Best Elk Caliber,is there one?

[Ocender]

Ok....as the heading states, best Elk caliber and why?

[northof49]

338win….griz

[REMINGTON JIM]

There are Multiple BEST ELK Caliber's ! :shock: Prob Easier to argue -discuss POLITIC's then these ! BUT in saying that its hard to BEAT the 28 + calibers with 160-250 gr bullets to PUT them down ! ;) jmo RJ

I'm going use my 300 PRC this year in the Koot's with a 200 gr Accubond !

[ACE]

As RJ says . . . many 'best' elk calibers.
In G-bear country, the potent .30's or .338 would be a good choice.
Just an opinion . . . 8-)

[quadrakid]

The one you shoot comfortably with.

[REMINGTON JIM]

The one you shoot comfortably with.

Totally WRONG answer Quad Buddy ! :lol: I can shoot my 223 Rem more comfortable then my 300 PRC ! UT its not a Adequate ELK slayer cartridge ! :p RJ

[Ron.C]

agree with quadra kid, whichever one you shoot best " that is legal for elk"

disclaimer: I'm a 7mm-08 shooter :wink:

in all reality, I don't know if you can say what is best. If I had to say what's best I'd probably say 30-06 because it can do it all.

[Hunter gatherer]

Premium bullets(TTSX,Partition etc) and 270Win will do. There really is no best just a lot of really good ones.

[Bernie O]

Shot placement beats caliber every time.

[Ocender]

Yuppers everyone,I should say I'm aware of there not being a best,but for argument sake I'm curious as to what might be the overwhelming consensus.....I have a 300Win Mag but the weight is a bit discouraging to drag around(not a huge deal but.. )...looking at 30-06,a bit less of kick and great ballistics

[5jackz]

243 . If shot is well placed , it does the job .

[huntingfamily]

Yuppers everyone,I should say I'm aware of there not being a best,but for argument sake I'm curious as to what might be the overwhelming consensus.....I have a 300Win Mag but the weight is a bit discouraging to drag around(not a huge deal but.. )...looking at 30-06,a bit less of kick and great ballistics

30-06 would be a great choice too. Are you reloading or using factory ammo?

[backcountry98]

Shot placement paired with a premium bullet usually is ideal, but if shooting 300-400+ yards and having a round that carries lots of energy down range is better then a long skinny bullet making a pinhole through the vitals. Impact shock in the vitals area is a great to have. Im a fan of almost all 30 cal, 280cal, 270/7mm-08 is as small as id personally go for elk but good bullets they are very lethal. Most magnums are a typically a good choice as long as they can be shot accurately.... with all that said no less then 1500ftlbs of bullet energy on impact is a good rule of thumb.

[Ocender]

30-06 would be a great choice too. Are you reloading or using factory ammo?

Factory...

[Ocender]

Shot placement paired with a premium bullet usually is ideal, but if shooting 300-400+ yards and having a round that carries lots of energy down range is better then a long skinny bullet making a pinhole through the vitals. Impact shock in the vitals area is a great to have. Im a fan of almost all 30 cal, 280cal, 270/7mm-08 is as small as id personally go for elk but good bullets they are very lethal. Most magnums are a typically a good choice as long as they can be shot accurately.... with all that said no less then 1500ftlbs of bullet energy on impact is a good rule of thumb.

Good answer....thanks

[horseman2]

Shot my first Roosevelt Elk with a 30-06 and 165 grain Nosler Partitions.
Second on with 338 Win Mag.
From the rifles I have owned in order: 338 WM, 300 WM, 30-06, 280 Rem, 270 Win and 25-06.
Shot placement is not everything . . . it is the only thing!

[Downwindtracker2]

When Winchester started selling the Alaskan, the 338WM, sales didn't do as well as they had hoped until elk hunters discouvered it. So I guess it's some form of 338 . I have a 338WM and a 338-06.

[leadpillproductions]

Im going to try the 375 rum this fall should work ok 270lrx

[Codes44]

Nothing beats a well placed, accurate shot. I personally don't like the "best caliber for ____" question. It's a loaded question with too many factors to plug in, couple that with the fact that so many calibers and sizes are well suited for big game it comes down to where and how you hunt. That's like asking best car for driving....depends on the driver and road.

