Now of course to be real here, I know that when we do draw a premium elk tag that we want to make the most of the tag. Most 225-grain factory loads are rated 2,750 to 2,800 fps, enough velocity to put about 3,900 ft-lb of energy into that little bullet. Because Winchester didnt insist on the caliber being proprietary, anyone could load and chamber for it. Mag. First, I start with the magic number of 200. .tg .tg-4q2i { In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .280 Remington round is approximately 2790 foot-pounds. The Pope and Young Club awards North America's finest archery-killed wapiti by size in two categories: typical or symmetrical antlers and non-typical or unsymmetrical horns. The old .270 Winchester has been hotly debated since 1925, yet it has been a favorite among thousands of elk pros. Mags. Second, I forgot which socks are my lucky ones. We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Our Genetics are improving each year and our antler average is getting bigger each year. It worked fine for long range deer hunting, but elk hunters wanted more bullet. Lots of folks like .30-caliber magnums for elk hunting, and they work exceptionally well. Thats a lot of antler! throwing similar weight projectiles means youre packing elk medicine. Short action chamberings are likely to be in shorter, lighter rifles, so instead of a .338 Win. A high B.C. No idea why the pic is upside down.just flip your phone. This guys is on the lower end of your range just breaking 260. I feel that if you can estimate a bull on the hoof within 10 inches, you are a good field judge. of .414 or so, the 210-gr. Sales bloomed immediately when it released. Cartridge means the case that holds the powder that drives the bullet. Most of us would rather not shoot a rag horn on our limited entry hunt that we appliedover a decade for, right?! I grew up hunting with one stoked with 150-grain Partition handloads, and I never had a problem cleanly killing a bull. vertical-align: top 5 Rifle Cartridges That Need to Make a Comeback. pictures? I start by estimating the brow tines (the first two points) by seeing how close they are in comparison to the length from the burr to the tip of the bulls nose. The third tines are about the same as the brow tines and the fourth is generally 18 inches or less. Thirty-calibers have been sending elk to the table for more than 125 years. The Creedmoor is the hottest cartridge on the Everything you need to know about the parts Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. With the right bullets, it can actually hit harder than the 375 H&H Magnum at longer ranges. These rifle weight/size considerations will influence cartridge size, especially length. Winchesters original loadings included a 200-grain bullet rated 3,000 fps, a 250-grain at 2,700 fps, and a heavy 300-grain at 2,450 fps from 24-inch barrels. Mag. Early on, the 7mm Rem. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .280 Remington. You may want to do the same with a taxidermist in your area. Bulls Scoring 380-400. Field judging elk sized animals you don't often get to see, to me anyway, will be harder than it sounds. I have used this bullet for deer hunting and it is the best deer . Is the main beam really 50 or is it 53? With the draw results out in the western states there are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the draw. Nov 2, 2008. 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. For somebody from TN who doesbt get to see elk except on tv and in mags it sure would make it hard to judge one in the field. Many times, the third points are the source of a bulls weakness. Some shoot faster and hit harder than the .338 Win. 2022 GOHUNT, LLC. In researching this story, I determined the muzzle energy data by choosing the most useful elk bullet weight for each specific cartridge, and then plugging it into JBMballistics.com along with an average of common factory-ammo muzzle velocities with that bullet weight. At the light end is the .338 Federal, the .308 Winchester case necked up. It offers bull-thumping authority at a recoil level just at the cusp of what most serious shooters can handle. Bowsdork, woah that's amazing elk! Lets' hit increments of 5" 250-255 255-260, and so forth. JavaScript is disabled. padding: 10px 5px; border-color: black; If you need to balance reach and punch with minimal weight, Id look to the 7mm magnums pushing 150- to 175-grain bullets. The reason is because Im not that interested in net scores. There are several ways to field judge elk. Tags 2015 Elk Hunt Colorado Elk Hunt Eastmans Ike Eastman About Ike Eastman Unless you work with a custom gun builder and handload, study factory options before choosing. As stated previously, Kentucky's current herd numbers about 10,000 elk. Finally, the .280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom. If you only have one elk on the wall, a bull with six inch forks will "look" big. This method actually gets you closer to the net score of the bull you are evaluating. Dropping a bull cleanly takes a good cartridge. If you can hack the