Elk Hunting Rifles, What are you Using?

DaleGribble82 · 2025-08-05T00:47:03-0400

Alamo Precision Rifles

Caliber: 7PRC

Barrel: Proof Research Sendero 24”

Action: APR VL

Bottom Metal: APR BDL

Trigger: Trigger Tech Special

Stock: AG Composites Carbon Fiber Ferrata

Optic: Leupold MK4 LR/T 6.5-20x50mm

Ammo: Federal Premium Terminal Ascent 170gr MV 2971fps

4O6shootist · 2025-08-05T01:29:20-0400

I've killed em with everything from 6cm to 338 rum. This year I'll be shooting a 22cm for open country cow hunts, and for thicker country a 6mm Saum with nose ring cut 115 dtacs at 3300mv. These are 18-20 in rigs with supressors.

KYAggie · 2025-08-05T04:37:47-0400

20” 300 WSM 210 ABLR Peak 44 Bastion.

Depending on where you are hunting, I would want a scope with lower power on the bottom end; 4x max, 2.5-3x even better. 6.5 is too much for the elk hunting I’ve done in Idaho. If you hunt well, your shot will be under 250.

Jameswish956 · 2025-08-05T10:01:21-0400

Primary rifle:
Christensen Mesa 700 action
Outlier 26” 300 PRC barrel
Grayboe phoenix 2 stock
Hornady 225 ELD-M
Sig DMR 5-30x56

Secondary rifle (backup at camp):
Winchester model 70 action
18” proof carbon barrel 7 WSM
Diligent Enticer L-Ti
Manners Eh-1 stock
Hornady 162 ELD-X
Sig DMR 3-18x44

I’ll add that we do not backpack very far once we leave our quads. Usually only a mile or two. The 300 PRC is a build I will be finishing up in a couple weeks after changing the rifle from the win mag that it used to be. It will be a heavy sob but I am going to take a cow with it this year just to get one under its belt as it’s my first hunt of the year. After this year I will not be packing that thing around and the m70 will become the primary rifle.

NateVA · 2025-08-05T10:26:40-0400

My western gun has a different scope on it right now since my destination this fall is Arizona for coues deer. For coues/pronghorn I use the best quality optics I have since for coues I really need it just to see the animals especially in the shade, and for pronghorn it doesn't really matter how much your rifle weighs.

Action: Tikka T3x with an Area419 20MOA rail and Atlasworx stubby-knurled bolt handle
Trigger: KRG Midas two-stage
Barrel: PVA Osprey prefit that's 18" in 6CM with a 0.750" taperless contour
Stock: KRG Bravo with ARCA rail, ARCA spigot, and overmolded X-Ray cheekpiece
Suppressor: TBAC Ultra-7 or Ultra-9, I haven't decided which to bring.
Rings: ARC M-Brace, but I do want to switch to NF Ultralight rings for hunting guns.
Scope: Nightforce ATACR 7-35x56 (the scope I bought for non-coues deer hunting is a Maven RS1.2 2.5-15x44)
Bipod: MDT Ckye pod single pull (wish I had gone with a double)
Tripod: RRS TFCT-34L w/ Anvil head

I just finished loctiting and witness marking every screw on the gun/scope so it's good to go for this fall. When I installed the Area419 scope rail I also used Loctite 380 Black Max adhesive to bond it to the action, as insurance to make sure it never moves. I had 0.3 MRAD zero shift during travel to a pronghorn hunt this past fall so I overhauled my whole setup and am very paranoid about it now.

Pictures attached now. One of which is just to show the scope/action cover I got for it. I can take it off in a few seconds but it's padded so it helps keep impacts from messing with the scope, keeps stuff out of the action, and prevents the magazine from falling out though I'm not worried about that.

Terry Cross · 2025-08-05T11:39:49-0400

DaleGribble82 said:
Alamo Precision Rifles

Caliber: 7PRC

Barrel: Proof Research Sendero 24”

Action: APR VL

Bottom Metal: APR BDL

Trigger: Trigger Tech Special

Stock: AG Composites Carbon Fiber Ferrata

Optic: Leupold MK4 LR/T 6.5-20x50mm

Ammo: Federal Premium Terminal Ascent 170gr MV 2971fps

Winchester Pre-64 FW shipped from the factory in 1954

Caliber: 300 Holland and Holland Magnum

Barrel: Winchester Featherweight OEM 26”

Action: OEM

Bottom Metal: OEM

Trigger: OEM

Stock: OEM Walnut with some internal tweaks.

