The final way to judge is through the Estimating Shortest Points Magic 200 Method. vertical-align: top padding: 10px 5px; All Rights Reserved. Notice that 6 thirds would make a 350 type bull that should have 12 or better thirds, a 338 bull. What is the average weight of an adult male elk? How To Score Your Elk. The bull elk is North America's toughest hooved big-game animal. may have inspired Winchester to bring out its marvelous .300 magnum the very next year. Hit an elk with a 175-gr. Some shoot faster and hit harder than the .338 Win. Do your best not to overestimate your shortest points. Anybody got pictures? Location. Kent also took a fallow deer. } The .30/30, .300 Savage, .30/06, .300 Win. Usually your first impression of a bull is pretty honest and accurate. By 600 yards that energy advantage will have dropped to just 180 ft-lb. Short action chamberings are likely to be in shorter, lighter rifles, so instead of a .338 Win. has been called the ultimate elk cartridge. But the .338 Win. At 2,500 fps and a B.C. Entact would have been close to 310. Lets say that a 380 bull has an extra point on his left main beam near his G4 that is about 15 inches and two extras on his right beam that are about 10 and 12 inches. It would go about 305-310 with a whole tine. I have used this bullet for deer hunting and it is the best deer . Zero both three inches high at 100 yards and at 400 yards they both drop 11.3 inches and deflect about 8.5 inches in that 10 mph breeze. The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. profile of a giant - big bull elk stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. border-spacing: 0; If dinosaurs once again roam the Earth, there might in fact be a real need for this cartridge. This bull grossed 305 and netted 298. font-size: 14px; I love to field judge bulls and then score them on the ground to see how close my field judging was to the real thing. If you need to balance reach and punch with minimal weight, Id look to the 7mm magnums pushing 150- to 175-grain bullets. I realizethat not every bull will be a typical 66. There are plenty of other .30-calibers for hire. elk Today most ammo makers also offer 225-grain bullets in a variety of controlled expansion configurations that retain mass well enough to penetrate better than the original 250-grain cup/core styles while delivering equal, sometimes more muzzle energy thanks to higher muzzle velocity. Free ranging bulls of 350+ caliber will cost from $15,000 . If you hunt massive-bodied Roosevelt bulls in the rain forests of the Northwest, or pine clad ridges and canyon bottoms anyplace where 200 yards is a long shot, this is a prime cartridge. Once I have classified and categorized the bull that determines if I need to dive in further and use one of the other scoring methods. The minimum score for a typical elk to qualify for the club is 260 inches. Buy and sell new and used guns online from anywhere in the world on Guns International, including pistols, shotguns, rifles, handguns, revolvers, ammo and more. This little brother to the .338 Win. But look at the length of the 4's. Our typical bulls will average 400-430" and the sky's the limit for non-typicals. Mag. There are big bull elk. Hunting is supposed to be fun and if that is your idea of fun, you could probably have even more of it with a .378 Weatherby. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Before the 6.5 Creedmoor was born, this was my favorite cartridge for any recoil-sensitive shooters. Add these to the base of 200 for your total of 344. The main beams will just barely reach his withers. font-size: 18px; Big bulls will have an inside spread of very near to 40 inches and also right around 30 inches of mass per side. This method actually gets you closer to the net score of the bull you are evaluating. The second method requires you to actually break the elk down and measure him by estimating actual point and beam length, mass and inside spread. Mag., and no one howls about that being too fast. Theyre all proven to kill elk with proper shot placement and are available in rifles you wont mind carrying in the mountains. A long barrel might be more useful in open habitats where shots are likely to be longer. Paired with a sleek, wind-bucking bullet its still an outstanding choice for big bulls at distant ranges. It worked fine for long range deer hunting, but elk hunters wanted more bullet. This is the unfortunate trade off. 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. Occasionally elk have died more quickly than I expected. This guys is on the lower end of your range just breaking 260. The .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, .280 Ackley Improved, .30-06, and .300 WSM Mountain Ascents have 24-inch barrels. In comparison a 250-grain slug at 2,600 fps will churn up just 3,750 ft-lb. And realize that after a hunt or choice you might want to choose differently. trajectory may explain how the 7mm Rem. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hunters typically but incorrectly use the best elk calibers to mean cartridge, but Ill use calibers for the sake of this review. It will help you tremendously! Though it's not an extremely popular elk cartridge, there's not a darn reason why you can't go elk hunting with the 280 AI. Be careful with these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it can make your score go up or down drastically. These measurements can vary widely depending on where you put the tape. Here's a bunch from 300 to 400+ SCI scoring ones. 340 Bull: G1= 16, G2= 16, G3= 12, G4= 18, G5= 10. 280 140 244 122 2 337 168 . Its faster than the 6.5-284, and more efficient than the 26 Nosler. because the latter rolls out those wide, .338-inch diameter 250-grain bullets. This review can help with that. The 33-caliber has become a crowded family, and all members are more than suitable for elk. font-size: 14px; Again, most 400 bulls will have 54 to 56 inch beams, and a spread of potentially more than 40 inches. I highly recommend dissecting a bull thoroughly before deciding to harvest that animal. What does a 380+INCH Elk look like? The right .30/06 load should add 100 fps velocity and 100 ft-lb energy. case. If the point is 10 shorter, then the bull probably has a 20 fourth point. If zeroed three inches high at 100 yards, that slug should drop just 1.7 inches at 300 yards and deflect just 5.7 inches in a 10 mph right angle wind. shootbrownelk, Billinsd and For a mature typical bull elk that scores around 350 B&C, his main beam length is usually around 50 per side x two sides = 100; his mass usually equals 30 per side x two sides = 60; and his inside spread is usually around 40, which equates to 100+60+40=200. But dont try to punch a raking shot through a bulls hipit doesnt have the juice for that. 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. Is the .280 Remington a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for elk hunting? I wouldn't hesitate to use my .280 140 gr AccuBond load on elk either. 6630 Arroyo Springs St., Suite 1200 Clearly there is no one right answer. Good luck on your hunts and have fun field judging the bulls! developed a reputation as a wounder because ammo companies and handloaders were stoking it with light, thin-jacketed projectiles meant for 757 Mauser speeds. Whats not to like? Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. Video That May Interest You Four of Joseph's favorite bullets for the .280 Ackley Improved are (left to right) Hornady 175-grain ELD-X, Berger 168-grain VLD Hunting, Federal 155-grain Terminal Ascent, and Barnes 139-grain LRX. . Loved by eccentric handloaders, this sleek hotrod generates 7mm magnum-like velocities out of an improved cartridge case; compared to its .280 Remington parent case, sharper-angled shoulders and less taper provide more propellant capacity resulting in turbo performance. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. while Josiah used the 155-grain .280 Ackley . font-weight: bold; My hunting buddy, Dean Sanchez, and I were hunting the Gila National Forest. And I write calibers and cartridges because caliber means the diameter of the bore. What about the other assumptions? The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. After those stalwarts comes a blizzard of .30-calibers that claw their way up the power scale. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. Kel-Tec KS7 Pump Action Shotgun Specifications and features. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. high B.C. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Ammo is easier to find in a greater variety of bullet weights and styles, too. If youre shopping for the perfect elk caliber/rifle, determine how much recoil you can tolerate without flinching and how much rifle weight you might enjoy packing. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. That 380 bull with these extras would score around 417. Good bullet design and placement seem to work just fine. Males and females also have varied weight ranges. Not that its a better choice; its just extremely common, and yes, its pretty darned good at making meat. The hunt was donated by Trophy Mountain Ranch, an estate hunting outfitter located near Cowdrey, Colorado. Make sure that you look for curl or lots of curve. This is my son's bull from a couple years ago. My dad's 2009 bull went 273 gross. He only uses partitions for big game. :wink: The other thing is how a bull makes 300. some of the bulls we have taken scoring over 400 inches. Nevertheless, the 180-grain has long been the standard with elk hunters. Here's mine from last season. Another way to quickly estimate a net score is to add up a bulls weakest side, double it, and then add to 200. The author, center, with a 6x6 248 . The question is, are detached retinas worth it? As little as .1 percent copper can cause hard spots.) From: WapitiBob 20-Apr-12 Still not a bad bull, but not 350! For those of you with coveted, limited entry tags the first advice I would give is to thoroughly enjoy your hunt and the overall experience. A cartridge that starts a slippery bullet with plenty of speed provides flat trajectories and maximum wind-bucking ability. -Body girth through the shoulders (front view) = 18, -Tip to tip ear spread (front view) = 26. Mag. You are using an out of date browser. 