.308 for Elk

[teddy12b]

I'm curious of how many hunters use a .308 for Elk.  I'm curious about the distance and bullet weight an experienced hunter feels comfortable taking an elk with.  I've heard different sides of the .308 for elk debate and I was hoping that I could hear from some experienced hunters on this forum.  
 
Any stories and pictures would greatly be appreciated.

[knuckledragger]

Teddy-  I killed my one and only elk with a 308.  He took one step and dropped at 120 yds.  I cannot remember the bullet I used, it was over 20 years ago.  KD

[mtsharps]

Hi Teddy12b

308 is a good cal. the 165gr or 168gr is good for long range shooting
if you shoot some and play with your loads set it up with a target scope and learn the bullet drop 500 to 600 yard should be OK

[Daryl (deceased)]

With all due respect, I disagree with shooting an elk at 500 to 600 yards with a .308.  I wouldn't try that shot with a 7mm Rem Mag.  
 
Too much chance for the animal to take a step, and if you hit it wrong...well, elk are pretty tough.  A bad shot will ruin your hunt...no matter what you shoot...and the .308 is more toward what I consider minimum for elk.
 
Keep your shots within 250-300 yards, place the bullet well, and you'll have meat for the winter.
 
FWIW,
Daryl

[slamfire]

I don't consider the .308 a minimum elk cartridge, I would use a good 180 grain bullet. Check out the velocity range of the factory loads before deciding on a super premium bullet, I think you'll find they aren't necessary. Most of the elk hunting I've done has taken place in timber at close range. The herd won't use the open basins after the shootin' starts.

[azhdryder]

I posted this in another thread, the .308 is a fine Elk rifle
If I can jump in here for a minute... I just returned from this years elk hunt, 4 shots from a .308, a Styr Scout w/ 20 inch barrell. Federal 165 gr sierra Gameking bullets.
1st shot 125 yds- double shoulder shot taking the top of the heart completely off and shattering both shoulders( absolutely distroyed them) Bullet recovered inside the hide, mushroomed perfectly
2nd shot- Lungs( critter got up, evidently didnt like me walking toward it) distroyed both lungs, but bullet exited and unrecovered.
3rd shot- High ( very high at the base of the skull below the ears) neck, bullet shattered spine and exited. Critter was dead but wouldnt agree just how dead it was.
4th shot- Middle of neck at 50 yds, head came up_ again_ so this one was it broke the neck, again bullet exited , unrecovered
This elk was dead as dead gets at the first shot. Autopsy confirmed both shoulders and heart were jello at first round, 2nd finished off the lungs, nothing in there but juice and part of the heart floating around. 3rd and 4th, why I have no clue, it just didnt want to stay down but the spine was broken cleanly with each of the last 2 shots. Total time expended from 1st to 4th shot, about 3 minutes. Some critters just dont stay down, but the bullet kills them dead. The 165 is a good bullet, and an elk is a bunch bigger than a deer. Stay with it, its a good choice between a 150 which I think does too much damage to edible meat and a 180 which will SOMETIMES overpenatrate and not reach full expansion on broadside shots w/ deer sized critters. Saw it happen on a lung shot , no bones hit, in one side and out the other, same size hole both ways. Deer was just as dead, but it ran a LONG way before we found it.
BTW, elk weighed approx 580 lbs live, was just under 300 on the rail, no head, hide and legs.
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[RatherBHuntin]

Interesting!  Was the elk aware of your presence before the first shot?  Did it have sight of you at the subsequent shots or when it moved?  Adrenalin, or so I hear, is a powerful stimulant, and the fight or flight is stronger in some than others.  Thanks for the details, I am real interested in those for some reason, helps to better make informed decisions on calibers and bullets, better than "it ran aways and then piled up".  What type of bullet were you using and about how fast were you pushing it if you don't mind?

[azhdryder]

Not at all, Fed factory 165 ,  Sierra Game King Gold Box, I think its coming out at published 2650 fps or thereabouts. She saw me at the same time I fired round #1, but she wasnt sure what I was yet. My mistake, I know better than take a heart shot, I have the worst luck with them. But Im not alone, Lung or spine shots are historically more effective at 1st round drops then the heart shot. It kills the beast just as dead, but heart shots seem to get them moving instead of stopping them where they stand. At least in my experience. Others have said essentially the same with their experience as well.  I beleive my 300 Win in the same place would have done exactly the same, and the same results. Elk tend to cling to life a bit more than say, a Mule Deer. Whitetails have exibited the same behavior with heart shots for me as well. They just take off like there's important business in the next county. They are as dead as a fencepost, but take awhile to admit it. She could see me the whole time, or at least she was looking in my direction and I wish it happened faster than it did. It was a long 3 minutes for both of us.

[ernieb]

I agree with those who say a .308 is enough gun for elk. I also happen to agree with Daryl who said keep the shot range a little closer - maybe 250 - 300 yds. IMO, that goes for a .308 or a .338 Win Mag. I don't mean to offend anyone, but the boiler room of an elk, especially when a person is all excited, is hard to hit, even at a 100 yds, not to mention 600 yds. They're mighty tough critters and it takes a very carefully placed shot, with any caliber, to put one down on the spot.  After all, in most cases, we're not shooting of a nice bench with a Sinclair rest here neither.  Its usually more like you're squatting down against the side of a mountain trying not to loose your balance and aiming under & thru a bunch of trees at the same time.
 
As far as bullets for a .308, I don't like to go heavier than 168-gr. IMO, they don't have the umphf to push the heavier bullets fast enough for my liking. I always felt the .308 became sorta like a 30-06 with a bad hangover with the heavier stuff. But stick with one of the controlled-expansion 165 - 168 gr. bullets and it will take care of Mr. Elk.

[Nelsdou]

I shot a fairly large bull last year at close range with a .308 and 165 grain Hornady bonded bullets.  Elk are very tough!  This bull turned and glared at me begging for more after taking the 1st one right in the boiler room.  The bonded bullets work very well, with some expansion and stopping at the hide, far side of the animal.
 
Nels