber if my Big 7 hadnt stopped them.If you wanna take a 25o6 or 270 thats your choice but I believe in stopping em.
Nothing wrong with using any of the popular Magnum rounds, as long as you CAN HIT WITH IT. I have a Weatherby Mark 5 in .300 Wby. Mag that fits me PERFECTLY, and I can shoot it accurately as easily and comfortably as my ‘06 or .270. It’s all about placement, not just horsepower. And rifle fit is 90% of the comfort factor, with a good recoil pad helping too.
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Must of watched this video 20 times lol and finally bought my first Howa 1500 in 308!! Definitely my favourite RUclips channel 👍
Thank you. Best of luck this season.
Im fairly new to hunting. As a Brit there isn't the accessibility that America offers. I moved to Texas last year and this year I'm excited to tag some deer. Randys videos are great, no nonsense, full of knowledge and not a 10minute advertisement for the latest gadget.
Revisiting this. Got a white tail buck last season. Excited for this season.
If you are in Europe 2 great cartridges are a 243 winchester or a 6.5x55 Swedish. The Swedish is a cartridge known for great performance on game for nearly the last century and ammunition is prolific over in Europe.
@@damianzenger3429 70% of deer rifles in the UK are .243 Win or as they say over there, 'Two-four-three.'
I'm a hunters Ed instructor in Utah and I get asked this question often. I tell them one they can shoot accurately and comfortably. It does you no good if you flinch when you pull the trigger trying to anticipate the recoil. I have no problem hunting elk with my 243. I'm going to get close enough and I'm accurate with it so I'm confident in my shot. Love your videos.
Thanks for being a hunter education instructor. We owe all of you a debt of gratitude. Glad the video resonated with you. Best of luck.
You are absolutely correct. And thanks for being a hunter education instructor. I still remember mine from 1965 and watching trigger happy Harry movies.
I used to own 7mm Rem Mags for years. As I got older, I realized the extra recoil / punishment on my shoulder really wasn't necessary. Now I use .308 and 30-06 (have both) for all my large game hunts. They're both virtually equal regarding capability and effectiveness, but I tend to gravitate towards the short action of my .308 only due to feel and comfort of that particular rifle. Both those calibers are just as deadly as my 7mm! Whitetail, Elk and even Moose can be harvested with a .308 or 30-06 with relative ease. I also hear amazing things about the 7mm-08 which I'd also take without hesitation!
in the same boat haha - bought 2 7mm RMS for me and the wife - man they are pretty brutal. Had i known what i know now id have gone for the 08! 30% less recoil!
I'm getting the same way with my 7mag I've hit 70 and have went to my 308 more, getting old socks but still getting is ok .
THANK YOU!!! This video is exactly what is needed! My first rifle was a .30-06, and that is what I've always stuck with. 165 grain Accubonds do the trick on elk, and 165 grain ballistic tips on deer and antelope. My friend uses a .308 loaded with 150 grain pointed soft points on everything and has killed elf every year.
I get so frustrated when I hear so many people talk about how you need a magnum to kill elk. ESPECIALLY when they say they just bought a .300 RUM so they can take a 600 yard shot! Guarantee they aren't a good enough shooter to take that shot....especially with a gun that kicks so much!
Similar to my experiences. Stick with what works for you and enjoy your hunts. Thanks for watching.
You're friend is not cool...killing elfs should be illegal
Absolutely some with me
Sonny Vigallon good on your buddy, elves are satans servants
Sonny Vigallon yeah how true.If most people would stay away from the magnum calibers they cant accurately shoot anyway and get a good 3006 with good 180 gr noslers or trophy bonded tipped they would have no problem killing elk.
Well, that is the very best take I have ever heard. Randy, you are a Gem. After 55 years of hunting with just 2 "Lost" animals, one of which I found 3 weeks later after it had slid under a deadfall in a steep gully, it is indeed all about placing that bullet. Now I have messed up. I have spent hours tracking for miss-hit deer, but always got lucky except for one. I have used .308, .270, .243, 7 mm mauser, 6.5 x 55 Swede and lately a 7mm Rem Mag as I age and become more staionary. They all work when shots are placed correctly.
However, the bigger hitters give you an edge. Don't forget that.
Thanks! It's so encouraging to hear that you use a .308, especially after having several people tell me "you need at least a .375 shoulder-buster magnum to kill elk. Anything less and you'll have a tracking job on your hands." I heard that before the doughboys came back from WWII, the old timers hunted elk with .30-30's and thought the .30-06 Garands were overkill.
I love my .308 Win with 180 gr Nosler Accubond (white tips) for elk. The last elk I shot didn't complain one bit! For kids starting out, you can start them at the range with a reduced load, like a 125 gr Ballistic Tip over 41.5 grains of IMR 4895 for 60% of the recoil. When they're ready to hunt, you can sight in with the elk loads. They will learn to handle their rifle without developing a flinch, and they'll have more fun doing it! I talked my buddies into shooting .308 too, and now I've got enough brass to last a lifetime...
I went through that phase of thinking I needed to biggest, baddest, caliber I could find. I did that for a few years and surely killed many elk. Then, when I started searching for lighter weight rifles that would still kill elk without crazy recoil (and no muzzle break), I settled on the .308 Win. And I have now killed the majority of my elk with that cartridge. Best of luck to you.
Living in S.E. Montana I have killed whitetails, muleys, antelope and elk all with my Winchester model 70 7mm rem mag using 140gr ballistic silvertips.
@@Fresh_Tracks is 7mm a good elk rifle
7mm-08 is indeed underrated. It strikes a great balance in regards to high velocity, efficient ballistics, low recoil, and decent bullet weights.
Great for deer, elk, hogs, wolves, and there's even some videos on youtube of people dropping moose in their tracks at close range with 7mm-08.
