What is your Go-To round for Elk?

[HuntHarder]

Mine is a 300Wsm shooting a 185 Berger VLD hunting bullet @ 2890 fps. I use 62.0 grains of hodgdon H4350 and a Winchester LR primer.

[lancetkenyon]

.300RUM shooting 175SMK @ 3361fps. 88.2gr. RL22 over Rem. 9 1/2 Mag primer.

 

I also have a 210SMK @ 3140fps. 87gr. RL22 over Rem 9 1/2 Mag primer.

 

I have been working up a load for both the 210 Berger VLD and 215 Berger Hybrid, but they are not quite where I want them yet. Should have them done by the time I draw an elk tag.....with my luck, that gives me another 3 years or so. I guess 17 B.P isn't enough yet.

[Elkhunter1]

Mine is a Swhacker tipped 443 grn. arrow flying a 286 fps.

[muledeerarea33?]

.22 mag pistol, spot light, head shot! Gets them every time when I'm on the side by side off the main road and cutting my own path. I take a hack saw to cut the antlers off and leave the meat. Good time!! Joking BTW for the sensitive folks in the group.

[azmetalman]

Quick answer is .300 Win Mag..... I use either a Ruger .300 Win Mag, 180 Barnes TSX, Winchester Mag Primer, 74 grains of Reloader 22. (my "old" reliable). Or if I am hunting wide open canyons or anywhere long shots may be necessary I use a custom LR .300 Win Mag, 210 Berger Hunting/Match VLD, Federal 215M Primer, 75.5 grains of H1000. Dead elk show no preference.

[az-6.5-284]

300 wsm 168 gr berger vld -64gr H4350 elk hate it

[Hoss50]

If you said I have to leave tomorrow I would take my .257 Weatherby with 117gr. Hornady BTSP.

 

If I ever get drawn for a tag again I MIGHT look at other options in the 7mm Rem - 338 Win Mag arena but I don't have a load worked up for any of those options or enough practice with the rifle to be ready to go without notice. Even then I would honestly probably just start working on a 117gr. Nosler Partition load for my .257 Weatherby. It is on the lighter side of bullets I like for elk but it is the only rifle I am confident with out to 500 yards with right now.

 

Harley

[ready2hunt]

When I am not using my verbal judo to talk a bull into submission I use 30-06 180gr ballistic silver tip. No magic, gimmicks or secret sauce- a clean shot = a clean kill

[firstcoueswas80]

When I rifle hunt elk again it will be with my 7 LRM or 300 wsm, both shooting Barnes bullets. Personally, I wring hunt elk with a Berger type bullet.

[Siwash]

I'll be taking a .300WSM shooting 165gr Nosler Accubond's over 62.5gr of IMR4350 in less than two weeks. I and other family members have also killed elk with a .308 and 150gr Barnes TSX handloads too.

[Elkhunter1]

Once I finish building my rifle I might put in for a tag. It is a Winchester 1917 Enfield in 30-06. Other wise like I posted before it's a Swhacker tipped arrow.

[rcdinaz]

7mm RM with 168gr Nosler Long Range Accutip over Ramshot Magnum... this load in my stiller rifle has pretty much become my go to for everything becuase I just have so much confidence out to some pretty long ranges that it will knock 'em dead.

 

Other choices would be 7mm Dakota or 300 RUM.

[HuntHarder]

Firstcoueswas80- I am a little skeptical of using a VLD too. Over the last 6 years, I have helped harvest 15 bulls on the late hunt, and all were shot with the VLD. We have not lost a bull yet, and I hope our luck continues this year. I built my gun this year, and it loves these 185 gr VLDs. I originally started with barnes TTSX, but my gun despised them!! On paper, my mind tells me that hollow points and rapid expansion does not = a good elk round. My experience and many others, tells me differently. One of the bulls from last year, literally had no blood trail from 500 yard shot. The bull only made it 40 yards, but has an absolute MESS inside. 2 years ago, 2 of the 3 bulls shot were front shoulder shots, and both fell over, like a ton of bricks hit them. If I recall right, one was 200 yards and one was 450. 200 yard shot was a 30-06 shooting 168 gr berger and the 450 yard shot was a 300 rum shooting the 210 pills.

[308Nut]

For backcountry elk hunts where weight is a concern, 300 win running 210ABLRs at 2664'sec.

 

For hiking a mile from the truck to a glassing spot elk hunt where weight isn't a concern, 308 win running 210ABLRs at 2601'sec.

 

I had been undecided on a bullet for elk but after using the 210 this year on a large bodied bull, I'll stick with them. It's hard to judge a bullet based on one experience but I was more than happy with the results from round 1 so I'm willing to use them again for round 2. If I ever even draw another rifle bull tag again...

[firstcoueswas80]

I know a lot of elk heave fallen to berger bullets, and I'm using them in my LRM, but the type of performance they were designed for is just not how I want a bullet to act on a elk.