Recommendations for an elk gun

[Norcalihunter]

I know a lot of people say anything under a 50. caliber or a 300 w.m. is just too small to kill those things, but I've heard in the 70's then the 270 was the most popular elk gun. I also think if you can kill them with a bow then why wouldnt a 25-06 work just fine.

Some of you may not have experience with this round and just the sound of a small bullet you say no it wont work, and you may be correct. But I know from personal experiecne that the 25-06 is a unique round that tends to do A LOT more damage then my dads 30-06 and from my experience tears up the deer I kill and even a few times has gone ''over kill'' and ruined some meat just because of such a massive exit whole.

What do ya'll think? I'm going on my first elk hunt this year and can barrow a gun if I need to... I currently shoot a 25-06.

 

[wmidbrook]

There are no hard and fast rules. Imo, anyone who trys to tell you otherwise is full of it.

What you truly are dealing with is probabilities. Shot placement and terminal performance are the key factors as well as knowing what the terminal performance is over a given range.

When you scale back on the caliber and/or load, the the effective range shrinks if your shooting skills are good. The better your shot placement, the greater your effective range can be. The larger the caliber/load, the greater terminal performance can be.

So, for the individual, it's truly a balancing act found only thru trial and error. Some folks would be better off never shooting anything greater than a .243 and keeping shots at under 150 yds, while other shooters can increase their effective range by shooting a .30-378.

When you opt to use a 'lighter' caliber, you're dealing with trade-off's in energy and wound channel amongst other things. If you are choosing a lighter caliber because your shot placement is a lot better than with something that slings a whole lot more lead down-range at comparible velocities, then it makes sense.

On the other hand, if you're recoil insensitive, then using a larger caliber can increase your effective range much further than the .25-06's limits.

 

[tmoniz]

there are hunters out there that are the exception to a supposed rule. I hunted in 1988 with a guide who used a 25/06 and another that took most of his elk with a 257 Roberts. I took a nice bull with my 7 mag. The 30/06 seems to be the most flexable choice for lower 48 big game.

A freind of mine took most of his elk with a 270 and 130 grain factory loads.

Shot placement is the key. The first shot on an elk must be fatal.

 

[tmoniz]

Looking at the numbers one would suspect that a 120 grain Nosler Partition in the 25/06 moving at a good clip may fill the bill on Elk.



nosler bullet chart and stats

 

[Huntinut]

The 25-06 is a good cartridge, but a little light for elk. The reason you are seeing so much meat damage on the deer you are shooting compared to your dad's 30-06 is because of the hyper velocity and the light bullet weight. Elk have a lot more bone & muscle mass. The 25-06 will limit your range even for an aclomplished marksman. If you have a chance to shoot a 30-06 for the hunt than use it, but practice with that gun all summer. You never know when a huge bull will step out at 300 yards and you will need the extra punch. Good luck and remember, practice will pay off.

Andy

 

[Coues]

Bullets and broadheads kill in very differnt ways.

You can kill a Grizzley with an arrow too, but I would not shoot one with a .25 cal bullet.

 

[widgnwhacker]

30-06 with a 180gr Nosler Partition works well for me

 

[tmoniz]

7 mag on this one at a touch over 300 yards.



my elk

 

[LeeChul]

If you're still going to Idaho for your elk remember that the Roosevelts are bigger than the Tule's you have in CA. However, I've seen them taken with a .243, never a 25-06 though. But I'm sure that's only because I've never hunted with anyone that used one. The popular choices are of course going to be .270 (130gr-150) .308 in the same weight, 30-06 (150gr-180gr) and my favorite the 7mm (150gr-180gr.) I've seen an elk drop at 600 yds with a 30-06 and 150gr. I think, like it's already been stated, that the 30-06 will be your best all around choice.

