# rifle caliber and rifle for bucket list hunts



## deerhunter (Apr 9, 2004)

my hunting buddy and I started talking about doing some bucket list hunts in the years to come.
elk\mule deer we are starting to look into heading out west and my question is what rifle and caliber would cove the most animals. 
thanks deerhunter


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

My opinion, 270, 30-06, 7mm mag


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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Some states have minimum size caliper restrictions to be able to hunt big game. As Lundy said those are three very good calipers but, check the state regulations to make sure you're all good.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

The 30-06 is very versatile. You can drop down to a light load for coyote, 180 grain for elk and mule deer and up to 220 grain for bear.

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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

You can use whatever you are comfortable with (within state minimum caliber) but that may limit the conditions under which you will get a shot...

For example, some of the outfitters in western Montana want you to be able to hit out beyond 500-yds as you will be shooting from one mountain to another. Last deer i shot in Montana was 475-yds from a mountain down into the valley. I would not have taken that shot with my .270 Win and would not have had a shot opportunity otherwise as there was no stalk from the cliff i was sitting on...

300 Rem UltraMag is my go to for long range elk / mule deer. The only change to the rifle is that i replaced the trigger with a timmy 2-stage trigger set to 3-lbs. I shoot factory NORMA amo out of this and can bang a target out to 1000-yds consistently. It does take a time and $ commitment to do this as you have to practice and it is about $3 per shot... I have 2x local 1000-yd ranges to use too - one has cameras so that you can see shot-to-shot without leaving your seat.

Glass is very important if going long range... I have a Nightforce 5x25 56mm first focal plane scope with mil scope reticle (cross hair) and mil adjustments. (had 3x-15 on it originally but felt under-scoped at times) Oh, reason for first focal plane scope is that it makes easier to take advantage of trajectory charts and one mill at 1000-yds is about the width of an elk rump... Thus, helps with quick ranging at 25x magnification over the 5-8x magnification of a typical range finder. You will want a shooting tripod or at least a shooting or rifle bipod.

More Glass for W Montana, i carry vortex 12x binoculars and one of their big power spotting scopes. looking to add a 15x or so binoculars for next year - glassing with these on a tripod for locating animals and then switch to spotting scope for evaluation. If you are going with a guide, they may have the bino and spotter but they will be using so if you want to participate (and you should), you will want this gear too. Never trust that an individual guide will have good gear. They are the lowly field worker for the outfitter (business owner).

PM me if i can be of help... headed back west again in 2021.

BTW: most guides will tell you that the MOST important gear is being in great physical condition - as best as you can be... I have started training already for next Fall...


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## 0utwest (Mar 21, 2017)

Lots of advice on calibers already and all just hit on are you going DIY or guided ? Either way you should start this year on gaining some bonus and preference points for future hunts , If you want PM me with a phone no. and will talk and all mail you some info.on how to start .


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

0utwest said:


> Lots of advice on calibers already and all just hit on are you going DIY or guided ? Either way you should start this year on gaining some bonus and preference points for future hunts , If you want PM me with a phone no. and will talk and all mail you some info.on how to start .


depends on state if you need points or not - also type of hunt (like open or landhoder, etc) This is where sites like GoHunt.com are valuable in gaining info without having to decipher every state's info...

while mentioning sites... i also like OnXmap.com especially when doing my DIY hunts - both East and West. Just used yesterday trout fishing in TN.


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## Krt1911 (Mar 30, 2014)

Great thread!!! I have also been looking at going west. I have every caliber listed so far but the 300 ultra mag. I originally purchased a .338 Win Mag with hopes of going west, but have recently added a .300 Win Mag. The switch came after heavy looking at ballistics. I reload and love to try to squeeze everything I can out of a rifle. The .300 Win Mag has way more options than the .338 Win Mag. Plus the brass is cheaper and easier to find.

Hornady has a good ballistics calculator on their website. They even fill half of it in for you if you click on their factory loads. I encourage you to click through a few calibers set up for your comfortable max hunt distance. Pay attention to the bullet drop, drift, and kinetic energy. Narrow your choices down by how much adjustment you are comfortable making in the field and the effective range for that particular round. Keep in mind the info provided with the factory settings are ideal conditions with barrels that are normally longer than most hunting rifles. So after you make your choice borrow a chronograph and see what your rifle is actually doing then redo the carts.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

Krt1911 said:


