What's your favorite elk hunting cartridge?

[mburrows]

300 PRC

[boneaddict]

Interesting enough, I have killed more elk with two different cartridges that weren't listed than the one I picked.   30-30 and 25-06 versus the 30-06 which is what I carry now if I don't have a bow in my hand.

[Bob33]

300 WSM

[C-Money]

I've killed 2 elk. One spike bull with a 30-06, went about 20 feet and collapsed. One big cow with a .270win, and she dropped. Saw my Dad shoot a 5pt bull with his 300 win mag. that bull took two well placed shots to the chest and ran up hill about 100 yards before going down. When my Dad shot, my horse reared up on its back legs, and his horse that I was holding by the reins wanted to go away...Everything tuned out ok, but I almost had a bad wreck! Anyhow, I think any cartridge that tosses a bullet around 2800-3200fps anywhere between .257- .338 cal is a dead elk cartridge. Seen plenty killed swiftly with the .243 as well.

[Sliverslinger]

I’ve shot elk with a .308, 300wsm, and 6.5 PRC.
All worked extremely well. With both the 300wsm and 6.5PRC I’ve harvested several elk and bear 350-600 yards and wouldn’t hesitate with either if the conditions are right.

[jrebel]

I think the better question is what is your favorite elk hunting "BULLET". 

A smaller caliber with better bullet is better than a big rifle with a bad bullet. 

[hunthard]

300 Weatherby fan here, killed every Elk i've shot at with it.

[str8meat]

338 rum 225 accubond at 3075 fps are pretty hard to beat.

[GWP]

What? No handgun cartridges?
I suppose “Hunting” it would be the smallest and lightest handgun I could use for small game hunting while out hiking around.
If “Shooting” it would be my 45/70, which is also not on your list of cartridges.

[BeerBugler]

I think the better question is what is your favorite elk hunting "BULLET". 

A smaller caliber with better bullet is better than a big rifle with a bad bullet.

Yup, one of those things people just can’t wrap their heads around. Build your rifle around a bullet.

[Oldguy]

7MM Remington. Elk DRT.

[WoolyRunner]

7MM Remington.

[Zardoz]

When I started hunting, in my mid 20's ( 45 years ago) I was very poor. The most I could afford was a basic Ruger 30-06, and a cheap 3-9 scope. Once I found the bullet grain it liked, it became a Tack Driver, it served me very well. Took Deer, Elk, Antelope for many, many years out past 350 yards. Good times. Know your weapon, and good things will happen.

[Sneaky]

I think the better question is what is your favorite elk hunting "BULLET". 

A smaller caliber with better bullet is better than a big rifle with a bad bullet.

Yup, one of those things people just can’t wrap their heads around. Build your rifle around a bullet.

Exactly! This year I killed bucks with a 175gr eld-x out of the 7PRC and a 95gr NBT from a .243. Shot placement nearly identical and the 7PRC buck went triple the distance before it piled up (100 yds to recovery vs 30 or less). Both worked, but there was no benefit in shooting the 7PRC.

Elk are different, but I would expect the 175 eld-x to work better on an elk than it did on the deer because the elk would likely cause more bullet upset/expansion faster. I would also expect the 95 NBT to kill the elk cleanly with the added benefit of spotting your impacts.

[zwickeyman]

I used to be a small caliber per animal but now I am more of larger caliber per animal

for me now its a 300 WM or a 338 WM