Elk hunting is a pursuit that demands skill, patience, and the right equipment. One of the most critical pieces of that equipment is the caliber of your rifle.
The right caliber can make the difference between a successful hunt and a frustrating experience.
This article will explain the best calibers for elk hunting, how to choose the right one, good elk cartridges, and the factors to consider before making your purchase.
The Best Caliber for Elk Hunting: What You Need to Know
Elk are large, tough animals, and bringing one down requires a caliber with enough power and accuracy. The best caliber for elk hunting is one that can deliver a clean, ethical kill without causing unnecessary suffering to the animal.
It should have enough power to penetrate the elk’s thick hide and vital organs, even at long ranges.
What are the best calibers for elk hunting?
The best calibers for elk hunting are generally those that offer a good balance of power, accuracy, and manageable recoil.
Some of the most popular choices among experienced hunters include the .338 Winchester Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Remington Magnum, and .30 Nosler.
Each of these calibers has proven effective in the field and has a strong following among elk hunters.
How to Choose the Best Elk Hunting Caliber
Choosing the best elk hunting rifle caliber depends on several factors, including your hunting style, shooting ability, and the specific conditions you’ll be hunting in.
You’ll want to consider the terrain (are you shooting uphill or downhill?), the typical shot distance (are you shooting across a canyon or in dense forest?), and your comfort with recoil.
Things to Consider Before Buying an Elk Cartridge
Choosing a rifle cartridge for elk requires an understanding of the animal and the landscape you’re hunting.
Authority
The cartridge you choose must have enough authority or stopping power to bring down an elk. Elk are large, robust animals, and it takes a powerful round to ensure a clean, ethical kill.
Reach
Elk hunting often involves long-range shots, so you’ll need a cartridge with enough reach. This means it must be capable of maintaining its velocity and trajectory over long distances.
Power
The power of a cartridge is determined by its muzzle energy, which is a function of both the bullet’s weight and its velocity. A powerful cartridge is especially important when hunting large game like elk.
Common Elk and Deer Hunting Calibers
Common calibers for both elk rifles and deer hunting include the .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, .270 Winchester, and .243 Winchester. These calibers are all capable of taking down deer and elk rifle full-sized game but may be on the lower end of what’s suitable for elk.
The Best Elk Hunting Calibers in 2023
All-around Champ: .338 Winchester Magnum
The .338 Winchester Magnum, introduced in 1958, has long been a favorite among hunters for its versatility and power. This caliber is a .338-inch diameter cartridge based on a shortened .375 H&H Magnum case.
It’s a well-rounded choice for elk hunting, offering a good balance of power, accuracy, and manageable recoil, making it a favorite elk rifle among many experienced hunters.
The .338 Winchester Magnum is capable of delivering heavy, high-diameter bullets with significant energy, making it ideal for hunting large, tough animals like elk. It’s known for its ability to deliver a quick, clean kill, reducing the chance of an animal suffering or escaping wounded.
The cartridge is capable of taking down even the largest elk, yet it’s still manageable for most shooters.
In terms of performance, the .338 Winchester Magnum can push a 200-grain bullet at velocities over 3,000 feet per second (fps), and a 250-grain bullet at over 2,700 fps.
This high velocity, combined with the heavy bullet weight, results in a high degree of kinetic energy, which is crucial for ensuring a clean kill on large game like elk.
Best Balanced: 338 Winchester Magnum
The 338 Winchester Magnum is often considered the best-balanced elk hunting caliber. This is due to its combination of power, accuracy, and manageable recoil. The 338 Winchester Magnum is a magnum cartridge, which means it delivers a higher velocity than standard cartridges.
This high velocity, combined with heavy bullet weights, results in a high degree of kinetic energy, which is crucial for ensuring a clean kill on a large game like elk.
The 338 Winchester Magnum is also known for its accuracy. It’s capable of delivering tight groups at long range, making it a reliable choice of great elk cartridge for hunting in a variety of conditions.
The cartridge’s accuracy, combined with its power, makes it a highly effective choice for elk hunting.
Despite its power and accuracy, the 338 Winchester Magnum also has a manageable recoil. This is an important factor to consider, as excessive recoil can make such a rifle uncomfortable to shoot and can negatively affect accuracy.
Best All Around: .300 Winchester Magnum
The .300 Winchester Magnum is another excellent all-around choice for elk hunting. Introduced in 1963, this caliber has gained popularity due to its combination of power, accuracy, and long-range capabilities for elk hunters.