 

[JOE MACK]

The .25-06 is too light in my estimation. Sure, you can take an elk with it, if all goes perfectly. There is NO margin for error. My father has taken elk with a .243Winchester, but it was the only thing in the truck at the time and he has taken a couple dozen elk in his lifetime, at least. If you are able to use the .30-06, by all means do. Then practice with it a lot. The .25-06 is an excellent deer and varmint round but I wouldn't pick it as your main elk cartridge 'cause in elk habitat, "stuff" happens.

 

[DAWG]

I've not taken one with les than a 30-06. But I have a buddy who shot everything with a 25-06, and has two outstanding bulls on his wall. I think that expecially with today's crop of premium controlled expansion bullets, you would do just fine. I would spend the extra money for the premium controled expansion bullets.

 

[Norcalihunter]

Thanks for all your help guys!

I'm gonna use a 30-06. I actually thought a lot of you might say that is also too small but enough of you recommended it that I'm gonna go with it.

Thanks!

 

[wmidbrook]

Might want to look into a box of Federal Premium High energy or Hornady Light Magnum rounds after you're used to shooting it. I like the Federal Premium HE in 165 grains (TBB bullets) for elk. 3,000 fps is about as flat as it gets for a .30-06 in a 165 grain bullet--those bullets have great penetration characterstics. Unfortunately, TBBs typically don't group as well as other bullets but if you can get a 2" group or better at 100 yds, you ought to be fine out to 300 yds or so.

 

[SDHNTR]

I killed a bull at 328 yards with my 06'. Its plenty gun. Anyone who says otherwise is wacky. Especially with today's Light Magnum and High Energy ammo.

 

[Norcalihunter]

Thanks wmidbrook,

I'll pick a box of those up and try em out at the range.

 

[340mag]

facts
CORRECT BULLET PLACEMENT
and
QUALITY BULLET CONSTRUCTION
has a HUGE effect on your potential results
especially if your going to use a caliber thats on the extreme light end of the range for ELK.
yes you can kill ELK with a 25/06 quite easily if your willing to wait untill the precise shot placement presents itself, and you can shoot well, that does not make it the IDEAL CHOICE!
Ive seen dozens of ELK SHOT and then DRESSED out or SEEN THE RESULTS later in my elk camp over the last 35 years on almost a HUNDRED ELK, several killed personally ( well over a dozen in the last 35 years) and many others by the members of our ELK camp and the near by camps,
I think youll find that going up in bullet weight an energy to at least the 270 win or 30/06 will increase your chances of one shot kills,SIGNIFICANTLY,OVER A 25/06 even with almost perfect shot placement.
I started ELK hunting with 200 grain bullets in a 30/06, IT KILLED ELK FINE, BUT it DID NOT ALWAYS DROP THEM ON IMPACT, or HAVE THE BULLETS EXIT, I soon swapped to a 340 weatherby and a 35 whelen, ( all three CALIBERS KILLED ELK JUST FINE) BUT the effect on the ELK of the larger caliber bullets in the 250 grain weight range was much more noticable! and THE BULLETS EXITED much more often. the DISTANCE the ELK traveled , was noticably shorter, so much so that almost every hunter in my camp has switched to .338 thru .375 caliber rifles, now the more successfull guys are useing BOTH the NON-MAGNUM rifles like the 358 win and 35 whelen , and the 338 win mag rifles so altho SHOT PLACEMENT IS STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR, we have ALL seen the better results on average the heavier bullets or larger caliber but not necessarily more velocity have produced

lets put that another way
useing the same basic 30/06 case size your 25/06 uses and jump the bullet size and weight from 120 grains and .257 caliber to 250 grains and .358 caliber and youll noticably increase the effect on ELK that can easily weight 500-800 lbs

and don,t think youll need an extreme long range rifle, in 35 years theres been something like two or three ELK killed at over 300 yards from my ELK camp members,the AVERAGE is more like 135 yards

 

[arizona jim]

I have killed 3 elk - 1 bull & 2 cows.

All were killed with a 30-06 using Winchester 180 grn. Fail Safes Excellent bullets IMO. 2 one shot kills & 1 took 2 shots. These were ranges of 45 to 300 yds.

Good Luck !!