Max range on elk

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

What is the max range for elk for various calibers?  I'm strictly thinking of the capabilities of the gun, not the shooter.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that you aren't hitting them as hard at 500 yards as you would at 100 yards.

[mitchell]

one mile!!!!! but only with the 50BMG lol

[Thomas Krupinski]

Too many variables to even begin to attempt an answer, like speed of bullet, bullet construction, size of the elk, type of shot, terain you will have to be tracking in, and the accuracy of the firearm being used.

[7magWoodsman]

Too many variables to even begin to attempt an answer, like speed of bullet, bullet construction, size of the elk, type of shot, terain you will have to be tracking in, and the accuracy of the firearm being used.

I agree.

With Excellent Shot Placement a 7mm Remington Magnum pushing a premium 160gr. bullet out of a 24" barrel at roughly 3000fps. "should" be able to cleanly take an Elk at around 400 yards in the hands of a   skilled shooter. IF the conditions are perfect.

Stay Safe. Happy Hunting/Shooting.  

[MtJerry]

Hmmmm ....

Shot my elk last year at 350 yards - heart/lung shot.

Ruger M77 MkII
130gr. Spitzer - average vel - 2900 fps.

Took two steps and died.

It ain't the gun, it's the hunter.

[Mikey]

Got a clean shot at 100 yds but it could have been two or three with the way the bullet and load performed, and that was from a 444 lever gun.  Mikey.

[PA-Joe]

I think 700-1000 ft pounds of energy would do it.

[snowdog]

If your a decent hunter and can shoot decent,   200 yards I make my
   max with  a Cal such as an 06,  I often use my 30-30 or 45/70.
    I much prefer to shoot under 150 yards with these.

   It your  a good marksmen,   but don't enjoy the HUNT as much...
   (of course it always depends on the circumstances)  350- 450 yards
   kinda takes the fun outta getting up on game.   I know that will
   raise a few ear lobes...... but thats how I feel

[7magWoodsman]

   It your  a good marksmen,   but don't enjoy the HUNT as much...
   (of course it always depends on the circumstances)  350- 450 yards
   kinda takes the fun outta getting up on game.   I know that will
   raise a few ear lobes...... but thats how I feel

Some people get off on the long range aspect of the HUNT. I myself sometimes prefer a longer rifle shot, I spend too much time honing my skills to limit myself to short shots ALL the time.......I save the "super sneak" for when I have my my recurve bow in hand......the fact that I have and will take longer shots with my "Long Range Rifle" does not make me any less of a hunter than you, nor does it take ANYTHING away from the hunt....but I do respect your opinion.

Don't get me wrong though, I will NOT pass up the opportunity for a good close range stalk, regardless of weapon.
 

[dawei]

Hmmmm ....

Shot my elk last year at 350 yards - heart/lung shot.

Ruger M77 MkII  130gr. Spitzer - average vel - 2900 fps.

Took two steps and died.

It ain't the gun, it's the hunter.

What was the caliber? 270?

[dawei]

Got a clean shot at 100 yds but it could have been two or three with the way the bullet and load performed, and that was from a 444 lever gun.  Mikey.

What load were you shooting?

[Mikey]

dawei:  it was a 330 grn cast gas checked Beartooth bullet over 52 grns of Varget from a 26" bbl.  I figured it was haulin' at somewhere close to 2200'/sec or possibly a bit better.  The post mortem showed both bullets to have passed straight on through the animals chest without apparent deflection and very little resistance.  I think that if I had dropped the same slugs on her a 300 yds the bullets would have done the same.  Mikey.

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I wasn't necessarily considering long distance shooting.

My primary reason for asking the question was to consider the amount of striking power needed for elk.   I think it's comical how some people consider a .30-30 as too weak for elk,  yet a .300 Win Mag is good for elk out to 400 yards.  

The .300 Win Mag is doing exactly the same thing between 300 and 400 yards as the .30-30 does from muzzle to 100 yds.

From Winchester's Ammo specs:

.300 WM: S300WXA/165gr Fail Safe:  300yds/1842ft-lbs 400yds/1445 ft-lbs

.300 WM: S300WX/180gr Fail Safe: 300yds/2129ft-lbs  400yds/1780ft-lbs

.30-30: SHV30306/150gr Pwr Pt+:  mzl/2049ft-lbs 100yds/1462ft-lbs


I have a suspicion that what happens is technological advances are made to increase the range capabilities of a gun.  Thus they design a cartridge to hit with 1500 ft-lbs at 400 yards.  However, consequently that same cartridge will carry an outrageous amount of energy at the muzzle.  Said cartridge gets rave reviews about it's long range performance.  Eventually said cartridge becomes the standard by which all other cartridges are measured.  This coincides with a phenomina that most hunters look not further than the muzzle energies of a given cartridge.   Since said cartridge is the widely lauded "elk gun" hunters interpret the 3,000+ ft-lbs (as measured from mzzl) as the amount necessary to cleanly harvest elk.

This might explain why there's such a trend in fast magnums, and an infatuation with tons of KE.

[dakotashooter2]

I like the way snowdog thinks. Kinda like having tickets for the 50 yard line and exchanging them for the nosebleed section. Your still at the game but it just isn't as exciting.

[snowdog]

as noted in quoting me,  "it kinda takes the fun out of it".... I didn't
 say it was  WRONG .........  


I'm not knocking long range hunting,  cause YES...your still out there
  hunting.  But to see an ELK  400 yards away and then  make up a
  strategy to get  up on him another 2 or 300 yards.  really makes
   it more exciting.    I say this from archery hunting for years for elk.


      My distaste for  long range  "shooting"  comes from about 12 years
   ago,  while  modern firearm hunting for elk.... I ran into a crowd of
   about  7-8 guys  that  had their tags for elk  and paid this guy with
   a .50 cal or something on that order that would collect $ from the
   guys in the group.   the guys would flush out the elk from the area
   while the guy with the mounted  YES... he mounted the gun on his
   Jeep rollbar !   he bragged about  taking 6 - 700 yrd shots coordinating
  it with the guys running around below.  ANYONE  who calls that hunting,
  needs to read and understand hunting ETHICS.   NO ONe can defend
  that Kind of BS.     I didn't speak with the shooter,  but I did tell a
  couple of the guys that were running around pushing Elk   that  I
  was a bit  upset with the situation.   the one guy  told me that if I didn't
  like it to leave the area.     Yes  I did contact the Wa state Dept of Wildlife.   don't know  what ever happened to those piss poor excuses
  of mankind.