[J_T]

A sharp 3-blade G5 Montec broadhead on a straight shaft total weight weighing about 500-600 gr depending on your bow poundage.

Lethal.

[406elcamino]

I went elk hunting for the first time last year and took my first with a 300wm 180gr and it worked great the other guys in camp several used 308 and it did just fine as well 165gr. Placement is the key though the elk i had shot was approx 240-260yards from what i remember put it right behind the shoulder broadside and down it went

[Ron.C]

A sharp 3-blade G5 Montec broadhead on a straight shaft total weight weighing about 500-600 gr depending on your bow poundage.

Lethal.

JT,

you're not wrong!!!!!!

[todbartell]

I've seen big bulls hit with 6mm 100gr Partitions and 375 Ruger 270gr Interlocks give near identical death sprints with near identical shot placement. Use a good bullet and place it in the vitals and they die like anything. Poor shot placement with any cartridge can and will result in a long tracking job.

I myself like the 338-06. Four of the last five bulls I've shot have fallen to this cartridge. Average shot distance is around 80 yards

[BigSlapper]

338-06 w/ 210gr. Partitions here ... that being said, my back-up is a .270 w/ 150gr. Accubonds. Both work extremely well ...

[Keta1969]

Poor shot placement with any cartridge can and will result in a long tracking job.


This is true and why even though I could kill an elk with my .260 and 130 accubond WITH proper shot placement, there are lots of variables that can come into play. I use a 35 whelen with 225 gr. partitions for moose and elk and if placement is not perfect(it can happen) I feel the animal will be hurting more and travelling less with the bigger pill. A lot of guys aren't as good a shot as they think when brush, wind, visibility, excitement, shooting position etc.etc. come into play.

[KodiakHntr]

agree with quadra kid, whichever one you shoot best " that is legal for elk"



To be fair, pretty much all the calibers are legal for elk…

[Redthies]

To be fair, pretty much all the calibers are legal for elk…

To be fair, pretty much all the CENTER FIRE calibers are legal.

I, like Ron C shoot 7-08. It’s not a particularly “macho” caliber, and often relegated to the “kids,wives and feeble”, but if you actually look at the ballistics, it’s a very solid choice for deer or antelope (98% of my mammal hunting), and with decent shot placement is very effective on elk. If I were more interested in hunting moose or elk, I would look at a more potent cartridge. I buy a moose and elk tag every year, but I have never done a hunt dedicated to either. If I stumble across a legal one of either at 150-200 yards or so, my feeble mans 7-08 should take care of it.

And while I agree that the .30-06 is a fantastic choice for a “one size fits all” caliber, it really is too big a hammer for smaller deer. We got two coastal black tails with .30-06 and excellent shot placement. They dropped like rocks, but there was substantial meat loss.

[KodiakHntr]

To be fair, pretty much all the CENTER FIRE calibers are legal.

.


Welllllll to be fair, there are no centerfire CALIBERS. And all centerfire CARTRIDGES are legal for elk.

[Downwindtracker2]

I have been called out for a couple of night tracking sorties. The flashlight on leaves looking for that blood droplet sort of thing. Both were unsuccessful . It has me believing in better shooting with a more old fashioned caliber/bullet approach .

[tracker]

The 7mm mag from 40 to 400 yards = dead elk .

[todbartell]

It has me believing in better shooting with a more old fashioned caliber/bullet approach .

Is old = mo' betta?

How old fashioned? Like 30-30 with a 170gr flat point? Over a 300 PRC with 212gr LRX?

[IronNoggin]

Lots of great choices out there as stated.

My preference runs to a custom barreled 300 Weatherby Magnum with warm 180 grain Nosler Partitions.

