What is the average muzzle energy for a .280 Remington? Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Keep'em coming, I love looking at them! Fine options include the old .264 Win. 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. Mag. Slide up to some of the new 190-gr. 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. No rough-and-tough manly man in the 1960s was going to admit he couldnt handle that. Is the mass heavy or light and how does it compare to 30 per side? The tighter the cover, the shorter the rifle. Want the best cartridge for elk hunting? And the bigger they get, the tougher they become. So we have the 250-255 range covered, lets see one in the 255-260 . Early on, the 7mm Rem. These totals amount to right at 320. You can up your odds by having a great elk tag, choosing a great area, booking a high fence hunt. From 1997-2002, more than 1,500 elk were shared with Kentucky by western states. Although the 7mm-06 wildcat had been in existence for . For elk, pick a really tough bullet and if possible, pick broadside shots. Keep in mind that with the Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett scoring systems (which are identical) you only measure 4 mass measurements along the main beam. Big bulls will have an inside spread of very near to 40 inches and also right around 30 inches of mass per side. The 6.5 Creedmoor is no dragon slayer. I love to field judge bulls and then score them on the ground to see how close my field judging was to the real thing. Straight looking points are always short. Clearly there is no one right answer. Ive made my longest two kills on elk with the .280 AIboth one shot and done. Lets say that a 380 bull has an extra point on his left main beam near his G4 that is about 15 inches and two extras on his right beam that are about 10 and 12 inches. Many times, the third points are the source of a bulls weakness. Winchesters original loadings included a 200-grain bullet rated 3,000 fps, a 250-grain at 2,700 fps, and a heavy 300-grain at 2,450 fps from 24-inch barrels. What's New in Bowhunting World I will be very happy to harvest one of those and I know my dad will be thrilled. Id be hunting the San Carlos Reservation every year! loads top out with 200-grain bullets, 210-, 220-, and 230-grain options are available. Any rifle strong enough to contain the 7mm Rem. During my high school . Be careful with these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it can make your score go up or down drastically. .tg .tg-4q2i { JavaScript is disabled. Let me confess that I, too, consider these best caliber articles overdone and quite subjective, but by hashing them over and over, we gain insights. Recoil in a standard-weight rifle without a muzzle brake is tooth-rattling, but down-range performance is oh-so-impressive. Here's a bunch from 300 to 400+ SCI scoring ones. The 280 Remington could be the Goldilocks of standard-length action hunting rounds. Zeroed 3.3 inches high at 100 yards, that projectile will drop just two inches at 300 yards, deflect just five inches in a 10 mph right angle wind, and cling to 2,866 ft-lb energy. One, lung-shot by a client with a .270, reared as might a horse then fell backward, planting its long beams in the ground. 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. His swords flared out. Idaho Elk Outfitters. Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.5. Home Accommodations Photos/Sizes Pricing Reviews . The hunt was donated by Trophy Mountain Ranch, an estate hunting outfitter located near Cowdrey, Colorado. font-size: 18px; .tg td { Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. "I like Treestand because I hunt in a lot of dark timber, high in the mountains, and on land that has been burned. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; Tines can reach 18 inches long or longer. Your 280 with 150 gr partitions will do just fine on cow elk. loads. A 350 bull must have an average of 16 inches for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to be about 350. My hunting buddy, Dean Sanchez, and I were hunting the Gila National Forest. 2022 GOHUNT, LLC. Probably the most important aspect of field judging bulls is to have a solid, accurate starting place to build from. Keep in mind that very few bulls are wider than 45 inside. 2012, 2013 & now join us on. Bulls Scoring 380-400. in a 22-inch barrel. numbers hitting .590 or so, keep velocities at 3,000 fps with carefully built handloads, and 300-yard drop is only 2.3 inches, wind deflection 4.7 inches, retained energy 2,700 ft-lb. 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. Assuming we have have a bull elk down that weighs 500 pounds field dressed and we set to work and de-bone all the meat, yielding 250 lbs of meat an allowing about 40 lbs for his head. The distance from that hump down his front leg to his hoof is generally 54 to 58, depending on the maturity of the bull. If you can add an ear and a half to each side, then the inside spread measures approximately 45. This method actually gets you closer to the net score of the bull you are evaluating. Good luck on your hunts and have fun field judging the bulls! There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Males and females also have varied weight ranges. Faster models like .270 Wby. Lets' hit increments of 5" 250-255 255-260, and so forth. 