Optic: Leupold Mk5 HD 3.8-18

Ammo: Handloaded (because factory loads aren't a thing) Barnes TTSX 180gr MV 2995 fps

With this load, it shoots like a custom $5k rifle. Nicknamed it Bug Spray. . . . . . . It kills on contact.

DaleGribble82 · 2025-08-05T12:32:22-0400

Jameswish956 said:
Primary rifle:
Christensen Mesa 700 action
Outlier 26” 300 PRC barrel
Grayboe phoenix 2 stock
Hornady 225 ELD-M
Sig DMR 5-30x56

Secondary rifle (backup at camp):
Winchester model 70 action
18” proof carbon barrel 7 WSM
Diligent Enticer L-Ti
Manners Eh-1 stock
Hornady 162 ELD-X
Sig DMR 3-18x44

I’ll add that we do not backpack very far once we leave our quads. Usually only a mile or two. The 300 PRC is a build I will be finishing up in a couple weeks after changing the rifle from the win mag that it used to be. It will be a heavy sob but I am going to take a cow with it this year just to get one under its belt as it’s my first hunt of the year. After this year I will not be packing that thing around and the m70 will become the primary rifle.

My back up is a Ruger M77 Hawkeye FTW Hunter in .300wm. It is an absolute hammer.

DaleGribble82 · 2025-08-05T12:34:45-0400

Terry Cross said:
View attachment 8741622

Winchester Pre-64 FW shipped from the factory in 1954

Caliber: 300 Holland and Holland Magnum

Barrel: Winchester Featherweight OEM 26”

Action: OEM

Bottom Metal: OEM

Trigger: OEM

Stock: OEM Walnut with some internal tweaks.

Optic: Leupold Mk5 HD 3.8-18

Ammo: Handloaded (because factory loads aren't a thing) Barnes TTSX 180gr MV 2995 fps

With this load, it shoots like a custom $5k rifle. Nicknamed it Bug Spray. . . . . . . It kills on contact.

I have no doubt about that.

secondofangle2 · 2025-08-05T12:42:10-0400

Defiance AnTi-X
Proof 24” 1-8.4 7PRC 180 ELD-M
XLR element MG 4.0
leupy Mark6 HD 3-18x50
TBAC 7 ultra

<8.5# w/ can

Rod79 · 2025-08-05T13:40:55-0400

Lots of killer setups here, makes me want an upgrade!
Tikka T3 Lite in Three Oh Hate, it’s bone stock but easy to hoof around. A419 scope base pic rail, DNZ one piece low mount holding an old Nikon Monarch (it’s old but been great to set & forget). Always thought it would be fun to build something else on that tikka action and just use my M70 308 for a hunt rig

Baron23 · 2025-08-05T13:55:07-0400

Terry Cross said:
View attachment 8741622

Winchester Pre-64 FW shipped from the factory in 1954

Caliber: 300 Holland and Holland Magnum

Barrel: Winchester Featherweight OEM 26”

Action: OEM

Bottom Metal: OEM

Trigger: OEM

Stock: OEM Walnut with some internal tweaks.

Optic: Leupold Mk5 HD 3.8-18

Ammo: Handloaded (because factory loads aren't a thing) Barnes TTSX 180gr MV 2995 fps

With this load, it shoots like a custom $5k rifle. Nicknamed it Bug Spray. . . . . . . It kills on contact.

roostercogburn98 · 2025-08-05T14:15:21-0400

Terry Cross said:
View attachment 8741622

Winchester Pre-64 FW shipped from the factory in 1954

Caliber: 300 Holland and Holland Magnum

Barrel: Winchester Featherweight OEM 26”

Action: OEM

Bottom Metal: OEM

Trigger: OEM

Stock: OEM Walnut with some internal tweaks.

Optic: Leupold Mk5 HD 3.8-18

Ammo: Handloaded (because factory loads aren't a thing) Barnes TTSX 180gr MV 2995 fps

With this load, it shoots like a custom $5k rifle. Nicknamed it Bug Spray. . . . . . . It kills on contact.

Show off

Terry Cross · 2025-08-05T16:22:53-0400

roostercogburn98 said:
Show off

LOL.

You know me just good enough to know that I don't have a lot of $ to spare, but the one thing on this planet that I do have is the ability choose is just about any firearm I could desire. For a straight up elk hunt, this was the obvious choice for ME and still is after taking 2 elk.

I'm the biggest high speed tech and whiz bang equipment whore out there but I get way more satisfaction from this rig than anything I could build or buy to use for the same job.

Literally took another batch of spaghetti sauce with elk meatballs out of the freezer last night so my honey could satisfy her Italian food bug this week.
Thank you Bug Spray!