Cheers,
Nog

[moosinaround]

7mm rem mag, 150 TTSX will do. 300 win mag with 180 sciroccos will do, 375 H&H with 300 accubonds will do. 9.3x62 with 285 hornady rp will do. the 6.5 PRC with 130 sciroccos wil even do!!! Moosin

[.330 Dakota]

After several encounters over the years, and being in the people protection business, I dont carry anything that wont flatten a grizzly. This starts at the 325 WSM, includes the 330 Dakota, 338WM, the 35 Whelen, and the 375
Not saying an 06 or a 300 isnt enough, I just like the bigger bullets. If you miss with a 223, or a 375, you can die,,so whatever you decide, know how to shoot it

[Codes44]

At 50 yards or less, yes. Jk, that's a good answer though.

[Redthies]

Welllllll to be fair, there are no centerfire CALIBERS. And all centerfire CARTRIDGES are legal for elk.

Oh. I didn’t know there was a rimfire in 7mm... or .300... or .338... or...

In case you didn’t notice, I was not taking a shot at you. Just pointing out that you had to shoot centerfire to be legal.

[264mag]

I don’t profess to be a great elk hunter but the 3 bulls I have killed were all called in to less than 100 yards. 2 were killed with a 300 H&H pushing 180 gr partitions, both in the seam behind the front shoulder. The 3rd was a 325 wsm driving a 200 gr Accubond, this one was high lung. All 3 accepted the lead pill and turned and walked away, all 3 took a follow up shot. This past winter by daughter shot her Smithers cow elk at 100 yards, spine shot, Hornady eldx. She did a follow up mercy shot. This hunt was open fields and perfect conditions. IMO elk are very tough and deserve a quick dispatch.

Gary is building me my close quarters elk gun, t3 action, IBI 22 inch mountain lite, wildcat ultralight stock, 338/06, topped with a Zeiss v6, 1-6x24 illuminated reticle, ballistic turret. I plan on developing a 225 gr Accubond load.

[Weatherby Fan]

I don’t profess to be a great elk hunter but the 3 bulls I have killed were all called in to less than 100 yards. 2 were killed with a 300 H&H pushing 180 gr partitions, both in the seam behind the front shoulder. The 3rd was a 325 wsm driving a 200 gr Accubond, this one was high lung. All 3 accepted the lead pill and turned and walked away, all 3 took a follow up shot. This past winter by daughter shot her Smithers cow elk at 100 yards, spine shot, Hornady eldx. She did a follow up mercy shot. This hunt was open fields and perfect conditions. IMO elk are very tough and deserve a quick dispatch.

Gary is building me my close quarters elk gun, t3 action, IBI 22 inch mountain lite, wildcat ultralight stock, 338/06, topped with a Zeiss v6, 1-6x24 illuminated reticle, ballistic turret. I plan on developing a 225 gr Accubond load.


Like Chuck says above IMHO Elk especially a Big Mature Bull Elk are tough and have a desire to live unlike others in the deer family, not to say you can't kill an Elk with 243/6.5CM/PRC/7mm-08 etc when all goes well with good bullets including perfect shot placement........

Ive killed 3 Elk with a 30-06 using 165gr Nosler Partitions and it worked fine, Ive also used a 300 Wby and with 180gr TSX it also killed them without a lot of chasing, all shots were inside of 200 Yards, I watched my nephew drop a young 6 pt Bull with 1 shot from a 300 WSM using 180gr TTSX at 400 yards, the bull never took a step.

I think 30-06/338-06/.308 & .338 cal magnums/35 Whelen all these cartridges are ideal, with that being said I wouldn't hesitate to hunt Elk with my 280AI using 160gr Accubonds or TTXS/GMX type bullet.

as most everyone says shot placement is key but I will add that is as or more important is a quality well constructed bullet not something thats going to disintegrate hitting a rib on the way in.

If you have the choice I would stick to 30/338 cal or larger, just my experience

[The Hermit]

I'll be using a bow first but if I don't connect then 338-06. A little more than the venerable 30.06 but easy shooting and great BC with Barnes TTSX in 185gr. More than enough at anything under 400 yards. Disclaimer - I've never shot an animal beyond 250 yards but fully confident this set up will reach out way beyond what I'm comfortable with. Good luck.

