To All,

I'm leaving for Colorado next Friday for second season rifle-mulie. I have yet to decide whether or not I'm buying an elk tag or not. Most likely I will.

All of my rifles are loaded up, tested, and ready to hunt. I have 2 that I've never killed anything with. To some, that may make a difference.

I've killed game with every bullet mentioned, though some of you may not like them, they've worked for me but I'd like to know what you guys (and ladies) would take. This is far southwest CO near Cortez. You all know what shot distances are like when hunting mulie. I'm very comfortable to 400 yards so long as my heart isn't bouncing my sternum into the next county after a stalk.

Here is what I have:

300 RUM, 200 Accubond

30.06, 168 TSX

270, 130 TSX
270, 140 AB or partition (same trajec. to 300)
270, 130 Scirocco

7 mag, 150 Btip (not a choice for elk).

I've not taken any game with the 7 mag since it's been customized. I've also not taken any game with the Broughton bbl 270 and 140 AB/partition.

I always take 2 rifles, so fire away. From my list, what would you take? AND I'M NOT CHANGING BULLETS this late in the game.

And FWIW, I have an outfitter buddy in Tucson that declares the TSX on elk is quite impressive. Yes, that is hearsay but I trust him. I asked him specifically how a 270 has performed on elk and he claims that it's worked 100% of the time for his clients.

If that rifle goes, I will certainly try for the shoulder/spine shot, as I always do with the TSX.

Thoughts?

I'd take 2 rifles. The 7mm for mulies and the 30-06 for elk. That way if you happen run over one gun you still have another. (Don't laugh, I have seen it happen) I just couldn't have a gun that hasn't drawn blood. I usually take 2 guns also. My 280 and my other 280. Good luck on your hunt.

My primary would be the '06 with the TSX and backed up by the 270 with TSX. Couldn't go wrong with either one.

Take the 7mm, but change the load to a good 160-175 gr bullet. I've shot a lot of elk and mulies with the 160 gr Nosler Partition and it ha always worked well. Taking 2 different rifles with the intention of sing 1 for deer and the other for elk is foolish.

What happens if you are hunting deer and a big bull steps out if front of you? Will you pass on the shot? If you are honest, you will say no. Take a rifle that will handle both animals. The 7mm Rem Mag is the most popular caliber with all the western hunters I know and that adds up to an awful lot of people.

Mac

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
....30.06, 168 TSX.....

None of your loads are bad but of what you have this gets my vote. It'll do for any deer or elke that you would run in to.

quote:

Originally posted by MAC:
Take the 7mm, but change the load to a good 160-175 gr bullet. I've shot a lot of elk and mulies with the 160 gr Nosler Partition and it ha always worked well. Taking 2 different rifles with the intention of sing 1 for deer and the other for elk is foolish.

What happens if you are hunting deer and a big bull steps out if front of you? Will you pass on the shot? If you are honest, you will say no. Take a rifle that will handle both animals. The 7mm Rem Mag is the most popular caliber with all the western hunters I know and that adds up to an awful lot of people.

Mac

Ok, I left out something. Regarding taking 2 rifles, my friend Adam, will be carrying my second rifle and a camera to get footage for his show. So, I could easily switch out a rifle in case I ran into an elk. We spot and stalk, and glass for hours. Since I've been out there, I've never had a rushed shot, so I will have my choice at any given time as Adam will be right there with the second rifle.

May sound a bit silly but this has always worked in the past. And FWIW, Adam's brother has been killing mulies in CO and UT with Btips from his 7mag for more than 10 years.

Doc
I would probably go with the RUM and 200gr. AB
As the wind can be very testy and the bigger
pill and higher velocity seem to buck the wind
better.
Charlie

Also Doc
Check the Regs, I think it is illegal for some one to be out in the feild during big game
seasons to be carrying anything larger then .223
unless he has a big game license also
Charlie

I would take two rifles, I always do even though i've never broken a piece while hunting yet. It probably doesn't matter which ones you take, but I'd lean to the .270/7Mag/.30-06 all with a good bullet.

