Purchase rifle for elk

BillyBoB

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Currently have been using a 270 win for deer and elk under 300 yards.
Looking to buy a rifle for longer ranges 600-700 yards for elk and possibly a mountain goat when or if that time comes.
I’ve got 5k but trying to stay around the 2-3k price range for a set up.
What you all recommend?
The Hells canyon looks nice or love the smooth action slide on a tikka
Leaning towards a 7mm rem mag or 300 win
Whats a reliable turret scope?
What you all recommend?
 
Have one built. You can easily stay in that budget and get a much better rifle than an off the shelf rig...IMO
 
Have one built. You can easily stay in that budget and get a much better rifle than an off the shelf rig...IMO
I agree. Get Cooper to build you one in a 300 WM.
 
I agree. Get Cooper to build you one in a 300 WM.
That’s the best Idea yet….. My Cooper is a tack driving hammer
 
You’ve had some good advice here. I would 1+ the xbolt and I love my tikka with Bell and Carlson stock. I would avoid the ab3 though. My wife has been gifted two of them from her father. I almost pity browning for putting their name on them. They have plastic triggers….need I say more?
 
Browning rifle- 28 Nosler

Scope- Leupold VX 5HD 3-15 or the Zeiss V4 4-16
I'd have to agree. I bought the Hells Canyon in a 28 Nosler, it's a tack driver! The Leupold VX 5HD is a very reliable turret scope.
I'm also a big fan of the Weatherby magnum, .270 is my choice.
 
You have many good options. Many factory rifles are capable of shooting better than most hunters can. I have a 300 win Remington 700 that I bought about 25 years ago that will shoot close to 1 MOA with my hand loads. In all honesty, that old 300 win mag is capable of shooting better than I'm capable of shooting in hunting conditions. Spending time and money on practice ammunition is more valuable than spending an extra money on a custom rifle. Anyone that tells you they can shoot 0.5 MOA on cold bore shot in hunting conditions 90% of the time is a lier. I'll be happy to bet anyone and take their money if they really think they can hit 0.5 MOA 1st shot under field conditions 90% of the time. However, we all want better accuracy and the confidence it brings.

Tika, Browning, Savage and many others all make guns that would work well for around $1000. Then you could spend $2000 on a scope and you would have a fantastic gun for about $3,000. One big advantage to factory rifles is not waiting for it to be built. It would be a real challenge to have a custom gun built and ready to practice with in time to hunt this fall. Another advantage to factory rifles is resale value. I would expect to loose significantly less on a factory Tika or Browning that I paid $1000 for, than a custom rifle that I spent $3000 or $5000 on.

With all that said, I'm currently having a custom 300 Win mag built. I'm hoping it is ready next week. Yes it will cost more than a factory rifle but I'm getting exactly what I want. I'm going to put a Nightforce NRX on it. There are many other good scope manufactures and some that have better glass quality but Nightforce has an excellent reputation for reliability.

Custom guns are nice because you can get exactly what you want and you should get better accuracy with a custom. You don't always get better accuracy with a custom. There are many cheap savage rifles that shoot better groups than custom rifles that cost 5X or 10x as much. I have 4 savage rifles that always shoot less than 1.0 MOA with my hand loads and often shoot close to 0.5 MOA. I'll be very disappointed if I can't get my custom 300 win mag to shoot at least as well as the much less expensive savage rifles.

The cartridge that you select is a whole other debate. If it will primarily be an elk gun and if you are not sensitive to recoil, you may want to look at something like 338 ultra, 338 lapua or the proven 338 win. I'm sure I could kill an elk at 500 yards with my 6mm Creedmoor but I prefer larger cartridges for elk.
 
With off the shelf factory guns i would go with a Tikka in 300wm. As others have mentioned, that gun will shoot way more accurate than 95% of us can shoot it. Big advantage to go with .30 caliber as bullet selections are huge. I had a wonderful gun built in 300wm , Bartlein barrel/ 700 Rem action / Bell & Carlson thumbhole that is the tightest gun I've ever shot. It set me back $2500 , great investment.
 
Great comments...I was headed to look (buy) a 6.5 PRC or a 28 Nosler and ended up buying a 6.8 Western Hell's Canyon LR.

Part of the reason for those three is I want one rifle for Elk, Mule Deer, Barbary Sheep, and maybe Antelope (hunting all 4 this year)!

