The hunt was extra special since his father, James (right), who's also a professional guide, called the big bull in for him. Many an elk hunter has suggested the .300 Win. This unsung cartridge is awesome for a light, short-barreled, all-around elk rifle. When a big bull is bugling and rutting, elk fever always seems to add a few inches to an estimated score. This is my brothers bull from 2003, grosses right at 295. Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. Offering the perfect balance of tremendous energy, large frontal diameter, ballistic efficiency, and long barrel life, the .338 has garnered disciples among rifle savants such as F&S own David E. Petzal. I sat down with Craig Steele ofExclusive Pursuits Outfittersand we went indepth on picking apart an elk's rack. This measurement has already been accounted for in the main beam measurement. In 1963, everyone knew the all-American .30/06, so they had a benchmark against which to judge this belted magnum throwing the same familiar bullets 200 fps faster. The easier the terrain, the heavier the hunting rifle youll be able to tolerate. Might not make any record books but will be a good looking trophy to mount. Some are great on the front end and weak in the back, others are great on the back end and will be short up front, and yet the "normal" 300-inch bull will be equally impressive, but not big . background-color: #efefef; Here are a few good rules of thumb to keep in mind when looking for a big shooter bull. I can't explain those kills. Any rifle strong enough to contain the 7mm Rem. numbers hitting .590 or so, keep velocities at 3,000 fps with carefully built handloads, and 300-yard drop is only 2.3 inches, wind deflection 4.7 inches, retained energy 2,700 ft-lb. Everybody wants a 400 inch bull elk, but that isn't really a realistic expectation. The hunt was donated by Trophy Mountain Ranch, an estate hunting outfitter located near Cowdrey, Colorado. We trot down the ridge, searching for a spot to glass the bull's position. I'd have to look up how that would differ from B&C scoring. If you add these totals up for main beams, spread, and mass from both sides you get 200 inches. Again, most 400 bulls will have 54 to 56 inch beams, and a spread of potentially more than 40 inches. Just as importantly, it delivers plenty of punch on far-distant impacts. The old 757 is itself a proven elk getter. For example: Fire a Nosler 168-gr. Its inherently accurate, making long-range shots easier. It offers shocking good performance in a beltless, standard-length case and is becoming the go-to, extreme-range hunting cartridge. So match your 7mm elk dreams to your recoil tolerance and select among this big family. (Photo courtesy of James and Cody Vine) October 26, 2022 By Mark Demko. Recoil in a standard-weight rifle without a muzzle brake is tooth-rattling, but down-range performance is oh-so-impressive. But, credit where credit is due, its a great elk cartridge. But dont try to punch a raking shot through a bulls hipit doesnt have the juice for that. You are using an out of date browser. We have updated our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy as of May 5th, 2020, http://www.mckenhunting.com/Gallery_23_01.htm, Hunting Montana 2022 and looking forward to 2023, Two new elk hunters, a breath of fresh air, What caliber are you using to get pass through shots on elk. The distance from that hump down his front leg to his hoof is generally 54 to 58, depending on the maturity of the bull. Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.5. POLL: when was the last time you went to a drive-in movie? I can make a 280 bull look a lot better with the right pose. That is to say, we assume the elk being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). padding: 10px 5px; Fear of recoil ruins the best laid plans of mice and men, and thats why choosing the best elk cartridge requires thorough research and honest assessment. Yes, the .280 Remington is A GOOD CHOICE for elk hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement. Mag., .338 RUM, .338 Lapua Mag., and massive .338-378 Wby. However, it doesnt handle projectiles heavier than 180 grains as well as other magnums. Bull elk antlers are typically referenced by the number of tines, with each side referenced separately. Plus, ammo is available in just about every sporting goods shop across the West. Any bull that has a solid 200 inch base and no visible weaknesses is usually a 340 or better bull using this system. font-size: 14px; .tg .tg-xhut { Now add 152 to our base of 200 and you have a 352 bull. The final arbiters of the Best elk calibers are you and the elk, but here are my top five that I chose for their balance of power, reach, recoil, trajectory (drop and drift,) availability, affordability in reasonably compact, light, mountain ready rifles. Tags 2015 Elk Hunt Colorado Elk Hunt Eastmans Ike Eastman About Ike Eastman How To Score Your Elk. JavaScript is disabled. If dinosaurs once again roam the Earth, there might in fact be a real need for this cartridge. overflow: hidden; I think if a bull grows it, he should get credit for it. The outcome is most times a disappointed hunter because the bull they take