270wsm, 280rem or 338fed for Elk?

[bs1865]

Getting a chance to go on my first elk hunt this fall and am curious about suggestions between these three calibers? For those with experience or thoughts, please share.

By the way, new member-first post...thanks!

[Phil Lozano]

What is the average shot distance in the area you are going to hunt ? Are you a hand loader ?

If less than 200 yards, and shooting factory loads, I'd go with the 338 Fed. with 210 grain bullets , then the 270 WSM with 150 grain bullets, then the 280 Remie the being my last choice with 160 grain bullets.

If hand loading with premium bullets, I'd still choose the 338 Federal first, but would put the 280 Remie next as I think you can get much better velocities from the Remie with hand loads, vs the factory ammo . . . . . . . . . I sure can.

Best,
Phil
______________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ~ Tanzania

[nathangdad]

Check in the area you plan to hunt for advice from hunting guides
(especially), land owners where elk is hunted, the state game and fish commission, and also gun store owners. They should give you a good consensus of what is best for the task at hand.

It really might be the .338 Winchester Magnum that garners the greatest vote from the locals. An elk is a larger animal with the .338 Winchester
magnum being long associated with the hunting of elk. Note - the .338 Winchester Magnum is definitely not the only cartridge that can take elk.

Of the cartridges you mentioned, a well placed shot with the .338 Federal would be my recommendation.

[mtm1]

There seems to be some interest in the 338 Fed. here. Thats great but just because it has 338 in its name don't mean much. Its the 308 case and as such doesn't have the capacity to do much with decent sized bullets. Basically a short range proposition. It would probably be best to use some of the new ultalight 338 bullets. As Phil said for short range its fine, for everything else put a TSX in one of the other two and have atter. Personally my Elk guns start at .338 Win. and go up, way up.

[turner]

Originally Posted by mtm1

There seems to be some interest in the 338 Fed. here. Thats great but just because it has 338 in its name don't mean much. Its the 308 case and as such doesn't have the capacity to do much with decent sized bullets. Basically a short range proposition. It would probably be best to use some of the new ultalight 338 bullets. As Phil said for short range its fine, for everything else put a TSX in one of the other two and have atter. Personally my Elk guns start at .338 Win. and go up, way up.

I'd tend to disagree. New powders and loadings have taken some older calibers to new heights, as well as giving performance to smaller cases unheard of only a decade ago. (case in point, the SMs using proprietary powders) Personally, I'd not be the least bit shy about launching a 210gr Nosler partition which started at over 3,200FPE at the muzzle and still had nearly 2,000 at 300yds; the ballistics of a .338Fed shooting the factory 210 gr Nosler. A 185gr TSX has slight less energy at the muzzle, and slightly more at 300yds. I'd prefer the bigger bullet, but feel these number surely show it to be well qualified for game the size of elk. These numbers nearly mirror such well thought of calibers as the 8mmRem mag with 200gr factory loading and .300 Win mag with 180gr loading and, actually outperform the well respected 300 H&H with factory 180 gr loadings. Simply my personal opinion.

[Mooseman684]

I wouldn't hesitate to use the .338 Federal....The ballistics are great for a non-Magnum Cartridge !!!
Rich

[7mmremmag1995]

338 Federal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tamalpias]

First and foremost my suggestion would be to always shoot what you are most comfortable with. No sense in buying a high caliber rifle cartridge you can't shoot with simply because of the recoil. A well placed shot is a lot more important than a powerful round you wince at from the recoil when taking the shot. If you have a gun range by your area that allows you to rent rifles or have friends who have such said caliber then i would suggest borrowing their gun and shooting it first.

I know of a 14 year old girl that shot and killed an elk with a 6mm.

[mtm1]

Guess I don't think in terms of factory ammo. The articles I've read the writers were dissapointed in the loads they could get, as you've said though with the new factory powders they can do some impressive things. Personally I like way more power for Elk/Moose.

[Phil Lozano]

Originally Posted by mtm1

Personally my Elk guns start at .338 Win. and go up, way up.

I would agree. The 338 Win. Mag. is a great Elk cartridge, and as I said (in the Elk cartridge thread), I would choose the 338 Winnie or the 358 Norma.

Of the 3 cartridges bs1865 mentioned, I'd choose the 338 Federal.

Hey bs1865, what a great reason for a new rifle !

Best,
Phil
______________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ~ Tanzania

[jimkim]

.338 Fed. (I'd rather have the .338 Win. Mag.) then the .270 win.

[Ron AKA]

I would pick the .280 out of the choices listed.

Ron

[Onesonek]

Originally Posted by Ron AKA

I would pick the .280 out of the choices listed.

Ron

Same here, but would prefer the .338 win mag.