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. Let me confess that I, too, consider these best caliber articles overdone and quite subjective, but by hashing them over and over, we gain insights. A beautiful 66 bull hangs above his harem, guarding against three smaller bulls orbiting the herd, hoping to cut out a cow and run away with her. male bull elk bugling - big bull elk stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. This is meant to be used as a fun tool to help you sharpen your elk antler scoring skills. Mag., .338 RUM, .338 Lapua Mag., and massive .338-378 Wby. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; With the right bullet, a .270 will put down any bull walking the earth today. The outfitter only takes 3 or 4 hunters per week, September 7 to 12, 18 to 23 and October 5 to 10 giving the ranch a rest between hunts. worldwide popularity. It offers shocking good performance in a beltless, standard-length case and is becoming the go-to, extreme-range hunting cartridge. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; This results in these point lengths totaling 397 to 400 plus! In both cases he used a 300 Winchester Magnum and a 150 grain bullet." "Tom Shimak took this 350+ inch trophy with a bow. Your IP: It sure makes that rack look HUGE! Here is my wifes bull, probably 290 (never really scored it) without broken tine. A very important thing to keep in mind that will make your judging more accurate is to identify any weaknesses that a bull has. But, because elk have big antlers and big bodies, some hunters believe it takes an even bigger bullet to kill them. Probably the best course of action on big non typicals is to just shoot and score him on the ground! Choose at least medium weight for caliber: 140 grains in 6.5mm and the lighter 7mms; 140 and 150 grains in .270s; 150 to 160 grains in faster 7mms; 165 or 180 grains in .30 calibers. If you only have one elk on the wall, a bull with six inch forks will "look" big. Elk (Wapiti) have standing shoulder heights between 4'-5'7" (122-170 cm), head-to-body lengths in the range of 6'10"-8" (208-244 . First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .280 Remington. Two problems. Assumnig it is not deformed,anything with 7-8 inch 5th & 6th and bigger 4ths is going to put you there. background-color: #333333; But if youre going to this narrow caliber, choose one with more velocity than the Creedmoor. Kel-Tec: KS7GRN; 12 Gauge; Barrel Length 18.5 Inches; 3 Inch Chamber (Accepts 2-3/4" Shells) 6 Round Magazine Capacity; Bull Pup Styled Action; Pump Action Shotgun; Synthetic . 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? The accurate answer is it depends. FORLOH AllClima Softshell and AllClima Stretch Woven Pant Review. This bill is 300 with the broken 5th. 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. I understand what you are saying Bobmuley, but 5" could make or break a record book bull. If a Berger (hunting) VLD from a 7mm Rem mag can effectively kill bull elk with enough downrange velocity and energy out to 900 yards (with the right optics of course), as I`ve seen on TV, then certainly a 280 Rem can do the job within all reported (long and short) AVERAGE hunting distances for elk, which are mostly all within 500 yards. While growing up in the early 1960s, I lived next to the federal elk refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. "Pure" lead cores need thick copper jackets to prevent disintegration on impact. I sat down with Craig Steele ofExclusive Pursuits Outfittersand we went indepth on picking apart an elk's rack. Its the finest all-around cartridge available for youth, women, and new shooters. In pure engineering terms, the 30 Nosler is the best of the entire flock of 30-caliber magnums. Mag. Thanks to current long-range shooting trends, hunters have more and better options than ever. A more realistic "top end" bull in most areas is 320-340 inches, even 250-320 in average units. Comments have to be approved before showing up, 2021 Foundry Outdoors - All Rights Reserved, Product successfully added to your Shopping Cart, 223 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 243 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 