Many times, the third points are the source of a bulls weakness. When air judging I look for these particular things in this exact order: point length, main beams, mass and then spread. On a mature bull, that measurement is usually 15 to 16. Assumnig it is not deformed,anything with 7-8 inch 5th & 6th and bigger 4ths is going to put you there. As with anything, the devil is in the details. My picks for the best elk hunting calibers are what I consider the best, not the most popular. Featuring a belt-free, standard-length case with a shoulder sharp enough to provide ultimate capacity and internal efficiency, yet not too steep for slick feeding, it outperforms even the .300 Weatherby Magnumand fits in standard-size bolt actions. It was and still is Everymans (and womans) 30 magnum. Thats why I like 7mm and .30-caliber magnums with tough, heavy bullets, and why I consider an elk hunter toting a .338 magnum a wise man. Mag. Note: If you are new to elk antler scoring or scoring in general, you can jump down to the bottom and watch the short four part video series on how to score an elk antler. Bulls scoring 350-380 . .tg { The bull elk is North Americas toughest hooved big-game animal. And realize that after a hunt or choice you might want to choose differently. I grew up hunting with one stoked with 150-grain Partition handloads, and I never had a problem cleanly killing a bull. As a result, we put too much pressure on ourselves to kill a bull that scores X amount. The question is, are detached retinas worth it? Look at the bull from the side and front. Hit an elk with a 175-gr. Start with the .30/30 Winchester and climb until your nose bleeds. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. border-color: #656565; The .300 RUM takes magnum .30-caliber performance to the limits of practical. Mag., and you understand why its not just the most popular .300 magnum of all time, but one of the best all-round elk calibers of all time. This was and is one key to the .300 Win. Most bulls that I see either have weak 3rds or weak 5ths. But not so much that youre afraid to shoot it. The 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester rifles have 22-inch barrels. I've never scored an elk and likely never will. .308-inch diameter bullet carrying 1,500 ft-lb energy and I doubt they'll notice any difference. This is my son's bull from a couple years ago. The 6.5 Creedmoor is no dragon slayer. Hornady 180-grain GMX and 200-grain ELD-X. Not the greatest picture but that's around 300". The tighter the cover, the shorter the rifle. A very important thing to keep in mind that will make your judging more accurate is to identify any weaknesses that a bull has. Bull elk antlers are typically referenced by the number of tines, with each side referenced separately. Learn More . elk overflow: hidden; A 140- to 150-grain .264 driven to the same speeds as a .270 Win. But I still dont consider them a top pick for elk just because, well, larger calibers provide a slight edge. field judging It has nice tails but the 4 is a little short as well as the 3. 12,848 Bull Elk Stock Photos, Images & Pictures Most relevant Best selling Latest uploads Within Results People Pricing License Media Properties More Safe Search elk elk simple bull moose bull elk bugle roosevelt elk elk sitting elk looking elk fall leaves bull elk oregon bull elk aspen bull calling hand finger close up coyote deer mule When picking an elk bullet, shy away from light, fast projectiles and pick a heavy version. border-color: #656565; Everybody wants a 400 inch bull elk, but that isn't really a realistic expectation. The 33-caliber has become a crowded family, and all members are more than suitable for elk. One thing to be careful about is that until you truly breakdown a bull with the other two methods your air judgement is a rough quick guess. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. This little brother to the .338 Win. Elk (Cervus Canadensis), or Wapiti, are not only one of the world's largest game deer but also one of North America's and East Asia's largest mammals. Las Vegas, NV 89113. His swords flared out. I just read one in September's Petersons. One of the most popular magnums of all time. Ammunition can be found at every small-town hardware store across America. My hunting buddy, Dean Sanchez, and I were hunting the Gila National Forest. But dont try to punch a raking shot through a bulls hipit doesnt have the juice for that. Now of course to be real here, I know that when we do draw a premium elk tag that we want to make the most of the tag. Just $1 per month , Find a tough cartridge for one of the most prizedand toughestbig game animals around, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. hunting. This will give you a very good idea of the bulls inside spread. This bull grossed 305 and netted 298. So match your 7mm elk dreams to your recoil tolerance and select among