Take the 270's forget the rest. my last elk was a 140gr Barnes, and 30+ Mule Deer with the 130's (not your bullet), but you can't go wrong with the 270, The only problem I had with the Barnes was to many straight thru shots, if a bullet exits it takes energy with it. just my feeling.

Gad's, guess I'm old fashioned but these sort of question's are, to me, like taking a poll as to what color underwear I should wear...

Doc,
You already know my answer. Take the .270 then kill a Mulie and an Elk. I'd have no qualms about taking a bull elk with the TSX. I've taken bulls with my .270 loaded with FailSafe bullets, and the Barnes TSX is just a tough and far more accurate.

Then I'd have your friend carry the RUM; it's flatter shooting than the '06, even with the 200 gr bullet. Use that rifle if your .270 gets damaged.

Good luck, Doc. Send me a report with photos when you return!
- Bill

If you have time to load up some 160 AB's for the 7 mag, you will have all the bases covered. That is exactly what I'm using this year for both elk and mulies.

Dangit. You guys are like me. No matter what the opinion, it's always a good one. I simply don't have time to change the bullet in the 7 mag, unless I get lucky with some partitions I have on the shelf in 160. It is rather like choosing a color of underwear isn't it?

As far as checking the regs goes, there's no need. Adam will have an elk and mulie tag too, but he's pretty much a "so what" on the elk. He only hunts them for meat in CO. His dream is in Utah.

I'll say this, I'd shoot an elk at 250-300 yards with a VERY accurate 130 TSX/270 before I'd use the Btip and 7mag.

Obviously, the 200 Accubond from the 300 will do anything I ask in CO, but I've taken it to WY and CO last year.

I just watched a video of one of Ralph's clients take a 390 class bull with a 270/130 Scirocco at 166 yards in Arizona. It APPEARS to have been shot right in the high front shoulder (my favorite placement), and it collapsed. The rifle looked like a Ruger light weight with a 20" bbl.

I get so amazed at what some bullets will do and what that same bullet might NOT do in another very similar situation.

quote:

Originally posted by MontMike:
If you have time to load up some 160 AB's for the 7 mag, you will have all the bases covered. That is exactly what I'm using this year for both elk and mulies.

Load?

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
Gad's, guess I'm old fashioned but these sort of question's are, to me, like taking a poll as to what color underwear I should wear...

Don't worry Doc.. Brad had a similar comment when I posted a similar question a few weeks ago. God forbid we ask a load/cartridge question on a reloading site. At least he is a consistent peckerhead.

Doc, the load that I've been using is 64 gr of RL22. CCI 200 primers and Remmy brass. They're loaded out to an oal of 3.33 as the CDL I shoot them them in has alot of mag space. I don't have a chtony, so no clue as to velocity, but it is a fairly light load so it may not be sizzling hot. But it was fast enough to drop an antelope on the run at 200 already this year.

Doc,
No matter what you take I'm sure you will do
well with whichever thunderstick you use.
The best of luck to you and Adam , you picked a
wonderful place to hunt!!
Charlie

Well, I'm torn between hunting with my ML in Kentucky today or going to the range just for practice.

It's an early ML weekend and it's the last evening.

I shoot so much, I almost hate to drive to the range today. I still have Tuesday and Thursday to shoot before I go.

I passed on a yearling doe last night. She might have weighed 100 lbs. I've taken Does there that were 175. I have not seen a lot of buck sign yet.

Adam tells me that there's quite a few mulie bucks running around on some private property we have that will go 180+. One has 6" brow tines, so I can't wait for the photo on that one.

As far as the elk go, well, they're like fleas on a dog. I saw a nice legal bull a couple of years ago that I'm certain would have gone 320. I didn't have a tag, as I was unaware that you had to buy it by midnight before the season.

I also forgot to mention that the 30.06 shoots the 180 TSX real well too over Re22. I think it was Geronimo's load. Worked great for mine too after working up from a minimum. I've noticed that with Re22. Most of my rifles prefer a hotter load with that powder.

