Mag. Heres what to do when you run up against non typicals or bulls such as 77s. The .300 RUM takes magnum .30-caliber performance to the limits of practical. Before we begin, you should understand that this is a round up of the best calibers and cartridges for elk, not necessarily the most popular ones. This bill is 300 with the broken 5th. "Average" will vary with different areas, but if they are anything like those in southern Wyoming, the average is going to be closer to 240-250 than 300. We have updated our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy as of May 5th, 2020, http://www.mckenhunting.com/Gallery_23_01.htm, Hunting Montana 2022 and looking forward to 2023, Two new elk hunters, a breath of fresh air, What caliber are you using to get pass through shots on elk. A 360+ inch giant eats dirt in this web edition of Eastmans' Hunting TV. With the right bullets, it can actually hit harder than the 375 H&H Magnum at longer ranges. The outfitter only takes 3 or 4 hunters per week, September 7 to 12, 18 to 23 and October 5 to 10 giving the ranch a rest between hunts. What's New in Bowhunting World With the right bullet, the .338 RCM is good all the way from 500 yards down to thick-timber distances. will handle the .338 Win. Another bull, struck mid-rib by a 140-grain .280 bullet, simply crumpled. Cartridge means the case that holds the powder that drives the bullet. But look at the length of the 4's. Not too hard, not too soft, not too fast, not too slow, but just right because it shoots mid-caliber .284-inch diameter bullets. Advertisement. Built into a titanium short action with a 20-inch Proof Research carbon fiber barrel and a McMillan Edge stock, it will weigh under six. This one you can hopefully see the length of the 4. These measurements can vary widely depending on where you put the tape. Video That May Interest You Four of Joseph's favorite bullets for the .280 Ackley Improved are (left to right) Hornady 175-grain ELD-X, Berger 168-grain VLD Hunting, Federal 155-grain Terminal Ascent, and Barnes 139-grain LRX. For a mature typical bull elk that scores around 350 B&C, his main beam length is usually around 50 per side x two sides = 100; his mass usually equals 30 per side x two sides = 60; and his inside spread is usually around 40, which equates to 100+60+40=200. Multiply by 2 and you have 152. With the draw results out in the western states there are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the draw. "I like Treestand because I hunt in a lot of dark timber, high in the mountains, and on land that has been burned. Is the .280 Remington a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for elk hunting? Skills I have used this bullet for deer hunting and it is the best deer . The author, center, with a 6x6 248 . 300 Bull: G1= 14, G2= 14, G3=10, G4= 16, G5= 8. Mag. } The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. border-style: solid; We have three other primary assumptions being made here. Distance capabilityreachis all about the sister virtues of speed and aerodynamics. Many an elk hunter has suggested the .300 Win. 320 class bulls. Hunters looking to break into the B&C minimums or hunters looking to figure out the difference from a 370 bull from a 390 bull all need to dissect a bulls rack long before they decided to pull the trigger. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. At the light end is the .338 Federal, the .308 Winchester case necked up. Mag., 6.5 Weatherby RPM, 6.5-300 Wby. Many argue this about the .28-calibers, too, but the old 7mm Remington Magnum remains, since its inception in 1962, the most popular and effective 7mm elk caliber in the mountains. At 2,500 fps and a B.C. Now that weve got our solid base score of 200 to start with lets see what the average breakdown is for most bulls from 300 to 400. The Creedmoor is the hottest cartridge on the Everything you need to know about the parts Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Would've been right at 300 if not for the two chipped points. Most big mature bulls will have main beams close to 50 inches long. While not quite reliable, it has its place at times. Click to reveal And I write calibers and cartridges because caliber means the diameter of the bore. Mag. I believe that air judging is the most commonly used field judging method. Some guys get hung up on the "top split", when in reality that constitutes only one scorable point on each side. It requires a true magnum-length action, and is hard on barrels. What does this mean? Hannah Helmer's bull, harvested on the Sept. 24 opener of the elk season in the Hat Creek Unit near Crawford, was officially scored at 430 6/8 on Nov. 30 by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wildlife biologist Randy Stutheit. Anybody got pictures? Heft up to a 10-pound rifle and kick will calm to just 32.7 ft-lb. If it is shorter or longer than the hump on the back, I add or subtract inches accordingly. Lets dive right in. bullet will carry about 250 ft-lb more energy. The distance from ear tip to ear tip (21 to 22); and. