Elk Rifle

cking13

Active Member
May 20, 2017
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What scope are you going to put on it?

Use a real good ballistic calculator and find your maximum point blank range and you should be able to aim dead center of kill zone out to about 400 yards.
I’ve got a leupold 4.5-14 on it. Plan on having my zero be 200 yards.
 

Slugz

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Oct 12, 2014
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I’ve got a leupold 4.5-14 on it. Plan on having my zero be 200 yards.
Try a 275 zero. My rough calculation has only a 12 inch drop at 400.
Vice a 200 yard zero has a 19inch drop at 400yards......and outside a standard elk kill zone of 16-18 inches.

Just something to consider. We all do things differently for different reasons. Like NV Hunter said I'm also a big fan of being able to shoot out to 400 by holding dead on. Elk that is. I have my 280AI set up like that.
 
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kidoggy

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There are times that I wonder just how we ever killed anything back in the 60's and 70's before all this premium bullet stuff showed up.


ha . this made me laugh.

I often think the same thing.
I have never been a, what's the best bullet , guy.
whatever bullet you choose , go out ,shoot your gun , see how it performs and learn your limitations.


imo, accuracy trumps bullet choice. it is my belief that most factory loads perform pretty well in the hands of a compitant shooter.
 

Timber Stalker

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May 22, 2020
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ha . this made me laugh.

I often think the same thing.
I have never been a, what's the best bullet , guy.
whatever bullet you choose , go out ,shoot your gun , see how it performs and learn your limitations.


imo, accuracy trumps bullet choice. it is my belief that most factory loads perform pretty well in the hands of a compitant shooter.
I hunted for decades before I ever heard of “MOA“ I’ve always been if I can get a 1.5” group at 100 yards I’m hunt ready kind of guy.
 
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Timber Stalker

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May 22, 2020
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I’ve got a leupold 4.5-14 on it. Plan on having my zero be 200 yards.
That should be just fine,
There are times that I wonder just how we ever killed anything back in the 60's and 70's before all this premium bullet stuff showed up.

I am a reloader and have found that most of my rifles like Barnes TTSX bullets. They shoot as good as I really want them to and perform as I like. Most of them are sub moa at 200 yards and you can't argue with that.

But if you find a different bullet that performs out of your rifle then use it. It doesn't matter if you reload it or buy it in factory cartridges, if it works it works. Some of the best groups that I had out of my 25-06 were with Hornady 115 grain factory loads, but I came up with better groups with hand loads. My .340 Weatherby loved the factory Weatherby loadings of the 225 grain X bullet so I continued with it when I started loading for it and went with the 225 TTSX.

My 25-06 loved the 100gr Remington Core-lokt. I spent years trying to out do them with handloads and never did. the closest I ever came was 100 gr nosler BT They didn’t perform all the
at well when it came time to kill. They worked but I had to shoot the deer two more times after It got back up.
My 300WM likes the 200 gr Speer grand slam
My 280AI likes barns 160gr TSS

I let my rifles decide what’s the best bullet. I wish they all liked nosler bullets since they are made 20 Minutes from my house and I can get usually get them at half price. Don’t get me wrong I will and do use them often but if I want to see how good I can shoot they are not my first choice. I’ve killed quite a few critters with partitions And accu-bonds
 
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cking13

Active Member
May 20, 2017
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ha . this made me laugh.

I often think the same thing.
I have never been a, what's the best bullet , guy.
whatever bullet you choose , go out ,shoot your gun , see how it performs and learn your limitations.


imo, accuracy trumps bullet choice. it is my belief that most factory loads perform pretty well in the hands of a compitant shooter.
I get what you’re saying about accuracy, but when the time comes there’s gonna be lots of factors that I plan on happening. I’d like a bullet that will still easily kill an elk when the shot isn’t perfect. That’s a big reason I chose the 300.
 
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cking13

Active Member
May 20, 2017
249
175
VA
Try a 275 zero. My rough calculation has only a 12 inch drop at 400.
Vice a 200 yard zero has a 19inch drop at 400yards......and outside a standard elk kill zone of 16-18 inches.

Just something to consider. We all do things differently for different reasons. Like NV Hunter said I'm also a big fan of being able to shoot out to 400 by holding dead on. Elk that is. I have my 280AI set up like that.
I like the idea of holding dead on as well, I think I’ll try a 275 zero. Thanks for the advice!
 

memtb

Active Member
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ha . this made me laugh.

I often think the same thing.
I have never been a, what's the best bullet , guy.
whatever bullet you choose , go out ,shoot your gun , see how it performs and learn your limitations.


imo, accuracy trumps bullet choice. it is my belief that most factory loads perform pretty well in the hands of a compitant shooter.

A very valid comment. Of course, there’s always a different way to address things? A Model T will get you there.....a new Lexus gets you there in style and comfort! Jus Say’n! ;) memtb
 
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HuskyMusky

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Nov 29, 2011
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IL
I wonder if more elk were wounded and lost back in the day? shoot 1....don't find it, shoot a different one...

I know way back when there were essentially no fences, people just hunted everyone's property....

also didn't many guys back in the day use smaller cartridges with lesser bullets?

I do think the thing nowadays is use enough gun.....especially for the non-res going on 1 elk hunt in their lifetime, having a quartering away angle at 500yds etc....as your 1 chance to kill and bull....etc... you'd much prefer having a enough gun with a premium bullet than not....

also I could only think back in the day.....less hunters, more game....easier to get close....

but yes they're not mythical creatures at the same time.

as for scopes....I mostly use B&C type reticles....multiple cross-hairs....so I zero at 200 in most cases....so I have a cross-hair at 300, 400, 500, etc...and I match a bullet to those drops...

so for me 250,275 zero doesn't work, but if I had just 1 cross-hair perhaps I'd choose that zero.
 

memtb

Active Member
Take a few moments and study a ballistics chart, using your chosen bullet/velocity and consider a 300 yard zero. Your midrange, somewhere around 170 - 190 yards, will be a non-issue on big game.....unless you hold quite high on the animal. And, will give you a “hold on hair”range beyond 400 yards! A system we’ve used for almost 30 years. Though, our cartridges do not shoot quite as flat as yours, it’s worked well for us. We’ve actually used a range finder for shot aqusation only once....used on a Pronghorn @ 430 yards! We much prefer to keep our shots as close as is possible. Very likely, beyond 400, you will have adequate time to use your range finder, and adjust accordingly! memtb
 
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