[Ocender]

After several encounters over the years, and being in the people protection business, I dont carry anything that wont flatten a grizzly. This starts at the 325 WSM, includes the 330 Dakota, 338WM, the 35 Whelen, and the 375
Not saying an 06 or a 300 isnt enough, I just like the bigger bullets. If you miss with a 223, or a 375, you can die,,so whatever you decide, know how to shoot it

I hear ya, when I was guiding my go to saddle rifle was my 444 Lever Marlin, but I started packing a 300 Win Mag....but the Marlin is an awesome rifle up to 100 yards,after that you really have to lob them in there.. lol..

[Ocender]

I'll be using a bow first but if I don't connect then 338-06. A little more than the venerable 30.06 but easy shooting and great BC with Barnes TTSX in 185gr. More than enough at anything under 400 yards. Disclaimer - I've never shot an animal beyond 250 yards but fully confident this set up will reach out way beyond what I'm comfortable with. Good luck.....yup,I like getting close,anything under 300 yards I'm ok with,after that conditions need to be bench perfect

[willyqbc]

I've seen big bulls hit with 6mm 100gr Partitions and 375 Ruger 270gr Interlocks give near identical death sprints with near identical shot placement. Use a good bullet and place it in the vitals and they die like anything. Poor shot placement with any cartridge can and will result in a long tracking job.


agree with TB....our camp has taken bulls with 375 H&H on the upper end and a 260 using reduced loads and a 120 ttsx on the light end. Lots taken with 30.06, 7mm mag, 280ai....cant say I noticed a major difference in any of them as far as how far the bull travelled. The only bull we ever had go any distance had 2 rounds from a 7mm mag and one from a 30.06 through the lungs....it went about 200 yards, but i'll never figure out how...the lungs were shredded. In contrast, a north/south shot with the little 260 and a 120ttsx going 2600 fps had the bull down in less than 70 yards. The one that went 200 yards had FAR more internal damage.....just never can tell with elk.

[Ocender]

Quite agree...and the shot placement is of course the most critical

[northof49]

Looks like it’s unanimous…..338win it is

[.330 Dakota]

I hear ya, when I was guiding my go to saddle rifle was my 444 Lever Marlin, but I started packing a 300 Win Mag....but the Marlin is an awesome rifle up to 100 yards,after that you really have to lob them in there.. lol..

LOL, I forgot to mention my 45/70 with some pet load data I got from Remmy Jim, 420g hardcasts at 2000fps,,hot and deadly

[Norwestalta]

After shooting and being part of the better part of 2 dozen elk kills I prefer my 338 wm and a 225 barnes ttsx. It anchors them real good. As stated previously elk have a will to live that is second to none. Bullet placement and quality trumps all thing imo.

[browningboy]

Use a 300RUM with 210 grain noslers and dropped a big Rosie no problems, like many say it’s placement, as for choice it’s just what you like to shoot I suppose?

[srupp]

After shooting and being part of the better part of 2 dozen elk kills I prefer my 338 wm and a 225 barnes ttsx. It anchors them real good. As stated previously elk have a will to live that is second to none. Bullet placement and quality trumps all thing imo.

Hmm only shot 3 elk ever all with a Sako in 338 win mag.
All 3 were harvested using Barnes Tsx in 225 grain handloads.
None required a second shot.
Non required tracking out of sight.
Never wasted any delicious elk meat.
Hmm not a ton of experience but what I have I would use again .
My .02
Srupp

[Foxton Gundogs]

Elk are hard to kill, I have shot them with 30wcf, 250-3000, 308, 45-70 308 300 338 and lots with an 06 most died on the spot some took some tracking. Oddly enough they were magnum shot. My buddies wife just shot a nice bull at 280 yes with a 270. 1 shot 1 kill. Personally when I go after elk this year I'll be packing my 338 wm "guide gun".

