.303 brit capable of elk?

rbf420 · September 21, 2010, 10:13 AM

the rifle im best with is my .303 british no.1 mrk 3... ive got a spike tag, and am wondering if a 150 grain bullet from a .303 will take out a spike elk.

sc928porsche · September 21, 2010, 10:15 AM

Absolutely

tyrajam · September 21, 2010, 10:59 AM

It will work fine, but I would use the 180gr for more penetration. One guy I hunted with growing up in Oregon took several elk with his 303, but all with heavier bullets. A lot of us deer and elk hunted with the 303 back then because you could find barrels full of them for $30 each in most sporting goods stores.

Scorch · September 21, 2010, 11:16 AM

Sure, you can kill elk with a 303 British. It's close to 30-06 in power, so it will work fine. People used 44-40 and 30-30 on elk. Not my first choice, but they killed a lot of them with those cartridges.

Kreyzhorse · September 21, 2010, 11:30 AM

Yep. I'd use 180gr bullets and that should pretty much cover your needs.

kraigwy · September 21, 2010, 12:01 PM

Just a thought, here in the US, the '06 was are primary military round and has turned into a quite poplular sporting round.

Not so in Canada, their primary military round was the 303, and same as here, it has turned out to be quite a poplular sporting round.

I would venture to say the 303 had killed more Moose and Elk in Canada then all the other rounds put together.

I would say the 303 is quite capable or it would have been banned from big game hunting just as our .223 had been banned in most places.

aarondhgraham · September 21, 2010, 01:31 PM

I might have been the only person in the state of Oklahoma,,,
To not have taken a deer with a British .303,,,
I used a 8mm German Mauser instead.

Seriously though, in the mid 1960's,,,
A kid could get a .303 for the grand total of $19.95,,,
Granted, that was a whole lot of lawn mowing but worth it.

Both of my brothers, my dad, my brother-in-law, and a slew of friends,,,
All took large deer with the 150 or 180 grain soft-nose round,,,
I would have no problem going after elk with 180.

Happy hunting

.

30-30remchester · September 21, 2010, 06:13 PM

I have seen MANY elk taken so have some experence to rely on. I have never seen an elk taken with this particular caliber but has seen some taken with similar calibers. The one thing I would suggest is the use of a 180 grain bullet instead of the 150's. Most 150's are built to be very fragile and are designed for smaller game. As long as a the elk is within 250 yards and standing absolutely broadside and a lung shot is taken then a 150 can work. However after hunting the mountain camel aka the elk, for 45 years I seldom get such a shot. Most shots are taken at difficult angles at varing yardage. Any bullet you choose I hope you are sucsessful.

lt dan · September 22, 2010, 05:51 AM

in Africa the there are two calibres that are well known for taking the most dangerous game: 7x57 and 303brit. both are still very common in Africa and widely used by local hunters on kudu and eland

September 21, 2010, 10:13 AM	#1
rbf420 Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Posts: 166	.303 brit capable of elk? the rifle im best with is my .303 british no.1 mrk 3... ive got a spike tag, and am wondering if a 150 grain bullet from a .303 will take out a spike elk.

September 21, 2010, 10:15 AM	#2
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	Absolutely __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

September 21, 2010, 11:16 AM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Sure, you can kill elk with a 303 British. It's close to 30-06 in power, so it will work fine. People used 44-40 and 30-30 on elk. Not my first choice, but they killed a lot of them with those cartridges. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

September 21, 2010, 11:30 AM	#5
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Yep. I'd use 180gr bullets and that should pretty much cover your needs. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

September 21, 2010, 12:01 PM	#6
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Just a thought, here in the US, the '06 was are primary military round and has turned into a quite poplular sporting round. Not so in Canada, their primary military round was the 303, and same as here, it has turned out to be quite a poplular sporting round. I would venture to say the 303 had killed more Moose and Elk in Canada then all the other rounds put together. I would say the 303 is quite capable or it would have been banned from big game hunting just as our .223 had been banned in most places. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

September 21, 2010, 10:59 AM	#3
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	It will work fine, but I would use the 180gr for more penetration. One guy I hunted with growing up in Oregon took several elk with his 303, but all with heavier bullets. A lot of us deer and elk hunted with the 303 back then because you could find barrels full of them for $30 each in most sporting goods stores.

September 21, 2010, 01:31 PM	#7
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	British .303 was a deer-slayer in my youth,,, I might have been the only person in the state of Oklahoma,,, To not have taken a deer with a British .303,,, I used a 8mm German Mauser instead. Seriously though, in the mid 1960's,,, A kid could get a .303 for the grand total of $19.95,,, Granted, that was a whole lot of lawn mowing but worth it. Both of my brothers, my dad, my brother-in-law, and a slew of friends,,, All took large deer with the 150 or 180 grain soft-nose round,,, I would have no problem going after elk with 180. Happy hunting . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

September 21, 2010, 06:13 PM	#8
30-30remchester Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: mountains of colorado Posts: 977	I have seen MANY elk taken so have some experence to rely on. I have never seen an elk taken with this particular caliber but has seen some taken with similar calibers. The one thing I would suggest is the use of a 180 grain bullet instead of the 150's. Most 150's are built to be very fragile and are designed for smaller game. As long as a the elk is within 250 yards and standing absolutely broadside and a lung shot is taken then a 150 can work. However after hunting the mountain camel aka the elk, for 45 years I seldom get such a shot. Most shots are taken at difficult angles at varing yardage. Any bullet you choose I hope you are sucsessful.

September 22, 2010, 05:51 AM	#9
lt dan Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2008 Location: south africa Posts: 328	in Africa the there are two calibres that are well known for taking the most dangerous game: 7x57 and 303brit. both are still very common in Africa and widely used by local hunters on kudu and eland __________________ If youth is wasted on the young, then Africa is wasted on the Africans