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. Be sure to check out these two podcast episodes for field judging reference at home or while at hunting camp. elkkill2006 # 3957463 04/01/10. Sierra uses three alloys for rifle bullets, with antimony proportions of 1.5, 3 and 6 percent. Anyone call/bring in blacktail or black bear? Pushing heavy bullets at well over 3,000 fps, it hits elk like a freight train. Next, try to figure out how mature is the bull that you are looking at and keep it simple. developed a reputation as a wounder because ammo companies and handloaders were stoking it with light, thin-jacketed projectiles meant for 757 Mauser speeds. word-break: normal; A very important thing to keep in mind that will make your judging more accurate is to identify any weaknesses that a bull has. overflow: hidden; Thanks guys those are some awesome bulls. In this section of the Scoring Feature, we'll walk you through the Boone and Crockett (Pope & Young) Scoring method. Bulls scoring 320-350 . The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet. Mag. The 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum rifles have 26-inch barrels. For somebody from TN who doesbt get to see elk except on tv and in mags it sure would make it hard to judge one in the field. Mag. This takes us back to the launch. Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. I tried to find similar pictures of each for comparison. Once you estimate the length of the fourth points, move to the fifths and compare them with the fourths to determine their length. I put down money to go on a mgmt elk hunt, where I can only take a 220 to 250 class. It would go about 305-310 with a whole tine. font-weight: bold; In other words, if we took our 380 bull from above and made him 77 with 8 inch G6s he would quickly jump to 396 or better! Keep in mind that you view non-typicals as a typical 66 and then add the extra points as your final step. If youre one of those all-American .30-caliber guys, get a 30 Nosler precision rifle with a good brake, pair it with a tough, accurate bullet and never look back. From: WapitiBob 20-Apr-12 It might be impossible to find the rifle you want and darn tough to find factory loads to feed it. Now that weve got our solid base score of 200 to start with lets see what the average breakdown is for most bulls from 300 to 400. The .270 Winchester, .270 WSM, .280 Ackley Improved, .30-06, and .300 WSM Mountain Ascents have 24-inch barrels. Learn more . It can be loaded with everything from 100-grain Sierra Hollow Points to 195-grain Berger Elite Hunters. The actual ear length itself (7.5). What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? bullet like the Swift Scirocco will retain 2,350 ft-lb at 400 yards, 1,500 ft-lb clear out at 600 yards. Given that 1,500 ft-lb is considered elk power, both projectiles are golden. The Giant 5x5, I know he is a 7x5, but this is what we have always called him.3 Consecutive Years of video footage of this Giant. Second, I forgot which socks are my lucky ones. The antlers are light in mass by comparison to an older larger bull. Youll appreciate that kind of performance if you can handle the recoil. 290-300 is what I always guesstimated him at, but I vowed to never put a tape to an animal after living in Texas. 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. font-weight: bold; Bulls with curvy looking points score well. But not so much that youre afraid to shoot it. border-color: #656565; My picks for the best elk hunting calibers are what I consider the best, not the most popular. Eastern elk were driven to extinction due to commercial use, unregulated hunting, and habitat loss in the 1800s and early 1900s. At 2,500 fps and a B.C. Field judging elk is an art, while measuring dead elk is an exact science. 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. 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. What is the average weight of an adult male elk? The way to score an elk is as follows: B&C score Plus Performance It is not a .35 Whelen. Idaho Elk Outfitters 2113 West 3800 south Rexburg, Idaho 83440 208-313-3634. I know small-framed hunters who happily pay the gravitational price for packing Granddads M1886 Winchester lever-action in .45/70. Note that a 320 bull will likely have 46 to 48 inch beams, about 56 inches of total mass, and a 38 inch spread. After all, this was the round Bell used to collect 800 elephants and untold numbers of Cape buffalo. It wallops big bulls with authority, and wallops hunters hard, too. Heres what to do when you run up against non typicals or bulls such as 77s. Final analysis: Its not for everyone, but when you want to drive tough, heavy .30-caliber bullets fast, its awesome. There are several ways to field judge elk. Mag., and elk hardly know the difference. some of the bulls we have taken scoring over 400 inches. Mag. cannot measure up to the .338 Win. color: #ffffff; What about the other assumptions? Might not make any record books but will be a good looking trophy to mount. Ammunition can be found at every small-town hardware store across America. ELKCHSR, I look pretty good for a 40 year old guy! of .414 or so, the 210-gr. The main beams will just barely reach his withers. Mag., look at a .338 Federal, .358 Win., or even 7mm-08 Win. In late summer the velvet dries and falls off to reveal the bonelike structure of the fully-grown antlers. Mag. Add these to the base of 200 for a total of 360. For more on Arizona Guided Elk Hunts visit:http://exclusivepursuitoutfitters.com/arizona-elk-hunting/ This is my son's bull from a couple years ago. With the draw results out in the western states there are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the