Got my first moose yesterday with a browning x bolt micro midas was a spike bull dropped him 180 yards with a heart shot
I have a Model 99 Savage in 300 Savage caliber I inherited from my grandfather. It has done a good job over the years on deer and elk. I used to use 150gr Hornady Interlock Spitzers. I am working up a 165gr reload for it. I also have a 30-06 and a .270 Win. All good calibers.
The guy that taught me too shoot told me.
"Shot placement and distance to target is EVERYTHING. no use in trying to make a 500 yard shot on the bull moose with a .243. But close that distance to 40 yards with proper shot placement and a strong bullet.......Different story".
In the field you're a hunter first, shooter second. Learn how to stalk and get in close to your game, then place that FIRST shot in the right place. Above all else....PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE shooting with your rifle in the rain, wind and snow. Learn how you and your gun react under tough conditions.
Great advice. I agree with all of it. Thanks for watching.
ruthless4645 That's why I chose the 7mm Rem Mag because I may have to/want to take a shot at 500 yards and it will kill anything in North America-with good shot placement.
That is some great advice your coach gave you. Unfortunately, very few hunters really take it to heart. Just read some of the responses to your posting and other comments on this thread. Lots of "I need to know I can hit it at 500 yards and it will die" nonsense. A true hunter wants to get real close and make that first shot hit the most vital part of the animal's vital organs, and be the only shot needed. Also, shooting an elk at 500 yards (or more) increases the odds that the shot won't be as effective as it would be if one were closer. That means tracking an animal known for moving miles after receiving a fatal but not immediately debilitating wound and your starting to track from over a quarter mile away. I've always felt that if hitting targets at 500 yards or more is what attracts you, then you should get into long range target competition shooting.
Why did a store guy who hunts tell me today a 7mm was to small a cal to take deer im confused did he just give me preference advice
Ruthless4645 and Wayne Parker AMEN! ‘Get as close as you possibly can to ANY game, and put the first one exactly where it needs to go’ is the best advice ever given. ‘Use enough gun’ is good too, AS LONG AS YOU CAN HIT WITH IT. Placement trumps all else, with a suitable caliber/proper bullet a close second. The guy that was told a ‘7mm is too small for deer’ ( ANY 7mm... 7mm Mauser, 7mm/08, 7mm-06 ( .280 Rem.), 7mm Rem. Mag.) needs to find a smarter ‘gun store guy. He is full of BS! Personally I’d pick a 7mm/08 and never look back. My opinion.
Great advice ! I use a .280 Remington, probably one of the most overlooked and underrated cartridges out there . I love it !
Guaranteed - .280 does everything well except for dangerous game
@@larrygreen4058 I'm a Grizzly and I damn sure don't wanna be shot with a .280. OUCH!! I'M DEAD!!
@@larrygreen4058 That is one caliber I have always viewed as rather interesting. A 7mm bullet driven by a 30-06 sized case must have some astounding ballistics. The sectional density and BC of this caliber will retain energy well at longer ranges, and coupled with a quality bullet, it should drive deep and destroy massive amounts of tissue on it's way through. The 280 Remington deserves more attention than it gets.
The 30-06 is still a great option, and is way more capable then many suggest.
For sure. The .30-06 has taken more game than probably any caliber out there.
bowhunter 85 yeah, honestly a shotgun or a muzzleloader will do it at 100 yrds. No need for a magnum at those ranges. 30-30 or 35 rem, 44/357 mag would be fine at those short ranges too for deer. Oh the 6.5 creed is on my list. Had my eye on it for a bit. Be a good pronghorn,mule deer caliber in my mind if i ever get to go out west. Ive seen vids of people taking elk with them too.
i believe ya, havent seen one that wasnt accurate yet. I was just speaking with a outfitter that must be a magnum junky. He said he likes only 300 mags and not a 30-06. Should at least be good with a 30-06 out to 500 yards in my opinion. I saw a guy on yourtube get one with a 308 at 800yrds. Farther than id try but he did it and its a 30-06 short basically. Yardage id try depends on how good i can shoot my rifle. Im good with making 500 my max, preferably closer. I dont want wounded lost animals. Possibly got some major home/sewer line repairs, so probably no 6.5 for me this year. As popular as they are they aint going anywhere.
People are getn them with 6.5s too. I dont have a 308, just 06. im thinking 6.5 for pronghorn/mule deer but not against for elk. I just like idea of the 30 cals just in case of a bear attack. You can keep 200+ grainers on your buttstock cartridge holder.
I even thought about the 375 ruger. Then your good for everything and its a no nonsense bear stopper if need be, but rifles chambered in it usually are a bit hefty.
Thanks Randy Newberg for this straight forward, sensible elk hunting video. I totally agree with you about closing the target distance, using the best ammo and shooting the most accurate cartridge. This video dispels the many stories of hunters who take shots in excess of 600 yards for no good reason. Thanks again!
Mr Newberg I have shared this video to many new Elk hunters over the past 3 years, you speak clear truth about calibers, shot placement and range one can reliably get a clean kill. Thank you sir.
I've always used my 300 WM with 100,% success. With that said, I can understand that not everyone can or wants to shoot a 300 WM. Therefore, you should first and foremost be familiar with your rifle and have the ability to be as accurate as possible. Great video with great advice.
Randy - Another great video. It is awesome to hear someone with the authority of lots of experience provide hunting information. Lots of gun magazines and bloggers lead people to believe their deer rifle is insufficient for elk (e.g. 7mm-08...got to have a 338). Your experience is irrefutable proof to the contrary. Your emphasis on accuracy, the right ammunition, and shot placement are spot on. Keep up the great work and God bless!