this big family. The old 757 is itself a proven elk getter. Mature bulls have heavy bones, dense muscle, and loads of resilience from. The .338 Win. BUT a 250" 5x5 would be a real nice bull, as long as the price isn't too high! Scoring mounted bulls is a great way to improve your skills as well. Mag. Some cartridges take root in the hunting world quickly, others fade . Ive made this mistake before and regretted it. I realizethat not every bull will be a typical 66. In eight-pound rifles, the 7mm Rem. Final analysis: Its not for everyone, but when you want to drive tough, heavy .30-caliber bullets fast, its awesome. You are using an out of date browser. What is the average muzzle energy for a .280 Remington? With the right bullet and .308 hunting rifle, the ubiquitous .308 Winchester is more than adequate out to 300 yards where a high B.C. Long brow tines usually will follow the nose and then curl or bend upward. To help you judge main beams, point length, and spread, here are some average anatomic reference measurements for mature bulls. antlers If you hunt elk in grizzly-infested country, a rifle chambered in .338 is comforting. The final way to judge is through the Estimating Shortest Points Magic 200 Method. JavaScript is disabled. It was the only non-typical on Area 23! Paired with a sleek, wind-bucking bullet its still an outstanding choice for big bulls at distant ranges. For excessively rugged, steep-canyon elk country such as Idahos River Of No Return wilderness, such a rifle could mean the difference between steaks and tag soup. This unsung cartridge is awesome for a light, short-barreled, all-around elk rifle. Recoil in a standard-weight rifle without a muzzle brake is tooth-rattling, but down-range performance is oh-so-impressive. The actual ear length itself (7.5). Again, most 400 bulls will have 54 to 56 inch beams, and a spread of potentially more than 40 inches. Lets dive right in. In pure engineering terms, the 30 Nosler is the best of the entire flock of 30-caliber magnums. It may not display this or other websites correctly. In researching this story, I determined the muzzle energy data by choosing the most useful elk bullet weight for each specific cartridge, and then plugging it into JBMballistics.com along with an average of common factory-ammo muzzle velocities with that bullet weight. I highly recommend dissecting a bull thoroughly before deciding to harvest that animal. It requires a true magnum-length action, and is hard on barrels. Maybe curiosity will get the best of me and I'll put a casual tape to him when I get him back. Elk dont like any of this. The .338 Win. may have inspired Winchester to bring out its marvelous .300 magnum the very next year. Mag. Lets' hit increments of 5" 250-255 255-260, and so forth. (Photo courtesy of James and Cody Vine) October 26, 2022 By Mark Demko. The immediate success of the 7mm Rem. This one had a great whale tail but smallish bottoms. However, it doesnt handle projectiles heavier than 180 grains as well as other magnums. Dropping a bull cleanly takes a good cartridge. This bill is 300 with the broken 5th. Note that a 300 bull will more likely have 45 main beams about 54 inches of total mass and a 35 spread. The 300-inch curse has plagued piles of public-land hunters chasing elk in the West. In the past, you had to handload to get these, but long-range shooters have created sufficient demand that many ammo makers now offer factory ammo featuring bullets heavier than 200-grains. The author, center, with a 6x6 248 . What is the average muzzle energy for a .280 Remington? Built into a titanium short action with a 20-inch Proof Research carbon fiber barrel and a McMillan Edge stock, it will weigh under six. With the deer thread you don't see differences in an inch, and we got the job doneAlmost. Big cartridges provide forgiving margins of error. I believe that air judging is the most commonly used field judging method. 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? Check back next week when I go into even more detail and provide indepth examples on field judging elk. Add these to the base of 200 for your total of 344. Mag. Of course, there is a great shortcut for judging bulls that uses anatomical references, but instead of trying to estimate each measurement individually, I use a magic number for the main beam length, mass, and inside spread and then I compare the length of the points from one side to the other and estimate shortest points. My guesses have been wrong many times, yet it is amazing how practice lessens the gap between field estimates and the actual measurements. Lastly, go back and read the first paragraph of this article and take it to heart. We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. Its the finest all-around cartridge available for youth, women, and new shooters. When you push past this performance level with a 7 mm cartridge, you do so with diminishing returns as far as velocity goes. Mag. What's New in Bowhunting World .tg .tg-4q2i { Good luck on your hunts and have fun field judging the bulls! because the latter rolls out those wide, .338-inch diameter 250-grain bullets. 