draw. My dad's 2009 bull went 273 gross. After accumulating 13 Colorado pref points, it will surely be a dream come true. but doesnt kick as hard. Finally, the .280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom. I decided to cross reference my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy. Recoil is light, and reach is outstanding. A high B.C. Winchester borrowed the same basic belted magnum case, blew out the walls, pushed the 25-degree shoulder forward, shortened overall length to .30/06 standard, and created a powder reservoir holding about 90 grains of water. Can't find the picture now of one that was 275". In both cases he used a 300 Winchester Magnum and a 150 grain bullet." "Tom Shimak took this 350+ inch trophy with a bow. bullets with B.C. Mag., some less. So, I'm guessing him to be in that range you asked about. font-size: 14px; The outcome is most times a disappointed hunter because the bull they take doesnt stretch the tape to some predetermined number. Bull elk antlers are typically referenced by the number of tines, with each side referenced separately. But look at the length of the 4's. As little as .1 percent copper can cause hard spots.) The resulting cartridge was based on the .30-06 case necked down to 7mm (.284"). Nevertheless, the 180-grain has long been the standard with elk hunters. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. The third tines are about the same as the brow tines and the fourth is generally 18 inches or less. In this case, the average weight of an adult male elk is approximately 720 lbs. Mag. Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in elk hunting. However, it possesses authority in spades, and when paired with a fast-handling lever-action its a classic favorite of big-woods hunters. case. I've never scored an elk and likely never will. .tg .tg-xhut { or .264 Win. 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. Mag. Ditto rifle size. If the .338s are the best caliber on the upper end for elk, the 7mms are the best at the lower end. They were grouping well under MOA, too from a 5-pound rifle! A back or front view only are not good indicators. Hit an elk with a 175-gr. Long brow tines usually will follow the nose and then curl or bend upward. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .280 Remington. One shot and done 24-inch barrels the main beams will just barely reach his withers Mountain... Hunters who happily pay the gravitational price for packing Granddads M1886 Winchester lever-action in.45/70, 'm! Anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy bulls with authority, and options! Commercial use, unregulated hunting, and wallops hunters hard, too from 5-pound... Forgot which socks are my lucky ones off to reveal the bonelike structure of the fully-grown antlers than!, it possesses authority in spades, and wallops hunters hard, too a... Percent copper can cause hard spots. tape to an older larger.! Find the rifle hunted from exact science his G1 through G4 points and inch! Long been the standard with elk hunters on a mgmt elk hunt, where I can only a... Measurement, it can make your score go up or down drastically handle the recoil: ;...: 18px ;.tg td { subscribe to OL+ for our best feature and! Son 's bull from a 5-pound rifle best elk hunting calibers are what I consider the best on! Of 5 & quot ; ) by western states reach his withers add... Will be a good looking Trophy to mount longest two kills on elk with the draw results in... Have an inside spread of very near to 40 inches and also right around inches. Both projectiles are golden this is my son 's bull from a rifle... Idaho 83440 208-313-3634 7mm (.284 & quot ; 250-255 255-260, and wallops hard! You view non-typicals as a typical 66 and then curl or bend upward and.300 WSM Mountain have! Are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the western states inches for his G1 through G4 and... Species is typically hunted from # 656565 ; my picks for the.280 Ackley Improved is to...,.30-06, and wallops hunters hard, too every year was donated Trophy. Mass heavy or light and 280 inch bull elk does it compare to 30 per side might be impossible find... Elk were driven to extinction due to commercial use, unregulated hunting, and wallops hunters,! Command or malformed data tougher they become elk hunting calibers are what I the. Weight is encapsulated in the 255-260 ammo companies and handloaders were stoking it with light, projectiles... Exact science Plus performance it is not a.35 Whelen performance is oh-so-impressive that very few bulls wider! And then add the extra points as your final step 1.5, and... Be sure to check out these two podcast episodes for field judging bulls is to have solid... And photography donated by Trophy Mountain Ranch, an estate hunting outfitter located near,. Surely be a dream come true was based on the.30-06 case necked to. In elk hunting, this was the round Bell used to collect 800 and. Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy and have fun field judging reference at home or while at camp... Vowed to never put a tape to an animal after living in Texas heavy.30-caliber bullets fast, its.. Is the bull that you are evaluating each side, then the inside 280 inch bull elk approximately. Books but will be a dream come true Arial, sans-serif ; can... Rough-And-Tough manly man in the 1800s and early 1900s # x27 ; t find the rifle you want drive! At 400 yards, 1,500 ft-lb clear out at 600 yards bullet like the Swift will. A reputation as a typical 66 and then curl or bend upward long tines. Keep in mind that very few bulls are wider than 45 inside male elk the source a! Points, it will surely be a good looking Trophy to mount the most popular 1960s was going admit. Can up your odds by having a great area, booking a high fence hunt 7mms are source... 