I use specific rifles for each hunt most of the time. Top four, in order of preference:

For deer:
.25-06, 7x64, .308, 7x57

For Elk:
9.3x62, .35 Whelen, .375 H&H, 30-06

If on a dual species hunt: .308, .30-06, 7x64, .35 Whelen

Best all around deer/elk cartridge for any terrain or conditions is 7mm RM. Second place goes to 30-'06 or .338-'06.

I also use a .257 Roberts or 25-'06 for Coues deer, blacktails, and antelope. I like the 7X57 as an all around deer cartridge.

I've shot every single animal with the gun I had in my hands at that time.

Most everything I shot died right off except the ones I screwed the shot on.

I can't say I've ever had a bullet or cartridge failure which caused a lost animal... I'll take the blame for the failures as quick as I take credit for the successes.

Deer: 270 Win, 7mm STW, 30/06, 7mm/08, 280 AI.

Elk: 35 Whelen, 375 Ruger/HH, 358 STA, 338 WM, 7mm STW

For 40 years my 7 mag, now 280 AI.

I can never make up my mind. I just take my 30-06.

Dave

300 Norma Mag

Mike

Every deer I have shot with a rifle has been with the .30-06; but I have a lot of other choices that I could use.

Elk have been either a .30-06 or a .330 Dakota. Also have a bunch that could work, but haven't used.

Deer = 270

Elk = 338

Deer: 280 AI

Elk: 35 Whelen

Each caliber can back up each other in a pinch.

Have shot deer with;
.243W
.270W
30.06
.300 Win Mag
All worked very well when calibre was relative to animal size. Being very confident of the calibre performance the majority of deer I shot was with 30.06 and this will continue to be the case. If for some reason I couln't use the 30.06 then the .270W would be my backup.

I've never shot an Elk but have shot a Moose with my 30.06 and 180 gn bullets. Maybe not ideal but it did the job really well. Moose took three hits from 50 to maybe 80 yards.

I have never shot deer with my .375H&H but want to try that one day.

more of a cover issue for me:
thick bush- 350 rem mag
mixed open/bush- 7x57
open prarie- 30-06 or 358 norma
OR: i could just use the norma for everything!

I have taken Deer of both kind with 30-30, .308, .257 Wby, .270 WSM, 7mm STW, .300 WINNY, .340 Wby. I have taken Elk with three different .300 Winnys, .340 Wby, .338 Lapua, two .358 STA’s and a .270 WSM. I would hunt both Deer and Elk with any one of those mentioned and not look back with the right bullet loaded correctly. Good Shooting.

Probably no right or wrong answer here because most everything I've seen thus far would work for either deer or elk. However some may work better than others. But, based on the way I hunt here is my take:
- 9.3x62 Mauser
- 300 Win Mag
- 358 Winchester
- 45-70 Gov't
- 7mm-08 Rem

That said, a 30-06 (which I don't currently own) would probably take care of most all of my needs...as would most of the calibers I've listed above based on how I hunt.

Or we could just make it easy.

Any 308 caliber pushing a 165gr or heavier bullet at least 2400 fps.

I have shot a lot of elk with a lot of different calibers, all of which worked if I modified my hunting to the caliber I was using...

More important IMO is bullet integrity..I had good luck with the 25-35, 250-300 and 257 robts, early in my youth, and shot most of my elk at under a 200 yards or 100 yards with the 25-35 and the 30-30, but I had to watch some big bulls walk off because they were out there at 300 yards..

I have some favorites: a 30-06 for both, a 7x57 for both, and for trophy bulls I prefer the 338 win. or 375 Ruger these days, not so much as the big calibers are a must, but they do build confidence and you get shorter blood trails IMO...I have been using a 8mm-06 Ackley on elk, and its been a nice caliber with 160 gr. Nosler partition on several cows and Mule deer.

Lots of good choices out there and they all work if you can shoot, and use good bullet construction in each of them, even the big bores need good bullets.

I've used a number of different calibers and bullets over the years. I finally settled on what I liked best and seemed to work for me. So, not saying it's the best, just that I like it.

DEER:
1) 25-06
2) 280 Rem.

I shoot Win. Ballistic Silvertips in both calibers.