[Norwestalta]

Hmm only shot 3 elk ever all with a Sako in 338 win mag.
All 3 were harvested using Barnes Tsx in 225 grain handloads.
None required a second shot.
Non required tracking out of sight.
Never wasted any delicious elk meat.
Hmm not a ton of experience but what I have I would use again .
My .02
Srupp

I've shot them with 25-06, 26 nosler, 30-06 and 338 wm. I've seen them shot with a 300 wby and 300 wm. Every elk that I've had to track was shot with a hornady bullet out of my 338 wm and my 30-06. The others were barnes bullets or nosler with one elk taken at 25 yds with a berger out of my 25-06. I've since switched to barnes or nosler for anything and everything I use for hunting. They penetrate and make things dead.

[MRP]

NO best caliber!
NO best rifle!
No best bullet!
Yes best shot placement✓.

[GEF]

A well placed shot from a 22 long rifle will kill most anything that doesn’t make it an elk cartridge.
If you talk to any seasoned guide they would tell you to use as much gun as you can manage accurately and consistently.Elk can absorb a lot even with a well placed shot .
Ever one has a recoil threshold that is a combination of caliber ,stock design and rifle weight .
My personal choice for elk is an 8.5 pound 338 .Loaded with 210 Ttsx.May not suit the next guy but I can shoot that combination accurately and consistently . The majority of the hunters make do with what they have .If that is the case be sure and use a good bonded or premium bullet .
Keep in mind most of the Elk hunting in BC is done in grizzly country!

[Downwindtracker2]

Terminal Ballistics. Animal Suffer, too. I practice a lot.

Game dies by disruption of the nervous system , brain or spinal cord hit, or by shock. The term shock is used as a medical term, the loss of blood pressure . The blood fills a large cavity. You blow a large hole in the game and blood drains into it.

I witnessed the effect of bullet diameter in tests at the range. This was 20 years ago but it was so startling, it has remained with me. My buddy was just using a 338WM for everything at the time and was looking for a deer bullet. Wet newspaper correlates very well with the effect game has on bullets . A fellow at the old Barnet range did very extensive study. So my buddy had collected a whole bunch of city phone books, soaked them, wrapped them in garbage bags, and put them in copy paper boxes. He was testing a Hornady SST 225gr (a 225gr to a 338 WM is the same as a 180gr to a 30-06) The bullet failed, it came apart even at 200 meters . As a reward for helping, I got to test a couple of bullets. My test was of 165gr SST and Ballistic Tips. It was a practice load so the boxes were at 50 yards. They worked perfectly, classic mushroom with weight retention, the SST ever so slightly better.
Why had the "same" bullet had utterly failed in a 33 caliber and worked perfectly in a 30 caliber . Impact velocity would have been about the same with the 338 at 200 meter and mine at 50, so it wasn't that. So I asked for 225gr 338 to section and did a 165gr 308 . The 338 had a much stouter build , but not nearly heavy enough to over come the much much better expansion of the 33 caliber over a 30 caliber.

I use 225gr Hornady Interloc in the 338-06 and a 225gr Accubond in the 338WM.

[Bugle M In]

Yes, shot placement is always #1.
I have taken a lot of elk with a 270.
Its works fine, BUT, i would say i had plenty of shots from that 270 that did not go thru and thru.
And if you need to track the game in timber, a shot that dos "not" go thru and thru makes blood tracking really hard.
So, I would say a 300 caliber to be better.
A 30/06 is fine.
I went with a 300 Win Mag.
Now the bullet goes right thru at "longer distances".

[Weatherby Fan]

My dad preferred 22 LR but I insisted that was a little light, I use the 22 Mag(WMR).......and shot placement is key ;):mrgreen:

[GEF]

My dad preferred 22 LR but I insisted that was a little light, I use the 22 Mag(WMR).......and shot placement is key ;):mrgreen:

What kind of flashlight were you using ?;)

[j270wsm]

I’ve taken close to 2dozen elk and 90% were taken with .277 bullets( 270win or wsm ), 140gr Sierra game kings, hornady interlocks or 130gr tsx. No tracking on any elk, Shots ranged from 60-300yds.

Confidence in your shooting ability, shot distance and placement are far more important than caliber!!

[Bugle M In]

FYI, those shots that did not go thru and thru were longish range....just over 300 yards.
Close range, the 270 aint a problem with thru and thru.
But down range, the 300 Win mag still pounds thru.