Thanks for watching. I am not an ultra-caliber guy, as most have come to learn.
I have a Winchester Model 70 280 Remington and I stopped counting at 24 Elk. The Barnes 140 grain X bullet never required a second shot to seal the deal. It's comfortable to shoot and I'll never burn out the barrel.
What a good video. I agree completely. I’ve hunted with a .308 for years. When I hit my target it has no problem.
As said before, 100 yards and you have no worries in caliber. People should pride themselves on a close stalked kills, and should not be bragging about distance, unless it's paper punching.
Agreed.
EXACTLY!!!!!
I agree @TheHyENA87. I like the fun and excitement of moving int he terrain and getting as close as possible.
Have to agree... even hunting on the high prairies and plateaus of northern B.C. it is a rare thing to have to shoot over 400 yrds... trigger time ( to achieve proper bullet placement) is paramount, and if you can stalk your prey to closer distances you are the superior hunter... practice all conditions and at your extreme yardage, but closer is always better... i also agree, keep hammering them until they drop... as my uncle hammered into me, 3 quartes in the freezer is better than 4 in the bush... I've never been able to prove him wrong on that, lol
@Bighorn44 None a hundred yards is a hundred yards no matter where your at what dont you understand about that.
A long time Wyoming guide told me that he only recommends two calibers for western game. The .270 and 30-06. I have killed everything from a coyote, wild boar, mule deer, antelope, elk and if all goes well this year, a shiras moose with my .270. I love that gun but I am lucky enough to own several bolt guns in .223, .243, .308, .270, 30-06, .338, 7-08 and 6.5 prc. Randy is right, find what is comfortable for you and use it. To me it is my .270 but debating cartridges is part of the fun and occurs around campfires during hunting season. All good clean fun.
sheepdawg I used to hunt elk and mule deer with a .270 got the job done no problem then bought a .300 Remington ultra magnum and I love that rifle, in real life where there’s an infinite number of different scenarios where sometimes you can’t close the distance, maybe you place a poor shot for some reason, the bigger caliber will help you reduce a lot more factors then a small caliber
.308 Accubond Nosler Trophy out of a Kimber Mountain Ascent has served me well. Drops elk and mule deer in their tracks. Very accurate combination. Great video. Thanks.
That's an excellent bullet.
It pays to spend just a bit more on your ammo by either getting factory loaded with premium bonded bullets (the Accubond is one) or by rolling your own with premium bonded or homogenous bullets for hunting, especially for bigger critters like elk.
My .30-06 brought down its first ever deer last fall, loaded with my reload consisting of a Federal case, CCI 200 primer, 57 grains of IMR4831, and 165 grain Barnes TTSX bullet.
The buck didn't go fifty feet before dropping.
I just bought a rifle in 7mm-08. My first bolt gun!
I think its funny how people say “308/7mm-08/270” makes a good “beginners” or “womens” cartridge. If a beginner can take animals cleanly with a 7mm-08, and “expert” surely doesn’t need a magnum. Good video!
308 is the same round as a 7mm-08
@@scottjorgenson2892 Try to chamber one in a 7mm-08 and tell me how that goes.
Great advice. I went on my first elk hunt 15 months ago. People were saying 7mag or 30.06. I have a 30-30 that I love and am very accurate with. Due to pressure, I used a 7mag at 80 yards. Two shots and down. Wish I had taken my 30-30. At 80 yards with the ammo I had in it, it was very capable. Wish I had used it instead. The trip would have been just that much more memorable.
Got a Cow Elk in N.Idaho with a 6.5 Grendel @ 208yds and it went maybe 5 feet down the hill and then folded. I've put down Brumbies in Australia with .22LR's from a little over 100yds. Everything is shot placement for me. I'm born/raised in Oregon with property down near the legendary Roosevelt stand on the Alsea river (the flat off Little Switzerland was the best place to catch them early in the morning) and we saw sign of Elk who had been shot and lived every year.
Great videos Randy! I was handed a 30.06 at age 12 and still pack one 23 years later. Starting out with an 06 is how we build character up here in NW Montana. I've shot deer, elk and bear using an 06 with great success over the years and have never felt the need to go to a larger caliber.
That's about as versatile as it gets. As they say, "Beware of the man with one rifle. He surely knows how to use it." Thanks for watching.
Stock fit is everything. I shoot a model 70 lt wt laminated 30-06, factory 22" bbl. Best stock profile ever made for a factory rifle! My other favs are Howas and Vanguards, but the model 70 pushfeed is still my all-time fav! I like Remington as well for varmint and ligher rounds, but the 06 in a remington is more punishing recoil in that ADL or BDL style stock. They are accurate rifles but the Model 70 fits me best! In short, 06 is a pleasure to shoot, even heavy grain, as long as that stock fits you well!
Teri Farley Nice gun. I have a Reminton 700 SPS in 30-06 and the recoil with 180 grains is actually not bad. I can't wait to take it elk hunting
agreed my man 30-06 is probably the best calibre i hunted with one for most of my time but switched to a 308 for the lighter weight, but if i had a 06 that would match my 308 in weight i would still be shooting it
03/A3 Renington. / Douglas barrel
I have a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 SM. Tack driver accuracy. After seeing this video, I think I'll take that one on my elk hunt this year. Thanks for your videos Randy.
Glad it helped. Accuracy rules. Hope you find an elk to take with it. Thanks for watching.
I think that one other thing people tend to forget is how much energy is being dumped into the target by the bullet. Even a FMJ will take down an animal ethically if it starts tumbling once inside the target. It's energy HAS to be mostly dumped into the target. That's why soft points and polymer tipped are so effective because they mushroom and use the mass it is going through to slow down. After seeing a few other videos, I am considering using 6.5 grendel for elk. The bullet it lighter, but seems to dump its energy well into the target.