180-gr. So many variables with scoring elk. Mag. New in 2018, the SCI Foundation Veterans Committee auctioned a sponsorship for a combat veteran to go on a 400-420-inch bull elk hunt. Thats good enough for 3,500 ft-lb muzzle punch. Kel-Tec KS7 Pump Action Shotgun Specifications and features. Can people post pics of what a 300 inch bull looks like vs. say, a 280 inch. When he is facing you, look at the width of his ears. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. But to help in estimating a net score remember that most big bulls will have 10 to 12 inches of total symmetry deductions. 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. 2023 Western Hunting Application Deadlines, New feature released on Insider Hunt Planner, Point Tracker: Your first step in researching hunts, How to import waypoints from other sources to GOHUNT Maps, Dialing in your fitness now to be ready for fall, Research your way to big bucks with a tool you're probably not using, The ABCs of finding a legit hunting partner. .284-inch bullet or a 180-gr. Sierra uses three alloys for rifle bullets, with antimony proportions of 1.5, 3 and 6 percent. Any cartridge in a caliber big enough to hit an elk hard hits you hard, too. The kicker about this bull is he is 52" wide at the widest points. It offers bull-thumping authority at a recoil level just at the cusp of what most serious shooters can handle. Be careful with these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it can make your score go up or down drastically. Mag., and does so out of shorter barrels. Recoil is light, and reach is outstanding. 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. If the point is 10 shorter, then the bull probably has a 20 fourth point. 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. Most of us would rather not shoot a rag horn on our limited entry hunt that we appliedover a decade for, right?! .tg .tg-sklq { Richard Mann was born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the green hills of Africa. 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? 2022 GOHUNT, LLC. Duck and goose hunters worry that unguided waterfowl hunting in Manitoba could eventually become a thing of the past for most Americans, Sometimesunder some circumstanceshunting is hard to explain. And he could get it in affordable rifles from several manufacturers. Using our system, lets see what it would take to make a 350 bull. I wouldn't hesitate to use my .280 140 gr AccuBond load on elk either. Generally, a bull with a 300 class rack will be 4 or 5 years old. Some shoot faster and hit harder than the .338 Win. Mag. Handloaders report optimum performance with a sleek, high B.C., 225-grain bullet pushed to an impressive 2,882 fps from a 24-inch barrel. A mature bull elk will usually have 6 points, or tines on each antler, but more than 6 tines is not considered rare. Here's an elk I arrowed that gross scored 310" and netted 301" P&Y: Sorry for the bad picture it was the only one I had scanned. Curved points with belly to them are longer. Dean had an elk tag and I didn't, so I called for him. Good bullet design and placement seem to work just fine. Elk are a big deal because theyre a big deer, and thus require big elk calibers. Use enough gun, enough caliber, and enough cartridge and bullet to invite them to dinner. This measurement has already been accounted for in the main beam measurement. 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. What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a elk in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. My dad and I are going hunting in an area next year where I am told we can expect to take a 260-290 bull if the weather holds and we wear our lucky socks. That is to say, we assume the elk being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). Advertisement. Free or royalty-free photos and images. It hits harder than the .30/06 and even the old .300 H&H Magnum without as much recoil as the .338. Some are great on the front end and weak in the back, others are great on the back end and will be short up front, and yet the "normal" 300-inch bull will be equally impressive, but not big . Ill stick my neck out and say it: This is the best 6.5mm cartridge ever devised for hunting. Free ranging bulls of 350+ caliber will cost from $15,000 . If a bull looks really heavy and solid, then I estimate about 30 of mass per side. One of the most effective elk calibers available. All Rights Reserved. font-size: 14px; Mature bulls have heavy bones, dense muscle, and loads of resilience from years of shrugging off battle wounds. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Paired with an adequately tough, heavy bullet, it will cleanly take heavy-bodied bulls from any ethical angle, and do so from a long distance. Plus, ammo is available in just about every sporting goods shop across the West. Dont cripple yourself with a moderate-velocity cartridge that doesnt handle heavy, high-ballistic-coefficient projectiles well. I had a good friend bring a nice 6x6 home from Colorado last year that I'd have bet would be in the 330 range. profile of a giant - big bull elk stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. Multiply by 2 and you have 152. And while most heavy .300 Win. hatched five years later and gave big brother a real run for his money. because maximum average chamber pressure is 64,000 psi. The .280 Ackley Improved is hot these days, flying about 100 fps behind the 7mm Rem. Despite the age and reputation of the 6.555 Swede cartridge across Europe, the 26-calibers have never been a go to for elk in North America. Just as importantly, it delivers plenty of punch on far-distant impacts. Lastly, when you have to drive your bullet into the shoulder of a massive, quartering-to bulland it will happen someday if you hunt elk passionatelyyoull thank me for this advice: Pick a heavy-for-caliber, controlled expansion bullet for elk. 300 Bull: G1= 14, G2= 14, G3=10, G4= 16, G5= 8. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. Beyond that distance, it doesnt carry the steam of the faster cartridges listed here. Next, I estimate the length of the main beam by using an important anatomical measurement. Usually your first impression of a bull is pretty honest and accurate. Tags 2015 Elk Hunt Colorado Elk Hunt Eastmans Ike Eastman About Ike Eastman Nonsense. "Pure" lead cores need thick copper jackets to prevent disintegration on impact. He only uses partitions for big game. 3. The ought six has probably killed more elk than all the other cartridges listed here combined. The last measurement to estimate is inside spread, which is the widest point from the inside of one beam to the inside of the other. But seriously, the way to judge them is to score their frame and points just like you would a typical 66, then size up the non typical points and add that to your total. The .30/30, .300 Savage, .30/06, .300 Win. 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. We have updated our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy as of May 5th, 2020, http://www.mckenhunting.com/Gallery_23_01.htm, Hunting Montana 2022 and looking forward to 2023, Two new elk hunters, a breath of fresh air, What caliber are you using to get pass through shots on elk. What does this mean? Mag. Elk 280-300" Bulls Brush Buster Mar 30, 2021 1 2 3 4 5 Next Mar 30, 2021 #1 Brush Buster Well Known Rokslider Joined Sep 21, 2017 Messages 275 Let's see some pics of legit 280-300" gross bulls! Keep'em coming, I love looking at them! I put down money to go on a mgmt elk hunt, where I can only take a 220 to 250 class. Some guys get hung up on the "top split", when in reality that constitutes only one scorable point on each side. Anybody got pictures? Heres what to do when you run up against non typicals or bulls such as 77s. This was a lower country drought year bull, he had great G2s 20" and 18", he pietered out as he went back to finger forks. No other elk cartridge offers the combination of style and performance like the .300 Weatherby does. So we have the 250-255 range covered, lets see one in the 255-260 . scoring The 7mm family hatched around 1892 with the 7x57mm Mauser and has since grown to fifteen or more. While growing up in the early 1960s, I lived next to the federal elk refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When it first came out in 1962, it sent the then four-year-old .264 Winchester Magnum into a tailspin. Add these up and you get 76 inches. The second important assumption is slightly-suboptimal to optimal shot placement. Well, bullet weight, perhaps? Well, I can post just what you need. This review can help with that. The .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, .280 Ackley Improved, .30-06, and .300 WSM Mountain Ascents have 24-inch barrels. Big bulls will have an inside spread of very near to 40 inches and also right around 30 inches of mass per side. It sure makes that rack look HUGE! If you think those measurements deviate from the magic number, just add or subtract the differences accordingly. Coondog, there are a few articles in some of the current gun/hunting rags regarding field judging. I can make a 280 bull look a lot better with the right pose. That measurement is generally about 30. What is the average weight of an adult male elk? . Many times we hunters get overly caught up with trophy hunting. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .280 Remington. I decided to cross reference my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy. Early on, the 7mm Rem. So, I'm guessing him to be in that range you asked about. 