Has anyone successfully hunted elk with their contender? What caliber? Thanks.

I've only used my FA .475 Linebaugh for Elk, but friends of mine who have used Contenders have all used the .375JDJ, with 270 gr. Hornady spire points, to their complete satisfaction. I'm certain that the .338JDJ No. 2 would also work with 200-225 gr. Hornadys or 250 gr. Nosler Partitions, having used it on several head of big game, but have not used it myself on Elk. Obviously a strongly loaded (1350 fps).45-70 with 400 gr. Speers will also work, but range is a limitation, as it is with the .475 Linebaugh FA.

Certainly, I've used the .411JDJ, a .414SM, and a .309JDJ as far as contenders go. Then there's the Encores, revolvers, and a couple semi-autos.

.373 JDJ...Horn. 270,with a red dot for those of us with "older eyes"...works well.

You could use the 35 Remington with large bullets at shorter distances. The 309JDJ with 165 grn bullets I have no doubt it will take them. The 358JDJ is a good round. My 375JDJ with a 260 Accubond was used by my buddy this year on a cow elk at 105yds. Shoulder hit and broke spine. She dropped in her tracks.
The 45-70 I have would take out one for sure at 100yds or so. I shoot a 300grn Sierra Flat Point and have taken 300lb hogs with one shot. Complete penetration. Many other wildcats and some factory loads will work.

Mike

In addition to what the others have mentioned above, the 6.5 JDJ has taken elk with the 125 Gr Nosler Partition. That bullet usually gives 40 inches of penetration if no major bones are hit, and about 30 inches with bone being hit out of 14 inch barrels.

I saw a report of the 120 Gr Nosler Ballistic Tip delivering a complete pass through on a 5 x 5 bull elk out of a 14 inch barreled 6.5 x 284 recently. Although most American hunters feel the 6.5s are too small for elk, more moose are killed with the 6.5 x 55 in Scandinavia every year than all other calibers combined...Rusty.

Bower rechambered 14" contenders ...444 marlin / with 265's and 358 bower / with 200's .

Not elk, but I took my zebra with a 10 inch 44 magnum Contender starting a 320 gr LBT WFN @ 1375 fps. Three shots later (it was dead on the first shot but it needed a little extra convincing) I decided to buy an Encore with a 10 inch 454 Casull barrel...

SSK 45/70, 42.0 Grains H4198, Hornady 350...worked quite well.

sure why not! iv''e not taken mine elk hunting yet ,working over our wis. whitetails though,i shoot a savage super striker in a 308 winchester,practice alot so you can shoot it like a 22 rimfire,extend your range as confidence grows and have a blast, a good friend of mine has an Encore in a 7mm-08 thats one heck of a shooter also,great posts guys and a BIG welcome and congrat''s to you fyrepowerx on your fine bull elk.... regards jjmp

Nice photo FyrepowrX. I have small hands and the encore pistol just doesn't fit my hand very well or I would just buy one in some sort of rifle caliber. That being said, I am stuck with my contender. While I am not opposed to exotic custom calibers or wildcat cartridges I was rather hoping for something in a more common caliber like a 7-30 Waters or 45-70. I have a 30 Herrett that I like for whitetail deer but I think it may be little weak for a large elk unless I can get about 10 yards from him.

quote:

I have small hands and the encore pistol just doesn't fit my hand very well

I have the same problem which is why I've been running my Encore as a rifle for most of the time I've owned it. Tried a buddy's Encore with the new all rubber grip and it is much closer to a fit. I may have to try another pistol barrel sometime.

358 winchester 180 gr ssp 292 yards one shot.
olefish