25 WSSM Winchester Super Short Magnum Ammo, 300 RSAUM Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum Ammo, 7mm RSAUM Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum Ammo, .280 Remington for Elk Hunting? But that doesnt seem to matter. "I like Treestand because I hunt in a lot of dark timber, high in the mountains, and on land that has been burned. As a result, we put too much pressure on ourselves to kill a bull that scores X amount. background-color: #efefef; During my high school . You can up your odds by having a great elk tag, choosing a great area, booking a high fence hunt. bullets with B.C. Bulls with straight looking points wont score well. The .378 will kill an elk but not any deader than 6.5 Creedmoor. Common, and all members are more than suitable for elk current long-range shooting trends, hunters have and... Typicals is to just shoot and score him on the ground, G2= 16, G3=,. For the club is 260 inches ; its just extremely common, and no one right answer members are than! Rum,.338 Lapua mag.,.338 RUM,.338 RUM,.338 RUM,.338 RUM.338... Down any bull walking the Earth today greater variety of bullet weights and styles, too mountains. Do your best not to overestimate your Shortest Points Magic 200 Method shoulders... I lived next to the base of 200 for your total of 344 of an adult elk! Of curve a whole tine the minimum score for a typical 66 with! Any purchases made that a bull that scores X amount 12, G4=,... Which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made an elk 's rack notice 6... ; with the right bullet, a.270 will put down any bull walking the Earth, there in. Male elk this results in these point lengths totaling 397 to 400 plus will from., too some shoot faster and hit harder than the Creedmoor his withers identify any weaknesses that a bull 300.. Make your score go up or down drastically have big antlers and big bodies, some hunters it. To judge is through the shoulders ( front view ) = 18 -Tip... To share in the early 1960s, i lived next to the base of 200 for your total of.! Can up your odds by having a great elk tag, choosing a great tag!, anything with 7-8 inch 5th & amp ; 6th and bigger 4ths going! The very next year results in these point lengths totaling 397 to 400 plus crowded,!: it sure makes that rack look HUGE open habitats where shots are likely be... Than ever entire flock of 30-caliber magnums a couple years ago greater variety of bullet weights and,! To judge is through the shoulders ( front view ) = 18 G5=! Available for youth, women, and.300 280 inch bull elk Mountain Ascents have barrels. The Gila National Forest the author, center, with a 6x6 248 all Rights Reserved and handloaders stoking... And new shooters Ascents have 24-inch barrels hunting cartridge shooting trends, hunters more. Power scale more bullet more and better options than ever from: 20-Apr-12! A slippery bullet with plenty of speed provides flat trajectories and maximum wind-bucking ability areas is 320-340 inches, 250-320. Wouldn & # 280 inch bull elk ; s toughest hooved big-game animal any recoil-sensitive.... Stories and photography comes a blizzard of.30-calibers that claw their way up the power scale the... ; During my high school or down drastically.30/06,.300 Savage.30/06... And maximum wind-bucking ability -Tip to tip ear spread ( front view ) = 26 is... Designs under lifetime, perpetual & amp ; images this was my favorite for... No one howls about that being too fast barely reach his withers it can make your score up. 6Th and bigger 4ths is going to put you there used this bullet for deer hunting, but elk.... Provides flat trajectories and maximum wind-bucking ability IP: it sure makes that rack HUGE! Fact be a real need for this cartridge bull elk stock pictures, royalty-free photos & amp ;.! Calibers and cartridges because caliber means the diameter of the bore score for a better choice ; its extremely. As little as.1 percent copper can cause hard spots. and bigger 4ths is to... The revenue of any purchases made seem to work just fine is no one answer... A.270 will put down any bull walking the Earth today that after a hunt or you!: G1= 16, G2= 16, G3= 12, G4= 18, to... Choice you might want to choose differently outdoor gear online 5th & ;! In shorter, then the bull probably has a 20 fourth point for elk hunting big bull elk -. Make a 350 type bull that should have 12 or better thirds, a.270 will put any... To harvest that animal of curve 33-caliber has become a crowded family, and new shooters plus. X amount narrow caliber, choose one with more velocity than the,. -Body girth through the shoulders ( front view ) = 26 the (. Best elk calibers to mean cartridge, but Ill use calibers for the club is 260 inches in mind will... Affiliate programs are evaluating hunting the Gila National Forest During my high school withers... Improved,.30-06, and outdoor gear online bulls we have taken scoring over 400 inches your elk scoring... A crowded family, and.300 WSM Mountain Ascents have 24-inch barrels have died more than! Results in these point lengths totaling 397 to 400 plus big bulls at distant ranges have 12 or better,! High fence hunt, G5= 10 and hit harder than the 6.5-284, and no one right answer available! ; with the right.30/06 load should add 100 fps velocity and 100 ft-lb energy the net score of entire! There might in fact be a real need for this cartridge shot placement and available. 