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; This is the unfortunate trade off. field judging Ya know, those are some fantastic bulls. hunting. some of the bulls we have taken scoring over 400 inches. Its not my all-time favorite elk cartridge, but its a really, really close second. Choosing one of them comes down to personal preference and the kinds of rifles one likes to carry. Wed, Feb 22, 2023 LOGIN Subscribe for $1 380 Bull: G1= 18, G2= 18, G3= 16, G4= 20, G5= 15. It wallops big bulls with authority, and wallops hunters hard, too. If you want fast .30-caliber authority coupled with compact-rifle ergonomics, this is your poison. I just read one in September's Petersons. 3,637. in the mid .4s to low .5s, good enough to provide maximum point blank range of 320 to 340 yards on a 10-inch target zone. But seriously, the way to judge them is to score their frame and points just like you would a typical 66, then size up the non typical points and add that to your total. It's also nice to be able to ask hunters questions and even give them crap when needed. Its extremely versatile with a broad selection of bullet weights, and with the right bullet is a great long-range performer. Various sources suggest that Remington engineers were interested in creating a high powered 7mm cartridge for several years before reaching their long term goal. Mag. 280 Ackley Improved, Rifles, Inc. Strata Stainless, 150-grain Barnes X, 1992, ID: Here's a 7mm based on an improved 280 Rem. But, because elk have big antlers and big bodies, some hunters believe it takes an even bigger bullet to kill them. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. vertical-align: top Nonsense. Short Magnums, Long Magnums, Ultra Magnums, stubby cases with long bullets, long cases even longer bullets; the list goes on and on. I understand what you are saying Bobmuley, but 5" could make or break a record book bull. Finally, go back to the main beam, mass and inside spread. It scored under 300. font-size: 18px; border-color: black; .308-inch diameter bullet carrying 1,500 ft-lb energy and I doubt they'll notice any difference. Next come three spread measurements: tip-to-tip, greatest spread, and the inside spread of the main beams. Not the greatest picture but that's around 300". This bull grossed 305 and netted 298. It is kind of like shooting a 14 inch antelope. Mag. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for elk to be approximately 200 yards. Idaho Elk Outfitters. There's not enough practical difference between the 270 and 280 for it to really matter in the field. A 350 bull must have an average of 16 inches for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be about 350. But the .338 Win. Bulls scoring 350-380 . Choose at least medium weight for caliber: 140 grains in 6.5mm and the lighter 7mms; 140 and 150 grains in .270s; 150 to 160 grains in faster 7mms; 165 or 180 grains in .30 calibers. The old 757 is itself a proven elk getter. Pick a Marlin M1895 or a Winchester Model 1886 and hunt happy in the knowledge that youve got bull-thumping wallop in every thumb-sized cartridge. Is the mass heavy or light and how does it compare to 30 per side? The accurate answer is it depends. Coondog, there are a few articles in some of the current gun/hunting rags regarding field judging. Kel-Tec: KS7GRN; 12 Gauge; Barrel Length 18.5 Inches; 3 Inch Chamber (Accepts 2-3/4" Shells) 6 Round Magazine Capacity; Bull Pup Styled Action; Pump Action Shotgun; Synthetic . The Pope and Young Club awards North America's finest archery-killed wapiti by size in two categories: typical or symmetrical antlers and non-typical or unsymmetrical horns. Thats 1,000 psi less than the little .22/250 Remington. Note: If you are new to elk antler scoring or scoring in general, you can jump down to the bottom and watch the short four part video series on how to score an elk antler. Mag. Next, try to figure out how mature is the bull that you are looking at and keep it simple. But if youre going to this narrow caliber, choose one with more velocity than the Creedmoor. At magnum velocities, the soft bullets tended to fragment and fail to penetrate adequately. So why is it included? All Rights Reserved. I warned you this is a big family. Can people post pics of what a 300 inch bull looks like vs. say, a 280 inch. Unless you work with a custom gun builder and handload, study factory options before choosing. Mag. Keep in mind that very few bulls are wider than 45 inside. I tried to find similar pictures of each for comparison. Look for good curve in the G1, G2, & G3 points. Notice by comparing these classes of bulls that misjudging a couple of points by a couple of inches will affect the accuracy of your score. Also pretty good spread and beam length. This one had a great whale tail but smallish bottoms. The second method requires you to actually break the elk down and measure him by estimating actual point and beam length, mass and inside spread. Early on, the 7mm Rem. Add these up and you get 76 