Aftermath · 2025-08-05T16:36:51-0400

I grew up in north Idaho.
I got my first few with a Safari Grade Browning in 30-06 with an old Bushnell Scope Chief 3x9. I liked the 150 grain bullets.
Back in those days, you could hunt every season and all over the state so I started archery hunting. I REALLY liked that because getting real close was loads of fun and sometimes pretty damned scary. If I didn't score with the pointy stick, I could go out during rifle season. And again during muzzleloader and then again during late archery. There were lots of mule deer and elk. A guy could be real picky.

Then the feds thought is was a great idea to turn wolves loose.

DaleGribble82 · 2025-08-05T17:45:11-0400

Aftermath said:
I grew up in north Idaho.
I got my first few with a Safari Grade Browning in 30-06 with an old Bushnell Scope Chief 3x9. I liked the 150 grain bullets.
Back in those days, you could hunt every season and all over the state so I started archery hunting. I REALLY liked that because getting real close was loads of fun and sometimes pretty damned scary. If I didn't score with the pointy stick, I could go out during rifle season. And again during muzzleloader and then again during late archery. There were lots of mule deer and elk. A guy could be real picky.

Then the feds thought is was a great idea to turn wolves loose.

Yep the feds, constantly screwing up everything.

secondofangle2 · 2025-08-05T17:46:30-0400

Do the wolves kill, healthy, mature elk or do they just get them moving around too much?

Aftermath · 2025-08-05T18:29:11-0400

secondofangle2 said:
Do the wolves kill, healthy, mature elk or do they just get them moving around too much?

They kill healthy, mature elk along with young, weak, and unhealthy. Same with mule deer. It seems the whitetail had been less impacted and I think it's due to being more of a forest animal than open country. Wolves will tag team elk and muleys until they drag one down. I think the whitetail escapes by being elusive in the bushes.

I have nothing against the wolf, per se, but the feds did it wrong.

I lived in Alaska and watched the wolves follow the migration of the caribou. They hunted there the same way...chase until the prey was exhausted, start taking bites on the haunches and the prey starts to bleed out while also being less able to run. More wolves catch up. 2-4 take it on down.

The big difference is that the sheer number of the caribou is overwhelming. I'd guess more die from other causes every day...like a broken leg or drowning or falling or a heart attack.

Plus, the caribou have always lived with the wolf eating them 24/7/365.

Those elk and mule deer had not had that super predator on them in over 70 years. By the time they sort of had it figured out, the breeding aged were all but killed off.

Herds were just decimated.

4O6shootist · 2025-08-05T19:11:29-0400

secondofangle2 said:
Do the wolves kill, healthy, mature elk or do they just get them moving around too much?

A lot of them are killing for fun it seems anymore. Trap em in deep crusted snow, the wolves run on top, elk sink in. They eat a few small choice bites and leave the rest, pretty sickening!

KYAggie · 2025-08-05T19:17:11-0400

secondofangle2 said:
Do the wolves kill, healthy, mature elk or do they just get them moving around too much?

They kill healthy animals. They need to put a bounty on wolves especially in the Selway. It’s really out of hand.

4O6shootist · 2025-08-05T19:29:41-0400

There is an independent wolf management program running in Idaho and Montana, Foundation for Wildlife Management. I do believe the pay bounty for kills.

BJames · 2025-08-05T19:48:45-0400

Fuck wolves.

Numerous reports from field biologists up here in AK, detailing sport killing by packs. Multiple animals taken down with nothing eaten. Caribou calves and Dall sheep in the winter, mostly. When the state dictates that the wolf population has gotten out of hand again, they release predator control areas. Dudes go out and shoot them from super cubs with shotguns, 12 gauge 3.5” 00 gets it done. At least until next year.

Aftermath · 2025-08-05T20:04:27-0400

Meh....I mean, it's just in the nature of a predator to kill.
My bird dog will kill just because something ran away from him.
Same with my weiner dogs.
Bald eagles will catch nice fish and only eat part of one side and go get another one.
Same with bears, peel the skin, eat some meat and not know about the other side.
What about fucking house cats?

It's not the wolf that was/is the problem. It's MANAGEMENT of wolves. Federal government fucks up everything. There is nothing they do correctly. State governments are barely any better and some are worse.

roostercogburn98 · 2025-08-06T01:51:50-0400

Terry Cross said:
You know me just good enough to know that I don't have a lot of $ to spare, but the one thing on this planet that I do have is the ability choose is just about any firearm I could desire.

You’re way more than “what money could buy” good sir. You also have something money can never buy

I dig the old wood and blues look of guns, that rifle you posted is very slick. I’m just jelly mostly!!