ELK:
1) 35 Whelen
2) 338WM

I shoot Nosler Partitions mostly in both calibers.
I shot a Moose last year with my 35 Whelen using a 280gr. SAF.


I am anxious to try my 338-06 on my next Elk hunt.
I will shoot Nosler Partitions with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Golden:
.270 WIN
.270 WIN
.270 WIN
wait.. one more .270 win

Good Morning Steve,

You've chosen three cartridges that are proven performers.

Your forth cartridge is a darn excellent choice, too.

If I I had to pick one these days it would probably be the 338-06. 185 TTSX at 3000 fps and a 210 TTSX at 2750 about covers it for deer and elk.

Mark

7rem mag
257 wby
25-06
240 wby

And 47/70, depending on range

Caliber comparison is a waste of time..Its the shooter that makes the difference..

Elk-----338WM

Deer
Depending on area I'm hunting.
Expected shots 150 yards or less 6.5x54MS or 8X57JR

Open Country any of 300H&H, 30-06, 308, 270

I have killed deer and elk sized animals with the following cartridges.

30-06
25-06
7x64
308
300 Win
8x57
204 Ruger (kangaroo head shots)
7mm-08
284 Winchester



If you gave me a choice between the 30 caliber 180 grain bullet at 2700 FPS and a 7mm 150 grain bullet at 3000 FPS, I'd pick the 30 Caliber for bigger animals, but I believe it is purely semantics.

Seems like in the future we may rate them by the amount of reloading components!

Ive killed a lot of elk with smaller caliber like the 25-35.,30-30, 300 Savage. 257 Robts. an 7x57, but the caliber behind the 7x57 are limiting to range and bullet placement to about 100 to as much as 200 yards maybe..why limit yourself...Elk rounds start with the 270 and 308, I prefer the 30-06 with a 200 gr. accubond and Ive used the .338 a lot over the last 20 years..If push comes to shove I would call the 30-06 the best medium for elk. Any caliber smaller has a con side IMO..

Twelve gauge slugs is all we are allowed to use here where I hunt. If they catch you in the field with a rifle during deer season, you are in deep trouble.
Talking about rifles here is a waste of time.

Well, my experience for elk is only plains game, and I've seen alot of calibers do well on small as well as large animals, with caliber like 270, 7x57, 303 and 30-06. (Even 222/223 and 243, but let's not go there for the large animals.)

The 338WM seems to add something extra to the equation, especially from hartebeest on up.

So my "push comes to shove" would opt for a 338WM, although 300mags, 30-06, 7mm, and 270 could all be happily used with the right bullets in an accurate rifle. ( E.g., I don't like jacket-core separations. That's just me.)

In fact, among all of the caliber just mentioned, if one of them was a true <MOA and the others were all true 1.5" or + rifles, then I would take the sub-MOA, whichever caliber, from 270 on up. I'm willing to let 1/4" slide with a heavier caliber (as long as not prone to fliers), but not 1/2". Out at 300 and 400 yards those 1/2 inches add up. Hunters have enough problems with wobbly rests, shadow, presentation, and potential wind.

I hope to get an opportunity for an elk tag in the US this year.

7x57 with 160 grain accubonds covers my base for rifle gun. Anything is a 22 or a shotgun.

358 norma
30-06/300 rcm, like 300 rcm rifle better
7mm-08/ 7x57, meh, I hate having to look for them after the shot

quote:

Originally posted by TREE 'EM:
I've shot every single animal with the gun I had in my hands at that time.

Most everything I shot died right off except the ones I screwed the shot on.

I can't say I've ever had a bullet or cartridge failure which caused a lost animal... I'll take the blame for the failures as quick as I take credit for the successes.

X 2

x 3, also I must add that I have always had great results with the 7X57.

If I knew then what I know know, I'd buy one excellent quality rifle in .280 Rem for all North American big game. There's sectional density magic in .284 caliber bullets. But the .270 Win is close enough to routinely kill the largest bull elk that has ever lived. The 7MM Rem Mag would rank high. I'd recommend going with Partitions.

An elk hunter would be well armed with an '06/.308 Win for bull elk.

I like lightweight, fast handling rifles with 22" barrels for standard cartridges, and 24" barrel for magnum cartridges, although it doesn't requires a magnum to kill bull elk. It requires hunting and shooting skills.