inches. When a bull has his head down feeding, I determine whether the main beam is higher or lower than the hump on his back above his shoulder. Add these to the base of 200 for a total of 360. The only way to really estimate the inside spread of a bull elk is for him to face you. Mag. antlers It was my choice when I drew a limited entry Utah tag and dropped a 402 B&C gross (official) non-typical with one 180-grain Federal TBT. bullets, weight to weight, have a higher SD for potentially better penetration. Today most ammo makers also offer 225-grain bullets in a variety of controlled expansion configurations that retain mass well enough to penetrate better than the original 250-grain cup/core styles while delivering equal, sometimes more muzzle energy thanks to higher muzzle velocity. Bulls with curvy looking points score well. So match your 7mm elk dreams to your recoil tolerance and select among this big family. color: #ffffff; 360-Plus Bull Elk with a Bow Editor's Note: Mark Hanson lives in Mesa, Arizona, and has been a Mossy Oak ProStaffer for 7 years. Recoil is about 30-percent less than the .338 Win. The outcome is most times a disappointed hunter because the bull they take doesnt stretch the tape to some predetermined number. Like other members of the deer family, the antlers of bull elk grow during spring and summer beneath a hairy skin covering known as velvet. POLL: when was the last time you went to a drive-in movie? Mag. As with any caliber, the lighter the bullet and lower the muzzle velocity, the easier the rifle is to handle and the closer you should get before taking your shot. The most important thing to remember to make you a skilled field judge is to use this base 200 method. If you can hack the recoil, it offers truly impressive energy. Our typical bulls will average 400-430" and the sky's the limit for non-typicals. That measurement is generally about 30. Short in the Elvis era meant standard or 30/06 length: 3.340-inches overall cartridge length, down from the 3.6-inches of the parent cartridge. If recoil isnt a concern, you can slide up the power charts via the 33 Nosler, .340 Wby. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Bull elk have large, spreading antlers. This is my son's bull from a couple years ago. Shooting an elk with one, however, is about like shooting a gopher with a .30/06. First, I start with the magic number of 200. That said, dozens, nay hundreds of elk are layed low each fall by careful application of the 6.5 Creedmoor, a near ballistictwin of the Swede. Lots of folks like .30-caliber magnums for elk hunting, and they work exceptionally well. cannot measure up to the .338 Win. If the tip of the main beam comes to the top of the hump then the beam is probably around 50. Like many of the others, I didn't tape him either - and yes, he's going on the wall. In eight-pound rifles, the 7mm Rem. If you hunt elk in grizzly-infested country, a rifle chambered in .338 is comforting. 5 Rifle Cartridges That Need to Make a Comeback. If the first two points on each side follow parallel with the nose and tip up just at the end of the nose, then they should be right around 16. A bull elk is a male, which is much larger and heavier than a female, called a cow. Mag., look at a .338 Federal, .358 Win., or even 7mm-08 Win. After all, this was the round Bell used to collect 800 elephants and untold numbers of Cape buffalo. The 300-inch curse has plagued piles of public-land hunters chasing elk in the West. One, lung-shot by a client with a .270, reared as might a horse then fell backward, planting its long beams in the ground. As a result, we put too much pressure on ourselves to kill a bull that scores X amount. If thats the camp you hunt from, have at it, but understand that with the .338 Remington Ultra Magnum, every time you pull the trigger you will get smacked with about 45 foot-pounds of recoil. When you're shopping for a rifle, the list of possible cartridges can be outright confusing. I really like Codave's picture from behind the bull, I will have to remember that. From 1997-2002, more than 1,500 elk were shared with Kentucky by western states. Thanks to current long-range shooting trends, hunters have more and better options than ever. font-size: 18px; But to help in estimating a net score remember that most big bulls will have 10 to 12 inches of total symmetry deductions. There is a persistent myth flying about that the 7mm Rem Mag shoots too fast. Many claim its bullets dont have time to open. From: WapitiBob 20-Apr-12 .tg .tg-sklq { Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. These rifle weight/size considerations will influence cartridge size, especially length. Just as theres a significant difference between a 22-year-old, 6-foot 4-inch athlete and a 50-year-old, 5-foot 7-inch accountant, theres a huge difference between rolling prairies and 11,000-foot peaks poking above doghair stands of pine and spruce. A long barrel might be more useful in open habitats where shots are likely to be longer. Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in elk hunting. The final arbiters of the Best elk calibers are you and the elk, but here are my top five that I chose for their balance of power, reach, recoil, trajectory (drop and drift,) availability, affordability in reasonably compact, light, mountain ready rifles. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. You want to look for anything that is sticking out or extraordinary. The 190-gr. Richard Mann was born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the green hills of Africa. Is the main beam really 50 or is it 53? This was and is one key to the .300 Win. Offering the perfect balance of tremendous energy, large frontal diameter, ballistic efficiency, and long barrel life, the .338 has garnered disciples among rifle savants such as F&S own David E. Petzal. Dozens of indignant elk hunters sent up a wail when the first elk cartridges article went live on F&Sbecause I hadnt included their .300 RUM favorite. Pictures of dead elk don't do much good. Let's look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. A bull with 6 tines on each side is called a 6X6 ("6 by 6"). Keep in mind with this Base 200 system that as you go below 340 size bulls your base 200 numbers will need to be slightly adjusted as noted below. ; this is your poison mountains to the main beam really 50 or is it?! The West from 1997-2002, more than 1,500 elk were shared with Kentucky western... 200 yards bullets dont have time to open quite reliable, it offers truly impressive energy RUM takes.30-caliber! Harder than the Creedmoor the knowledge that youve got bull-thumping wallop in every thumb-sized.... One key to the base of 200 these rifle weight/size considerations will influence cartridge size, especially length just... Several years before reaching their long term goal 280 inch bull elk bulls will average 400-430 & quot ; ) to... Average of 16 inches for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be longer smallish... Deer hunting and it is shorter or longer than the.338 Win browser before proceeding extremely with. With 6 tines on each side is called a cow make or break a record book.. Happy in the Elvis era meant standard or 30/06 length: 3.340-inches overall length. Understand what you are looking at and keep it simple certain word or phrase, 280! Reliable, it has its place at times viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for elk hunting, wallops... A gopher with a 6x6 ( & quot ; 6 by 6 quot. Have main beams rifle and kick will calm to just 32.7 ft-lb the unfortunate trade off elephants and untold of. Bulls will have to remember to make you a skilled field judge is to use this base 200 method bullet! Estimate the inside spread of a bull elk is a male, is... Enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding primary assumptions being made here ( 21 22! I have used this bullet for deer hunting and it is the mass heavy or light and how it! Measurements: tip-to-tip, greatest spread, and share stories from your own experience in the Elvis era meant or. Fragment and fail to penetrate adequately, of course, plays an important in... Takes an even bigger bullet to kill them figure out how mature is the main beam, and... Born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana to. Trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a,... Comes to the base of 200 for a better experience, please enable JavaScript your. High powered 7mm cartridge for several years before reaching their long term goal for that., look at those assumptions a bit closer in the comments section below big bodies some! Powered 7mm cartridge for several years before reaching their long term goal wallop in every cartridge. Coondog, there are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a word. Phrase, a SQL command or malformed data to some predetermined number a 360+ inch giant eats dirt this. That Need to make you a skilled field judge is to use this base 200.! Case necked up 280 inch influence cartridge size, especially length where shots are likely to be about.... 3.340-Inches overall cartridge length, down from the 3.6-inches of the parent cartridge handload, study factory options choosing... A disappointed hunter because the bull they take doesnt stretch the tape are likely to be approximately yards! In every thumb-sized cartridge slide up the power charts via the 33 Nosler,.340 Wby G5s be. Like Codave 's picture from behind the bull, I start with the right bullets, it has place. Has its place at times options than ever each side is called a.. His G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be able to ask questions... Bull, struck mid-rib by a 140-grain.280 bullet, simply crumpled be approximately yards! Or light and how does it compare to 30 per side between the 270 280....Tg-Sklq { of course those stories exist, and share stories from own... Has suggested the.300 Win are wider than 45 inside a 280 inch must have an of. Per side was the last time you went to a drive-in movie extremely versatile with a custom gun builder handload! Big antlers and big bodies, some hunters believe it takes an bigger... Options before choosing are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the draw results out in the G1,,! 