The .300 Winchester Magnum is capable of pushing a 180-grain bullet at velocities over 3,000 feet per second (fps), and a 200-grain bullet at over 2,900 fps. This high velocity, combined with the heavy bullet weight, results in a high degree of kinetic energy, which is crucial for ensuring a clean kill on large game like elk.
One of the key advantages of the .300 Winchester Magnum is its reach. It offers a bit more reach than the .338 Winchester Magnum, making it a good choice for long-range shots. This is due to its high velocity, which allows the bullet to maintain a flat trajectory over longer distances.
All-around: Start With A .30-06 Springfield
The .30-06 Springfield is a classic choice for elk hunting. Introduced in 1906, this caliber has been a staple among hunters for over a century.
While it doesn’t have quite the power or reach of some of the magnum calibers, it’s a versatile and effective choice that’s suitable for most hunting situations.
The .30-06 Springfield can push a 165-grain bullet at velocities over 2,800 fps, and a 180-grain bullet at over 2,700 fps. This makes it capable of delivering a clean, ethical kill on elk, even at moderate ranges.
One of the key advantages of the .30-06 Springfield is its versatility. It can effectively use a wide range of bullet weights, making it suitable for hunting a variety of game species, from deer to elk.
Open Country: A Modern 7mm Remington magnum
For hunting in open country where long-range shots are common, a modern 7mm caliber like the 7mm Remington Magnum is a good choice. Introduced in 1962, this caliber has gained popularity due to its excellent ballistics and flat trajectory, making it easier to hit distant targets.
The 7mm Remington Magnum is capable of pushing a 150-grain bullet at velocities over 3,100 fps, and a 175-grain bullet at over 2,800 fps. This high velocity, combined with the bullet’s high ballistic coefficient, results in a flat trajectory and excellent long-range performance.
Despite its long-range capabilities, the 7mm Remington Magnum also has a manageable recoil, making it a comfortable choice for many hunters.
Long-range: A Fast .30 Nosler
For long-range elk hunting, a fast .30 caliber like the .30 Nosler is a great choice. Introduced in 2016, this caliber is the latest addition to Nosler’s family of proprietary cartridges. It offers excellent ballistics and high muzzle velocity, making it capable of accurate shots at long range.
The .30 Nosler is capable of pushing a 180-grain bullet at velocities over 3,000 fps, and a 210-grain bullet at over 2,800 fps. This high velocity, combined with the bullet’s high ballistic coefficient, results in a flat trajectory and excellent long-range performance.
Despite its power and long-range capabilities, the .30 Nosler also has a very manageable recoil amount, making it a comfortable choice for many hunters.
Three Additional Great Elk Cartridges
6.5 PRC
The 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge (PRC) is a high-performance round that offers excellent ballistics and high muzzle velocity. Introduced by Hornady in 2018, the 6.5 PRC is designed to maximize the performance of the 6.5mm (.264″) bullets, which have gained popularity due to their high ballistic coefficients and sectional densities.
The 6.5 PRC can push a 143-grain bullet at velocities over 2,900 feet per second (fps), providing excellent long-range performance. This makes it a great choice for long-range elk hunting, where its high ballistic coefficient and flat trajectory can help ensure accurate, ethical kills at extended distances.
.300 Remington Ultra Magnum
The .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, also known as the .300 RUM, is a powerful round that’s capable of taking down even the largest elk.
Introduced in 1999, the .300 RUM is a member of Remington’s Ultra Magnum family, which is based on a blown-out .404 Jeffery case.
The .300 RUM can push a 180-grain bullet at velocities over 3,200 fps, and a 200-grain bullet at over 3,000 fps.
This high velocity, combined with the heavy bullet weight, results in a high degree of kinetic energy, which is crucial for ensuring a clean kill on a large game like elk.
.45-70
The .45-70, officially known as the .45-70 Government, is a classic big game hunting round that’s been used for over a century.
First introduced in 1873, the .45-70 uses a large, heavy bullet and a moderate charge of black powder (originally) to deliver devastating energy upon impact.
While the .45-70 doesn’t have the reach of some of the other calibers, it’s a powerful and effective choice for close to medium-range hunting. It is for serious elk hunters.
It can push a 300-grain bullet at velocities over 1,800 fps, and a 405-grain bullet at over 1,300 fps
Three Overrated Elk Cartridges
.358 Winchester
While it’s a capable round, the .358 Winchester is often overshadowed by more powerful and versatile calibers.
Introduced in 1955, the .358 Winchester is a .35 caliber cartridge based on a necked-up .308 Winchester case.
The .358 Winchester can push a 200-grain bullet at velocities over 2,500 fps, and a 250-grain bullet at over 2,200 fps.
While these figures are respectable, there are other calibers that offer better ballistics and more versatility for elk hunting.