> Great thread!!! I have also been looking at going west. I have every caliber listed so far but the 300 ultra mag. I originally purchased a .338 Win Mag with hopes of going west, but have recently added a .300 Win Mag. The switch came after heavy looking at ballistics. I reload and love to try to squeeze everything I can out of a rifle. The .300 Win Mag has way more options than the .338 Win Mag. Plus the brass is cheaper and easier to find.
> 
> Hornady has a good ballistics calculator on their website. They even fill half of it in for you if you click on their factory loads. I encourage you to click through a few calibers set up for your comfortable max hunt distance. Pay attention to the bullet drop, drift, and kinetic energy. Narrow your choices down by how much adjustment you are comfortable making in the field and the effective range for that particular round. Keep in mind the info provided with the factory settings are ideal conditions with barrels that are normally longer than most hunting rifles. So after you make your choice borrow a chronograph and see what your rifle is actually doing then redo the carts.


338 Win Mag is my backup 2nd rifle for West Hunts. Will be primary for moose... I am thinking of rechambering to 338 Edge. That is the 300RUM necked up to 338. A little more power than the 338RUM as more powder capacity in brass that way.

These things are all kickers... I am testing an addon muzzle brake on the 300RUM, and if like, plan to rebarrel that one too. They are all shootable with the factory non-brake barrel, esp for how frequently these are shot, i just like messing with things...


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## deerhunter (Apr 9, 2004)

thanks guys there's a lot of info that I haven't thought of keep it coming


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Great info. Booked an elk hunt with a rancher near Great Falls MT a friend used years ago. Using a 30-06 180gr bullet, but have to run a few brands thru it to see what it prefers. He mentioned don’t go buying a new gun. Use a rifle we’re comfortable with as placement is more important than the boom. He said he uses a .243. But lets face it, he lives amongst the beasts. 


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## fireline (Jun 14, 2007)

The 6.5 Creedmoor is being used a lot out west, very accurate and mild recoil


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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Don't forget to check and see what type of "action" your rifle is aloud to be. Some states require a hand operated action when hunting big game.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Believe it or not the .243 round was very popular amongst local folks for both deer and elk when I lived on the Western Slope in Colorado late 70's-early 80's. The 6.5 Creedmoor is becoming very popular now and one of my favorites is the 6.5x.284 Norma, I'm actually putting a custom one of these together for myself over this winter. Like Privateer said earlier about the range requirements some have, some places will also NOT allow you to shoot over a certain distance, and some outfitters will also allow nothing smaller than a 7mm mag, and some require at least a .30 caliber variant, regardless of the fact that your guide might be carrying something smaller and flatter shooting. Different outfitters, and different regions tend to have their own rules and practices.

I have hunting rifles chambered for all situations I might find myself hunting in but if I had to pick only one for western and mountain states, and the one I picked first in 1979, it would be a 7mm mag and it would be a bolt action. They are an outstanding high velocity, flat shooting round that has a good bit of diversity in bullet size, are made by several manufacturers, good factory ammo is available, and they are serious proven killers of medium and large North American game. Privateer has his whole program dialed in, that is easy to tell, and if you cannot do that like he does then a good dependable round is what you want to shoot and I would also recommend you spend as much as you can practically afford on glass. I would watch the sales that will be happening very soon and try to pick up an otherwise unaffordable optic that will now be half price, I do it every year as I could care less what model year it is as long as it does exactly what I want. Peoples choice in levels of magnification vary, some would put nothing but a 2x7 on any larger caliber rifle, but I personally prefer higher magnification and first focal plane, it is personal preference and no one is wrong with what they are most comfortable with. Nothing more fun than hunting for a new 'purpose' firearm, enjoy the hunts.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

If your traveling for Elk, let me tell you their pretty tuff critters and you want to swat them with authority. Mule Deer are also tuff and also demands a good swat as well. Other then Big Brown bear which is in a whole other class (338 and up) you need to use a rifle that will dispatch the animal quickly and humanly. Size of game and average distances aught to point to a set-up you need. Elk and Deer out west command a fast flat shooting rifle with a good glass as you can afford, I run all 8 x 32 scopes for that job. The reason for this is with a 4 x 12 or less, if your animal steps out at 400 yds your cross hairs will cover the animal and a precise shot is tuff with the sight. I like the look of the sights at 400 and 500 with a more magnified scope. First person sighting is a must for those scopes as well. Talking rifles and calibers is a whole different animal. Please don't be persuaded by those who try to sell the small caliber kills all theory to you, it's just not so or fair to your game. That fits into thin skin Whitetail short distance shooting at best but yet I prefer to use a different bullet design for shorter shooting at high speeds. I have 2 favorite rifles that I would take any where in America on anything but large bear and thats a 270 Wetherby Mag, and a 7mm STW . The Wetherby is a Southgate gun with a new 26" barrel with a muzzle brake. It shoots a .277 140 grain bullet over 3400 fps. with devastating results. Fast and flat shooting with a well constructed bullet is key. Next is the STW, it's a 7mm .284 caliber that also spits them out there and is designed for fast flat shooting. This gun also loves the 140 weight bullet being pushed at max speeds. This is a true 500 - 600 yd. gun all day long. For example, mine is dead on at 300, and it's a 3" drop at 600, so not to much brain work to make those shots if needed. These are what I prefer after a lifetime of hunting. I hand load for both to achieve maximum performance. If I needed a 3rd it would be the 7 mag, only to shoot the larger bullets, but at slower speeds.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

