Re: Best long distance rifle?
You said for elk - so will focus on a 1400 yard kill shot for them.
At these relatively short but long distances you do not want target animal to hear the BANG before the bullet gets there, because elk will jump when movement blows your shot. So keep it supersonic at target distance so is silent when gets there.
Energy at impact is absolutely key especially when hunting a thick skinned animal like elk. That is if you can pack the gun there and make the shot - practice and lifestyle help and seems you have that covered. For me, hunting Roosevelt elk like to have 1200 ft pounds behind my projectile at impact in a situation without doubt it is going to happen. I want to put it down fast, some say better meat that way. Know many who take elk with 500 ft lbs of energy, they are practiced marksmen for decades with guns they know and are good at it. Not my bag.
I have a two very light easy to carry 30-06 and kill elk with them out to 500 yards which is when it drops below 1200 ft pounds of energy with factory ammo - both guns love Federal blue box. Practice often with both so are my go to guns for predictable results when can get close enough (note: like to have a spare gun on hunting trips just in case). Works for most of my hunting situations. And special loads could be worked to do better.
300 Win Mags *** (See Note 1 below) and 7mm Remington Mags drop below 1200 ft pounds at around 800 yards with factory ammo (available everywhere). Special loads would perform better. A 7mm Remington Mag flies like the 338 Lapua with less energy.
When you step up a little more to something like a 30-.378 or a 300 Lapua Magnum (also called 30-.338 Lapua Mag) then start having a harder time with ammo and wear out barrels every 1400 shots. But now have the 1200 ft lbs of energy out to 1400 yards - and it just started to get expensive to practice as well as you now re-load to shoot. There are others. With similar ballistics a better choice IMHO with a non belted case, is the 300 RUM (factory ammo but not as available everywhere). The 300 RUM is a heck of a nice round and the case base for the 338 EDGE (necked up 300 RUM).
The 338 EDGE is an awesome choice in your 1400 yard elk application - but have to form brass and reload something some do not want to deal with. Factory ammo not available. Slightly more powder capacity than the 338 LM. The .338 EDGE is a great elk gun.
If you are going to go there, then also consider another with about 5000 ft lbs of muzzle energy with easier to deal with brass as well as factory ammo available at a cost ...
338 Lapua Mag would be my #1 choice as has 1200 ft pounds out to 1400 yards and is supersonic about that long depending on conditions that day combined with load used. Is a NATO standard so governments and companies will continue to improve it and make sure it stays around a long time. Very good factory ammo and available brass (Lapua factory brass is the best but for less can get reload supplies from all over some are more affordable to shoot often). This is a proven round with no barrel life problems. Many with these have the job to practice often and shoot 10s of thousands of rounds. Also can get all kinds of bullets for most any application. Check out the list of all the countries who use this for military / police tactical applications in the top link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.338_Lapua_Magnum
http://www.lapua.com/en/story-of--338-lapua-magnum.html
http://www.lapua.com/upload/downloads/brochures/338lapuamagnum2010.pdf
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1374153
The ultimate long range gun, that you can still carry at about the same 16 pound gun you have now ... If money is no object. My vote if you want to shoot a mile or more consider a custom built 375 Cheytac which remains supersonic out past 2800m depending on day. And some of the wildcats off the Cheytac case could become one of the best ever long range gun in the right hands. Barrels may only last 2000-3000 rounds depending, but they are only $450 or so to install another and part of the cost of shooting when money is no object and is what the governments do with these often replacing barrels at 1200 rounds or so. Like the Lapua am bringing up a round with Military / Police success as feel necessary to keep a round around long term. The .338/408 wildcats also fly well with about a 800-1000 shot barrel life. Time will tell if Cheytac materials remain affordable and available. My gut tells me it is here to stay - with the .408 Cheytac is used in some military applications so they expect supply to be around (other makers will step in to fill military $ demand). We can all benefit from the extensive money with testing that went to develop the Cheytac and to make a custom dream gun. It seems the 375 is possibly the best flying at extreme long range. A link to more information is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.408_Chey_Tac
I often shoot my elk under 500 yards with a 30-06 that is simple to carry and usually get one at 300 yards or less as is brush country mostly where we hunt here in Oregon. When go into open country use something different and if were shooting elk at 1400 yards on a regular basis would use a .338 Lapua Magnum. Like the 'affordable' Remington XLR 700 variations - while the Sako TRG-42 or for that price a custom combination from the right smiths shoot darn good.
You could always make a 338 LM into a 338 LM Improved that is better than the 338 Edge if ever felt an urge to play with it later.
As to my dream custom build elk long range gun... if could drive to the spot and need to make the real long shot in a situation where if elk gets wounded is not getting away. Would go with something like the 375 CT (.375-.408 Chey Tac) as kicks less and flies better than the 408 CT. 375 CT barrels last twice longer than the .338-.408 Chey-Tac. Would go 338 CT if unable to not flinch shooting a 375 CT and need to shoot some more to know if I have it or not. When have some thousands to burn, things settle, and gain experience with 100s more rounds downrange - maybe will have one of my own if ever had a need.
To shoot elk out to 1400 yards. Would go with the 338 Lapua then practice often as close as possible to the same situations so when have opportunity it happens without doubt.
------ Corrections / Additions later for completeness -----
*** Note #1: This paragraph was added on 3/17/11. Things are always changing - below is a link to new 300 win mag ammo information I just became aware of. Above I said a 300 win mag has 1200 ft lbs of energy out to 800 yards as is what have always seen in ballistic tables with average hunting ammo growing up. New 300 Win Mag military setup will have more energy further and be supersonic longer (the right rifle barrel may be part of the equation, not sure how much better this stuff is in the hunting guns we already have):
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1371201
You said for elk - so will focus on a 1400 yard kill shot for them.
