Big Game Rifle Caliber?

[Kreyzhorse]

.308, 30.06, 7mm Rem Mag or a .270 would be fine for mule deer or elk. You can stress out, read ballistics and generally lose sleep over it, but honestly, if you can shoot, any of them will do the job.

[CC268]

Thanks for all the help guys! I am rethinking the 300 WM idea...you guys are probably right that a .270, .308, 7 MAG, or 30-06 would all be great. Too many choices! Keep the advice and info coming!

Just curious what would the effective range on elk be for the above calibers?

[FrankenMauser]

Perhaps something in the Weatherby calibers...
A manufacture that doesn't cancel its cartridge making or limit there making of. At company whim. Frankly I can't say the same for Remington or Winchester.

Weatherby doesn't make their own ammo. All Weatherby brass and loaded ammunition comes from Norma.

And, like all other ammunition manufacturers, it is run in batches. .240 Weatherby and .340 Weatherby, for example, only seem to get run every two to three years. If there's a spike in demand for 'your' ammo between production runs... you're out of luck until the next one.

When you shoot factory Weatherby ammo, you're as much of a slave to Weatherby and Norma's 'whims' as a .30-40 Krag factory ammo shooter is to Remington or Winchester's 'whims'.

Not to mention.... Weatherby ammo often costs 2, 3, or 5 times as much as competing cartridges. Brass, alone, often costs more than loaded ammo for the same cartridge.


Unless the person is well aware of what they're getting into, there's no way I'd even think about recommending they buy a Weatherby - especially if they don't reload.

[CC268]

Reading through all the threads it looks like a lot of people are for the 270 with the 300 WM close behind. The .270 would be nice because the ammo isn't too pricey...

I just don't want to get something that is too small of a "step" since I already have a .243, that is why I have been leaning away from the 270

What would you guys say is the effective range for elk for the 270 and 300WM?

Versatility is important too (target shooting, hunting, etc).

[reynolds357]

There is a pretty big difference between .243 and .270. In my opinion, 7mm is ideal for what you want to do. 7Rem mag, 7WSM, .280 Remington, .280 Ackley Imporved.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

FrankenMauser

With all due respect Sir. Your spot on about the need to reload. Not so sure here about your Weatherby ammo comment. I agree although made by Norma probably off shore. You have to admit no Weatherby rifle owner has had to deal with a discontinuance or shortage of any Weatherby brand & labeled ammunition as of these last few years. Again I can't say the same in regards to Rem Win Fed or Hornady which have shown us shooting public quite the opposite Sir. Oh there's claims of hoarding and other business problems. But in the end the manufactures set the amount there willing to produce or perhaps at whim not.

[CC268]

Yea I understand...

To some extent it would be nice to have a gun that I could target shoot a decent amount since I avoid target shooting my .243 a bunch (since they are barrel burners). However, it is nice to have something that you know will put an elk down if you saw a trophy elk a longer distances. I suppose I could always buy a .308 down the road for target shooting practice.

I am sure all of your are right...any of the calibers I first listed would work just fine.

[Water-Man]

The only thing close between a .270 and a .300 at 400 yds or more is velocity, and the .300 is throwing a heavier bullet to boot.

The energy isn't even close if you want to consider that. Probably 600 fpe more for the .300 WM at 400-500 yds.

If you're going to do your shooting at 100-200-300 yds., the .270 is fine but I wouldn't favorably compare it to a .300 WM at 400 yds. and beyond.

There is little difference in recoil between the .270 and .30-06 and little difference between the .30-06 and .300 Mag.. When hunting you'd have a tough time feeling the difference.

Those comments made above about the Weatherby Mag are really over the top.

[CC268]

Yea, the 300 WM may be a "safer" way to go...but not as friendly for target shooting. The best option obviously would be to get the 300WM and then get a .308 down the road for target shooting (and that may be what I do, but we will see).

[lefteye]

I have hunted pronghorn antelope, whitetail deer, mule deer, elk and black bear off and on for about 40 years. With the exception of whitetail hunting in Iowa with a 12 ga. shotgun, I have used bolt action rifles chambered in .243, .270, and .300 Win Mag. I have a 7mm Rem Mag but have not yet hunted with it. I have ALWAYS used hand loads for hunting. Based on this experience I would prefer a bolt action rifle chambered in .270, .280, or .30-06 for any big game animal southeast of Alaska.

[Water-Man]

So one can't handload for a .300?

[CC268]

Well I went to the store today and noticed that 300 WM ammo isn't even that expensive...270, 300 WM, 30-06, etc is all fairly close (within $5 of each other). Box of 20 300WM is about $30, which for some target shooting isn't too bad!

I said I would be getting into reloading, but it may be a year or more before I get everything to do it.

Anyways, keep the opinions and suggestions coming, it is very helpful.

[FrankenMauser]

You have to admit no Weatherby rifle owner has had to deal with a discontinuance or shortage of any Weatherby brand & labeled ammunition as of these last few years.

I think, just like many other cartridges and general ammunition availability, that may be highly regional.

In my area, the only Weatherby ammo that has been readily available for the last 2 years, or so, has been .460 Weatherby (at up to $200 per box), .338-378 Weatherby (at $160-180 per box), and .378 Weatherby (at $130-150 per box). And, when I say "readily available" I mean there's less than half a dozen boxes in a 200 mile radius. ...and most of them have been sitting alone on a dusty shelf for 4+ years.