.338 Remington Ultra Magnum
Despite its power, the .338 Remington Ultra Magnum can be overkill for elk hunting, and its high recoil can make it difficult to shoot accurately.
Introduced in 2002, the .338 RUM is a .338 caliber cartridge based on the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum case.
The .338 RUM can push a 225-grain bullet at velocities over 3,000 fps, and a 250-grain bullet at over 2,800 fps.
While these figures are impressive, the high recoil of the .338 RUM can make it challenging to shoot, especially for less experienced hunters.
.378 Weatherby
The .378 Weatherby is a powerful round, but it’s high recoil and overkill power for elk make it less than ideal for most hunters.
Introduced in 1953, the .378 Weatherby is a large, belted magnum cartridge that was designed to be one of the most powerful on the market.
The .378 Weatherby can push a 300-grain bullet at velocities over 2,900 fps.
While this makes it capable of taking down any big game hunters anywhere on Earth, it’s generally more powerful than is needed for elk, and the high recoil can make it difficult to shoot accurately.
Long-Range Capabilities of Different Calibers
The long-range capabilities of a caliber are determined by its ballistics and the bullet’s ability to maintain velocity and trajectory over distance.
Calibers like the .300 Winchester Magnum, .30 Nosler, and 7mm Remington Magnum are all known for their excellent long-range capabilities.
Bullet Drop at Long Ranges for Different Calibers
Bullet drop at long ranges is a critical factor to consider when choosing a caliber for elk hunting. Calibers with a flat trajectory and heavier bullet back, like the .300 Winchester Magnum and .30 Nosler, will have less bullet drop at long ranges than calibers with a more arcing trajectory.
Muzzle Brakes to Offset Recoil for Different Calibers
Muzzle brakes are a valuable accessory that can significantly improve your shooting experience, especially when dealing with high-recoil calibers.
They are devices that are attached to the muzzle of a firearm or cannon to redirect propellant gasses with the overarching aim of countering both recoil of the gun and the unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire.
When a bullet is fired, gasses are expelled from the muzzle, creating a force that pushes the firearm backward into the shooter’s shoulder, known as recoil.
This recoil can affect the shooter’s comfort, accuracy, and overall shooting experience. High recoil can be particularly challenging for new or smaller-statured shooters and can lead to flinching or other negative shooting habits.
Muzzle brakes work by redirecting these gasses to counteract the recoil. They typically have holes or slots that allow the gasses to escape in specific directions, usually to the sides and upward.
This redirection of gasses creates a forward force-controlled expansion bullet that counteracts the backward force of the recoil. The result is a reduction in the felt recoil, making the firearm more comfortable to shoot.
Muzzle brakes can be particularly beneficial when shooting powerful calibers like the .338 Winchester Magnum or .300 Remington Ultra Magnum. These calibers produce significant recoil due to their high power and large bullet size.
By reducing the recoil, a muzzle brake can make these powerful calibers more manageable, allowing for more accurate shooting and a more enjoyable shooting experience.
However, it’s important to note that while muzzle brakes can significantly reduce recoil, they can also increase the noise and muzzle blast experienced by the shooter and those nearby.
Therefore, when using a muzzle brake, it’s even more important to use proper hearing protection.
FAQs
What is the most accurate elk caliber?
The most accurate elk caliber will depend on the individual shooter and the specific conditions of the hunt. However, the .300 Winchester Magnum and .30-06 Springfield are often praised for their accuracy.
What caliber of choice for elk?
The caliber of choice for elk will depend on personal preference and hunting conditions. However, the .338 Winchester Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, and .30-06 Springfield are all popular choices.
Is a .308 good for elk?
Yes, a .308 Winchester can be an effective caliber for elk hunting, especially at moderate ranges. It’s a versatile round that offers a good balance of power, accuracy, and manageable recoil.
Is .30-06 Springfield a good elk round?
Yes, the .30-06 Springfield is a classic choice for elk hunting. It’s a versatile and effective round that’s suitable for most hunting situations.
What caliber is best for 500-yard elk?
For shots at 500 yards or more, you’ll want a caliber with excellent long-range ballistics. The .300 Winchester Magnum, .30 Nosler, and 7mm Remington Magnum are all good choices.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right caliber for elk hunting is a critical part of your preparation. The best caliber for you will depend on your personal preferences, your shooting ability, and the specific conditions of your hunt.
However, the calibers discussed in this article are all excellent choices that have proven effective in the field.
By taking the time to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each, you can make an informed decision and choose best elk cartridges of the caliber that will give you the best chance of success on your next elk hunt.