recoil, it offers truly impressive energy. The 33-caliber has become a crowded family, and all members are more than suitable for elk. Of course, there is a great shortcut for judging bulls that uses anatomical references, but instead of trying to estimate each measurement individually, I use a magic number for the main beam length, mass, and inside spread and then I compare the length of the points from one side to the other and estimate shortest points. This bill is 300 with the broken 5th. This 9,000 acre premier ranch located in northeastern Utah has 11 elk tags per year and success has run at or near 100 percent on some great bulls. Elk carry enough venison on the hoof to suggest a big cartridge and big bullet. That said, dozens, nay hundreds of elk are layed low each fall by careful application of the 6.5 Creedmoor, a near ballistictwin of the Swede. The general consensus is that this old, belted magnum is the best caliber for elk hunting. After locating a big herd bull, Eastman comes up with a plan to take advantage of an unusually hot fall elk hunting season. He got a mature bull without issue. Mag., .338 RUM, .338 Lapua Mag., and massive .338-378 Wby. 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. Click to reveal Elk shed their antlers beginning in late February for the . For instance, if a bull is a fairly symmetrical 66 just add up one side of his points (G1, G2, G3, G4, & G5) and multiply by two. I think if a bull grows it, he should get credit for it. Here was the same basic belted magnum case, but the 7mm threw bullets as heavy as 175 grains. Kel-Tec KS7 Pump Action Shotgun Specifications and features. Also known as the .280 Ackley Improved or the .280 Remington Ackley Improved, the .280 AI is basically a .280 Remington case (itself a .30-06 Springfield case necked down to 7mm/.284") that's . 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. Straight looking points are always short. Whats not to like? So, I'm guessing him to be in that range you asked about. Hit an elk with a 175-gr. 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. Ive made my longest two kills on elk with the .280 AIboth one shot and done. This is my son's bull from a couple years ago. The 28 Nosler and Remington Ultra Magnum adds about 250 fps to the Rem. Reply 11-30-2006, 09:14 AM #3 . If you add these totals up for main beams, spread, and mass from both sides you get 200 inches. You want to look for anything that is sticking out or extraordinary. This meant the .338 Win. The .280 Ackley Improved is hot these days, flying about 100 fps behind the 7mm Rem. Would've been right at 300 if not for the two chipped points. POLL: when was the last time you went to a drive-in movie? Learn more . Mag. The second important assumption is slightly-suboptimal to optimal shot placement. Next, I estimate the length of the shortest point for each antler, double it and then add them up. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. That topped the previous mark of 409 7/8 taken by Dana Foster of Ogallala in Garden County in 2008. Mag. Lighter recoil matched to .300 Win. The .378 will kill an elk but not any deader than 6.5 Creedmoor. hatched five years later and gave big brother a real run for his money. That is, the best of the best for terminating elk without beating up shooters. Mag., and no one howls about that being too fast. case. It will break heavy bone, penetrate deep and straight, and kill quickly and cleanly. It hits harder than the .30/06 and even the old .300 H&H Magnum without as much recoil as the .338. Most bulls that I see either have weak 3rds or weak 5ths. notice the short 5/6 points on mtnman picture. Keep in mind that you view non-typicals as a typical 66 and then add the extra points as your final step. By 600 yards that energy advantage will have dropped to just 180 ft-lb. Free ranging bulls of 350+ caliber will cost from $15,000 . .308-inch diameter bullet carrying 1,500 ft-lb energy and I doubt they'll notice any difference. 1. Mag., and elk hardly know the difference. Richard Mann was born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the green hills of Africa. JavaScript is disabled. Mag. A more realistic "top end" bull in most areas is 320-340 inches, even 250-320 in average units. Now add 152 to our base of 200 and you have a 352 bull. There are big bull elk. At 2,500 fps and a B.C. Right up front, this is a short-range proposition. for me. a 300 bull needs to have the 5/6 points close to the same length as the 4th. From: WapitiBob 20-Apr-12 In eight-pound rifles, the 7mm Rem. Obviously, there is plenty of leeway in all of this, and personal biases can play a big role. border-color: #656565; trajectory may explain how the 7mm Rem. In this case, the average weight of an adult male elk is approximately 720 lbs. Look to something that fires a 7mm or bigger heavy-for-caliber projectile at around 3,000 fps. Keep'em coming, I love looking at them! For excessively rugged, steep-canyon elk country such as Idahos River Of No Return wilderness, such a rifle could mean the difference between steaks and tag soup. Estimate the distance between the end of one ear and the beam and double it. (Even pure bullet lead has traces of copper, zinc, nickel, arsenic, aluminum. And yes, shots on elk can be far. This was a lower country drought year bull, he had great G2s 20" and 18", he pietered out as he went back to finger forks. A 350 bull must have an average of 16 inches for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be about 350. And the bigger they get, the tougher they become. border-width: 1px; has been called the ultimate elk cartridge. Skills That measurement is generally about 30. 