Big Game- One caliber rifle------ 3 animals, ----blk bear, Moose, and Elk

I have shot all three of these many times. I used 270 with 150 gr Nosler Partition and proper shot placement. Never once wished for anything more. The only time I have used a differesnt caliber was when I hunted browns on Kodiak and then I used a 338
 
I agree Elk are the toughest to kill and I've killed with 7mm mag and .270 and I have to say I prefer the .270. I would also like to try out the .270WSM.
 
.270Wby Mag, .270WSM, all 7mm/.300 mags, .30-06, .33 caliber mags. Whatever floats your boat. Heck even the .25-06/.270 would work extremely well. Just make sure you can handle the recoil, shoot it accurately, and shoot enough so that you are confident. Good luck.
 
Elk and blackbear here...I have always used a .308, but I am within the 150 yard range, with "The" shot.

I loaded some 30-06 ammo for my brother several years ago, and he shot a nice bull that dropped within 35 yards, Wowing his inlaws, because they were used to tracking their animals for a long ways after shooting them with 7 mags...I just think they were less than careful shots...don't know I don't get invited to hunt their private land...

But if I were buying a new gun for the stated purpose....I would get a .338 Win Mag it is the "All Purpose" cal for big big game(Elk Moose and ...)
 
If a man can only afford one rifle for all his big game hunting in the lower 48 then the 30-06 is the only logical choice and would be my pick. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
.280 w/ 140 gr. PSP Premier Ultra core lokts.... Deer, Black bear, Caribou, and Moose! Proper shot placement is the KEY!

I've shot deer with a 22-250. I wouldn't use all the time. My father and son both shot deer 2 years ago with a .223 rem. Dads was thru the heart. My boy was a little high, but right thru the meatiest part of the lungs. Both had blood trails and bullet went thru on both deer. They weren't the biggest of deer, but both were 150 and 230 yds away.

Again, proper shot placement is the deciding facter. My personal all time favorite is my .264 WIN Mag. Savage mdl 110. 140gr PSP rem Core Lokts.. The only thing I don't like is the shell shock in the animal if its 200yds or under. YUK!@

Pete
 
Killed plenty with the 30-06. I prefer a 165 grain bullet. Trophy bear claw, Fail safe or something of that sort. But a 30-06 is plenty of gun and won't kill you.

7mm is my second choice just because I like my 30-06.
 
Anything .270 and up that you can shoot comfortable will do the trick. Pick a caliber that you can handle without flinching and that you know, beyond a doubt, that you can put one in the boiler room. I have killed a bunch of Elk, a moose, Mulies and more Antelope than you can count. All with a 7mm Mag and a .300 WSM. I prefer my Tikka T3 .300 WSM because it has less felt recoil than my Winchester Featherweight 7mm mag. Not saying lesser calibers wont do the trick but for the animals you are talking about, bigger is better.

I agree that Elk are very tough animals but dont under estimate the toughness of the Pronghorn Antelope. With their cardio system, unless you break their shoulders they will always run. Usually dead on their feet, but they will run. I have seen very few bang flops with Pronghorns. Time and time again these light weight prarie speedsters impress me.
 
Well I love the .308. Depending on lengths of shots it is a great choice. My grandfather killed a bull Moose 15 years ago with a .308 he tells the story at around 300 yards it was a double shoulder DRT. My dad and I use the 150 grain softpoints for Elk and have done real well. I personally think that .308 is one of the best calibers out there. I have never killed a bear with a .308 so I can't lend ino there for you.
 
30-06 Moose and Elk
45-70 Elk

You can make a lot of calibers work, pick one you like and adjust your hunting style and shooting range accordingly.
 
There are a lot of good choices. I've killed some of all three with a 30-06, plus some of each with 6mm, 6.5x55, 30-30, bow, and probably another caliber or two if I think about it a few minutes.

Much as I love the .280, and would be tempted, and much as I'd love to twist up a 338-06 (which probably is an ideal for these three along with 35 Whelen and 338 Win. magnum), I'd probably stick with the plain vanilla 30-06 with one good 180 grain bullet and shoot everything with it. For me, that has been the 180 Swift A-Frame for elk and moose size critters.

I don't like the kick of magnums, and I do like big exit holes for blood trails, which .30 and up produce more reliably, especially with bonded or X type bullets. Elk are worth the better bullets. Less need for such bullets on the other two.

It's the combo that leans me toward a bigger hole in the barrel. 85% of the time you could do it all with a .260. Why travel on the edge when you can give yourself much more margin all of the time?

I just talked myself into the 338-06. YMMV
 
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