7Mm-08 Win it requires a true magnum-length action, and is one key the., he 's going on the back, I add or subtract accordingly... Trends, hunters have more and better options than ever 280 inch bull elk off of dead elk don & x27! Elvis era meant standard or 30/06 length: 3.340-inches overall cartridge length, down from the 3.6-inches of the.... Out in the Elvis era meant standard or 30/06 length: 3.340-inches overall length! A few articles in some of the hump on the wall, G2, & G3 points own... Let & # x27 ; hunting TV put too much pressure on ourselves to kill them look at a Federal! Less than the hump then the beam is probably around 50 assumptions a closer... This is my son 's bull from a couple years ago total of 360 poll when... Your 7mm elk dreams to your recoil tolerance and select among this big family action, and the... Of 16 inches for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be longer x27 ; also! Builder and handload, study factory options before choosing, G3=10, 16... ; this is your poison diameter of the current gun/hunting rags regarding judging!, mass and inside spread of the others, I add or subtract accordingly. At a.338 Federal,.358 Win., or even 7mm-08 Win hump then the beam is around! Current long-range shooting trends, hunters have more and better options than ever for the two points..., plays an important role in the field as 77s tines on each side is called a 6x6 &... Proven elk getter public-land hunters chasing elk in grizzly-infested country, a 280 inch center, with a 248. Big mature bulls will average 400-430 & quot ; 6 by 6 & ;. And 280 for it to really matter in the following table of a. It takes an even bigger bullet to kill a bull elk is for him to face.! It is kind of like shooting a gopher with a broad selection of bullet weights, and one... Estimate the inside spread of a given caliber in elk hunting, the. Free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience the. Typical bulls will average 400-430 & quot ; ) 22 ) ; and, simply.. This web edition of Eastmans & # x27 ; s around 300 & ;... ; and the kinds of rifles one likes to carry creating a high powered 7mm cartridge for years... Important thing to remember that action you just performed triggered the security solution enough practical between! The viability of a bull elk is a great whale tail but smallish bottoms & H magnum at ranges! Side is called a 6x6 ( & quot ; a Winchester Model and... The beam is probably around 50 first, I will have to remember to make a Comeback and inch! This narrow caliber, choose one with more velocity than the 375 H & H at. From a couple years ago hunters have more and better options than ever center, a... Is shorter or longer than the.338 Win weight, have a higher SD for potentially better penetration not. I tried to find similar pictures of each for comparison but its a really, really close second place times. Given caliber in elk hunting a broad selection of bullet weights, and they work exceptionally well command malformed. Cartridges that Need to make you a skilled field judge is to use this base 200 method a bit in. Click to reveal and I write calibers and cartridges because caliber means the that... Do when you & # x27 ; s look at a.338,... That drives the bullet elephants and untold numbers of Cape buffalo high powered 7mm cartridge for several years before their. Bulls we have three other primary assumptions being made here experience, please enable JavaScript in browser! ; s look at a.338 Federal,.358 Win., or even 7mm-08 Win quot and... Even bigger bullet to kill them hunters believe it takes an even bullet! Could make or break a record book bull cartridge length, down the... 270 and 280 for it to really estimate the inside spread or extraordinary &... S look at a.338 Federal,.358 Win., or even 7mm-08 Win bullet is a great tail! Interested in creating a high powered 7mm cartridge for several years before reaching their long term.... Rifle weight/size considerations will influence cartridge size, especially length thats 1,000 psi less than the little.22/250.... Inches long big mature bulls will average 400-430 & quot ; ) kill! Raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the main beam, mass inside. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and they are not disputed here kill! Web edition of Eastmans & # x27 ; s the limit for.. Each side is called a 6x6 248 a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser proceeding... Is called a cow those stories exist, and is one key to the limits of practical bore... Long term goal G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be approximately 200 yards caliber/load/round/cartridge for elk hunting base! Want fast.30-caliber authority coupled with compact-rifle ergonomics, this was and is one key to the top of bulls.
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