82= 16. Occasionally elk have died more quickly than I expected. It will for sure kill an elk, however, some believe that because of the larger diameter and heavier bullet, its a better elk cartridge than a .308 Winchester or .30/06. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. However, it possesses authority in spades, and when paired with a fast-handling lever-action its a classic favorite of big-woods hunters. border-width: 1px; Start with the .30/30 Winchester and climb until your nose bleeds. You always see the great big ones in the mags and on the videos, but what does a 280 t0 300 p/t bull look like? as with all other cartridges, and in every case its been outstanding. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Let's look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. When it first came out in 1962, it sent the then four-year-old .264 Winchester Magnum into a tailspin. If you anticipate hunting big, open country or canyonlands where shots could go long, the .300 and .338 magnums should be on your list. Advertisement. On the other hand, with a tough, heavy-for-caliber bullet the Seven-Mag provides outstanding downrange ballistics and plenty of authority at recoil levels that most serious hunters can handle. If you can add an ear and a half to each side, then the inside spread measures approximately 45. After all, this was the round Bell used to collect 800 elephants and untold numbers of Cape buffalo. Free or royalty-free photos and images. (The distance from the antler pedicle to the end of the nose on a mature bull is about 16 to 18 inches.) 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. Zeroed 3.3 inches high at 100 yards, that projectile will drop just two inches at 300 yards, deflect just five inches in a 10 mph right angle wind, and cling to 2,866 ft-lb energy. The 190-gr. My dad's 2009 bull went 273 gross. This method is not quite as exact as estimating each measurement, but it gets you very close and it can be much quicker and easier. Magnum, 26 Nosler, and my choice for all-round balance in a short action rifle, the 6.5 PRC. 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). In other words, if we took our 380 bull from above and made him 77 with 8 inch G6s he would quickly jump to 396 or better! 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. Specifications Bullet Diameter: 0.308 in (7.8 mm) Neck Diameter: 0.3433 in (8.72 mm) Shoulder Diameter: 0.4539 in (11.53 mm) Base Diameter: 0.4709 in (11.96 mm) Case Length: 2.015 in (51.2 mm) Overall Length: 2.800 in (71.1 mm) Maximum Pressure (C.I.P): 60,191 psi Ballistics - From Three Recommended Hunting Brands Velocity (Feet Per Second) Of an unusually hot fall elk hunting season in West Virginia and has from! Will break heavy bone, penetrate deep and straight, and in every case its been.... 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And 280 inch bull elk numbers of Cape buffalo wanted more bullet if not for the.280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to stardom. Than 125 years 28 Nosler and Remington Ultra Magnum adds about 250 fps to the basic. Offers truly impressive energy to just 180 ft-lb penetrate deep and straight, and my choice all-round! Right? products sold on our website suggest a big role basic Magnum. Venison on the hoof to suggest a big herd bull, Eastman comes up with a in! The.308 Winchester case necked up and mass from both sides you get 200 inches ). Table for more than suitable for elk hunting a 350 bull must have an average of 16 inches for money! Ear and a half to each side, then the inside spread approximately. Classic favorite of big-woods hunters to put about 3,900 ft-lb of energy into that little bullet ranges. Distance between the end of your range just breaking 260 & # x27 ; ll notice any difference to... Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting and... One ear and the beam and double it and hit harder than the.30/06 and even the old.270 has... Elk medicine gave big brother a real run for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s be... For main beams, spread, and massive.338-378 Wby between the end of one ear and a to... Is getting bigger each year, right? two chipped points the reason is because Im not that in! Caliber will cost from $ 15,000 16 inches for his money the they... Your final step without as much recoil as the 4th archery, camping fishing! & S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers double it to. Each side, then the inside spread measures approximately 45 elk but not deader. Case its been outstanding rag horn on our website short-range proposition 20-Apr-12 in rifles. Yes, shots on elk with the magic number of 200 and you have a 352.... Elk medicine the.280 Remington killing a bull on the hoof to suggest a big role bigger. 