Case in point.... One of my uncles bought a .340 Weatherby in March, after looking for the rifle, components, and ammo for a while. In the end, he was completely unable to locate brass or ammunition locally or even online. So, he had to raid his stash of .300 Weatherby cases, to form enough .340 Weatherby to test the rifle.



CC268 isn't interested in the Weatherbys, at all.

[Pathfinder45]

Just go buy a Winchester model 70 in 270 or 30-'06 and shoot the living daylights out of it. Save your brass and take up reloading. Maintain a reasonable stockpile of loaded ammo and perhaps an additional 100 rounds fired and/or in various stages of being reloaded. If you shoot it often you can shoot it well and it will feel like the rifle likes you.

[green_MTman]

a .243 can kill any big game in north america so its more the range.

what is the longest shot you would take?

250 yds most .308 based rifles but with a .243 head shot is best

300 yards 270,30-06 7mm mag

400 yds 300 win mag

it never hurts to go with ultra magnum class rifles as well because you get a longer point blank range.

two guns i would strongly urge you to think about: 7mm remington ultra mag and .30-378 weatherby mag.very very powerfull and very very flat shooting



here is the 7mm ultra mag
sighted in with a 350 yard 0 with a 150gr VLD boattail spitzer

only 5" high at 200 and only 4" low at 400 and it can kill an elk at 600 yards

[CC268]

Not interested in any of the ultra mag's at this point, nor any weatherby (the ammo is insanely expensive and hard to find, no thanks). I am really leaning towards the 300 WM at this point. It will give me that extra range just in case I ever need it and will allow me to do some long range target shooting (not that any of the others won't allow that). I know when I went mule deer hunting this past fall I could have had several shots at a nice mule deer, but they were 500+ yard shots. I feel like the 300 WM would allow me to take those shots.

Keep the suggestions coming though, they help a lot.

[mxsailor803]

If it was me, I would stick to a .308 or 30-06. Both have taken down plenty of game in North America and I don't for see anything else coming close except for the .270win. Now I've got all three and would grab the .308 or -06 for the game you are talking about. I've just never needed (or wanted) anything bigger. Would a 7mag or 300wm work? Sure would. I wouldn't want to shoot either all day from a bench though.

[green_MTman]

good choice on the .300 winchester magnum

hodgedons retumbo gets exellent results on 300b win mag, that along with winchester large rifle magnum primers

the 200gr nosler accubond has had a shakey reputation with accuracy but if your gun will shoot that bullet well you can kill anything in north america at 500 yards and maybe more for deer

a 165gr sierra gameking makes a great deer and antilope load

[Colt46]

The difference between the .30-06 and .308 isn't much(unless you handload) and the shorter action makes for a smaller rifle. The .270 is a perfect mule deer/elk rifle that is long established as a fine western caliber.

While the .243 isn't a good idea for elk, I still think it works well for mulies.

[JD0x0]

Okay I'll admit this isn't an apples to apples comparison comparing a 'super performance' load versus a non-super performance load but still, pretty impressive.

[green_MTman]

if your going to shoot a 30-06 or .300 win. mag. out past 300 you will want a 165/168gr VLD boatail spitzer
the 150gr 30 cal needs a 1 in 14" twist for proper stabilization.a under stablized bullet is an imediate problem and will manifest between 50 and 100 yards depending on how under stabilized it is.

however a over stabilized bullet will take 300 to 350 yards to manifest.you wont hit the broad side of a barn at 500 yards with a 150gr 30 caliber bullet with a gun that has a 1 in 10" twist
a .308 would be less of a problem being that it usualy has a 1 in 12" twist and thats fine with a VLD BTSP

[CC268]

Lots of opinions here! Makes the decision tough haha...I'm not quite sure what to go with

[green_MTman]

I will make it simple
BUY A 7mm-08 BEST ALL AROUND BIG GAME RIFLE

its a .308 necked down to 7mm and it gives a 140gr bullet about 2850fps

recoil is light even in a very light weight gun it is a easy gun to carry through the wilderness and mountains.

several different grain weights are available,120,140(most common),150,160,175,180

but you only need one the 140 grain 7mm bullet.its light and low recoil for deer but the 140 grain bullet has a good sectional density and can easily penitrate moose,elk,bear whatever.

it can kill deer at 400 yards and antilope even farther and it gives a good 250 yard range on bigger stuff.is also good for bear in a non dangerous game situation.a place you will see the bear before it see's you.not good for hunting thick brush on coastal alaska where you good suprise a bear 10 feet away.

my gun is a 6.5-55 which very very similar to the 7mm-08 but the 6.5's are more a handloader thing but 7mm-08 ammo is not hard to find.

the factory rem. core-locked is tough enough for big stuff and has decent expantion as well.you have a any game,any season 1 gun 1 load do it all rifle

unless you would shoot to insanely long ranges you dont need a better gun

[FrankenMauser]

He already owns a .243 Win.

7mm-08 is more of a side-step than an upgrade.

[green_MTman]

if deer are covered with the .243 then the .300 winchester magnum or short magnum would be the most sensible upgrade