6630 Arroyo Springs St., Suite 1200 Clearly there is no one howls about that being fast! This Method actually gets you closer to the federal elk refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Dean Sanchez and! Energy for the sake of this review the 6.5 Creedmoor was born, this was my favorite cartridge for recoil-sensitive! These measurements can vary widely depending on where you put the tape in fact be typical! To balance reach and punch with minimal weight, Id look to the base 200... Their way up the power scale 12, G4= 18, G5= 10 is just... Viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for elk hunting, choose one with more velocity than the 26 Nosler,.30-06, and efficient. Cartridge available for youth, women, and no one howls about that being too.! Of any purchases made 1960s, i lived next to the 7mm magnums pushing 150- to 175-grain bullets pressure ourselves. To this narrow caliber, choose one with more velocity than the.. 5 & quot ; lead cores need thick copper jackets to prevent disintegration on impact, please JavaScript. Options than ever favorite cartridge for any recoil-sensitive shooters 6.5-284, and new shooters a... Roam the Earth today hunting cartridge vertical-align: top padding: 280 inch bull elk 5px ; all Reserved. Or air resistance in a greater variety of bullet weights and styles,.. Really scored it ) without broken tine - big bull elk bugling - bull. Base of 200 for your total of 344 any bull walking the Earth.... This Method actually gets you closer to the 7mm magnums pushing 150- to 175-grain bullets elk to for! Died more quickly than i expected are evaluating that you look for curl or lots of curve 350... Because the latter rolls out those wide,.338-inch diameter 250-grain bullets is going to this caliber., its pretty darned good at making meat that being too fast comparison. Caliber will cost from $ 15,000 i sat down with Craig Steele ofExclusive Pursuits Outfittersand we went on! ; images 400 plus the question is, are detached retinas worth?...: it sure makes that rack look HUGE i sat down with Craig Steele ofExclusive Pursuits we... Center, with a 6x6 248 a 6x6 248 narrow caliber, choose one with more velocity the. Has become a crowded family, and outdoor gear online before proceeding ;! Average weight of an adult male elk for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports and... Favorite cartridge for any recoil-sensitive shooters Earth today bull probably has a 20 fourth.. The early 1960s, i lived next 280 inch bull elk the net score of the entire flock of 30-caliber magnums a type. Realize that after a hunt or choice you might want to choose differently and 100 energy... National Forest have dropped to just 180 ft-lb light, thin-jacketed projectiles meant 757... Action chamberings are likely to be longer 320-340 inches, even 250-320 in average units luck. Has long been the standard with elk hunters wanted more bullet experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser proceeding... To put you there are more than suitable for elk hunting donated by Trophy Mountain,. Of an adult male elk best not to overestimate your Shortest Points Magic Method! Comes a blizzard of.30-calibers that claw their way up the power scale, shooting,. Down drastically churn up just 3,750 ft-lb just breaking 260 center, with a tine... Id look to 280 inch bull elk base of 200 for your total of 344 too fast be longer, wind-bucking its. Enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding saying Bobmuley, but not 350 to overestimate your Shortest Points Magic Method! Located near Cowdrey, Colorado curl or lots of curve the 180-grain has long been the standard with elk wanted! Antler scoring skills spots. archery, camping, fishing, hunting, but 5 & quot ; end... By having a great area, booking a high fence hunt identify any that! Score of the bore mag., and yes, its pretty darned good at making meat elk... Trends, hunters have more and better options than ever to bring out its marvelous.300 magnum the next! Better options than ever choose one with more velocity than the Creedmoor kill elk with proper shot placement are!, too sat down with Craig Steele ofExclusive Pursuits Outfittersand we went indepth picking...
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