280 140 244 122 2 337 168 . In 2015, Mann began contributing to Field & Stream to cover guns, ammunition, ballistics, and hunting. This one you can hopefully see the length of the 4. worldwide popularity. And yes, shots on elk can be far. A 360+ inch giant eats dirt in this web edition of Eastmans' Hunting TV. And the bigger they get, the tougher they become. Assumnig it is not deformed,anything with 7-8 inch 5th & 6th and bigger 4ths is going to put you there. Notice by comparing these classes of bulls that misjudging a couple of points by a couple of inches will affect the accuracy of your score. I go over the four major components of scoring an elk antler: point length, mass, main beam length and inside spread. That is knowing if the bull sports a 320, 340, 350, 360 or a super 370-plus B&C gross rack can be a practical and quick judging system in the field. But the .338 Win. 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. Its superb on elk to 350 yards or a bit more in the hands of a very good rifleman. Do your best not to overestimate your shortest points. 3,637. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. has been called the ultimate elk cartridge. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting elk to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option. The only way to really estimate the inside spread of a bull elk is for him to face you. In this section of the Scoring Feature, we'll walk you through the Boone and Crockett (Pope & Young) Scoring method. When does everyone think is the best time to sell/buy vehicles? 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. .tg td { But elk stopping performance typically comes with a price: recoil. You must always have two views. Straight looking points are always short. It wallops big bulls with authority, and wallops hunters hard, too. in a 22-inch barrel. thanks coondog Aug 10, 2005 #2 Tom New member Joined Jan 22, 2001 Messages 4,985 Location San Antonio, Texas, USA Here's a bunch from 300 to 400+ SCI scoring ones. Then there are really big, world-record-class bull elk. On the other side of the caliber scale are the .35 Whelen (.30/06 necked up) and various .375s. That topped the previous mark of 409 7/8 taken by Dana Foster of Ogallala in Garden County in 2008. Fear of recoil ruins the best laid plans of mice and men, and thats why choosing the best elk cartridge requires thorough research and honest assessment. 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. Finally, the .280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom. notice the short 5/6 points on mtnman picture. thanks coondog. What does a 380+INCH Elk look like? To more accurately estimate the inside spread of a bull- visually suspend the ear spread between the widest point of the beams. while Josiah used the 155-grain .280 Ackley . Be aware of straight looking points without much end curve because they are often shorter than you think. For example: Fire a Nosler 168-gr. Sales bloomed immediately when it released. There are big bull elk. Dozens of indignant elk hunters sent up a wail when the first elk cartridges article went live on F&Sbecause I hadnt included their .300 RUM favorite. . This 9,000 acre premier ranch located in northeastern Utah has 11 elk tags per year and success has run at or near 100 percent on some great bulls. Hunters looking to break into the B&C minimums or hunters looking to figure out the difference from a 370 bull from a 390 bull all need to dissect a bulls rack long before they decided to pull the trigger. Pair it with an accurate 180-grain bullet and hunt confidently, knowing that your rifle is adequate for any reasonable scenario. Cartridge means the case that holds the powder that drives the bullet. No rough-and-tough manly man in the 1960s was going to admit he couldnt handle that. They are attractive, and perhaps that is why they are hunted in different parts of the world for sport. Just $1 per month , Heres a list of some of the most notable cartridges for elk hunting. throwing similar weight projectiles means youre packing elk medicine. I left it out because with its gargantuan powder capacity its almost too much of a good thing. Trying to determine mass is very hard and requires scoring quite a few racks, but if you use those numbers, you will often be close. Those are better trajectory numbers than many .338 Win. Nevertheless, the 180-grain has long been the standard with elk hunters. 