Any of your battery will work. Have a couple of drinks tonight and talk to them. After a while, see which ones speak to you. Those will be the ones you'll take.

FWIW, a couple of years ago I had a custom .300 Win Mag made up. I sold everything else I had.

Where in Colorado will you be hunting? I have a 15,35,36 tag for second season. As for the rifle, just take the one you enjoy shooting the most, they will all work.

DTH

Hunting near Cortez. Adam applies for me, I think it is unit 70.

I enjoy shooting all of the rifles equally.

I would take that .300 RUM as one of the rifles. It can do it all regardless of conditions you encounter or game hunted.

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
My primary would be the '06 with the TSX and backed up by the 270 with TSX. Couldn't go wrong with either one.

Ditto, although I may go with the Noslers int he 270 just because they are 140s instead of 130s.

quote:

I'm very comfortable to 400 yards so long as my heart isn't bouncing my sternum into the next county after a stalk.

Yikes....let me see. Don't know what gun to use. Feel comfortable shooting 400 yds.
Houston we have a problem.........

Yes. I'm comfortable to 400 yards. And I've decided what rifles I'm taking. What's the problem?

Shooting 400 yds. (unless of course it is forum based) is no joking matter. I have a pasture marked off in increments of 100 yds. out well beyond 400 yds. Very very few shooters I have taken out there could make regular hits at that range off a bench. So shooting game at that range offhand or in a field position is always very suspect to me. If a person is planning on doing so and doesn't know what gun they are using that makes it even more of an issue with me. This, my friend is the problem.......

Well relax. I would never take a shot I wasn't 100% confortable with, even if it was offhand and 30 yards.

The fact that you have had very few shooters be able to hit a target at 400 yards is, quite frankly, their problem. I practice shooting 300+ days a year and with at least 4 rifles each time. I can consistently hit a target at 400 yards. If I couldnt' then I wouldn't even bother.

Sounds like your shooters need more trigger time. Or was this a simple test composed by you to prove a point to them? I would opine that your shooters do not regularly shoot at these distances, and thus it was a "test." If that is the case, then your concerns have a foundation built on sand.

If however, these "shooters" put many hours in at a range and shoot to 300-400 yards regularly, then come to your pasture, and cannot, then that is a problem. I'm "suspect" that your point is made on the former.

.300 win mag with 180 grain whatever's as bullets.

300+ days a year shooting. Wow! I'm retired and shooting/reloading is my primary hobby and I have my own range and I don't shoot 300 days a year. You understand that works out to 6 days a week shooting. And shooting 4 different rifles. Wow, again. When do you eat and sleep.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:


Ok, I left out something. Regarding taking 2 rifles, my friend Adam, will be carrying my second rifle and a camera to get footage for his show. So, I could easily switch out a rifle in case I ran into an elk. We spot and stalk, and glass for hours. Since I've been out there, I've never had a rushed shot, so I will have my choice at any given time as Adam will be right there with the second rifle.

May sound a bit silly but this has always worked in the past. And FWIW, Adam's brother has been killing mulies in CO and UT with Btips from his 7mag for more than 10 years.

Even if Adams is carrying an extra rifle for you he would be ticketed for illegal hunting. Check page 6 of Colorado hunting regs under the heading What's legal in the field paragraph 1 section d. If your in the field with a rifle larger than 23 cal and don't have a big game tag you should be carring a something smaller than a 23 cal and have a small game license they give everyone the benefit that the one without the tag isn't big game hunting but is small game hunting which is a lesser violation. If your a non resident the cost to come back and fight the charges it will be Adam and not you that has to do this sometimes it best to pay the fine and take the points and you have to stop and think if they decide to make an example out of Adam he could loss his hunting right in about 18 state again it has nothing to do with you he is the one carrying the rifle. Sure wouldn't want to put my friend in that spot.