[masoncade1992]

I have personally shot over 11 elk , most of which were bulls. I have been part of at least 30+ elk kills.

I have tried multiple calibers( 340 wby, 7mm mag, 300 mag and 28 nosler) ranges of 20-450 yards.

this is what I have noticed:

#1 is shot placement

#2 is bullet construction. I have seen a few elk be lost to poor bullets that we’re placed in the vitals(slight quartering shot). Federal blue box is not good elk medicine. People in our group that shoot partitions, accubonds,Barnes and swift , put game down quick on good shots.

Don’t be stupid and choose a caliber that will give you a disadvantage(like 243) and choose something .277, 7mm,308 or 338 flavor.

good premium bullet in the vitals and elk will die.

[hawk-i]

I'm going use my 300 PRC this year in the Koot's with a 200 gr Accubond !

BC .588, isn't that kinda like putting touring tires on a 4x4? :)

[REMINGTON JIM]

BC .588, isn't that kinda like putting touring tires on a 4x4? :)

It shoots Plenty Flat enought for " Ethical Distance " Kills and the Accubond bullet is HARD to Beat for Expansion and Penetration ! 200 gr NAB will carry 1800 FPS to 800 yards ! :-D jmo RJ

[todbartell]

BC .588, isn't that kinda like putting touring tires on a 4x4? :)

It's more like .524 unless you work for Nosler's marketing dept. It won't matter, RJ won't get one anyway

[Ltbullken]

I dumped a bull with my 270 and a handloaded 129gr LRX bullet at 50 yds. Years ago, I dumped a cow DRT at 120 yds with a 260 Rem and handloaded 130gr TSX. I shot another bull that with a 140gr TSX 7mm that took 3 bullets complete pass through. He was stubborn wouldn't go down but in the end only went 20 yds. Shot placement counts. I am advocate of well constructed bullets as well for elk and other critters. Draw your own conclusions from that, though you can probably see the theme with Barnes bullets. But I am starting to load up a 300 Win Mag with either a 180gr or 200gr Accubonds (which ever shoots better) for my elk hunting purposes, knowing that I could end up in long range shot territory out to 500 yds. I have a Tikka T3x with a brake installed to lighten the recoil (a Mitch Kendall special cut down to the prefect length - highly recommended!!) and it makes a 200gr pill feel more like a 270, if that. It actually feels like a 140gr from a 65CM to be honest. With a Tikka, you definitely benefit from that due to its light weight. Anyway, I digress... Happy hunting!

[REMINGTON JIM]

It's more like .524 unless you work for Nosler's marketing dept. It won't matter, RJ won't get one anyway

won t Get WHAT :confused: RJ

[todbartell]

an elk hahaha

[hawk-i]

It shoots Plenty Flat enought for " Ethical Distance " Kills and the Accubond bullet is HARD to Beat for Expansion and Penetration ! 200 gr NAB will carry 1800 FPS to 800 yards ! :-D jmo RJ

Its wind drift at range more than flat shooting that counts ... :)
JMHO though

[REMINGTON JIM]

an elk hahaha

WELL that could very WELL be true :wink: RJ

[todbartell]

Montreal has better odds of winning the cup :mrgreen:

[rageous]

Nice one haha

[Greenthumbed]

I’ve killed one elk and I shot it with a .270win 130grain Federal Blue Box. I shot him at 230 yards. I hit him twice, but he was dead on his feet after the first. The second one was because he gave me another shot. Having said that I got myself a .338win this past winter. Not because I thought I needed it, but because I wanted it.

[upperleftcoaster]

i've been running .308, but just picked up a 300 wizzum (whissam? WSM?) as my new elk + deer hunting rifle. i figured a bit more oomph would be worth it for longer shots, and a bit more comfort in grizzly country.

and yes, my 308 is more than capable for all that, but i had to get a new gun.