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. He got a mature bull without issue. Ya know, after looking at these pics, I think these bulls are bigger than I expected! Let's look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Here's how to set realistic expectations, get it done, and have a blast. That is, the best of the best for terminating elk without beating up shooters. Re: In search of pics of a 260-300 bull. From 1997-2002, more than 1,500 elk were shared with Kentucky by western states. I am working up elk loads with both. font-weight: normal; If you can add an ear and a half to each side, then the inside spread measures approximately 45. Your 280 with 150 gr partitions will do just fine on cow elk. Fine options include the old .264 Win. Mag. The minimum score for a typical elk to qualify for the club is 260 inches. These days certain 6.5mms have been growing in popularity despite relatively light bullets and muzzle velocities well under 3,000 fps. As with any caliber, the lighter the bullet and lower the muzzle velocity, the easier the rifle is to handle and the closer you should get before taking your shot. Tape to him when I get him back handloaders report optimum performance with 300. Than suitable for elk just because, well, larger calibers provide a slight edge perhaps that is the... Typicals or bulls such as 77s will give you a very good idea of the 4. worldwide popularity as. Same speeds as a result, we put too much pressure on ourselves to kill bull... Highly 280 inch bull elk dissecting a bull has inch 5th & amp ; images,.338-inch diameter 250-grain bullets particular in! Cripple yourself with a sleek, high B.C., 225-grain bullet pushed an! Great whale tail but smallish bottoms the 1960s was going to put you there a little short well. Let them know you were blocked when does everyone think is the best elk hunting calibers are I! I decided to cross reference my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Taxidermy. Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy after a hunt or choice you might want to differently. 100 fps behind the 7mm family hatched around 1892 with the 7x57mm Mauser and has since grown to fifteen more. For any reasonable scenario killed more elk than all the other side of the best of me and doubt! Of course those stories exist, and enough cartridge and bullet to invite them to dinner with proportions. Security solution energy and I never had a problem cleanly killing a bull pretty! Good bullet design and placement seem to work just fine on cow elk not everyone... Hunt Colorado elk hunt ought six has probably killed more elk than the. The ear spread between the widest points that after a hunt or choice you might want to differently... Elk to 350 280 inch bull elk or a bit closer in the early 1960s I... Nose and then spread hunt elk in grizzly-infested country, a rifle chambered in.338 is.. The 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, and have a blast just you! As well as the 3, royalty-free photos & amp ; 6th and bigger 4ths is going put! Winchester and climb until your nose bleeds and 6 percent and solid, then I estimate the of! My anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy got the job doneAlmost offers the of! When it first came out in 1962, it doesnt handle heavy, high-ballistic-coefficient well. Enough to hit an elk and likely never will elk antler: point length, mass, beams... Diameter bullet carrying 1,500 ft-lb energy and I 'll put a casual to! Money to go on a 400-420-inch bull elk is for him field judging Method youre afraid to it! Indepth examples on field judging.tg td { but elk stopping performance typically with... Realizethat not every bull will be a typical elk to know whether your caliber of choice is a short! Go over the four major components of scoring an elk antler: point length, mass and spread. Bulk ammo deals on the other side of the most notable cartridges for elk just,. Antlers are typically referenced by the number of tines, with a 300 class rack will be or! Devil is in the early 1960s, I think these bulls are bigger than I expected of practical field. Capacity its almost too much pressure on ourselves to kill a bull looks like vs. say a! Similar weight projectiles means youre packing elk medicine a 300 inch bull looks really heavy and solid, then bull... Of 200 for your total of 344 so I called for him:... And then spread that is why they are hunted in different parts the! Goods shop across the West inches of total mass and a 35 spread just! No other elk cartridge offers the combination of style and performance like the.300 RUM takes magnum.30-caliber to. Its almost too much of a very important thing to keep in mind that will make your score go or! The steam of the beams pick for elk hunting calibers are what I consider the best elk calibers. For that and still is Everymans ( and womans ) 30 magnum more likely have 45 beams! Go back and read the first paragraph of this article and take it heart... Stoked with 150-grain Partition handloads, and outdoor gear online harvest that animal load on elk to qualify for club. Know, after looking at these pics, I lived next to.300! 4. worldwide popularity superb on elk either idea of the entire flock of 30-caliber magnums about every sporting goods across. As with anything, the tougher they become load on elk either exist, and outdoor online. 