Best caliber for big game at 400 plus yards
- Thread starter ThePewPlug
- Start date
7PRC would be my choice. I'm sure it's not the best, but more than effective enough.
300 wsm, 300 win mag, 300 prc. Shooting a Berger 215 hybrid
Depends on what kind of elk hunting; guided on a giant private ranch, horse back on public land, or solo backpacking?
Personally, I’ve killed two with the good old 7 mag, both under 100 yards. Third was killed with a 300 win mag. I like the 30 Cal’s better with a good bonded bullet or a Partition if they shoot well in your gun. I just put together a 300 WSM with a 20” barrel and carbon stock just for this purpose for a backpack hunt this fall.
Good luck with your choice.
Personally, I’ve killed two with the good old 7 mag, both under 100 yards. Third was killed with a 300 win mag. I like the 30 Cal’s better with a good bonded bullet or a Partition if they shoot well in your gun. I just put together a 300 WSM with a 20” barrel and carbon stock just for this purpose for a backpack hunt this fall.
Good luck with your choice.
Around here you're going to get a wild variety of answers from 223 to 338 Lapua and likely stir up an argument of "don't shoot animals that far away" vs "I shoot animals at 800 yards all the time".
A 7mm or 30 cal shooting a properly constructed, heavy-for-caliber bullet at 2700+ fps will get the job done. 7 SAUM, 280 AI, 7 Back Country, 7 Rem Mag, 7 PRC, 300 WSM, 300 Win Mag, 300 PRC, 300 Norma...any of them will do it. I'm building a 7mm Sherman Short at the moment, and if I got the chance to go elk hunting that's probably the rifle I would take.
A 7mm or 30 cal shooting a properly constructed, heavy-for-caliber bullet at 2700+ fps will get the job done. 7 SAUM, 280 AI, 7 Back Country, 7 Rem Mag, 7 PRC, 300 WSM, 300 Win Mag, 300 PRC, 300 Norma...any of them will do it. I'm building a 7mm Sherman Short at the moment, and if I got the chance to go elk hunting that's probably the rifle I would take.
The 300 winmag will take anything in the americas pole to pole , very popular in off the rack makers and there is a great choice of ammo . Recoil is noticeable with 220 gr and above but its a man-gun and chicks dig magnums lol .
I don’t see any advantage to a 7 over a 30 for hunting bigger game. If you have a 7 it’s not worth upgrading but if you’re starting fresh - 30 all day
I have used a lot of different calibers and cartridges to kill elk 6.8spc (close range) and 260 rem being the smallest 338 Lapua and 45 caliber smokeless muzzleloader being the largest. Several with my 6.5SS in the 350-550 yard range.
300wsm with 208 Amax and 338 Lapua with 230 eldx would be my pick.
300wsm with 208 Amax and 338 Lapua with 230 eldx would be my pick.
i got elk a few years back with tikka 300 wsm (fed 180 trophy bonded tips) at 200 and 400yds and didn't feel overgunned at all. going again this year and it will be the 300wsm again, or 7prc (also tikka), not sure which yet. the hornady factory eld-x loads (200g for the 300 and 175g for the 7prc) are the most accurate but have heard mixed results on those bullets on elk, so not sure on the loads either.
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It's just a big deer. It's not any tougher or more bullet resistant. @400+ the most important thing is that A. it shoots straight, and B. if you're traveling to get there you can buy ammo at a gas station if you're reduced to shooting Core-Lokts for some unforeseen reason.
People asking these kinds of questions have no business taking shots on any game past 400.
that's probably pretty accurate. I don't see many people who own a Kestrel asking this kind of question, and you have zero business shooting an animal that far without a good understanding of wind, temp tables and a Kestrel.
Hes not wrong. 6.5C will easily kill anything in north America inside of 500 yards. I probably wouldn't pick it for polar bear or moose, but something like a 300wsm is perfect for those. 6.5mm has been the go too big game cartridge in Europe for over a 100 years.
The most successful hunter I know stopped shooting the big magnums years ago. A house full of trophies. 6.5C gets it done. His 360 class bull from 2 years ago is sitting on the wall, killed with a 143gr eldx at 560y.
