6 Best Elk Cartridges (Tips from a Professional Guide)

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Tate Bradfield is a professional guide and passionate hunter that has been on over 130 elk kills. With calibers ranging from 243. to 50 BMG.

[gunman-]

You hit the nail on the head bro. I love the. 270, 7 rem mag, 300 win mag, and .30-06 Great elk guns!

[Mikejohnson-wrhd]

My favourite big game cartridge has always been the 280 Remington in a 700 Remington. I am an ardent handloader so ammunition for practice has never been a problem. Favourite bullets are Nosler 150 ballistic tips for white tails, (and 1 cougar), 160 partitions for Elk and black bear. Longest shot was a whitetail across a Manitoba river valley, about 420 yards. The cat was at 70 yards and it died instantly (thankfully) I find the recoil of this caliber to be very manageable and the effect on game is very decisive.

[nohillforahighstepper]

If I have a cow tag, I use my .270 Win.
If I have a bull tag, I use 7mm Rem Mag.
My personal preference is to keep shots under 300 yards, if possible. I never shoot over 400.

[Leif]

Tate! Your opening statement was exactly what I wish I heard from more young outdoorsmen! Ethical ranges, common sense in choosing cartridges. All the best!

[JamesJones-cxpk]

Ive shot 50+ deer with my .308 over the years. I shoot 150 SST's because they blow up quick and shred vitals. Ive shot 1 deer with 165 bonded Deer Thug bullets. It went through both shoulders and kept going. It blew a baseball size exit wound. Ive never shot an elk but if I go, Im taking 165 bonded confidently.👍

[Alan-sbt]

Never hunted elk but enjoyed your video more than any other I watched about elk hunting and calibers and how they performed with certain bullets

[Eggomania]

The cool thing with 30-06 is that you can run high BC bullets with it. Like the 190gr Nosler Long Range Accubond. Said load can actually outperform standard cup and core, core lokt, PSP flat base 180gr .300 Win downrange, with less recoil and muzzle blast. I got an old Remington 700 BDL that actually loves these. Recoil is no worse than standard 30-06 loads, which recoil about the same if not less than 7mm Rem mag. 7 Rem mag and 30-06 I think are optimal if you are hunting at ethical ranges.

[Plumcraziness]

Tons of respect for this video. 👍 I really respect how you emphasize not taking animals past 500 yards if you absolutely don't have to. As the old saying goes: "make it a hunt, not a shoot". Sadly, I feel the ballistics of today's modern cartridges and higher BC bullets leads to more unethical shots at long ranges, because it tricks people into believing they can take a shot (or are entitled to take a shot) outside of their own shooting capabilities. Which, again, I have a lot of respect for some of the points you made in regards to that.

I also really like how you are inclusive of people having their own preferences for different cartridges outside of your recommendations. Just as long as they are proficient with it, and it has enough power to do the job within that cartridge's capabilities, and within the range it is being shot at. Honestly, this video was like a breath of fresh air and I am surprised you don't have more followers...yet anyway. You are quite well-spoken and you obviously speak from experience, which is worth its weight in gold. Keep churning out the content. I feel you'll be getting tons of views soon enough.

As for myself, I have never hunted elk (yet anyway, I'm a homesteader in the eastern woodlands of northern Ontario), but my personal choice would be .30-06. Mostly because that's what I am comfortable and proficient at shooting. I am a one tool/one rifle kind of hunter, and I am intimately familiar with my rifle and its capabilities, as well as my own capabilities shooting with it.

Additionally, as you already mentioned, .30-06 is capable of efficiently and ethically dropping any elk within sane shooting distances. Not only that, but its performance is even better than many people may realize when used with modern higher BC bullets, such as Hornady ELD-X. For instance, with the right loading, 212 gr ELD-X delivers over 1, 600 ft.-lbs. and nearly 1, 900 fps at 600 yds., AND has literally identical wind drift numbers right across the board as a 6.5 Creed shooting 143 grain ELD-X, due to the 212 grain ELD-X's even higher BC of .663 (using Hornady's ballistics calculator). All this equals sure death to ANY elk shot at sane distances out west. Not that I'd necessarily shoot at 600 yds., but it goes to show what the .30-06 is capable of with modern bullets and the right loading. With modern components, it ain't the same round grandad shot back in the day. I'd also be very interested in trying mono metal bullets like Barnes TTSX due to its phenomenal penetration and controlled expansion. Just assure it hits its target at or above 2, 000 fps and I am certain it would be lights out for any elk.

