Hunting & Fishing Clean slate elk rifle build

[dang472]

My buddy and I are kicking around the idea of doing an elk hunt next year. The guide says shots can be as close as 100yrds to as far as you feel comfortable making. I have a heavy 308 and a very heavy 338LM. Is the 7mm still the go-to elk cartridge? Perhaps a 300WSM? 300WM? I'll probably do a McMilllan or Manners Elite Hunter stock and a somewhat lightweight profile barrel. I'm a fan of Stiller unless I can find a cheap 700 donor action to get worked over. Any advice and mistakes to avoid would be appreciated.

 

[Oneteam]

My go to Elk rifle is a Kimber Montana 84L in 280 AI. It is light, comfortable to shoot and is plenty of gun within any reasonable range. For me that is about 650 yards. With the Leupold 4x14x50, full mag and sling it weighs exactly 7 lbs. It is a joy to carry up and over the hills.

 

[psinclair]

Your .308 is plenty for elk.

 

[NUTT]

Is this a hiking rifle or will you be close to camp or the horse?

 

[HellsCanyonArmory]

Is this a hiking rifle or will you be close to camp or the horse?

This... shoot me a pm we have some new builds a
that should be done in a week or two that might interest you. 7-7.25 lbs before optics with a 27" sendero contour barrel using a hybrid composite wrap that helps with heat and rigidity while staying light. Using the new manners elite Hunter stocks. Got two stiller TAC300 actions that are unspoken for if you're interested. A 7caliber chamber of some sort is what I'd recommend.

Mike
Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Silverbullet2]

Any of the 7mm magnums, or a 300 WSM would be a fine choice. If there is a possibility of traveling to Alaska or ?, I'd put a little weight on ammo availability, for example 300 Win Mag. Also if you hunt with the same partner, what does he shoot. Ammo compatibility might be something to think about if you could get separated from your ammo. But what do I know, I hunt bigger stuff with a 375H&H punched out to an Ackley Improved. I know it works like a charm on Buffalo! J

 

[dang472]

The first guided hunt we looked at was in Cody, WY that was 3 days with horses and hiking. The guide is affiliated with Gunwerks so I want a cartridge capable of the downrange energy for an ethical kill at potentially 500+. I shoot 178s out of my 308 currently, but she's a bit on the portly side at 14lbs. This is just the first guy we had a referral for, so nothing is set in stone. My hunting buddy has a REM700 300WM with a sporter barrel so it might be smart to keep the same caliber between us since I'm in charge of all the reloading.

I'm not going to lie, this hunt is also just another good excuse to start a new build!

 

[kraigWY]

Personally I use a Model 70 Featherweight in 270, but of the rifles you mentioned I'd go with the 308 Win. The problem with elk hunting is with the hunter, not the elk. Its normally some ruff humping so I'd go light in the rifle department. You're going to do a lot more carrying the rifle then shooting it.

I say the 270, but not this year. I'm taking my M1903A4 vintage sniper rifle and Berger 190's, just to be different.

 

[backyardsniper]

300wm gets my vote. I'm getting one built for an elk hunt next year myself. Broughton 5c 26" rem varmint, stiller tac300, manners mcs-t, ptg bottom metal. If your buddy shoots a 300wm then that certainly the way to go. Very flexible round you can go from 110gr bullet to 240gr bullet. You're set from mice to moose.

 

[FN in MT]

Bullets are so good now a days that the .270 win, .280 Rem, .30-06 are really all you need. Use a Premium bullet and your set to 400 yds.

I've used Nosler partitions for years and years. Killed quite a few bulls and cows with my .280 Rem and 160 NP's. Same for 180's out of a .300 H&H. Pop both lungs with any of them and you are GTG.

If You want to build something. I doubt you could go wrong with a .300 WM.

 

[agsf2010]

In the process of building a 300 wsm on a donor 700 action. Action will be trued, 26 inch bartlein 5r barrel, MCM stock and timmney trigger...should be a shooter but we shall see. Still contemplating optics but I think I will end up with a leold 4x14x50 or something like that.

 

[kraigWY]

Seeing some of these recommended contraptions makes me wonder how many have actually spent 10 days to 2 weeks climbing up and down ridges at 10,000 ft. hunting elk.

Even those that have, I bet your choices change when you get past 60 and hunt with a case of COPD.

I'll stick to my 7 lb. Winchester Featherweight thank you.

 

[FN in MT]

Seeing some of these recommended contraptions makes me wonder how many have actually spent 10 days to 2 weeks climbing up and down ridges at 10,000 ft. hunting elk.

Even those that have, I bet your choices change when you get past 60 and hunt with a case of COPD.

I'll stick to my 7 lb. Winchester Featherweight thank you.

Amen! I carry a 7 pound .280 Rem, with a 2.5-8X Leupold. My days of 26" Rem Sendero's in .300 win Mag, with 4.5-14X Leupold and a bipod...are OVER.

Then again in the mid 1990's I killed all my elk for four years with my Win M-70 Safari grade in .375 H&H, 3.5-10X Leupold. IIRC 12.5 pounds?? I may be off a bit on the weight....but hardly a featherweight. Three hundred grain .375" slugs ARE tremendous killers on elk!

