This may be blasphemous with todays hunters, but for 150 yard shots, and if I could depend on that for the most part, I wouldn't use anything but a 30-30, and for those of you who don't think a 30-30 isn't elk medicine at 100 to 150 yards, your flat out wrong...Shot too many with it when I was a kid and it hammered them...

However today I use my .338 or 375 as I hunt in some horrible thick swampy holes and all shots are going away, and the 338 or 375 with 300 gr. bullets dumps them on their nose. No country for lessor calibers IMO, you have to shoot through them lengthwise...

John h: While I like my Win Model 94 Big Bore in .356 Win, my Legacy (Rossi) 1892 knockoff in .454 Casull is even handier. A 340 gr. LFN at 2000 fps is certainly elk medicine at the shorter ranges and is lighter and handier than a Marlin Guide Gun. An Xpress ghost ring sight is just the ticket for 100-150 yard shots. It is not pretty with the blackened sapwood stock, but the price is right.

As TCLouis said, 45-70. You could use Buffalo Bore Ammo if you don't handload and wanted more uummpph. And then there is always the 444 Marlin and the .450 Marlin.

Steve E........

"Made In Japan" -- Toyota, Lexus, Toshiba, Sony, Honda . . . Howa makes the Weatherby Vanguard.

I had problems with "Made In Brazil" on my Springfield 1911, but I got over it.

The Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in 45-70 Govt. is classic for elk in the woods. We're doing Roosevelt Elk on the Oregon coast in heavy cover. Most shots are circa 75 yds.

350 gr. Speer SP, Hodgdon 4895.

The other one would be the Marlin 1894 in 444. But I'd go 45-70 Govt. first. (I'm biased.) In 45-70, your only option is Marlin, unless I'm missing something.

Marlin has been making quality guns a long time. They've just been consolidated with Remington.

quote:

The other one would be the Marlin 1894 in 444. But I'd go 45-70 Govt. first. (I'm biased.) In 45-70, your only option is Marlin, unless I'm missing something.

The Ruger #1 has a lever!!! Sorta.