Western Big Game - Caliber Choice?

I think I'm gonna dip my feet in the western big game arena this season, and I'm on the prowl for a suitable rifle.

All my experience is on smaller east coast whitetails, and so .308 and 6.5CM have been my go-tos, but larger western game especially Elk would be better suited by a larger caliber.

7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag really interest me due to widespread availability, but more specialized rounds like .300PRC offering heavier for caliber possibilities and better BCs for distance shots keep me thinking.

Any inputs?

 

No direct experience, but I've had friends bring their 30-06 out west for hunting trips (Elk) and they've all successfully filled their tags. 30-06 is quite popular here in Maine for deer, bear and moose. I've taken big deer (200lb plus dressed) and moose with mine. I'd use it out west given the opportunity. Probably not as sexy or flat shooting as 7mm Rem Mag, but it works.

 

What he said.

Have harvested a doe antelope, and a bull elk out of the same 30-06, both with one shot.

 

I would avoid any specialized stuff and just get something more mundane. A 30-06 will work just fine, a 300WM/WSM with a little heavier bullets and a little more range. A 7RM is essentially the same performance as a 300WM with a slightly smaller bullet and they are almost ballistically identical and will kill the same animals just as well. Moving up to a 300PRC gets you a more expensive rifle, more expensive and hard to find ammo (if you don't reload), more recoil and marginally better ballistics. If you were going to miss your shot because of a 1.6" difference in drop on an elk with an 18" diameter kill zone the cartridge fired doesn't matter anyway.

 

Very valid points. I hadn't considered 30-06 for no real reason.

7mm Remmy and 300WM were my two in the forefront just because every gun shop has a dozen of them on the shelf here in Utah. I've taken a few whitetails with my dad's old 30-06 but now that I'm looking around, they really don't seem to be on the shelves as new stock, at least at the places I frequent.

300 PRC and the newer wildcat type hunting cartridges I'm trying to stay away from for the reasons you listed above, but was trying to keep an open mind if the consensus was that the juice was worth the squeeze. I've already got a PRS setup, I don't need another pseudo-build.

 

Availability certainly is a factor.

 

I don’t have any first hand experience hunting out West, but my F-I-L made several hunting trips out West throughout the late 80’s-mid 90’s and was successful many times with his 7mm REM.

I also agree with others that mentioned the 30-06. A very versatile caliber.

 

You should think about muzzleloader. Less people, better weather for camping, and only the archery hunters have disturbed the game. Beautiful time to be in the woods with the aspens turning.

 

I don't disagree. I just already have a bow and a muzzleloader.

 

Any updates on this Conner? Just curious.

 

Sort of went into a holding pattern, but I did settle on 7mm Mag. Figured it didn't make too much sense to drop $$ on a new rifle before I even know if I have tag.

That said, the Tikka T3X lite is what I'm looking at if it comes time.

 

Wise...unlike myself. I picked up a rifle this summer hoping to get drawn for a moose tag here. Negative.

 

It's like washing your car during the winter; inviting a snow storm the next day.

 

At least it's a collector piece. Ruger #1 in 45-70. Crossing fingers for this year.

 

bitchin rifle. I've always had a big spot in my heart for the #1

To the OP's question, out here in the west, I have a safe full of lots of different whiz-bang cartridges but my 2 go to's are the Ruger M77
mk II in .30-06 accurized hand load in a bedded Hogue stock and secondly, my Weatherby Accumark in 7STW long range tack driver. Both highly suitable for anything out here.

 

Have one in 30-06 as well. Nice shooter. Would be a fun Western gun.

 

Would love to add something in 30-06 to my collection, but the idea of stocking another caliber keeps me from taking the plunge.

 

I have been hunting in CA, OR, NV, MT,CO, NM,ID,WA,AZ and NY mostly for deer and occasionally for elk and antelope, when I am lucky enough to get drawn. For deer I use a Browning A-bolt in 270, antelope take it as well. For elk and any long range hunting I feel more confident with my Model 700 in 300 Winmag topped with a Shepherd PE-1 Scope. I have a removable magazine using Pacific Coast Metal floor plate and AI magazine. Magnaported, I’m thinking about having it magnabraked.

I also took a Wildebeest in South Africa with a 300 win at 75 yards, big thick skinned animal. I was using a guides Model 70 suppressed. Sweet shooting no recoil man o man……

I had a model 70 in 7MM as a backup gun but my nephew turned 18 and had to have it. Gotta keep the next generation hunting!

I have many rifles and calibers but this is what I use.

 

30-06 is available at every store in every state. So many bubba-Ed 03-A3’s out there for a song. You would be crazy to not buy one before they become expensive. Who cares what it looks like it’s a piece of history and it tells a story of a man’s love for hunting when he got home from war. I have one and it’s a prize!