1


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

2


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

tripple post... arrrrg how do you delete them?


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

Popspastime said:


> tripple post... arrrrg how do you delete them?


thought it was just for emphasis...


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

.308 or .270 of course..

now my opinion.. there’s nothing on this planet a 300 Winchester mag 180 grain will not stop dead in it tracks.. nothing.. but?? You say bucket list? Why not go big boy caliber? I say 45/70 maybe even a .458 oh??


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

ezbite said:


> .308 or .270 of course..
> 
> now my opinion.. there’s nothing on this planet a 300 Winchester mag 180 grain will not stop dead in it tracks.. nothing.. but?? You say bucket list? Why not go big boy caliber? I say 45/70 maybe even a .458 oh??


You really need six or seven buckets, one won’t suffice.


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## garshark (Aug 23, 2011)

7mm rem mag descent all around round
270 if your recoil sensitive 
6.5-300 weatherby mag super flat shooting lower recoil than some of the bigger rounds
Any 30 caliber round, 300 win mag, 300 ultra mag 300 weatherby mag, 30-06, 308, 300wsm, 30 nosler all of these have varying levels of recoil and long distance trajectory


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## garshark (Aug 23, 2011)

garshark said:


> 7mm rem mag descent all around round
> 270 if your recoil sensitive
> 6.5-300 weatherby mag super flat shooting lower recoil than some of the bigger rounds
> Any 30 caliber round, 300 win mag, 300 ultra mag 300 weatherby mag, 30-06, 308, 300wsm, 30 nosler all of these have varying levels of recoil and long distance trajectory


But for a true buck list gun you need a 375 h&h so u can hunt in Africa


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## 0utwest (Mar 21, 2017)

garshark said:


> 7mm rem mag descent all around round
> 270 if your recoil sensitive
> 6.5-300 weatherby mag super flat shooting lower recoil than some of the bigger rounds
> Any 30 caliber round, 300 win mag, 300 ultra mag 300 weatherby mag, 30-06, 308, 300wsm, 30 nosler all of these have varying levels of recoil and long distance trajectory


You have 6.5-300 ? Already have a .257 and .300 and was thinking of adding a 6.5 -300 or RPM but i already have too many rifles now . I have looked and read up on these but personally dont know any one that has either one yet . Just not sure if i can justify the use and if you have one or know someone that does i would like to talk with them .


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

garshark said:


> But for a true buck list gun you need a 375 h&h so u can hunt in Africa


My neighbor shot a grizzley bear with his 375 H&H. He shot it at around 150 yards and it dropped and didnt move. His guide leaned over and told him to empty his gun on it just to be safe!

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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

garshark said:


> But for a true buck list gun you need a 375 h&h so u can hunt in Africa


I think i would just borrow one of the outfitters for that single use... also don't have to deal with the transport issues. If you are moving to Alaska, then sure get one. Otherwise, will be a safe queen...


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

When I lived out west, and on all of my trips back out west to hunt, I’ve used my Model 700 chambered in .308. I’ve shot elk, mule deer, and antelope with it. Non of them required a follow up shot.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Muddy said:


> When I lived out west, and on all of my trips back out west to hunt, I’ve used my Model 700 chambered in .308. I’ve shot elk, mule deer, and antelope with it. Non of them required a follow up shot.


Probably my personal favorite round, I recently picked up a Mauser barreled action chambered in .308 Norma Mag that I’m pretty excited about putting into a nice piece of wood. It will definitely travel west with me one day.


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## garshark (Aug 23, 2011)

0utwest said:


> You have 6.5-300 ? Already have a .257 and .300 and was thinking of adding a 6.5 -300 or RPM but i already have too many rifles now . I have looked and read up on these but personally dont know any one that has either one yet . Just not sure if i can justify the use and if you have one or know someone that does i would like to talk with them .


