Best all around Elk Caliber?

[Aaron]

What is the best all purpose elk caliber?  There's allot that can do the job, but specific to elk what would you choose?

My 1st choice - 300 Weatherby

My 2nd choice - 30-06

[eweatherby]

For an Elk specific cartridge it is hard to beat the .340 W.M.

E.W.

[Aaron]

That is true, for nock down power the 340 has it all.   I think I might try the 30-378 this year for an elk hunt I have in MT.  Allot of outfitters really like that cartridge, not much tracking with good shot placement and even some longer ranges this caliber gets the job done.

[Rogue]

The 340 is the hammer.  I really like the 270, 7mm and 300 weatherbys for the nostalgia.  I know a few guys that absolutely believe the 257 weatherby is the pinnicle of all elk zappers.  With a triple shock or other stout bullet the smaller calibers are big drivers. 

[bruddell]

Rogue,
It was a totally informal study, but I asked an outfitter from Colorado who has had years of experience and lots of hunters over the years, what Weatherby calibers he saw most often for his elk hunts. It really surprised me, but he said the .257 Weatherby was the number one (more recently the .30-378). I asked him why he thought that was the case. His response, easy to shoot and easy to hit with, which he thought made his clients more effective, (no flinching). I don't know if you could call it the best all around elk caliber (that should generate lots of debate) but with good bullets and proper shot placement, there's no reason you couldn't take the biggest bull in the woods with it. The .270 Winchester has been doing it for decades, and the .257 Weatherby generates similar numbers comparing 130 grain versus 120 grain Nosler Partition bullets.

[SBaumgartner]

ELK, if we are talking ranges of 300 yards or less?? take a 300 Wby Mag with 180 gr Nolser Accubond. 300 Yards out to 500 Yards 30-378 Wby Mag with 168 gr Barnes TSX. Closer than 200 yards to target?? take a 270 WSM with 150 gr. accutip from Remington. its hard to predict your range in the shot you need to take. The more horsepower behind the bullet, the more distance you can afford to have. Terrain a condition of your shot, dictates the caliber you need to consider in the hunt. smaller the caliber, the more you should get closer to your target. Know your calibers ballistics and know its limitations. lots of open land? potential for a long shot? yes...Then take more horsepower, 30-378 Mag. Forested area not much view past 200 yards?? take less horsepower then I.E. 270 WSM. Want to try and cover both sinerios? take medium Horsepower in the 300 Wby Mag.
Some where in the mix are 7mm mag, 30-06, 338, 340, these just fit in some where when personal preferences prevail. Know your ballistics and go to the field a smart hunter. even if you have to write it down on a card or some thing..know your ballistics. 

[vduckph]

Just as important as the proper caliber, The correct bullet.  I have not yet failed to have a one shot kill, but luck has helped me out more than once.  Problem, bullets breaking up on contact.  Thanks to great luck, when this has happened, the shots were in areas with little resistance to reach vital areas.  The bullets were great for long range shots, but you never know when your shot is going to be 25 to 100 yards where normal shots would be 200 to 350 yards.  I have even had trophy bonded break up at 40 yards.

[300WEATHERBYBOISE]

For Big Idaho Bulls at long range I use my MarkV in 300 Weatherby. When I draw a cow tag I use my 270 Win. I use my 243 Win. for Mule deer & Antelope. I am interested in purchasing a 240 Weatherby to replace the 243. Anybody have experience with the 240 Weatherby?

[Aaron]

I believe vduck and bruddell hit the nail on the head its not so much the caliber but bullet placement and premium bullets.  Today the ammunition and firearms companies have alloted us these comforts.  Accurate rifles and quality bullets, that will get the job done no doubt.

[huntress13]

300 Weatherby Mag., add a muzzlebreak for ease of shooting.  Mark V Ultralight is so light and easy to pack around and it knocks 'em down everytime.

[quinaulthhs]

300 WSM, multi faceted caliber.

[curthopson]

I think the 338-378 is the best elk caliber ever created.  It has plenty of power and is flatter than anything else out there.  The price of ammo is a bit high, but in the Accumark with a Krieger barrel I can shoot sub-MOA patterns and have the best terminal performance possible.

[Bulldancer]

Boy did this topic open up a can of worms! Probably one of the most debated topics among hunters. My neighbors best friend killed over 30 elk all with his .243 Win. Most would call him crazy for even taking that rifle elk hunting. I know several people that use the 25-06, 30-06, 270 Win, 308, and any of the other .30 calibers out there. I believe that the .270 Weatherby Mag is all anyone needs to hunt elk and anything more is overkill. I know having said that I am going to get a ration of opinions telling me otherwise but I will stick to my guns! I see and hear of more wounded elk running off from people shooting the big magnums from .30 cal on up to the .375 H&H. I know it is the shooter and not the caliber. Most people I know are so shy of the recoil from the bigger calibers they don't place their shots well resulting in wounded and wasted animals. I would rather see a person packing a .257 that they can shoot well then a .378 they are scared of.

[RGJ]

The 300 Weatherby Magnum should get the job done in a lot of field conditions. Is it the best for Elk? This is my $.02.

RGJ

[Wbypoor]

I have no idea what the "best" caliber is, so I just use a rifle I like, the Mark V.  I suppose elk have been taken with every caliber available in the Mark V, but I do have a strong preference for the Weatherby magnums.  My guide last year uses the 257, 300 and 338-378 for his hunting which seems to make a nice battery for antelope, mule deer and elk.  I own the above three calibers but can't remember that last time I fired them?