opinions needed

[dannysdaddy]

im looking into a new rifle for all around use.  this will be my first year hunting in washington and i dont know a lot of places.  everywhere ive been looks as if the longest shots will be around 200yds.  whats everyone think about a 308 for deer and elk here.  ive always used a 7mag but dont have much luck with it in the brush.  thanks in advance.

[willipa]

I hunt with a .308 and love it. kinda small for elk but if you place your shot it works. I have killed a couple elk with mine and was happy with how well the 180gr worked.  great deer gun it really comes down to what gun you are like the best.  You cant kill anything with a gun that doesn't shoot strait!  find one you like that you shoot well and call it good.

[zach1234]

.308 small for elk ? Im not to sure about that i know a few people that kill elk with 30/30 and 270s i shot .308 and love it.

[hoyt2002]

I have a 308 that i hunted with as a kid and my day still used his. They work well on deer and elk. 180gr for the elk works good

[trophyhunt]

can't go wrong with a 30-06 or .300 win mag. the .300 wsm is a little lighter gun compared to the regular .300 mag but has the same ballistics. Browning for me.

[jackmaster]

can't go wrong with a 30-06 or .300 win mag. the .300 wsm is a little lighter gun compared to the regular .300 mag but has the same ballistics. Browning for me.

very true, i like the 30-06 myself great gun for deer and elk, i use a ruger number one single shot falling block, never needed more than one shot per critter

[CementFinisher]

Shot placement shot placement shot placement! 270 on up is fine. 308 is by no means anywhere near to small. because i like to shoot from a distance i use a 300rum. or my 30-06 for the thick brush

[heartshot]

For 200 yards or less a .308 would kill them dead as anything. Plenty of ammo available and cheap to reload. Those are some of the reasons I love the .308 cartridge. 

[farmin4u_98948]

I have used a 270 for all my shooting. Get one good gun and you can use it for long and short range. From Yotes to Elk I have had great success. What ever gun you chose shoot it lots and get comfortable with it. Meat in the freezer is where the bragging begins and ends......

[dreamunelk]

Never had to shoot an elk twice with my .308.   Mostly used a 165 grand slam.  Recently switched to a barnes TSX.  So .308 is good.  30-06, 270 and may others work just as well.  It really is about what you want and shot placement.

[joseph.rupp001]

I would recommend a 30-06. Lots of ballistic info. Because it's been around for over a 100 years and theres plenty of reloading data to back it up. You can power up or down in powder and bullets. Depending on where you go, 30-06 is good for 300-400 yard shots in the open, but it really shines in heavy brush. You can shoot right through bushes with anything from a 180 Barnes, Sierras or those Winchester Slivers to a 200 grain Round nose. Like a Mike Tyson punch! Twigs and branches? Any one of those bullets have enough feet per second to smash through them and into your game's side and through vital organs with no deviation of bullet flight path. Versital weapons were made with that caliber and it won two World Wars, and kicked ass in Korea.

[gasman]

I recomend a .270 

Have three in the family and they do the job nicely 

[coachcw]

the 300wsm in the tiha t3 is a good combo and wont break the bank.

[kglacken]

can't go wrong with a 30-06 or .300 win mag. the .300 wsm is a little lighter gun compared to the regular .300 mag but has the same ballistics. Browning for me.

I second that one! Browning all the way! I shoot a .325 wsm for deer and elk. Works great. you hit them with that and they aint going anywhere

[sakoshooter]

im looking into a new rifle for all around use.  this will be my first year hunting in washington and i dont know a lot of places.  everywhere ive been looks as if the longest shots will be around 200yds.  whats everyone think about a 308 for deer and elk here.  ive always used a 7mag but dont have much luck with it in the brush.  thanks in advance.

There will be no difference between a .308 and a 7mag as far as brush goes. Deflection will be relatively the same for both if an object is hit if that's what you're refering to. Most bullets travel pretty straight according to the test data I've seen over the years. Bullet weight and velocity are the main factors that determine how far a given bullet will deflect off an object. And of course the size of the object. So when you hit a limb with your 7mag shooting a 175 gr bullet 10' in front of the elk and your partner shoots his .308 about the same time shooting a 165 gr bullet, hitting another limb of the same size, etc about 10' in front of the elk, the elk will probably be hit with both bullets with minimal if any deflection.
Test results I looked at years ago showed that ricochets or deflection enough to miss a target would require hitting an object waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay in front of the intended target.
The old round nose bullet theory was believed for years and because of it, hunters used to use pointed bullet ammo for hunting open country and change shells if going into the brush. I've witnessed it plenty of times when I was younger and we made drives for whitetails. Standers shot pointed bullets and the drivers shot round nose bullets. I've witnessed plenty of gun swapping because the driver wanted a 'brush gun' over whatever he was used to shooting. A bullet of a given weight at a given velocity out of a .300RUM will not shoot any differently in the brush at 50yds than it will at 300. Nor will the 30-06 with comparable bullet weight and velocity.
If you just want to buy a new gun and are looking for an excuse, ignore my post and go buy one. Otherwise, buy whatever you like in a rifle and hunt with it.