The vast majority of people cannot shoot non magnums competently. Now throw extra recoil and they are not doing themselves any favors. Sometimes, Less is more. Experienced hunters and shooters know this.
Those that don't, spout shit like 338WM and 338L or using big 30 cal magnums on fucking deer, which is ludicrous.
I drew a pretty hard to get Mule tag in Montana this year. Going with a group of guys. Most of them don't understand reticles, turrets, have kestrels and claimed they are just going to zero at 200 and hold zero.......
This is your AVERAGE hunter. Now i will school these guys up and do a crash course before we head out this fall but most won't.
As much shit as we give each other, this is the top 1% of shooters/hunters.
i think he said springfield 30.06 THEE fudd gun which i happen to own from 1944 lol
the "what is the best scope for under 500 yard shots " is next
My 11yo son took a lot of animals with a 6.5CM running 129SST superperformace loads. None of his shots were over 300 yards. Some animals much bigger than moose (would not push my luck or his with a polar bear).
Walked away from that trip with a completely different respect for the 6.5CM. (Have been shooting it since it's release).
.338 makes stuff more deader faster if you are comfortable with it and can carry it.
I'd take something I am damn familiar with for a big trip, something that gets shot a lot... not the safe queen with 1 ride a year on her.
I'd think most any of the popular rounds will do the job just fine if you can run it well. Some just give more margin for weather etc.
I'd take something I am damn familiar with for a big trip, something that gets shot a lot... not the safe queen with 1 ride a year on her.
I'd think most any of the popular rounds will do the job just fine if you can run it well. Some just give more margin for weather etc.
If you are serious about mastering ethical 400+ yard shots on an animal, then cartridge choice comes down to minimizing the wind call error on a cold bore shot. Drop is academic. A Kestrel is a useful but imperfect tool up high in elk country where the wind vectors are all over the place.
A 215 Berger at 3000+ (e.g. 30 Nosler) gets blown around noticeably less than a 140 Berger at 2750 (6.5CM). There is more margin for error.
Too much discussion about terminal ballistics. The rationale for a magnum cartridge is more about external ballistics when you only get one guess at the wind and the consequences of a mistake are a maimed animal.
A 215 Berger at 3000+ (e.g. 30 Nosler) gets blown around noticeably less than a 140 Berger at 2750 (6.5CM). There is more margin for error.
Too much discussion about terminal ballistics. The rationale for a magnum cartridge is more about external ballistics when you only get one guess at the wind and the consequences of a mistake are a maimed animal.
You are correct. It’s not that difficult, but few hunters bother to understand the basics of ballistics and the tools to be reliably accurate.
in talking about error, suprised zero mention about recoil impulse? I think most average hunters are going to miss bc they yanked it, got twitchy and couldnt hold their mud behind a big magnum vs a wind call that's slightly off (this is 3-600 not elr; most shouldn't be shooting past 600 at animals) Also practicing behind a big magnum isn't much fun either and that's how you get better, (esp if calling mtn wind). most shooters on SH I doubt fall into this category but for the average hunter buying a 6.5/6mm and getting very proficient with it will go a lot further in developing long range proficiency vs a magnum imo. Bullet technology is leaps and bounds better too
And 90% of the idiots running a 30 nosler or similar guns can't shoot for shit and would be much more effective with a a gun they can actually shoot.
How many practice rounds do you think these people do with those big magnums.
I know I shoot about 5-10k rounds a year of precision rifle in various calibers and platforms. I have shot those big calibers from hunting guns and want NOTHING to do with it, and can guarantee you I can shoot circles inside them. Even a 300wsm shooting 150s is pretty spicy on a 9lb gun. Not fun to zero, not fun to shoot and will induce more bad habits and flinch than it will help.
400 yards you are looking at like .7 or 10inches of hold with a full value 15mph wind with a slow 153 Berger in a creed.
This just reaffirms my notion that only fools shoot big calibers at game.
How many practice rounds do you think these people do with those big magnums.
