.308 Win for Elk?

[BobbyD]

I drew a once in a lifetime Bull Elk tag for the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma this year. I have Never been Elk hunting, I am a Long-time deer hunter. Will my .308 Win be ok for me to use on this hunt, or do I need to get a larger caliber rifle? Thank you for any advice that you can give me..

[Birks]

I use a .300 win mag. but my dad uses a 7mm, and i know guys that use 30-06 so i'm sure a .308 is fine.

[bnsafe]

welcome bobbyd, your at the right site. good luck on your hunt. sounds awesome. im sure there are better rounds out there for elk but a 308 should kill one just fine. so kinda depends on rather you want a new rifle or not.

[GetemDuck]

The .308 will work it just has its limits. But if you want a reason to buy a new rifle this is a great time to jump up to a nice magnum. I love my 300 win mag. The 30-06 never leaves the gun safe now days....lol

[cnelk]

What would be your anticipated range to shoot?
The 308 has taken a lot of elk, but its not known for a long range hunting gun as there are better choices for distance shooting

[>>>---WW---->]

I think the 308 will work just fine for you. And besides the .308 is noted for its super accuracy. That's one reason many police departments choose the .308 as a sniper rifle. Get you a set of good shooting sticks and place that bullet where it is supposed to go.

[WapitiTalk1]

One of the most accurate rounds ever made (after all, the similarity between the NATO .762 MM and the 308 can't be argued). See clip below; sorry, one of my favorite movies. As many have said, the 308's have taken lots of elk, but so have 7MMs, 30.06s, 300 WIN MAGs, and even dirty thirty WIN have taken elk. I haven't owned an elk rifle for years (strictly a bow guy for 25 plus years) but if I were to get an elk rifle, it would be a 338 for many reasons.. Just my thoughts.

[cantgetdrawn]

You've received some good advice. I too hunt with a .308 when I rifle hunt. My advice for elk would be to get a good 180 grain bullet (168 might do) and keep your shots to 300 yards and under.

Good Luck

Jimmy

[Bullnuts]

The .308 is plenty sufficient for elk. I used to use a .270 and it would knock them right down. AND the elk never stopped to ask me if I had shot them with a magnum round or my .270 - they just hit the dirt. I guess they didn't really care at that point.

[RockChucker30]

A quality bullet like an Accubond or TSX or Partition in the 150-180 grain range will work fine out to 300 yards. As always, accuracy matters more than power.

[BobbyD]

What would be your anticipated range to shoot?
The 308 has taken a lot of elk, but its not known for a long range hunting gun as there are better choices for distance shooting

I have talked to one guy that killed a Bull on this hunt last year at 606 yards, most seem to be 200-300 yard kills. I did look at a 300 Win Mag this weekend, I just really don't want to buy a Magnum rifle for one hunt, unless I really need to. I would prefer to use my Browning A-bolt .308 Win with a 168 grain Hornady bullet. Thanks to everyone for the great advice, I appreciate it.

[pointysticks]

how does that rifle like an 180 gr bullet?

i shot my bull elk with a 180 nosler partition from my 30.06. i loved it! him, not so much.

[BobbyD]

how does that rifle like an 180 gr bullet?

i shot my bull elk with a 180 nosler partition from my 30.06. i loved it! him, not so much.

I don't know, I have never tried 180 grain bullets.

[Backcountry]

That 168 will be plenty. A buddy of mine took two elk last year (238yrds & 250yrds) with a 140grn 7mm-08 (same casing as the .308). Pick your shots and you'll be enjoying elk steaks!

[JoeH2o]

The .308 is a great round. You will be fine with a 168grn, but I would recommend at least trying a 180grn just to see how your rifle likes it.

[Vids]

I have a .308 that I inherited from my Grandpa. It has worked great for me on elk, pronghorn and mountain goats out to 350 yards. Pretty sure my bullets are 165 gr Fusions. The ballistics tend to drop off pretty good after 300 though, so I don't shoot much beyond that. I've wanted to buy a new rifle, but haven't found much reason to! You'll be fine.

[FemoralArchery]

My dad has about 25 elk under his belt. All but a couple fell to one of his .270s. He now owns five of them. "No reason to own any other caliber," he says. "This is enough gun for anything I will ever hunt." With the proper bullet and placement, caliber matters very little.

If you've read much Peter Capstick, you might recall them killing a charging bull elephant with a single frontal shot to the brain with a .270.

Or you might remember in The Last Ivory Hunter, two instances of killing elephants with a single shot from a .22 LR, yes, a rimfire.

Spend a lot of time shooting and learning the ballistics of your gun, and you will have no problem. Your gun is more than enough, don't get caught up in buying a new rifle just for elk. That is unless, you want a new rifle, then by all means, get one.

[baddaddy]

A .308 will be just fine. Use a premium bullet like a partition or a Barnes TSX. I like a 168 or 175 TSX. Last year I killed a cow with a 175 Berger hunting bullet and the cow dropped at the shot. Good Luck.

[kyrob]

My son killed a cow at 230 yards with his 308 and 165 gr Hornady interlocks that we handloaded. Dropped her in her tracks. It's all in the bullet placement. Hit the guts with a magnum and you still have a gutshot elk that you may or may not find. Shoot what you are comfortable with and be mindful of the yardage. Good luck on your hunt.

[twinkieman]

308 will be plenty for elk. Shot placement is the true key, not caliber. I have killed several elk with a 270 WSM, and it does the job.Awesome drawing of a tag of a lifetime, and hopes of a great, successful hunt