Agreed. Let me know how the Grendel does on elk.
There are 2 vids on RUclips with elk kills with the grendel: One is on a cow at roughly 100 yrds and another was over 390 yrds by a 14yr old girl on a very nice bull. There are other listings and reports, those were the vids. They were using a 123 grain SST. Many keep saying it's anemic, even with the proof before them for fear of unethical shots with such a caliber.
I think that will work for you in Sweden a lot of people hunt swedish moose ( almoust the same size or maybe little bigger). 7mm08 are very simular to 6.5.
Great Granddad hunted everything with a 30-30 until after he came back from WW1 and switched to a 30-06 out of the 1903 rifle he bought from the Army.
Thank you! Common sense! If you can't hit the elk with your .300 Remington Ultra Mag (and you probably can't), it wouldn't matter if you were using a .338 or a .375. A cowboy I knew in Colorado's San Luis Valley used a .25-35 WCF from 1934 until he passed away in 1988. Most were 1 shot kills, seldom 2 shots. He said the range varied from 5 yards to 75 yards, but most were shot under 50 yards. I'm not advocating that small of a cartridge, but he fed his family with it. My wife used a .308 for years very successfully. A friend uses a 7x57 Mauser. I have killed about 30 elk over the years and mostly used a .30-06 with Hornady 180 gr bullets for years. Most were 1 shot kills. Today I use a .270 with Barnes 130 gr. bullets. Most shots have been between 100 and 300 yards although one was at 5 yards and one out at 475 yards. I don't recommend the long shot, but it was silhouetted on a hill at sunset standing still and it was a 1 shot kill with the .270. You don't need a cannon, you need practice with the rifle you are going to use. BTW, the same cowboy won a $50 bet in 1954 that he could rope and tie an antelope. They don't make them like Elmer anymore.
Haha I'm from the SLV, Del Norte to be exact.
An ivory hunter, his name escapes me, used a 7mm Mauser to take hundreds of elephant. Should be good for elk with good placement or ask the British.
@@panzer5033 Walter Bell.
I hit one last year with a 300 rum at 50 yards. It didn’t go far at all
As a new hunter and new sub I appreciate Randy’s clam demeanor and knowledge. There is so much junk on the internet. I really like this guy, I don’t feel like he is yelling at me.
Thanks for the kind comments and thanks for following along.
this guy tells it like it is
Tom Reed Amen to that
Hell ya
He's good, and a joy to listen to.
that's some pretty open area he's hunting, hunt in the pacific north west where its super dense and not as easy to stalk and get a closer shot with a million trees in your way.
Yes he does 100% correct
With todays competitions between the best cartridges and calibers for deer/elk/moose/Martian/vampire, this video made me feel a lot better about my cartridge selection. Thank you for the quality content.
Great video. Same principle applies to all hunting. Shoot what you shoot comfortably and know your limitations.
I bought a 7mm mag as an all-purpose hunting rifle 12 years ago and I'm still amazed at how it performs on game. A round in the bullseye means end of story. Having cast my vote for favorite cartridge, I agree with Randy 100%. Most important thing is to practice- different shooting positions, different distances, different conditions. Know how your rifle performs, know your limitations and the limitations of the cartridge you use. As a hunter, there's nothing more satisfying than a "dead right there" before you can close the bolt to chamber another round, and nothing worse than following a blood trail for hours.
Richard Mendolia my favorite too! I got talked into a 30-06 but for elk the ballistics favor the 7mm Rem hands down for any kind of distance shot!
I love the 7mm-08. Better ballistics than the 308 with more velocity.
Don't get me wrong. I love the 308 too. But less recoil with less holdovers and wind drift what's not to like.
Less energy until past 500yds with that 7mm-08 and less frontal diameter on the bullet witch is also meaningful
Coy Bowyer compare 7m08 150 grain eldx vs 308 178 grain eldx. by 350 yards 7m08 beats 308 energy wise. so past 350 yards it has more energy drops less, drifts less in the wind and has less recoil
@@jumpy5064 Neither the .308 nor the 7mm-08 should be used to kill deer at more than 350 yards anyway. The .308 has more sectional density if you use a 180-grain bullet, which makes more difference in killing power than the difference in energy.
We tend to use .270 Winchester and .30-06 for elk and deer
They are both great rounds. I've used them both and had great luck with good bullet selection.
Thank God somebody has a realistic take on this! Randy and Wayne Van Zwol are the only sane people left in the hunting world! Close. Getting close is what makes it a hunt. Getting close is also what kills game. At 100yrds all rounds are very lethal if they strike vital organs. And at 100yrds almost anyone can make a bullet strike vital organs...though i have missed an entire animal from less but hey.
Glad you like it. I read all the Wayne writes. He and I had a nice discussion about this at a dinner last winter. Good luck to you.
Andrew Wolter I also like David Petzal and Joseph Von Benedikt. Jim Shockey and Ron Spomer too. Real hunters
Andrew Wolter Yes . finally someone who has it down .getting close and placing your shot.THATS HUNTING. NOT THIS BANGING AWAY AT 600 YDS AND BEYOND.I love it.bet his advice really turned the ANY SHOT UNDER 800 YARDS CROWD GREEN.
Andrew Wolter yup you got it.stalk in close and put s good bullet in the vitals .Dead elk. Hunting is getting in as close as possible not this bullshit 600 to 1000yd shit.All that does is wounds and loses animals.Anyone saying they kill elk at 1000yds and beyond with creedmoors or another light round are simply full of shit and SLOB HUNTERS too damn fat and lazy to hunt like the ones out there getting in close for a SURE SHOT.