Dave

[bs1865]

My interest in the three calibers I listed as choices, why maybe not the "most" ideal for elk, they certainly should all be serviceable, is for versatility when I return home. I have failed to need anything more than my 7mm-08 hunting in Texas at the shot distances I have taken (no more than 250 yards for CXP2 game). When I return from the elk trip, I beleive these cartridges would have a better chance of being used back home--280 and 270wsm for long range deer/hog hunting and the 338 federal for medium caliber woods hunting on big mean wild boars. If I were to get a dedicated elk rifle, which I hope to someday need (not there yet), in say a 338 win mag it would spend more time in the safe than in the field when I return home. Not to mention that I don't have experience handling a rifle with that type of recoil. I wouldn't describe myself as recoil sensitive, but haven't shot rifles in that class at all.

The overwhelming consensus thus far seems to be the .338 federal. Would anyone want to talk me into a .300wsm?

Thanks for the feedback!

[Palladin8]

I bought the .280 Ackley Improved for hunting Elk. So I would have to say I would pick the .280 Rem.

[lefty o]

since it was mentioned, lets clear the air. the short mags do not need proprietary powders to hit advertised velocities or faster. the 338federal may need an unobtainable powders to do it, but not the short mags. with the proper bullet, and decent shot placement, any of the 3 cartridges are quite capable of cleanly taking elk.

[Brother Bob]

Why do you all got to be so darn difficult? They were killing elk with .30-06's and .300 Winmags long before these "new and improved" calibers came out. Elk are not that hard to kill. You simply don't need a .338 or larger to kill one. Another thing to keep in mind, unless you reload, these shells may be hard to find. A .30-06, 180 gr. bullet will go plumb through a grizzly bears shoulders and kick up dirt behind him. Why put your shoulder through the recoil of anything bigger? Leave the .338's and larger for the great bears and moose. By the way, I own a .338 and a .375 H&H. I wouldn't consider either for elk, but that's just me. LOL!

[toolman]

Or you could just use an 8x57 Mauser which is pretty well identical to the .338 Fed less .015 in dia.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the .338 Fed is just a slightly new spin on an old cartridge.

[Phil Lozano]

Well which is it ?

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

A .30-06, 180 gr. bullet will go plumb through a grizzly bears shoulders and kick up dirt behind him.

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

Leave the .338's and larger for the great bears and moose.

If a 30 '06 will go through a Grizzly bears shoulders, assuming you mean both, why would you leave as you put it, the 338 for the great bears ?

I have not hunted any bears, but have a hard time imaging a 180 grain 30 '06 going through both shoulders of a Grizzly. Maybe ?

And if it does go through both shoulders, they are not as tough as I thought.

RE; Elk -

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

Why do you all got to be so darn difficult? They were killing elk with .30-06's and .300 Winmags long before these "new and improved" calibers came out. Elk are not that hard to kill. You simply don't need a .338 or larger to kill one.

Agreed. You can kill one with a 243 Win.

However, it is our ethics that say you should dispatch animals you hunt as quickly and humanely as possible.

The 270, 30 '06 has killed many, many Elk, however, they are best suited to Deer sized critters.

True enough you can kill Elk with them, but if you have quartering away shot at 150 or 175 yards, the 270 or 30 '06 more than likely will not get the job done. Yes, you will make it bleed, but you will be following the blood trail for a long way

JMO

Best,
Phil
_______________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ~ Tanzania

[Brother Bob]

Originally Posted by Phil Lozano

Well which is it ?







If a 30 '06 will go through a Grizzly bears shoulders, assuming you mean both, why would you leave as you put it, the 338 for the great bears ?

I have not hunted any bears, but have a hard time imaging a 180 grain 30 '06 going through both shoulders of a Grizzly. Maybe ?

And if it does go through both shoulders, they are not as tough as I thought.

RE; Elk -



Agreed. You can kill one with a 243 Win.

However, it is our ethics that say you should dispatch animals you hunt as quickly and humanely as possible.

The 270, 30 '06 has killed many, many Elk, however, they are best suited to Deer sized critters.

True enough you can kill Elk with them, but if you have quartering away shot at 150 or 175 yards, the 270 or 30 '06 more than likely will not get the job done. Yes, you will make it bleed, but you will be following the blood trail for a long way

JMO

Best,
Phil
_______________________________
Stay out of sight and down wind
Professional Hunter ~ Tanzania

Ok Phil, I'll bite...... On dangerous game, there is no such thing as overkill. Bears are hard to kill at times and I want to put the biggest hole in them that my shoulder can stand. That is why I'd use my .375 H&H. As far as elk goes, I'd probably go with my .300 Winmag with a good 180 gr. bullet for those longer shots. A .243 may kill an elk, but only an idiot would use one. A 7mm-08 would probably be the smallest I'd consider for elk. I'm getting older and I don't like to track or run from wounded animals so I won't take a shot until I'm sure I've got that sucker dead to rights.