Turkeytider · 2025-08-06T09:20:08-0400

What a bunch of wimps! A .223 shooting 77 grain TMK will kill anything from field mice to blue whales. Just ask the boys over on Rokslide!

davsco · 2025-08-06T09:41:27-0400

i got two elk in 2020 (nw colo) with tikka t3x, factory barrel and pure precision altitude stock, 300wsm. since then i added a proof 24" carbon barrel and replaced the altitude stock with another altitude stock inletted for the wider barrel profile.

also have another tikka similarly outfitted but in 7prc. not sure yet which one i'm using this november.

davsco · 2025-08-06T09:57:37-0400

Turkeytider said:
What a bunch of wimps! A .223 shooting 77 grain TMK will kill anything from field mice to blue whales.

let's just say i didn't feel overgunned at all on my two elk with 300wsm and 180g federal trophy bonded tips, but sample size of only two. first one, big cow at 200yds. perfect hit, and ran some with the other cow beside her. after they ran, i couldn't tell which one i hit as they both seemed 'normal.' finally the one started teetering and i put a 2nd in her and that was it. same story for a small bull at 400yds. both probably would have succumbed after one shot but didn't want them running off and away, or suffering.

NateVA · 2025-08-06T10:25:20-0400

Turkeytider said:
What a bunch of wimps! A .223 shooting 77 grain TMK will kill anything from field mice to blue whales. Just ask the boys over on Rokslide!

It took some maturing before I finally admitted the Rokslide guys actually make some good points on cartridges, bullets, optics, etc. They definitely make it difficult to accept with their attitude sometimes but that doesn't mean they're wrong.

BravoSector1 · 2025-08-06T10:36:57-0400

Disclaimer...I wanted one good bolt gun to hunt with that had a quick change barrel system. Saved up, sold some stuff, and happy with what I have. I say this because I've been dogged on by the cost of this platform but it's usually by the same guys that have 7-10 different bolt guns for hunting in the safe.

The Nexus stock melts into my body every time I get into position. It's accurate and reliable. That's what I wanted. Rig is just under 10 pounds as configured below. Would like it to be a little more light weight for the Frank Church hunts so the optic may change to shed some OZs.

Gunwerks Nexus (original barrel was 7PRC) - two seasons, two kills, great round
Now...300 PRC barrel - 24"
Handloading berger 205 grain VLDs
Just over 2,800 FPS
Nightforce NX8 2.5-20x50 F1 MOAR
Nightforce ultralight rings
Gunwerks 2.0 bipod
HUXWRX 762ti suppresssor

Punkur67 · 2025-08-06T12:22:19-0400

Stiller TAC300 built by MPA in 300wm, Krg Bravo stock, leupold mark 5.

dskav · 2025-08-06T13:43:51-0400

7 SAUM is my cartridge of choice. I considered 7 PRC but the SAUM gets the job done just fine w/o the extra recoil

Eric_F · 2025-08-06T14:03:13-0400

Tikka in 284 Win, with a LRHSi.

supercorndogs · 2025-08-06T15:43:01-0400

Wolves killing healthy elk and for sport Well shit. I had it on good authority from the Disney Channel that all nature works in harrr moe kneeeee.

I will use my 21" 280 or 16" 6 arc ar15 depending on where I am. I worked up a load for 175 eldx for my 280. I have been using 162 blems I beleive are SST. I shoot 100g Speers soft points in my 6 arc.

I don't ever kill anything anymore. It's too much work.

I added 15oz switching from my 2-10 razor lh, to a weaver 2-10x32 tactical, then lost some going to a 3-15 lht. See if I can deal with SFP.

diggler1833 · 2025-08-06T15:48:52-0400

Terry Cross said:
View attachment 8741622

Winchester Pre-64 FW shipped from the factory in 1954

Caliber: 300 Holland and Holland Magnum

Barrel: Winchester Featherweight OEM 26”

Action: OEM

Bottom Metal: OEM

Trigger: OEM

Stock: OEM Walnut with some internal tweaks.

Optic: Leupold Mk5 HD 3.8-18

Ammo: Handloaded (because factory loads aren't a thing) Barnes TTSX 180gr MV 2995 fps

With this load, it shoots like a custom $5k rifle. Nicknamed it Bug Spray. . . . . . . It kills on contact.

Whenever you're ready to upgrade that old thing, I know a guy who does great work...

dskav · 2025-08-06T16:13:57-0400

dskav said:
7 SAUM is my cartridge of choice. I considered 7 PRC but the SAUM gets the job done just fine w/o the extra recoil

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