Rifle Caliber for Hunting the West

[Paul D]

I would recommend getting the .300 WM. It will kill almost everything in North America. To make up for the weight penalty, I would opt out of getting a Vortex which always 50% heavier than similar scopes. I would suggest looking at the Swarovski Z3 line or Leupold VX3-HD or VX5-HD line. A Vortex will weigh about 23 oz while the others will weigh about 14-16 oz.

[NPV]

Any of the long action calibers and premium bullets. Depends on where you hunt, vast majority of mine have been 250-350 yards, this year was a hayfield heard at 373. The extra energy makes a difference past 250. The weight difference on the rifle is insignificant.

I agree on the weight difference just wanted to give some background.

I would recommend getting the .300 WM. It will kill almost everything in North America. To make up for the weight penalty, I would opt out of getting a Vortex which always 50% heavier than similar scopes. I would suggest looking at the Swarovski Z3 line or Leupold VX3-HD or VX5-HD line. A Vortex will weigh about 23 oz while the others will weigh about 14-16 oz.

That is a good point and I will look into those. I have to admit though I get a sizable discount on Vortex and they have always treated me very well so I’m a bit of a brand loyalist. But either way I’ll take a look at your suggestions.

[JHC]

Some thoughts on bullet selection:

https://fieldethos.com/match-bullets-suck-for-hunting/

On caliber, based on having harvested pushing two dozen elk, guided and on my own, there is a difference between what caliber works in ideal conditions, and what caliber works in bad conditions, like a tough angle, a wounded animal, or heavy snow when your range finder doesn't work.

I'll probably never hunt an elk but if I did . . . I see bowhunters get close up shots in the woods. Does anyone rifle hunt like that? If I was to do so, I'd like woods hunting elk with a levergun. Can't recall any reports of hunters doing such however, I mean in recent years.

[rm06]

I live out west and hunt elk, mostly with a bow nowadays tho. I own a .300 WSM, it is sub 7 lbs with scope and recoil is manageable with a can, otherwise it is not a fun rifle to shoot. I have been down a few caliber rabbit holes and if I had it to do over, I would choose .30-06 every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Ammo availability, proven track record, large selection of bullet weights (if you're not a handloader), etc.

[GJM]

I'll probably never hunt an elk but if I did . . . I see bowhunters get close up shots in the woods. Does anyone rifle hunt like that? If I was to do so, I'd like woods hunting elk with a levergun. Can't recall any reports of hunters doing such however, I mean in recent years.

The reason the elk get so close archery hunting is they come in to a call. Archery seasons are earlier when the elk are rutting hard. The elk can be bugling in rifle season but they don't come in like earlier in the fall. 300-400 yards is a very common distance for elk hunting in the mountains.

[UNM1136]

I now have my 35 Whelen which is just a necked up 30-06 case to 35 caliber. 200 grain average bullet weight and has a ballistic arc similar to .308. I haven't been able to actually try it out, but looking forward to the opportunity-recently lost my Dad, he was the driving force for us...
It's a bit off the radar but ammo was available easy online till the foolishness happened. Luckily I found a store (GB) doing a clearance on Federal Fusion at $19 a box, just had to buy 11 boxes. That will arguably last my lifetime since I don't plink with hunting ammo.

Moral of the story, I'm thinking there may be something to the old timers saying a big bullet will put them down best...

I have a family heirloom 30-06, and when I shoot out the barrel I am going to go 35 Whelen AI. Just because.

I have a rather romantic attachment to the concept of that caliber. Dunno why, but I want....

pat

[NPV]

28 Nosler has been dropped from consideration, brass is 3x the cost of any other magnum caliber in the conversation and it’s a bit of a snowflake.

Gonna do a little more digging on 300 PRC tonight but really I think it’s gonna be a 300 WM or 7mm RM. The listed BC on the Berger 180gr .284 VLD is pretty insane and surpasses the 30 cal offerings.

[OlongJohnson]

Gonna do a little more digging on 300 PRC tonight but really I think it’s gonna be a 300 WM or 7mm RM. The listed BC on the Berger 180gr .284 VLD is pretty insane and surpasses the 30 cal offerings.

Pay really close attention to the twist requirements for the bullets you want to use. That Berger is probably designed for the modern, long-range custom rifle crowd in cases like the 28 Nosler, .284 Win, etc. Make sure a 7RM barrel is twisted fast enough. Off the top of my head, the 175gr NABLR is recommended for 1:8. An even pointier 180 may require more. They could be marginal with the 1:8.5 on the list you posted earlier.

[Duelist]

28 Nosler has been dropped from consideration, brass is 3x the cost of any other magnum caliber in the conversation and it’s a bit of a snowflake.

Gonna do a little more digging on 300 PRC tonight but really I think it’s gonna be a 300 WM or 7mm RM. The listed BC on the Berger 180gr .284 VLD is pretty insane and surpasses the 30 cal offerings.

If it was me, from those options, the 7mm RM would be the final choice. Lots of good things you can do with one, less of a chore to practice with than the .300, loaded ammunition, brass, and component bullets are (usually) as available as anything.

[oregon45]

I'll probably never hunt an elk but if I did . . . I see bowhunters get close up shots in the woods. Does anyone rifle hunt like that? If I was to do so, I'd like woods hunting elk with a levergun. Can't recall any reports of hunters doing such however, I mean in recent years.

That's still a very common method of hunting Elk in the Coast Range here in Oregon, and in parts of Southwest Oregon where cover is very thick.

For context, in my experience Elk hunting on public land in Western Oregon, the largest Elk I saw taken (an old 6x6) was shot at 25 yards with a 210gr Nosler Partition out of a .338 Win Mag. The bullet did not exit, and the Elk went about 40 yards downhill through a thick oak grove before collapsing. It took three of us about an hour to find the Elk because his antlers blended perfectly with the trunks of the stunted oaks, and he was wedged into a small depression that obscured his body. It was raining and we saw very little of a blood trail. That experience led me to choose a Winchester (Miroku) 1886 in 45-70 with 405gr hard cast bullets for my hunting in that area, on the theory that a big cast bullet will exit and provide a better blood trail for tracking. I have not yet had a chance to test that theory.