 

[ZLBubba]

I use an accurized Remington 700 titanium in 300 WM for all my western hunting. With the S&B scope, it weighs about 8lbs total. Of course I've got a break to reduce the punch a bit but it shoots 3/4MOA with most hunting ammo and you don't hardly notice carrying it up and down mountains. I'd avoid anything over 9lbs total and non-standard ammo, just in case ol' Murphy steps in and takes a shit on your hunt.

 

[psinclair]

7.5 pound .308 dropped this 6X6 in his tracks at 350 yards, just before he went into the timber.

 

[SkyScrapin]

Seeing some of these recommended contraptions makes me wonder how many have actually spent 10 days to 2 weeks climbing up and down ridges at 10,000 ft. hunting elk.

Even those that have, I bet your choices change when you get past 60 and hunt with a case of COPD.

I'll stick to my 7 lb. Winchester Featherweight thank you.

Funny you bring this up. Last year, I completed a GAP HRT in .260 topped with a Schmidt 3-20 and a Surefire 762ss. It was brutal, but by about the 4th-5th day, it becomes normal and you get over it. It was brought along because it had never put food on my plate, and that was going to change (although it didn't, and still hasn't). That said, I started out running a can on the end slinging muzzle down; not a solid option. Most of Colorado is made of granite. The can came off and was stowed in my pack. Keep in mind that my trusty horse that traveled with me from Dallas had to haul it for 10-15 miles a day. When my taxi was tied up, the 260 was packed another 2-4 miles. The Eberlestock will be traveling to Colorado next year for a little more comfort.

OP, if your going to pack 5 or more miles a day or any where remotely close, go with a 90% carbon fill and the lightest contour possible. Weight = more work.

 

[broylz]

30-06 should be all that's needed. you could easily get a 180gr NBT to expand up to 600 yards or more. beyond that, maybe a 185-210 VLD? 30-06 is still number one most common for a reason.

 

[GunMax]

What scope are you thinking about putting on the Elk rig?

 

[frankythefly]

at 100yds you can shoot an elk no problem with a .308. heck anything just about will put one down at that range with good shot placement. Just make sure you use a proven bullet and load.

 

[Jered Joplin]

Tons of elk are killed every year by 30-30's. That being said I would go the 300 WM route. When you see how fast they cover ground you'll know you need to hit them hard and well.
I shot my first elk with a 308. 400 yards and in I would feel really confident on making an easy kill with the right bullet. Outside of that things start to change quick on a big animal.
Choose whatever suits your skill level realistically. If you go the 300 route you have something that will kill anything on the planet that they will legally let you hunt.
If you are going on one elk hunt and then spending the rest of your days hunting in the woods you might stick with the old standby 308.

If there is nothing else you pick up from Q&A's here pick this up. Choose a good bullet regardless of the caliber. Bonded bullets, partitions, triple shocks or whatever the flavor of the month is. Just get something that will penetrate because
life isn't perfect. Exit holes and broken bones are a good thing on a critter that can cover that much ground that fast.

 

[Cproflow]

I've been happy with my Tikka T3 in .30-06. That thing is < 7lbs, and tops out a bit over 9lbs when fully dressed. I agree with what was said above...hike 12+ miles a day through deadfall at 10,000+ ft, and you will have everything made perfectly clear to you

 

[Idaho Savage]

300WM if you're building an elk rifle. As stated above, why take chances? A 300WM in 185 or 200g is going to stop the biggest bull dead in it's tracks, has solid ballistics and there are actually plenty of quality factory loads in this caliber--just find out which one your rifle likes. I will be hunting with my Savage Long Range Hunter this year if I don't fill my archery tag, despite it being heavier than a Tikka, etc. If 5lbs is a deal breaker, frankly you're not in shape for a western elk hunt!

 

[Longspring]

I hunt with a "big seven and a little seven . " Featherweight 7x57 for the nasty holes and timber , and a 7STW for the big open river breaks where there isn't always a way to close the gap on a herd bull . My STW is a Sako V Deluxe and it is a pig but even at 165 lbs I just suck it up . I kill everything close with the 7x57 for the most part but also take my 350 rem mag along for big timber as well .

 

[dang472]

I've also been looking at the Kimber 8400 and the Nosler "custom" factory offerings. Those are pretty attractive for off the rack rifles.

 

[ajwcotton]

I have been planning a win mod 70 featherweight in 300WSM for as long I can remember. Ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.
The 300 WSM is a very very versatile round and is pretty widely available. I have loaded for it and the WM, and the WSM was super easy to find a load for, Plus you can use the same components as your buddies WM minus the brass.
If you do go with something more "Tactical" I'd keep it down with a manners elite hunter stock and a pretty thin profile barrel. As well as a BDL floor plate as opposed to a detachable mag system.

 

[Bill Larson]

It`s not the rifle that gets game............
It`s the nut behind the bolt.......
Doing his job.....

 

[Busterstw]

Just built a 300wm McMillan thumb hole rem 700 action just for that purpose hard to beat!