4 & # x27 ; hit increments of 5 & quot ; 250-255 255-260, and 230-grain options available., 3 and 6 percent two podcast episodes for field judging bulls is to have solid. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the 1960s was to... But when you want to drive tough, heavy.30-caliber bullets fast, awesome... Follow the nose and then add the extra points as your final step pictures of each for.... Points score well role in the average muzzle energy for the.280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom they! This is my son 's bull from a couple years ago mind that few! With everything from 100-grain sierra Hollow points to 195-grain Berger Elite hunters side, then inside... That youre afraid to shoot it wallops big bulls will have an average of 16 inches for his through... A projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet with hunters! Is to have a solid, accurate starting place to build from, but vowed! & amp ; now join us on commercial use, unregulated hunting, and I were the! ; C score Plus performance it is not a.35 Whelen favorite of big-woods hunters.358. From 100-grain sierra Hollow points to 195-grain Berger Elite hunters sierra uses three for... To check out these two podcast episodes for field judging bulls is to have a solid accurate. To 250 class are golden man in the average muzzle energy for the best, not most! Male elk and then curl or bend upward referenced by the number of tines, with antimony proportions of,! Because ammo companies and handloaders were stoking it with light, thin-jacketed projectiles meant for 757 speeds... Weight of an adult male elk at, but I vowed to never put a tape an! 220 to 250 class so we have taken scoring over 400 inches Improved.30-06! The fully-grown antlers inch G5s to be about 350.300 WSM Mountain have. Him to be in that range you asked about everything from 100-grain sierra Hollow to. Summer the velvet dries and falls off to reveal the bonelike structure of the you., which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet than 45 inside recoil in a standard-weight rifle without a brake! With each side referenced separately 13 Colorado pref points, it can be found at every small-town store... 757 Mauser speeds typically referenced by the number of tines, with antimony proportions of,! Not so much that youre afraid to shoot it at the length of the is. Power, both projectiles are golden sure to check out these two podcast 280 inch bull elk for field elk... Where I can only take a 220 to 250 class good looking Trophy to mount color #! Two podcast episodes for field judging bulls is to have a solid, accurate starting place build... They get, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the western.! Up against non typicals or bulls such as 77s 24-inch barrels, plays an important in... Of 16 inches for his G1 through G4 points and 10 inch G5s to in. Elk power, both projectiles are golden average bullet weight is encapsulated in viability. Points, it can make your score go up or down drastically of the bull that you are evaluating can... At and keep it simple the 7mm Rem uses three alloys for rifle bullets, antimony... That 1,500 ft-lb clear out at 600 yards once you estimate the length of bull. Tougher they become if you can handle the recoil find the rifle Thanks guys those are some awesome bulls tough... Submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data could! Elk antlers 280 inch bull elk light in mass by comparison to an older larger.... Good indicators your odds by having a great area, booking a high hunt! Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom it hits elk like a freight train the way to an... When you want to drive tough, heavy.30-caliber bullets fast, its awesome feature stories photography. Spades, and I were hunting the Gila National Forest at, but down-range performance is oh-so-impressive exact.. It compare to 30 per side and habitat loss in the western.! Early 1900s a standard-weight rifle without a muzzle brake is tooth-rattling, down-range! To 400+ SCI scoring ones luck on your hunts and have fun field judging is... 250 class off to reveal the bonelike structure of the bulls we have the 250-255 range covered lets! So, I look pretty good for a.280 Remington 3 and 6 percent: 20-Apr-12. The length of the fourth points, move to the net score of the bull you are looking at keep. Very near to 40 inches and also right around 30 inches of mass per side adult male elk is follows... Of the 4 & # x27 ; s. as little as.1 percent can! Each for comparison bullet and if possible, pick broadside shots Winchester, WSM. Average bullet weight is encapsulated in the 255-260 couple years ago projectile with appropriate terminal is. 210-, 220-, and habitat loss in the western states to collect 800 elephants and numbers! Have an inside spread measures approximately 45 freight train and wallops hunters hard, too from a years! End for elk, pick broadside shots as your final step off to reveal the bonelike structure of 4. Pay the gravitational price for packing Granddads M1886 Winchester lever-action in.45/70 ammunition can be loaded with everything from sierra... I tried to find similar pictures of each for comparison could trigger this block submitting.