I couldn’t agree more with you guys. I commented above on ‘long range hunting’ being crap. All it takes is one step at the same time you pull the trigger, and you have gut shots at those ranges. The .300 Weatherby I would use for elk I would not shoot past 400 yds MAX.... just too dicey. My .270 and .30-06 are 300 yds Max! I would do whatever possible to get as close as I could before firing. The ‘armchair snipers’ mentality makes me nuts. Kudos to those that still have some common sense left!
Randy, you and your crew are simply the best. I feel as if we are talking to each other over a beer. Keep the vids coming. Also a big fan of the pod cast.
I'm happy to hear that kind of feedback. Thanks for watching and listening.
I killed my elk with a 270 this year
I killed my first four bulls with a .270 using 150 grain Nosler Partitions. Thanks for watching.
Randy Newberg, Hunter Why the switch to .308 from .270? I’m a new hunter and purchased a .308 based on your advice. I live in the southeast and shot my first 3 deer this season using 150 grain partitions.
I think it's preference, bullet availability, and rifles that come chambered in whatever round you want. Can't speak to his reasons but I can say that my personal opinion is that the .270 is more versatile then the .308 and competes with the .308 on one end of the spectrum and the 6.5 Creedmoor on the other end of the spectrum, to name some popular ones. I am susceptible to buying into the conventional wisdom but from all the ballistics that I have seen, the .270 seems totally underrated.
@@Fresh_Tracks i just bought some 150 gr N.P.'s today; my friend has a reloader. (In .270) Thanks for this post.
A .270 loaded with 150gr. Partitions is DEADLY to 300 yds.+ easy. Same with a 30/06 with 165 to 180gr Partitions, Accubonds, Barnes TSX/TTSX, etc. Plenty of horsepower, PLACEMENT is what makes the kill.
Man I love hearing this honest view point, well done Mr. Newberg. I've taken most of my cow elk with my 243 and all my bulls with my 270. It's always an interesting discussion with people who say you have to run a 338 or whatever huge caliber for elk. If you want to carry that in the woods so be it but I'm sticking to my tried and true 270.
Like you, I don't advocate any particular cartridge, rather the cartridge that is capable in taking elk that a hunters shoots best.
300 winmag for me! Keep up the great work!
I love my .308 and I love it for Elk Hunts here in Eastern KY, Personally I use 180 grain Winchester Super X .308 ammunition the ballistics are astonishing on it and it’s a lot of 1 shot drop for Elks as it blows a pretty solid football hole in them.
Great answer. People get way to bent out of shape over it. Always feeling a need to have some new oddball cartridge that is supposedly better than anything else. Or that bigger is always better. Id say buy something lighter that is $20 a box over something that is $50 a box so you can afford to practice and actually become proficient. In all reality it doesn't matter that your whatever extra super mag can kill an elk at 1000 yards when you cant hit something past 200. Iv seen of a lot of this where just because your equipment can do something, people automatically think they are somehow capable of it.
LOL I've shot at a range with a $300 rifle shooting 1 inch groups, and there's always somebody bragging about their $5000 rifle and how accurate it is. I take a peek in my spotting scope and he has a 6 inch group. lol
Great advice Randy! Shoot until they drop! I am a Remington man myself and prefer the 7mm Mag but your right...the 308’s are great too!
A man who knows his stuff, thank you
I have several rifles but wasn't sure any of them were right for my daughter. This video convinced me that the 7mm-08 would be a great choice for her. I'll be taking her shopping when I come out to visit her in Missoula this summer. Thanks again!
She'll love it. And so will you. The elk will hate it.
Great video, wish more new hunters would spend time researching, and at the range.
Agreed. And thanks for watching.
Ive shot 3 elk with 25-06 117 gr sst got my sun a 7mm08 and I got a 7mm rem mag going to take out this year
I had a couple friends offer me their '06 when I drew a NH moose tag. They didn't think my .270 win was "big enough". I'll admit I should have practiced more and upgraded my scope but when the shot came the moose went "thump". It did take a couple more rounds to keep it anchored but it never succeeded in standing back up. My bigger concern when choosing my rifle caliber was availability ( and being a Jack O'Connor fan what caliber choice did I really have ?). Would I be able to find the caliber in the local bait, bullets & wedding dress shop in East Overshoe, 3rd Buckle up, Maine in the unlikely event I forgot the box at home? The whizz-bang gotta get one probably wouldn't be too available.
I am a .270 believer. I am a west coast high country hunter and my .270 has served me well. Too many one shot kills on mule deer, antelope, and elk to recall. 130 gr. Nosler BT dropped my elk this year. I anticipate drawing a moose tag in the next few years in WY and I asked an old time WY guide what caliber he recommended and he said .270 and he has killed more game than I will in 3 lifetimes. I just read Jack O'Connor killed all 32 species with a .270 in a 140 gr. partition. Randy Newburg is correct. Shot placement is everything and over the years I have built confidence in my Model 70 in .270 cal. To me that is the more important point. Beware of the man with only one rifle. Happy hunting.
I read that Jack O'Connor admitted the 30-06 was a better choice for elk. I would agree with that.
Buy a 30-06 or 308 this is almost a guarantee all over North America you can walk in the hardware store and find ammo . These 2 calibers will do most anything in North America. You don't need a 6.5 , 280, 7mm 08 or any other hard to find round. We could narrow the whole 200 different calibers to about a dozen . I know it will hurt a lot of guys feelings but there's no need for all these calibers
Went to buy my first rifle Mossbarg patriot 6500 Creedmoor with vortex for $650 buy few recommendation got me buying Browning AB3 308 with leupold scope for $999.
Hope it will be one all-rounder from WT to Moose and 50% extra price worth it .
I live and hunt Colorado. Many calibers will work... the majority of hunters I encounter use the 7mm Rem Mag
What he said!