Regardless, there are all kinds of cartridges out there that are more than capable of getting the job done in an ethical fashion, but .30-06 would be my choice!

[danielnalepinski]

I've used handloaded 30-06 with 150 nosler accubond twice. But I've only shot 2 cow elk. Neither one of them went very far. Maybe 40 yards and fell over. One was @ 100 yards. The other was around 200 yards out.

[camerannC]

The 7 mm 08 is awesome. Light recoil and great ballistics. My 14 year old son killed he's moose with one.

[couespursuit]

I liked your presentation. It was nice not to be told cup and core bullets do not work and appreciate why you would prefer a bonded bullet. I wont give you flack for not adding certain cartridges because if you like the 6.5C then you must be good with the 6.5X55 and the 260 REM. If the 708 makes your list then I bet you also think well of the 308. Not surprised about some of the 30 cal magnum stories. I am with you I keep my shots under 500 yards for two reasons. Reason 1; When shooting steel at over 500 yards I can't quite make hits on a 6 inch gong first time every time. Reason 2; I prefer not to shoot magnums so under 500 yards is about the limit of energy remaining for the cartridges I like.

[deepthinker]

I see this channel growing a lot! Keep up the good commentary.

[johnfaulkner]

Excellent advice. The 7mm Rem Mag is my favorite do-everything cartridge, followed closely by the 30-06. The 7mm-08 is my favorite short action, lighter caliber. These do everything, except rattle the shooters teeth. I have owned 300s and have to say, as John Nosler did, they just aren't as much fun to shoot.

[andrew]

finally a good review very realistic I love this young man's viewpoint I'm shot mini elk with a 243 but favor a 308 you don't have to have these massive calibers as time has gone on most people where I live you say 338 it's just crazy I guess many people forget that a bowl and arrow can also kill an elk😂

[Hunter]

Good advice! there are so many calibers that do the job. pick a caliber that you shoot well and use a good bullet and then keep your ranges within your expertise level, i’ve seen guys that have not practiced miss shots from 60 yards😂 my favorite rifle that I’ve killed most of mine, is the 340 Weatherby but this would not be a good choice for somebody not used to the recoil. currently, I am using the fast 7 mms like 28 Nosler. and the 7 mm Allen magnum. Add a note to all you young guys wear hearing protection and no muzzle brakes

[donpatsy]

300 win mag has never let me down. Elk, Moose, Mule Deer and Black Bears have all been tagged with my Sako Finnlight. I use a Nosler 180 grain Accubond.

[ralphbernieri]

First elk hunt coming up, and taking my .35 Whelen. Hand loads;225 Gr copper solid..still working on the powder charge.

[anthonypayne]

Glad I stumbled on your channel I in north Idaho I like that you talk highly of a bonded bullets. My friend is all about the Barnes copper bullets. I'm still shooting bonded, and for my 300 savage still loading dads old Sierra bonded from the 60's its a great deer rifle but have yet to get an elk with a rifle, older I get the bow is getting dusty. My moose was taken with 308 180 142yds did two circles and laid down one shot. I hear that Elk with rifle seems to take the hits. mine with an arrow 20 yards dbl lung. Hoping for one this year with my rem 700 bdl -06

[ΦίλοςΤουΑλήθειας]

That is great advice all around. I couldn’t add anything to that. My favorite medium range cartridges are 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC. I was wondering if you were going to mention .338 Lapua Magnum for the older more experienced shooter.

[sammartinez]

Great show and thanks again for the info 👍👍👍👍👍👍