I don’t but I’m thinking of getting a 6.5-300 or the 257 both are super flat shooting


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Thinking my bucket list for out west hunts might be a thing of the past, and tools for it might need thinned out.... although can still be used in other surrounding states but ours .


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

The Hunt is more important than the riffle, IMHO.
I'd spend as little money on guns and as much money on trips/hunts as possible.
Buying a gun that you can't shoot well is basically p*ssing money away.
I'm a minimalist when it comes to hunting rifles. Most safe queens are expensive hunting riffles bought for one trip or hunt that never get used again......so why bother?
Ever notice that when someone passes away, the handguns, shotguns, and common riffles get sold pretty quickly....but that the less common riffles sit around for a while?


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## bad luck (Apr 9, 2009)

"..... I would watch the sales that will be happening very soon and try to pick up an otherwise unaffordable optic that will now be half price, I do it every year as I could care less what model year it is as long as it does exactly what I want. "


Quick Question, is this the time of year when optics go on sale?


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## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

Just read this the other day don't know much about it other than what I read sounds like a hell of a caliber.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

Jim white said:


> Just read this the other day don't know much about it other than what I read sounds like a hell of a caliber.


just because that 30cal in your closet is so last century... but seriously, they are going down in weight to 175gr when most of the 30cal and above guys are pushing to 200+gr for long range. light and fast is not good when going against the shoulder of an elk. sure shot placement is everything - but what when you can't slip it between the ribs at 800yards and instead it hits a solid shoulder - you need the kinetic energy that a heavier bullet will carry - or you will have one hell of a story about the elk you tracked for two days and then lost.


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## DUCKHEAD (Apr 28, 2007)

I started shooting at a range up to 1000 yds several years ago. Even tho the bullet is lighter than the 30cal bullet it is heavy for Caliber. If you look at the ballistics of some of the slightly smaller bullet such as 6.5 or 7mm, they fly thru the air much more efficiently that even at longer distances they have same or better energy. You should look up ballistics on the bullet your using especially at the longer ranges to know if you have the energy to take your game at the distance you can be accurate at.


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## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

privateer said:


> just because that 30cal in your closet is so last century... but seriously, they are going down in weight to 175gr when most of the 30cal and above guys are pushing to 200+gr for long range. light and fast is not good when going against the shoulder of an elk. sure shot placement is everything - but what when you can't slip it between the ribs at 800yards and instead it hits a solid shoulder - you need the kinetic energy that a heavier bullet will carry - or you will have one hell of a story about the elk you tracked for two days and then lost.


I believe it says I just read it. And read the first line says it has more energy than a 7 mm Magnum. I know several people that have killed elk and bear with a 7 mm Magnum. Everybody has their own opinion 👍


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

Jim white said:


> I believe it says I just read it. And read the first line says it has more energy than a 7 mm Magnum. I know several people that have killed elk and bear with a 7 mm Magnum. Everybody has their own opinion 👍


i don't doubt that. but i stand on my statement based on physics...


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## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

Hunting is hunting to just like fishin is fishin 👍 have a good night man


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## DUCKHEAD (Apr 28, 2007)

Energy of a 300 win [email protected] shooting a sako 220grain hammerhead is 760ft/lbs. The 6.8 western 175 grain [email protected] 800yds is 1216ft/lbs. This is figured by a ballistics call and brownings ballistics for the 6.8.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Even with a spotting scope and perfect DOPE and enough ballistic energy, you still have to read the wind.
My personal opinion is still that if you can't get to within 400 yards, don't take the shot. I don't have much tolerance for injuring an animal and letting it die a slow, painful death.
Again, this is just my opinion and it's still a mostly free Country.
Opinions obviously vary.


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## deerhunter (Apr 9, 2004)

I’ve picked up a 6.5 creedmore now my problem is finding the ammo


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

One of my bucket list is wild boar with my late uncle's semi auto rifle in 30 Remington


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## 0utwest (Mar 21, 2017)

deerhunter said:


> I’ve picked up a 6.5 creedmore now my problem is finding the ammo


Think i might have a box or 2 in some ammo i bought 3-4 months ago and the 6.5 creedmore is not a caliber i use so PM me your info if your interested .


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

6.5? wow did this go sideways or what?


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

If I was to have a gun for west it would be a 300mag. A Winchester for today but I liked the old 
300 H&H mag. Slightly less powerful than Win Mag but I think on average more accurate that off the rack 300Win. I had both 300 Ultra & 8mm Rem mag. Didn’t like either one.


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