Great video with some excellent points. I have never hunted elk, and I have been researching to determine if my .308 was up to the task. It looks like it will be just fine. Thanks for sharing this info.
Scott
OH YEAH its up for the task! and plenty capable of it!!!
ya I use a 30-06 and in my point of view it's an all around gun
It is one of the all-time classics. Probably killed more deer and elk than any other caliber. Good luck this season. Thanks for watching.
This Is still such a great video, watched it many times over the years and read all the comments
7mm Remington Magnum is a good one too!
Yup.
Nailed it!!!
Experience with the cartridge and riffle to place the bullet where it needs to be in that one moment.
The Elk Talk podcast is money too!
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching and listening.
Best Elk hunting advice ever! I've been preaching it forever. Close the distance! Thanks Randy for this video. I use a .280 and close the distance as much as possible!
Glad it made sense. Given how this choices is so much a personal preference, I expected a lot of blow back, but so far it has all been good. Good luck this season.
My thoughts exactly! Sambar deer in Australia are similar in size to an elk. In the 80’s everyone used 30/30’s, 303’s, 308’s, or 270’s. When it was legal I used a 6.5x55. Now all the new shooters are saying you need a 338 or 300 win mag or even a 375 h&h. It’s all about shot placement.
knowing where ur bullet will hit.. well say.. any bullet will take an elk.. research b4 using small calibers... 243 will take an elk.. so anything bigger can too.. take ur time and whatever you r after.. will drop.. love the video
kong vue Anyone taking a 243 for elk is seriously UNDER GUNNED.YES you dont need a 375 but you. Dont take a 22 250 for african lion either although a close perfect shot would kill it provided he cant get to you.
My old man bought a M700 300 WM in 1981 for a 1982 elk hunt. He used five round to sight it, one round (Rem Core-Lokt 180 gr) to get his 4x4 Colorado Bull....I have a few rifles, but I want to use his to harvest its second ever game animal.....using the ammo from the same old box. It's going to be great!
never killed an elk but would a 120 gr nosler partition out of my 25-06 do the trick?
Yes, it would. Partitions are excellent elk bullets. Just make a well placed shot and the bullet will do the rest.
East Texas Deer Slayers I have killed an elk at 475 yards with a 25-06 it will do the trick
Yes, I shot an elk last week with my 25-35
, one round with 110 grain FTX bullet. I shot from 75 yards and the elk walked about ten yards and fell over. Your 25 06 would be better.
East Texas Deer Slayers A little small but if your close it would.Why not be sure and take a 7 mag or 3006.
East Texas Deer Slayers It would but there are much better choices out there.If thats all you got get in close like under 400 and put that nosler in the boiler room.
I took my first bull this year @ 215 yards with a .308. The first shot was fatal but the guide advised me to shoot until he dropped, so I placed a total of 3 rounds, all fatal. When I asked about caliber, his reply "Whatever you can hit with". He then told me a story about a client who missed 17 times with a custom .338 Lapua that he had built just for the hunt. The guide told me, "I'll take your 3 hits with that .308 than his 17 misses with a .338 any day." I used a 165 gr. bonded bullet with great results. We recovered one of the bullets in the hide. If anything, I might would switch to a 180 gr. in the future.
Thanks for the great content and the no-BS content.
Thanks Randy, I think a 308 it shall be! Thanks for the quick response, and keep up the great video's .
I'm just a deer hunter but I've been doing it for over 40 years now. Almost any gun larger than .223 works at under 200 yards on large northern Minnesota whitetails. .243, 7mm-08, 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel. I've used them all and started my kids on them so they don't develop a flinch right out of the gate. The problem comes in at longer ranges and situations where an ideal follow up shot placement isn't possible. And let's face it. Sometimes shots don't go where you plan. That's where a .270 or 30-06 can and will make a difference.
Great topic! I try to tell my friends this type of stuff and they think I'm crazy, some people will never learn lol keep the great content coming Randy!
There are over a dozen 6-point bull elk on my shop wall that evidently did not get the memo that some of your friends sent out saying that a .308 Win is not a good elk caliber. A few more that proved the .270 Win 150 grain Partition to be adequate elk medicine. Best to you this year.
When I get a chance to hunt elk I am going to use my 308 win or my 280 rem. Both loaded with Accubond bullets. I use 165 grain Accubond in my 308 for whitetail in Southeast Oklhoma. I would not think twice about shooting an elk with that load.
It will work fine. I killed my elk last month with a .270 with 130 gr Nosler BT. 100 yards broadside. Passed right through but the elk only ran 25 yards and collapsed. I want to build up a load with the accubonds.
If it works why punish yourself with more recoil. Not only will some smaller rounds work, but they also tend to go further while dropping less and maintaining higher speed.
Great video. I use the .30-06 and my wife uses the .308 (Ruger American Compact...the wife is small in physical stature...but she did her best with the Model 70 in .30-06 for several years). Again, great video!
Glad you found it helpful.
Now tell them 1/4 MOA rifle doesn't help a 5 MOA shooter 😂😂😂. Watch the steam roll out them ears. Then tell them 1.5-2 MOA will kill elk and their heads will explode.
If I have narrow down my rifles to just one, I would keep my 3006 because of the versatility and flexibility with the wide variety of ammo available, 125 gr. for javelina, 150 for deer, and 180 for elk. I have taken all of these with an 06. The cost of ammo is where I can afford to practice enough to be proficient.
Tom Hawkins great minds must think alike. WHEN I get to go out west I'm taking my Win model 70 in 30-06. Probably gonna have a 180 or 165 sierra btsp on top of some H4350 if i had to guess.
I haven't gotten rid of my Savage 30-06 although I hunt with other calibers, like my 6.5x55 SM. The Savage stays in the truck as my backup gun.