The other reason is Ammo available right now...I can actually get loads of 6.8, because no one have rifles for sale.

We will see if I am stuck with a unicorn in the long run?!

Any thoughts on Scopes?

Thinking Vortex Strike Eagle (active military with 40% off), but have not made the buy.
 
Christiansen Ridgeline or X-bolt LR McMillan, either rifle in 300 Win or 28 Nosler. Shoot Berger 215 Hybrid out of the 300, or Berger 180 Hybrid out of the 28.

For scope, my personal choice for a turret dialer would not be a Leupold. In the 2k range its Nightforce, in the 1k range its Sightron SIII with zero stop.
 
Given you stated 600-700 yards and as a dedicated elk rifle whatever you do get at least a 30 caliber magnum or 338 variety if you can shoot it well. I shoot a Mcmillan built 7mm Ultra Mag with Berger 195s that is surgical out to very long but I still do not completely trust it on long range elk. You already have a 270 make it meaningful step up in power if your going to do it. Watch the weight and break it if you have to. Scope - Nightforce SHV if watching the budget for this.
 
its no longer big game hunting season its now big game snipeing season
I know your not buying those fancy Terminal Ascents to shoot spikes at 100 yards ;)
I have actually only killed two elk with a rifle, all have been with a bow. Last bull elk kill was with my great uncles Savage 99 in 300 Savage with hot 165 accubond blistering at 2500 fps, just because I like it. That hot 7mm w 195s at 3100 is fun however.
 
If your asking for a designated Elk rifle. I would think your looking for 338 or a big 300 shooting heavy bullets. There a lot of good options out there these days. When we didn’t have so many choices. I went to the 338 win mag as a Elk rig. Then later a 300 Tejas a hot rod 300 rum. Recently I jumped on the PRC wagon and picked up a 300 PRC. As far as rifle manufacturers you mentioned a few good ones. But there is nothing like a custom build just for you.
 
I have a browning western hunter in 7mm and a copper in 300 wm… they are both tack drivers, but I tend to pick up the browning when I’m headed to the field, recently got a tikka in .308 and I’m excited to see what it can do. 5k is a big budget and can get you into some nice rifles, but I’d bet you can get a sweet rig under 3k, bergara is putting out some nice rifles these days too. 7mm mag, 300 win or prc, or 6.8 western are great options
 
Christiansen Ridgeline or X-bolt LR McMillan, either rifle in 300 Win or 28 Nosler. Shoot Berger 215 Hybrid out of the 300, or Berger 180 Hybrid out of the 28.

For scope, my personal choice for a turret dialer would not be a Leupold. In the 2k range its Nightforce, in the 1k range its Sightron SIII with zero stop.
I am very happy with the 7RM CA Ridgeline that I bought last year. It spins 168 and 175 Bergers with great results, even at SAAMI specs. It’s all I can do not to buy another Ridgeline. I’d look at the 300 PRC for elk.
 
8mm Remington mag
“”Loaded with heavy, long and hard (solid copper) bullets the 8mm Remington Magnum offers enough velocity derived power to penetrate heavy and dangerous game. With developed handloads, the 8mm Remington Magnum is capable of driving a 220 grain boat tail bullet in excess of 3,000 ft/sec, and delivers as much energy at 500 yards (457m) as the .308 Winchester has at the muzzle. ; Such loads offer a very flat trajectory, making it an optimal choice for deer and elk sized game at very long range.”
 
Mr Peterson from Peterson publishing used a 8 mm to hunt elk. He took a big bull off the White Apache Indian reservation years ago. Guy Eastman use to use one until they changed rifle sponsors. They aren't very popular these days. Not sure how many rifle manufactures offer a 8 mm anymore. But they are a great elk cartridge. Just a little bigger then a 30 caliber and smaller then a .338 caliber.
 
Mr Peterson from Peterson publishing used a 8 mm to hunt elk. He took a big bull off the White Apache Indian reservation years ago. Guy Eastman use to use one until they changed rifle sponsors. They aren't very popular these days. Not sure how many rifle manufactures offer a 8 mm anymore. But they are a great elk cartridge. Just a little bigger then a 30 caliber and smaller then a .338 caliber.
It’s a totally ignored calibEr IMO, I was nilgai hunting with a client and had asked him to bring a 300wm , his 8mm Remington slammed a huge bull @ 400+ yards with major authority ( I was a instant fan) fast & high B.C bullets
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