[bigben]

270 win mag 130 shot placement needed meat in the freezer good luck

[Arctic Lake]

Are elk harder to bring down than moose ? I have never hunted elk so I wouldn’t know . I would thin if you can bring down a moose with you chosen cartridge it would take down a elk.
Arctic Lake

[Downwindtracker2]

I will pass what I was told. Sit down and have smoke.These guys were oldtimers from Chetwynd . If you don't spook a moose they will lay down and die. If they get going you better have a box of shells with you. Elk just bugger off. At least a couple of my hunting partner's have. Mine have died where they stood, but I'm sure my luck may change.

[todbartell]

Elk are down within 20 yards for me on average.

[hawk-i]

Are elk harderto bring down than moose ? I have never hunted elk so I wouldn’t know . I would thin if you can bring down a moose with you chosen cartridge it would take down a elk.
Arctic Lake

I've shot a lot of moose and only half a dozen elk ... most of the elk have been with bow and arrow back in the late 80's.

They didn't seem any harder to kill than moose to me, my furthest kill on a elk was with a 300 gr Accubomb from a 338 LM @just over 500yds ...dropped in its track, broadside lung shot no exit hole.

[IronNoggin]

Are elk harder to bring down than moose ? I have never hunted elk so I wouldn’t know . I would thin if you can bring down a moose with you chosen cartridge it would take down a elk.
Arctic Lake

Moose are pussies compared to elk. Much like Caribou in that regard in my opinion.
As noted above, hit them damn near anywhere, and they will go but a short distance if not pushed, lay down and either die or stiffen up giving you the opportunity to get close enough for a finisher.

29 elk have been downed by my rifles. I prefer the 300 Weatherby for the task, but have taken quite a few with my 270.
They have an incredible desire to live, and put distance between you and them as fast as possible.
I have only seen a couple that gave up the ghost as a moose would, and they were indeed rather hard hit.

Seen many examples of the elk's tenacity over my span, and thus why I prefer the big belted magnum for them today.

Cheers,
Nog

[Bugle M In]

Elk are way tougher, especially if you a bugling in a rank bull.
Also they are way damn smarter than a moose.
And stealthy at times if they want to check you out without letting you know.

I used a 270 on most of my elk, and it works. (140 to 150 gr bullets, from power points to nosler)
BUT, a heavier bullet out of a bigger bore (and as noggin said, a belted round) is better.
More "shock" power, and the bullet at further distances may still pass thru and thru.
I have a ton of 270 power points where the bullet hung up on the inside hide, opposite the entry site.
These were 325 yard shots (about 8 elk were taken at that range with that rifle and bullet, broadside to almost head on).
The 300 win mag still went thru all the way.
Thru and thru leaves a better blood trail when needed, and 2 or so needed to be found that way.

But, you have to feel comfortable with what you shoot.
My 2 buddies got 300 win mag's after owning 30/06's, and they both became a lot worse at the range with their new toys.
One went back to the 30/06.
The other is working thru the flinch and getting better.
A 270 will not make you flinch with practice.
But i have seen a 300 win mag cause big problems for some after they use one.
This all comes down to shot placement.
You have a flinch, you will end up looking for more game most times, rather than walking right up to it.
So, that always has to be your first factor.
"what can you handle"??
And there is no need to be macho in my books.
Shoot what feels good and will do the job "ethically".

[chainsaw]

As said already lots of good cals for elk! Personally I like and shoot a 338 win mag

[Downwindtracker2]

I'm right handed, so I have a right handed flinch. My first rifle was a Remington BDL 30-06.A light rifle with a poorly designed stock for recoil. It looks nice, though. With no instructor, for my first shot any time with a rifle, I went out to the garbage dump/rifle range and shot a box of 180gr in a t-shirt with no ear protection. Flinch city. I see the flinch show up when with a off hand 22, the target has holes in the lower right quadrant .

[Ltbullken]

Are elk harder to bring down than moose ? I have never hunted elk so I wouldn’t know . I would thin if you can bring down a moose with you chosen cartridge it would take down a elk.
Arctic Lake

I've dropped 2 elk DRT and this was due to shot placement.

Another bull I shot, stood there and absorbed 3 x 140 TSX (all broadside boiler room shots) from a 7x57 at 200 yds before wavering, maybe stumbled 20 yds before collapsing. All bullets were complete pass through and were of lethal placement.