If I can't get a rifle to shoot 1 moa, then it goes in the closet. A wise old man once said though, there are a lot more 2 moa shooters than 1 moa rifles.
Tom Hawkins Damn 150 for deer? Lol I took a medium sized Alberta white tail with a 125 and did terrible damage. Good old federal soft points....
I hunted wit 300rum 300wsm 300win mag 30-06 243wssm 243win 7mm mag and I picked the 308win and it's my go to hunting rifle
270=is my choice...
( I said, my choice )
To each there own....
Good luck on your next hunt people. 😃
270 is an excellent Rifle Caliber , I met a trucker years ago from Alaska who's Favorite Moose Gun is a 270 .
Thanks for the great video I have killed two elk with a 300 SAV. Remington model 721 shot placement is super important.
Randy makes it pretty clear - most people hunting deer are WAY over gunned!
Everyone says I'm under powered on mine... 5.56 hot loads with 62gr Barnes TSX
It's legal in Kansas and has never failed to drop a deer within 20 yards and typically they drop where they stand
I killed a snake with a stale biscuit on time, doesn't mean I should keep doing it
@@imafreakinhistorian2169 why were you walking around with a stale biscuit? Wouldn't a fresh one taste better?
@@gamingmadesimple5510 It was left in my coat pocket, from 2 days before
@@gamingmadesimple5510 drop biscuit, kinda like skill saw blade when old and hard
I live in the east so the only caliber big game hunting rifles I have are : 30.06, 308, and 3030! But from what you said I should be fine at decent range and shot placement .! The only other calibers I’m interested in are a 300 win mag and a 7mm rem mag.
You can talk bullets till your red in the face, but the Remington core lokt works outstanding and has for many years. You don't need the best newest "super bullet" any seasoned hunter will agree... just some advice for those new to hunting
Jon Smith Core Lokt bullets are good, but I still think that John Nosler created the perfect hunting bullet all those years ago after a failed moose hunt.
I use nosler bt but my dad always used a core lock with no problems
Partitions, core lokt , and A frames for me!
i appreciate this man's philosophy. to paraphrase "a larger calibre round will not make up for bad shot placement". there are both ethics and ballistics in that statement.
Very well said sir
I'm turning 16 and have been saving up for a rem 700 long range
my grampa shot a 415 bull elk with a 243
My uncle shot more deer and elk than I could count.... Only rifes he ever used were 243 and 22 250
@@eddiecole305 wow I would have thought they were too light to kill efficiently.
@@joeinterrante7873
cow elk...243...105 grain...DRT............688 yards
ruclips.net/video/hY0w1c-gf18/видео.html
pure insanity.....but real
It CAN be done, yeah. Would >I < try it? Nope. .270 Win. minimum. Just my opinion.
MythSlasher 243 cartridge do hey make a AR upper in that caliber ? any help would be appreciated thank you?
7mm-08 or the 308 would be my first choice personally. I use a 308 for both deer and also bear paired with a 165 grain hornady sst and they do a number when you hit deer with them
.30-30?
I've killed elk with a 30-30 👍
My favorite is black powder 50 cal. I have taken an ELK at 329 yards. CVA magnum Optima, Nikon BDC scope, Elk went straight down.
My football coach used to say practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
Correct, kind of like "aim small, miss small."
My band teacher say practice=performance. If I dont shoot often/dont try. I wont do well.
Thanks Randy. I am using a .308 this year and I can't wait. First elk hunt in Unit 10/Arizona.
Good luck. Should be a ton of fund.
16 elk over 30 years....M70 .30-06 3-9x Luepold ..180 gr Nosler Partition 2780 FPS 3" High @ 100 yards zero at 250, -4"@ 300 yards still has 2000 FP @ 300 ..... 9 elk Western Wa longest shot 227 yards shortest 31 yards average 119 yards...Eastern Wa ( Okanagon ) 7 elk longest shot 324 yards shortest 75 average 190 yards total shots, 18 ( 2 elk took a second bullet was a little too far back) Accuracy at 100 yards (averaged after 60 3 shot groups) , .0.81" .. Every year the firearms companies come out with some new Super Zapper but the reality is, though there have been little improvements here and there, pre scouting, practicing at various distances, positions and knowing your rifle/load are 10xs more important. The M70 is 82 years old, Nosler Partition 65 + years, the .30-06 over 110 years. It may not sound glamorous but simple, reliable , effective I'll take every time over flashy. .... Good Hunting
Washington hunter here as well. I also shoot a 30-06 and Remington Core-Lokt ammo in 180 grain. Great all American round with the most diversity in grains of ammo.
Love the advice given in this video. I just bought a Mauser 98 Custom chambered in .30-06 for the express purpose of hunting deer, bighorn sheep and (hopefully someday) elk. Please keep up the great work and happy hunting!!
You will do fine with that rifle. When hunting elk, make sure you have quality bullets and the elk will be in danger. Good luck and thanks for watching.
My only addition is that where there is elk.. there is often grizzly bears. I have personally defended myself against a charging grizzly with a 375h&h, i rarely carry that rifle because it weighs 13.5 lbs but i thank my lucky stars every day that i was.Thats the only reason you wouldn't see me out hunting with a very light deer cartridge.
Just stumbled across this one, well said. I use a 6.5 Creedmoor and have taken many, many deer and types of them as well as 2 bull and 1 cow elk. Furthest shot I took on the elk was about 250. It is more about a reasonable shot, that you as a shooter are comfortable making with the caliber you are comfortable shooting. Native Americans and people still today shoot elk with a sharp pointy stick, no reason a smaller caliber cannot get the job done if you do your job.