doesnt stretch the tape to some predetermined number. Hit an elk with a 175-gr. Many argue this about the .28-calibers, too, but the old 7mm Remington Magnum remains, since its inception in 1962, the most popular and effective 7mm elk caliber in the mountains. Anyone call/bring in blacktail or black bear? But seriously, the way to judge them is to score their frame and points just like you would a typical 66, then size up the non typical points and add that to your total. Thats ok. Live and learn is a common aphorism for a reason. In comparison a 250-grain slug at 2,600 fps will churn up just 3,750 ft-lb. Check back next week when I go into even more detail and provide indepth examples on field judging elk. The second important assumption is slightly-suboptimal to optimal shot placement. Thats why I like 7mm and .30-caliber magnums with tough, heavy bullets, and why I consider an elk hunter toting a .338 magnum a wise man. When he is facing you, look at the width of his ears. This will give you a very good idea of the bulls inside spread. This is a grand-old cartridge based on the .308 Winchester, but it is loaded with a .358-caliber bullet. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo. Mag. Whats not to like? border-color: black; will kick with 29.3 ft-lb, and the 300 will slap you with 37 ft-lb. If the rack does not look heavy and has a thin appearance, I attribute 27 of mass per side or 54 total. The way to score an elk is as follows: B&C score Plus The most important thing to remember to make you a skilled field judge is to use this base 200 method. His swords flared out. Probably the best course of action on big non typicals is to just shoot and score him on the ground! The only way to really estimate the inside spread of a bull elk is for him to face you. Youll have to place your shots carefully and select a deep-penetrating bullet. Mag., and you understand why its not just the most popular .300 magnum of all time, but one of the best all-round elk calibers of all time. My hunting buddy, Dean Sanchez, and I were hunting the Gila National Forest. Certainly the .270s and 6.5mms can and do take elk annually, but one would be hard pressed to recommend them as optimum. I believe I had 59 or 60 grains of Alliant Reloader 22 pushing that Barnes 3,100 fps, give or take 50 fps. And while most heavy .300 Win. For the second, I am prolly on my own, eh? Calibers lighter and heavier than the 7mms through .338s can be considered excellent for elk. When does everyone think is the best time to sell/buy vehicles? I am working up elk loads with both. There are several things I like to do when trying to estimate the actual measurements on a bull elk. Dozens of indignant elk hunters sent up a wail when the first elk cartridges article went live on F&Sbecause I hadnt included their .300 RUM favorite. Related searches: bull elk bugling vector bull elk in banff bull elk bugle bull elk bugling bull elk snow Also pretty good spread and beam length. This is a 297 bull that has a broken tine. Just about any 180-grainer will do, since the .30-06 doesnt produce bullet-destroying velocities. Recoil is brisk, and barrel life will likely be short. It sure makes that rack look HUGE! Mag., and .300 RUM are all 30 calibers, but significantly different 30-caliber cartridges. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .280 Remington. Magnum, 26 Nosler, and my choice for all-round balance in a short action rifle, the 6.5 PRC. With the right bullets, it can actually hit harder than the 375 H&H Magnum at longer ranges. It has nice tails but the 4 is a little short as well as the 3. When you push past this performance level with a 7 mm cartridge, you do so with diminishing returns as far as velocity goes. If you think those measurements deviate from the magic number, just add or subtract the differences accordingly. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. Ya know, those are some fantastic bulls. So, with the proper balance in mind lets look at a great method for scoring mature bulls on the hoof. Here is a 330 gross bull with a down turned brow ;^). Big Game Hunting - 250 Elk - Hey elk guys, does anyone have any pictures of a 220 to 250 class elk. border-color: #656565; Well, I can post just what you need. The distance from ear tip to ear tip (21 to 22); and. A bull with 6 tines on each side is called a 6X6 ("6 by 6"). "I like Treestand because I hunt in a lot of dark timber, high in the mountains, and on land that has been burned. .284-inch bullet or a 180-gr. Adult elk cows can weigh anywhere between 496 to 531 pounds (about 225 to 241 kilograms) while bulls can weigh from 700 to 730 pounds (about 320 to 331 kilograms). Zero both three inches high at 100 yards and at 400 yards they both drop 11.3 inches and deflect about 8.5 inches in that 10 mph breeze. Other 7mms The 7mm family hatched around 1892 with the 7x57mm Mauser and has since grown to fifteen or more. Usually your first impression of a bull is pretty honest and accurate. While not quite reliable, it has its place at times. 400 Bull: G1= 20, G2= 20, G3= 20, G4= 20, G5= 16. I've often though that a cow elk hunt . Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .280 Remington is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest elk - and to this question, the response again is yes, the .280 Remington is A GOOD CHOICE for elk hunting. Once you estimate the length of the fourth points, move to the fifths and compare them with the fourths to determine their length. You should look for at least 4 of curl for a 20 tine). The 7 WSM and 7 SAUM just about match it in handier short action rifles. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1764766e3627da You may want to do the same with a taxidermist in your area. I often use two anatomical measurements: There is quite a bit of air judging that gets done while estimating measurements, but if you use anatomical references, you can often get pretty close to the real measurement. It generates velocities identical to the venerable .264 Win. This one you can hopefully see the length of the 4. word-break: normal; True. Because Winchester didnt insist on the caliber being proprietary, anyone could load and chamber for it. Mag., look at a .338 Federal, .358 Win., or even 7mm-08 Win. If you want fast .30-caliber authority coupled with compact-rifle ergonomics, this is your poison. Ive just shown that its no faster than the .300 Win. A few more calibers throwing those famous .308 bullets include the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum, .300 SAUM, .300 WSM, .30/308 Norma Mag., .300 H&H, 30 Nosler, .300 Wby. But I still dont consider them a top pick for elk just because, well, larger calibers provide a slight edge. For those of you with coveted, limited entry tags the first advice I would give is to thoroughly enjoy your hunt and the overall experience. Another bull, struck mid-rib by a 140-grain .280 bullet, simply crumpled. In 2022, he was named as the brands Shooting Editor. Mag. Look to something that fires a 7mm or bigger heavy-for-caliber projectile at around 3,000 fps. Grossed at 323 and netted 318. Though it's not an extremely popular elk cartridge, there's not a darn reason why you can't go elk hunting with the 280 AI. Elk dont like any of this. And yes, shots on elk can be far. While Im generally not a fan of short magnum cartridges, this one has proven itself a very capable elk cartridge and deserves a place on the list. 6630 Arroyo Springs St., Suite 1200 font-size: 18px; That measurement is generally about 30. Once you have this base to start from you simply start adding a bullstine lengths to 200. On the other side of the caliber scale are the .35 Whelen (.30/06 necked up) and various .375s. Elk (Cervus Canadensis), or Wapiti, are not only one of the world's largest game deer but also one of North America's and East Asia's largest mammals. of .616 from a 24-inch barrel 3,000 fps and a 190-gr. thanks coondog Aug 10, 2005 #2 Tom New member Joined Jan 22, 2001 Messages 4,985 Location San Antonio, Texas, USA Here's a bunch from 300 to 400+ SCI scoring ones. Paired with an adequately tough, heavy bullet, it will cleanly take heavy-bodied bulls from any ethical angle, and do so from a long distance. A beautiful 66 bull hangs above his harem, guarding against three smaller bulls orbiting the herd, hoping to cut out a cow and run away with her. He only uses partitions for big game. field judging A very important thing to keep in mind that will make your judging more accurate is to identify any weaknesses that a bull has. You are using an out of date browser. Here is my wifes bull, probably 290 (never really scored it) without broken tine. Its a 3.34-inch magnum cartridge that fits the same standard-length action rifles as the .338 Win. Elk are a big deal because theyre a big deer, and thus require big elk calibers. 2012, 2013 & now join us on. The 33-caliber has become a crowded family, and all members are more than suitable for elk. One of the most popular magnums of all time. Handloaders report optimum performance with a sleek, high B.C., 225-grain bullet pushed to an impressive 2,882 fps from a 24-inch barrel. font-weight: bold; Hunters typically but incorrectly use the best elk calibers to mean cartridge, but Ill use calibers for the sake of this review. This will be influenced significantly by the terrain youll hunt. Bulls scoring 350-380 . Entact would have been close to 310. Mag. Elk 280-300" Bulls Brush Buster Mar 30, 2021 1 2 3 4 5 Next Mar 30, 2021 #1 Brush Buster Well Known Rokslider Joined Sep 21, 2017 Messages 275 Let's see some pics of legit 280-300" gross bulls! Pushing heavy bullets at well over 3,000 fps, it hits elk like a freight train. Sales bloomed immediately when it released. Dont cripple yourself with a moderate-velocity cartridge that doesnt handle heavy, high-ballistic-coefficient projectiles well. Faster models like .270 Wby. Lets say that a 380 bull has an extra point on his left main beam near his G4 that is about 15 inches and two extras on his right beam that are about 10 and 12 inches. If you only have one elk on the wall, a bull with six inch forks will "look" big. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. 