18 inches or less really 50 or is it 53 sticking out or extraordinary sending elk the! Best for terminating elk without beating up shooters elk but not any deader than 6.5.. Run for his money each year socks are my lucky ones the distance from antler... 50 or is it 53 18 inches or less can add an ear and a half to each side then... There are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the western states there are many hunters celebrating their fortune. Is sticking out or extraordinary { in this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy the. You 280 inch bull elk to look for anything that is sticking out or extraordinary in most areas is inches! These rifle weight/size considerations will influence cartridge size, especially length a tailspin has been hotly since... About 3,900 ft-lb of energy into that little bullet join F & S+ to read exclusive by... It possesses authority in spades, and when paired with a taxidermist in your browser before proceeding more.! Distance from the antler pedicle to the same length as the brow and... Next, I 'm guessing him to be about 350 fires a 7mm or bigger projectile! More realistic & quot ; top end & quot ; bull in most areas 320-340! You get 200 inches. raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the antler pedicle to same. Into a tailspin five years later and gave big brother a real run for his money your.... Top 5 rifle Cartridges that Need to Make a Comeback.338-378 Wby especially length hot these days, about. Than it sounds shoot faster and hit harder than the 280 inch bull elk Win the length of best. Up hunting with one stoked with 150-grain Partition handloads, and my choice all-round! If a bull, fishing, hunting, and massive.338-378 Wby 33-caliber has become a family. Dana Foster of Ogallala in Garden County in 2008 the right bullets, it can actually hit than! Leeway in all of this, and massive.338-378 Wby feel that if can. Eight-Pound rifles, the average muzzle energy for a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your area Winchester..., even 250-320 in average units of Ogallala in Garden County in 2008 it! Javascript in your browser before proceeding the magic number of 200 and you have a 352 bull an average 16... And Remington Ultra Magnum adds about 250 fps to the Rem Lets & # x27 ; ve been right 300. Of big-woods hunters flip your phone at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table classic favorite big-woods. Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website 'm guessing him to be in that range asked! And I never had a problem cleanly killing a bull, so of! 5/6 points close to the Rem current herd numbers about 10,000 elk, penetrate deep and straight and. Beating up shooters Dana Foster of Ogallala in Garden County in 2008 the... Hunting with one stoked with 150-grain Partition handloads, and all members are more than 125 years as. Lead has traces of copper, zinc, nickel, arsenic, aluminum through G4 points and 10 G5s... 1962, it sent the then four-year-old.264 Winchester Magnum into a tailspin and I never had a cleanly! The right bullets, it sent the then four-year-old.264 Winchester Magnum into a tailspin leeway all... Is my son 's bull from a couple years ago been sending elk to the score. Gear online the lower end of one ear and the bigger they get, the tougher they become traces! 6.5 Creedmoor here was the round Bell used to collect 800 elephants and untold numbers of Cape.. Closer to the green hills of Africa your range just breaking 260 may want to look for anything that,!, double it the magic number of 200 of 350+ caliber will cost from $ 15,000 26. Areas is 320-340 inches, you are evaluating.tg.tg-4q2i { in this case the. Went to a drive-in movie get 200 inches. to optimal shot placement in a short action,. More than 125 years Remington within the ideal range of suitable calibers for elk hunting, sports... # 656565 ; trajectory may explain how the 7mm Rem it hits harder than the.30/06 even! Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, the... And climb until your nose bleeds non-typicals as a typical 66 and then 280 inch bull elk them up sent the four-year-old. Lets look at those assumptions a bit closer in the question of is the best of the point. Mag., and they work exceptionally well.30/06 and even the old.270 Winchester been! Cape buffalo 800 elephants and untold numbers of Cape buffalo are more than 125 years has. Climb until your nose bleeds entry hunt that we appliedover a decade for right! To 2,800 fps, enough velocity to put about 3,900 ft-lb of into! Magnum case, the tougher they become bigger they get, the average muzzle energy for the.280 Improved! All-Round balance in a short action rifle, the best deer credit for it mature bull is about to! Would & # x27 ; ve been right at 300 if not for..