I just bought a 6.5 creedmoor today. but its a PSA Gen3 AR10 with 20" barrel... i have heard good and bad things both about the AR platform (as far as accuracy) and the PSA brand (again, as far as accuracy) for 6.5 cm. do you think it will still be elk hunt worthy as far as accuracy or have you not used AR platform before with 6.5 cm?
A target caliber has no place in the hunting world. Quit falling for clever marketing
Finally some body telling it the way it is! Real world truth.
I’m planning on a Fall of 2022 Elk hunt and have been thinking of buying a 300 win mag.
I came across this video doing some research.
I think I’m going to save the money on a new rifle and hand load some quality bullets for my 280 Remington and do more shooting with my old Faithful. Thanks for the video!
he said you can kill a elk with the rifle you have i have a lot of rifles but the main one I use is a .177 air rifle and I dont think that can kill a elk
Yeah, that would be a tough task.
I think Randy was assuming you'd use at least what is legal. Usually anything less than a 243 isn't even legal for elk.
Use copper pellets under 10yds wait for an angle through the eye in which will strike the brains lol
308 and 6.5CM are my go too for Elk . 338 Fed is my go too for Moose. I only use the AR Platform . I've never had any issues with any type of weather at all.
good video,,,,,good calibers,,notice 6.5 fans that he did not include the 6.5 creedmore,, which is pretty much the same as the old 257 roberts ,
Kerry Purcell that's because the 6.5 Creedmoor is over hyped. anything that it can do, the 6.5x284 will do better. with equal accuracy. plus there is the 260 Rem, 6.5 Rem Mag, and the grand old 6.5x55 Swede. for me, the Creedmoor is an exercise in redundancy. so what if barrel life is better. that's like passing up on a Boss Mustang because the Corolla gets better gas mileage. if you burn out a barrel.... it can be replaced for not a lot of bucks.
High Plains Drifter even if you don't like the creedmoor it's still a capable elk round. The 6.5's in general are excellent for hunting, regardless of what flavor they are.
why is a 6.5 creedmoor over hyped? The 6.5x284 ammo cost over twice as much. Even the brass is crazy expensive. the 6.5-06 can do anything a 6.5x284 can do and the brass is used 25-06 which is free if you stop by a range. The creedmoor is accurate and is less effected by wind than any 30 cal under 200 gr. Accuracy is king. I like 7mm-08, 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5-06, 7 rem mag. I have several 30 cal rifles, I'm just not a fan. I like just about every gun and caliber ever made and collect them if the price is right. That's what this whole article is about though. Hunt with what you shoot the best.
Kerry Purcell Still too small.Even the great 2506 which will outshine any 6.5 needmoor is borderline small.
Like you said, shot placement and range is key. If you're a competent shot, know where to aim, and can get close you can use what many would consider to be a sub optimal cartridge for elk like a 243. In my case I only carry one gun for everything I hunt here in Idaho- a browning with 26" barrel in 338WM that weighs around 7.5 pounds with leupold glass. If doing a pistol hunt then it's a ruger redhawk in 44 mag. Practice makes perfect.
T51B1 You got s good one there.
ah yes, 300 win mag. The best do-it-all hunting caliber.
from coyotes, to hogs, to deer, to black bear, up to elk and moose.
Agreed, 300WM or 45-70, depending on terrain and grizzly bear presence, are my favorite. By far the most versatile rounds I found after looking at a ridiculous amount of load data for many calibers I was considering.
I have shot elks with .308 and 6.5x55SE, both will work really well at normal (under 200m) distance. I have a supressor in .308 and brake in swedish, so follow up shot is fast to do as kick is non existent. Both guns have been in long range shooting as well and both hits targets to over 1000m.(not animals). I have been thinking to get .300 win mag as there's time to time possibility to take longer shots from stands to open field. I would not shot elks with .308 / swedish to over 200m, due lack of power. Win mag have enough knock down power to kill elk in humane way to bit over 500m. I have seen ppl shooting really badly to close distance with .375HH, several shot to one elk. It's truely is not about superior knock down power if shot is not placed correctly. Very good video Randy. I hope that many hunter would see this!
I do not think many will agree with me on this, but I recommend 6.5 Creedmoor.
PK PK all the 6.5's are excellent for hunting. The penetrate really well. Bullet selection is important, choose a good bullet and you'll be fine. Too many people have magnumitis
Took an elk this fall at 150 yards using a 6.5 creedmore rifle with a Hornady 129 grain SST round. The bullet went clean through both lungs busting through a rib on the other side.
PK PK For antelope maybe.Not elk.
PK PK You got that wrong.creedmoor is a fine DEER ROUND but way too small 4 elk.
@@tomwolak3362 how do u figure that . A 143 eldx round has plenty of energy and velocity at 300yards to take an elk
308 and 6.5 Creedmoor are excellent whitetail deer cartridges as well with little recoil. I can shoot magnum calibers but why when it’s not necessary.
I love my 7 Mag..
Keith Sage Love mine too.To hell with all those saying you dont need a magnum.Ive seen too many elk hit with 2506 and 270 in the right spot and had to put them down. Cuz they still had enough left to reach the timber if my Big 7 hadnt stopped them.If you wanna take a 25o6 or 270 thats your choice but I believe in stopping em.
Nothing wrong with using any of the popular Magnum rounds, as long as you CAN HIT WITH IT. I have a Weatherby Mark 5 in .300 Wby. Mag that fits me PERFECTLY, and I can shoot it accurately as easily and comfortably as my ‘06 or .270. It’s all about placement, not just horsepower. And rifle fit is 90% of the comfort factor, with a good recoil pad helping too.
Raleigh Thomas yeah thats a good one.
I plan on taking my Remington 700 30-06 elk hunting using Federal Premium ammo with Barnes 180 grain triple shock bullets
Hope you have a great hunt.