You must have missed the post where Adam has a big game tag too. Elk and mule deer.

quote:

Originally posted by iwzbeeman:
300+ days a year shooting. Wow! I'm retired and shooting/reloading is my primary hobby and I have my own range and I don't shoot 300 days a year. You understand that works out to 6 days a week shooting. And shooting 4 different rifles. Wow, again. When do you eat and sleep.

Yep. I live at the range (according to wife). I work about 18-23 hrs per week. Have a bum knee. We have friendly shooting competitions between a nice circle of competitors, nothing fancy. Even when I'm not at the range, for instance, when I bowhunt KY, the Schaffers's have an alfalfa field where I can shoot to 330. I always go down an hour early and plug a few holes in paper. This farm is roughly 3 miles as the crow flies from where I do the bulk of my archery hunting.

Now, forgive me for not typing all of my thoughts earlier. I think a whole lot faster than I type. A good deal of all that shooting includes archery. 3-D, etc. I shoot my bow daily behind our office to 50 yards. During lunch I tend to practice about 20-30 shots from kneeling positions etc. My earlier post is misleading and I apologize.

But, I do load up 3-5 rifles per RANGE time, because I'm there so long when I go, and shooting several helps with the cool bbls. If I had my own range, I think I'd shoot daily unless it rained. I do not care to shoot much in July and August because of temps, but I still do occasionally.

I think I finally shot out the bbl on one of my 270's. But I did get a new rifle today :

;laksndrtugzfv.jnRwA:!!!!!!!!

What kind of rifle is that!? That's one bad mofo...

Good luck on the hunt, bro. And on which rifle to take, think of it the same way you thought about the St. Louis/Houston game last night...

two outs in the 9th, and one team is about to be eliminated; how do you feel? That's how you'll know which rifle to take.

As for that game, don't make no difference who you're rootin' for...we might have just seen the best game of our lives!

Again, good luck. I'll pm you on how my Wyoming trip went.

friar

quote:

Originally posted by friarmeier:
;laksndrtugzfv.jnRwA:!!!!!!!!

What kind of rifle is that!? That's one bad mofo...

friar

270 Allen Magnum. H-S Precision stock painted by RiflesInc. in Texas. 28" Lilja bbl., 1-8" twist, #5 contour fluted. Holland recoil lug and brake. BBL. is 3 groove. Badger Ord. rings/base, 20 MOA rail, 30mm rings. Gre Tan striker assembly, Sako extractor. The scope is a NightForce 5.5x22x56 NXS with the NPR-2 Reticle. Here is a picture of the reticle just before I mounted it on the rifle:



A 169.5 Wildcat bullet (ultra low drag rebated boat tail will leave the muzzle at roughly 3300+ fps over WC-872 ball powder. The ballistic coefficient is roughly 0.750+. Here is the hollow point bullet compared to a ballistic tip:

Doc - My bad.........I tend to lump most shooters into very narrow categories...my apologies. But anytime anyone suggests shooting 400 yds....unless of course they are shooting at prairie dogs...I assume the worst. Like they have no clue what 400 yds. even looks like or the remote clue of what corrections to make for that.
I do....but I am also old enough to not be in any kind of hurry and will wait out the best shot.

PS Good luck
My season doesn't start here til Oct 29th....

Thanks. And don't think for a minute that I DESIRE a 400. I'll take 20 yards anyday no matter the weapon.

What ticks me off is when I go out west and see a bunch of yahoos through my spotting scope a mile away taking shots at bedded game and they empty their rifles at shots well beyond their capabilities.

I'm not one of those guys. I practice so much, I like to know my limitations and the rifle I take with me.

I'll try and pop a big one or two.

Really nice rig Doc. My standard practice distance is 400yds and I usually use steady stix for my rest. I have a range marked off to 850 and while I don't get in the practice time you do I know the key to hitting way out there is to get the right rifle and scope and then practice, practice, practice. With practice a 400 yard shot is not at all difficult. The problem is always windage. Good hunting!

30.06, 168 TSX