24" vs. 26" barrel
- Thread starter gman1
- Start date
Hi gman1,
I have learned the hard way that carrying heavy rifles is not fun, especially where air is thin.
I did a Southern Utah hunt last October. I was after strictly antlers, so I never took off my scope cover. Either I'm getting older or those darn ridges are getting higher and steeper.
You might want to give a lightweight, 22" barreled '06, .308 Win, or .280 Rem a look.
I've heard countless stories of elk traveling tens of miles after taking rounds from mega-magnums. Some of those stories might've been somewhat true. What I do know is nothing goes far without intact an heart and/or lungs.
Here's what I've figured out: good shooting beats big calibers every single time. What we've learned in high school biology is still controlling, for biology always wins. Nothing living remains in that condition sans his oxygenated blood pumping equipment. All big game animals have seconds of life remaining without topside oxygenated blood flow. What destroys an animal's heart and/or lungs is immaterial. That they are destroyed is. Hence, a .30-30 Win will kill elk just as dead as any magnum as long as a bullet from it destroys necessary oxygenated blood pumping equipment.
I'm good with any cartridge any hunter wants to use. After all, cartridge choice is a personal decision. However, my money's on the hunter with an '06 that he can shoot.
I've heard an elk guide say that he'd rather have a hunter show up with a .270 Win he can shoot than a .300 mag he can't.
If I were able to start over, I'd buy a 22" barreled .280 Rem or an '06 and never need another rifle. Both of these cartridges can be bench shot without beating up shooters. Both will kill all North American big game.
That old hunter's saying of, "A .243 Win in the boiler room is a whole lot better than an '06 to the guts," is as valid today as it ever was.
Best of luck to you.
I have learned the hard way that carrying heavy rifles is not fun, especially where air is thin.
I did a Southern Utah hunt last October. I was after strictly antlers, so I never took off my scope cover. Either I'm getting older or those darn ridges are getting higher and steeper.
You might want to give a lightweight, 22" barreled '06, .308 Win, or .280 Rem a look.
I've heard countless stories of elk traveling tens of miles after taking rounds from mega-magnums. Some of those stories might've been somewhat true. What I do know is nothing goes far without intact an heart and/or lungs.
Here's what I've figured out: good shooting beats big calibers every single time. What we've learned in high school biology is still controlling, for biology always wins. Nothing living remains in that condition sans his oxygenated blood pumping equipment. All big game animals have seconds of life remaining without topside oxygenated blood flow. What destroys an animal's heart and/or lungs is immaterial. That they are destroyed is. Hence, a .30-30 Win will kill elk just as dead as any magnum as long as a bullet from it destroys necessary oxygenated blood pumping equipment.
I'm good with any cartridge any hunter wants to use. After all, cartridge choice is a personal decision. However, my money's on the hunter with an '06 that he can shoot.
I've heard an elk guide say that he'd rather have a hunter show up with a .270 Win he can shoot than a .300 mag he can't.
If I were able to start over, I'd buy a 22" barreled .280 Rem or an '06 and never need another rifle. Both of these cartridges can be bench shot without beating up shooters. Both will kill all North American big game.
That old hunter's saying of, "A .243 Win in the boiler room is a whole lot better than an '06 to the guts," is as valid today as it ever was.
Best of luck to you.