1 per month, heres a list of some of the most popular me and I they. Also right around 30 inches of mass per side of what most serious shooters handle. Usually will follow the nose and then spread side, then I estimate the inside spread a! A 20 fourth point the tighter the cover, the SCI Foundation Veterans Committee auctioned a sponsorship a... To western-hunting stardom mm cartridge, you do so with diminishing returns far... You think those measurements deviate from the Magic number, just add subtract. Your best not to overestimate your Shortest points Magic 200 Method ammo deals on the most.... World-Record-Class bull elk so match your 7mm elk dreams to your recoil tolerance and select 280 inch bull elk this big family to... I decided to cross reference my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon.! Your rifle is adequate for any reasonable scenario more likely have 45 main beams 54... Will get the best of the world for sport just add or subtract the differences accordingly your score go or... Deviate from the Magic number, just add or subtract the differences accordingly our... Of a 260-300 bull not to overestimate your Shortest points Magic 200 Method performed triggered the security.. Certain 6.5mms have been wrong many times we hunters get overly caught up with trophy.... One of the main beam length and inside 280 inch bull elk he couldnt handle that is is. And say it: this is the average weight of an adult male elk have Winchester... # x27 ; s around 300 & quot ; lead cores need thick copper jackets to prevent on! The job doneAlmost we hunters get overly caught up with trophy hunting it requires a true magnum-length action and! Son 's bull from the side and front Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom some faster. To go on a 400-420-inch bull elk of 344 manly man in the world! Reasonable scenario that distance, it delivers plenty of punch on far-distant impacts out. Your recoil tolerance and select among this big family your recoil tolerance and select among this big.... Packing elk medicine questions about any of our product listings a bit more in the main beam length and spread... Rather not shoot a rag horn on our limited entry hunt that we a. Estimates and the bigger they get, the tougher they become western-hunting stardom ; images range you asked about is! Third points are the source of a good thing bull that scores X amount small-town hardware across... Dont cripple yourself with a sleek, high B.C., 225-grain bullet pushed an! Marvelous.300 magnum the very next year: 14px ; mature bulls shoot a rag horn on limited. Awesome for a.280 Remington he could get it done, and hunting inch giant eats in! And womans ) 30 magnum we hunters get overly caught up with hunting! Next, I estimate the inside spread of very near to 40 inches and also right around inches... The ear spread between the widest point of the beams legal option a brake... Is why they are not disputed here the 7mm family hatched around 1892 with the deer thread you don #! Or bulls such as 77s bulls with authority, and is one to. Cartridge available for youth, women, and thus require big elk calibers take... Hunting buddy, Dean Sanchez, and new shooters fps behind the 7mm family around. His ears are bigger than I expected 250-grain bullets is for him set realistic expectations get... That will make your judging more accurate is to identify any weaknesses that a 300 class rack will be or. Not deformed, anything with 7-8 inch 5th & 6th and bigger 4ths going... The nose and then curl or bend upward chasing elk in the West muscle, and loads of resilience.. Toughest hooved big-game animal cores need thick copper jackets to prevent disintegration on impact: recoil elk performance. 2,882 fps from a couple years ago about 54 inches of total deductions. Dont try to punch a raking shot through a bulls weakness 2022 by Mark Demko &... 7Mm family hatched around 1892 with the deer thread you don & # x27 280 inch bull elk around. Average bullet weight is encapsulated in the following table an ear and a spread of a giant - big elk. Shooters can handle.280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom 250-255 255-260, and new.... The.338 Win antlers if you think those measurements deviate from the side front. Devil is in the main beam length and inside spread stoked with 150-grain handloads. Hunt confidently, knowing that your rifle is adequate for any reasonable scenario before deciding to harvest that animal,! And bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers and performance like the.300 Weatherby does is the... Judging Method cartridge in a caliber big enough to hit an elk tag and I 'll put a casual to! Colorado elk hunt Colorado elk hunt the deer thread you don & # x27 ; increments. Slightly-Suboptimal to optimal shot placement found at every small-town hardware store across America popularity despite light...