I know I shoot about 5-10k rounds a year of precision rifle in various calibers and platforms. I have shot those big calibers from hunting guns and want NOTHING to do with it, and can guarantee you I can shoot circles inside them. Even a 300wsm shooting 150s is pretty spicy on a 9lb gun. Not fun to zero, not fun to shoot and will induce more bad habits and flinch than it will help.
400 yards you are looking at like .7 or 10inches of hold with a full value 15mph wind with a slow 153 Berger in a creed.
This just reaffirms my notion that only fools shoot big calibers at game.
6.5 creedmoor
.308
‘06
280, 280 AI
Magnums that run in a short action
Make sure it is something you can shoot well.
My 8 lb 300 wsm isnt bad with the brake.
Shot it plenty enough to be sure I could hammer a cold bore shot at distances I am good with.
Then had a kneeling off hand 200 yd shot.
Elk went 12 yds.
I will likely run 16.5” 6.5 creed with Hammers or a 20” .308 this year for elk rifle.
300 wsm is there if I decide I want it, as is the 6.5 PRC running a Hammer bullet with some good speed.
.308
‘06
280, 280 AI
Magnums that run in a short action
Make sure it is something you can shoot well.
My 8 lb 300 wsm isnt bad with the brake.
Shot it plenty enough to be sure I could hammer a cold bore shot at distances I am good with.
Then had a kneeling off hand 200 yd shot.
Elk went 12 yds.
I will likely run 16.5” 6.5 creed with Hammers or a 20” .308 this year for elk rifle.
300 wsm is there if I decide I want it, as is the 6.5 PRC running a Hammer bullet with some good speed.
wow color me friggin jealous, elk overwatch! though perhaps not as envious with two feet of snow...
My father in law did Moose with a 300 Savage.
360 No scope shots even. I don't think he did 400 yards though. Maybe he did. I dunno.
360 No scope shots even. I don't think he did 400 yards though. Maybe he did. I dunno.
I honestly love the 6 creed for a good all around hunting rifle, definitely not a great choice for LR elk. The 109’s going 3100 is legit especially on deer sized game. I only bow hunt for elk nowadays as it’s really really hard to draw bull elk tags with a rifle. I’ve guided and killed a few at 700 plus with 300 win mag and 300 prc and 215 hybrids all one shot kills. The 28 nosler with 195 kills like a bolt of lightning. My wife did draw a coveted rifle bull tag for the gila this year and will be shooting a 6.5 prc with 156’s or a 260ai with 140’s max range will be 600 and in
an arrow with a fixed head going 280 fps is fine but a 6mm eldm going 3100 isn't!? it's just a big deer. there's nothing magical or mythical about an elk. put a good bullet in the right spot and it will die.
I didn’t say it wouldn’t and I would have no problem using a 6 creed on elk but out past 700 yards I want a little more displacement.
The real answer:
The rifle you can shoot best at that distance, that you are confident will put the animal down quickly
The rifle you can shoot best at that distance, that you are confident will put the animal down quickly
I see some validity to the argument that you don't want to get more rifle/cartridge than you can handle, but that is going to vary wildly for most of us.
Some guys have to let their Cap'n Crunch soak in milk for 15 minutes while they come on here and spout off like they are the foremost authority on hunting when they've killed about a dozen animals tops. Saying that nobody needs a cartridge larger than "____" is a good way to point yourself out as being a part of that camp.
I'm partial to the 7 mags as they are the Goldilocks of ballistic efficiency, speed, energy, and terminal performance. That being said, I've killed far more with other cartridges that didn't start with a "7".
Some guys have to let their Cap'n Crunch soak in milk for 15 minutes while they come on here and spout off like they are the foremost authority on hunting when they've killed about a dozen animals tops. Saying that nobody needs a cartridge larger than "____" is a good way to point yourself out as being a part of that camp.
I'm partial to the 7 mags as they are the Goldilocks of ballistic efficiency, speed, energy, and terminal performance. That being said, I've killed far more with other cartridges that didn't start with a "7".
Do “those guys” also shoot PRS and have been banned from this site multiple times over the years?
Asking for a friend
Shit, it was supposed to be more cryptic...
When his Cap'n Cruch gets soggy enough, I'm going to get flamed.