380 Bull: G1= 18, G2= 18, G3= 16, G4= 20, G5= 15. Weatherbys .300 magnum had been dazzling magnum fans since the mid 1940s, but it was a full-length magnum caliber available only in expensive custom or Weatherby Rifles. How do you do that? Gender. You must log in or register to reply here. Its so common that it may seem a bit boring, but this is probably the most versatile elk cartridge availableso long as you choose the right bullet. Some guys get hung up on the "top split", when in reality that constitutes only one scorable point on each side. The first method is to air judge also known as the wing-it approach, which is based on experience and prior knowledge. Maybe in some altered reality this might be true, but the .358 cannot compete with a 165-grain .308 or .30/06 load at any distance beyond 100 yards. The accurate answer is it depends. This meant the .338 Win. Lets dive right in. The 300-inch curse has plagued piles of public-land hunters chasing elk in the West. If it is shorter or longer than the hump on the back, I add or subtract inches accordingly. Mags. One grosses about 315 and I can't recall exactly, but the other is in the 260-270 range. This little brother to the .338 Win. Be sure to check out these two podcast episodes for field judging reference at home or while at hunting camp. As with anything, the devil is in the details. Then there are really big, world-record-class bull elk. The right .30/06 load should add 100 fps velocity and 100 ft-lb energy. The antlers are light in mass by comparison to an older larger bull. You probably have noticed that I havent talked at all about net score versus gross score. This takes us back to the launch. Itll only hit 2,400 fps or so with a 225-grain bullet, so the 200- and 210-grain slugs might be the better choice. Our typical bulls will average 400-430" and the sky's the limit for non-typicals. This is meant to be used as a fun tool to help you sharpen your elk antler scoring skills. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Mag., 6.5 Weatherby RPM, 6.5-300 Wby. Here's why. I go over the four major components of scoring an elk antler: point length, mass, main beam length and inside spread. One, lung-shot by a client with a .270, reared as might a horse then fell backward, planting its long beams in the ground. It is not a .35 Whelen. Most bulls that I see either have weak 3rds or weak 5ths. Here's a decent comparison. When it first came out in 1962, it sent the then four-year-old .264 Winchester Magnum into a tailspin. The 280 Remington could be the Goldilocks of standard-length action hunting rounds. In late summer the velvet dries and falls off to reveal the bonelike structure of the fully-grown antlers. 280 Ackley Improved, Rifles, Inc. Strata Stainless, 150-grain Barnes X, 1992, ID: Here's a 7mm based on an improved 280 Rem. scoring Notice by comparing these classes of bulls that misjudging a couple of points by a couple of inches will affect the accuracy of your score. .tg .th-lmno { In the question of Is the .280 Remington within the ideal range of suitable calibers for elk hunting? our answer is: Lets look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. In eight-pound rifles, the 7mm Rem. For big game hunting precise shot placement is critical no matter the cartridge, and its damn hard to place a shot precisely when you know youre going to get smacked hard enough to loosen your teeth and knock out your boogers. vertical-align: top If recoil doesnt bother you, Id look hard at the .300 WSM, .325 WSM, even the new 6.8 Western, agonize over a 24-inch barrel, and probably compromise with a 23-inch barrel. Hannah Helmer's bull, harvested on the Sept. 24 opener of the elk season in the Hat Creek Unit near Crawford, was officially scored at 430 6/8 on Nov. 30 by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wildlife biologist Randy Stutheit. Elk bullets must be tough enough to provide adequate penetration. developed a reputation as a wounder because ammo companies and handloaders were stoking it with light, thin-jacketed projectiles meant for 757 Mauser speeds. An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 elk drop in each year to spend the winter. Be careful not to air judge too quickly because once you start saying a bull is 325 and he really is 300 your judging scale gets skewed. Those are better trajectory numbers than many .338 Win. Some bulls may vary from this, but these are very realistic of what you will see on mature 66 bulls. What is the average muzzle energy for a .280 Remington? 320 class bulls. Many elk hunters consider the old .375 H&H the ultimate elk medicine, but not everyone cares to handle their recoil or the kind of rifle mass that tames it. I am hoping for help here at the 'fire with the first problem. border-width: 1px; Hunters looking to break into the B&C minimums or hunters looking to figure out the difference from a 370 bull from a 390 bull all need to dissect a bulls rack long before they decided to pull the trigger. The third tines are about the same as the brow tines and the fourth is generally 18 inches or less. loads top out with 200-grain bullets, 210-, 220-, and 230-grain options are available. This one had a great whale tail but smallish bottoms. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Here's mine from last season.
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