If you can kill a bull elk with a .375 H&H, you can kill it just as dead with a .270 Win.

The 7x57 has assuredly killed more bull elk than all mega magnums combined.

quote:

Originally posted by EMP3:
If I knew then what I know know, I'd buy one excellent quality rifle in .280 Rem for all North American big game. There's sectional density magic in .284 caliber bullets. But the .270 Win is close enough to routinely kill the largest bull elk that has ever lived. The 7MM Rem Mag would rank high. I'd recommend going with Partitions.

An elk hunter would be well armed with an '06/.308 Win for bull elk.

I like lightweight, fast handling rifles with 22" barrels for standard cartridges, and 24" barrel for magnum cartridges, although it doesn't requires a magnum to kill bull elk. It requires hunting and shooting skills.

If you can kill a bull elk with a .375 H&H, you can kill it just as dead with a .270 Win.

Yes, yes, and sometimes.

Let me digress: I just did some range work last week while nursing a toothache on my shooting side. The 416 Rigby, pushing 350grains at 2900fps (double chronoed) was jolting. If I've reached my 70's I'm supposed to have gathered some wisdom. So is that what I want to chase elk with?

Well, it would certainly add an ability to anchor a large animal that may step or twist as the trigger breaks. But is that rare hypothetical worth the extra weight of the rifle and a lesser ability to shoot from any funny position around a tree, rock or bush?

A light 338 or even an inexpensive, lightweight 6.8-Western Winchester XPR rifle (functionally a longrange 270WSM or 7mmWM equivalent) sounds pretty good, and old folks would just have to live with losing a theoretical advantage in 1% of situations. Anyway, old folks still love accurate rifles.

Im sure Alerta C would use the 8x57 on elk and do just fine..A post on such a subject prove little or nothing and its just fun and games in that he knows a Moose or Brown Bear can be killed with a 22 L.R. if the hunter does his part..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Im sure Alerta C would use the 8x57 on elk and do just fine..A post on such a subject prove little or nothing and its just fun and games in that he knows a Moose or Brown Bear can be killed with a 22 L.R. if the hunter does his part..

^^^^^^^

Or a musket ball or . . . dare I say it . . . an arrow or a spear!

But it really is fun to discuss such things!

Myself?

I've just bought a Mossberg 375Ruger. I will be able to use it for load development in the US for 375Ruger and I wanted a good second elk caliber if my son wants to join me some year. I hope to get some 248 gn Hammer Hunters for a nice, sleek load at 2900-3000fps.


I've never owned a Mossberg and thought that it would be good to support them in their rifle development. The Mossberg 375 is nice and light. Hopefully, I will get to test it at a range later next week. If it shoots it will be a nice find.

I've killed plenty of elk and deer with the .270. However, my current list for both elk and deer would be:
1. .300 WSM
2. .325 WSM
3. .338 WM

Most of my deer were shot with a 7mm Rem mag, using 160gr bullets. Lately, my go to is my 300 H&H shooting 180gr TTSX. And that's mainly rifle specific, not caliber and solely because I've got a sweet Ruger No. 1, Boddington series rifle that I've got complete confidence in. If that rifle was chambered in 7x57, it would then be my choice to take into the deer woods.

All the elk I've shot have been with either a 338WM or a 340WBY Mag, shooting 220gr TTSX. I prefer the Weatherby.

I did shoot a Texas hill country whitetail doe (read - smaller sized deer) with a 243Win using Remmington Core-Lokt bullets. Hit her in the exact place on the point of the shoulder, angling back to catch both lungs. That bullet blew up on impact and I followed her for hours until she left the property I had permission to hunt. I saw her numerous times while following up and could see where she was hit, so there was no question about placement.

I also had a 160 7mm using the Rem Core-Lokt bullet blow up on a point of the shoulder hit on a good sized buck around the same time frame as the incident with the doe described above. That one killed the deer but the bullet was found in fragments and didn't penetrate well.

Since those two incidents, I'm shooting Barnes TSX or TTSX exclusively. Never had to trail a deer hit with that bullet. Most fall in their tracks.

Elk 300 Win
Deer 300 Win

99% of everything else 300 Win