At these relatively short but long distances you do not want target animal to hear the BANG before the bullet gets there, because elk will jump when movement blows your shot. So keep it supersonic at target distance so is silent when gets there.
Energy at impact is absolutely key especially when hunting a thick skinned animal like elk. That is if you can pack the gun there and make the shot - practice and lifestyle help and seems you have that covered. For me, hunting Roosevelt elk like to have 1200 ft pounds behind my projectile at impact in a situation without doubt it is going to happen. I want to put it down fast, some say better meat that way. Know many who take elk with 500 ft lbs of energy, they are practiced marksmen for decades with guns they know and are good at it. Not my bag.
I have a two very light easy to carry 30-06 and kill elk with them out to 500 yards which is when it drops below 1200 ft pounds of energy with factory ammo - both guns love Federal blue box. Practice often with both so are my go to guns for predictable results when can get close enough (note: like to have a spare gun on hunting trips just in case). Works for most of my hunting situations. And special loads could be worked to do better.
300 Win Mags *** (See Note 1 below) and 7mm Remington Mags drop below 1200 ft pounds at around 800 yards with factory ammo (available everywhere). Special loads would perform better. A 7mm Remington Mag flies like the 338 Lapua with less energy.
When you step up a little more to something like a 30-.378 or a 300 Lapua Magnum (also called 30-.338 Lapua Mag) then start having a harder time with ammo and wear out barrels every 1400 shots. But now have the 1200 ft lbs of energy out to 1400 yards - and it just started to get expensive to practice as well as you now re-load to shoot. There are others. With similar ballistics a better choice IMHO with a non belted case, is the 300 RUM (factory ammo but not as available everywhere). The 300 RUM is a heck of a nice round and the case base for the 338 EDGE (necked up 300 RUM).
The 338 EDGE is an awesome choice in your 1400 yard elk application - but have to form brass and reload something some do not want to deal with. Factory ammo not available. Slightly more powder capacity than the 338 LM. The .338 EDGE is a great elk gun.
If you are going to go there, then also consider another with about 5000 ft lbs of muzzle energy with easier to deal with brass as well as factory ammo available at a cost ...
338 Lapua Mag would be my #1 choice as has 1200 ft pounds out to 1400 yards and is supersonic about that long depending on conditions that day combined with load used. Is a NATO standard so governments and companies will continue to improve it and make sure it stays around a long time. Very good factory ammo and available brass (Lapua factory brass is the best but for less can get reload supplies from all over some are more affordable to shoot often). This is a proven round with no barrel life problems. Many with these have the job to practice often and shoot 10s of thousands of rounds. Also can get all kinds of bullets for most any application. Check out the list of all the countries who use this for military / police tactical applications in the top link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.338_Lapua_Magnum
http://www.lapua.com/en/story-of--338-lapua-magnum.html
http://www.lapua.com/upload/downloads/brochures/338lapuamagnum2010.pdf
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1374153
The ultimate long range gun, that you can still carry at about the same 16 pound gun you have now ... If money is no object. My vote if you want to shoot a mile or more consider a custom built 375 Cheytac which remains supersonic out past 2800m depending on day. And some of the wildcats off the Cheytac case could become one of the best ever long range gun in the right hands. Barrels may only last 2000-3000 rounds depending, but they are only $450 or so to install another and part of the cost of shooting when money is no object and is what the governments do with these often replacing barrels at 1200 rounds or so. Like the Lapua am bringing up a round with Military / Police success as feel necessary to keep a round around long term. The .338/408 wildcats also fly well with about a 800-1000 shot barrel life. Time will tell if Cheytac materials remain affordable and available. My gut tells me it is here to stay - with the .408 Cheytac is used in some military applications so they expect supply to be around (other makers will step in to fill military $ demand). We can all benefit from the extensive money with testing that went to develop the Cheytac and to make a custom dream gun. It seems the 375 is possibly the best flying at extreme long range. A link to more information is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.408_Chey_Tac
I often shoot my elk under 500 yards with a 30-06 that is simple to carry and usually get one at 300 yards or less as is brush country mostly where we hunt here in Oregon. When go into open country use something different and if were shooting elk at 1400 yards on a regular basis would use a .338 Lapua Magnum. Like the 'affordable' Remington XLR 700 variations - while the Sako TRG-42 or for that price a custom combination from the right smiths shoot darn good.
You could always make a 338 LM into a 338 LM Improved that is better than the 338 Edge if ever felt an urge to play with it later.
As to my dream custom build elk long range gun... if could drive to the spot and need to make the real long shot in a situation where if elk gets wounded is not getting away. Would go with something like the 375 CT (.375-.408 Chey Tac) as kicks less and flies better than the 408 CT. 375 CT barrels last twice longer than the .338-.408 Chey-Tac. Would go 338 CT if unable to not flinch shooting a 375 CT and need to shoot some more to know if I have it or not. When have some thousands to burn, things settle, and gain experience with 100s more rounds downrange - maybe will have one of my own if ever had a need.
To shoot elk out to 1400 yards. Would go with the 338 Lapua then practice often as close as possible to the same situations so when have opportunity it happens without doubt.
------ Corrections / Additions later for completeness -----
*** Note #1: This paragraph was added on 3/17/11. Things are always changing - below is a link to new 300 win mag ammo information I just became aware of. Above I said a 300 win mag has 1200 ft lbs of energy out to 800 yards as is what have always seen in ballistic tables with average hunting ammo growing up. New 300 Win Mag military setup will have more energy further and be supersonic longer (the right rifle barrel may be part of the equation, not sure how much better this stuff is in the hunting guns we already have):
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1371201
