favorite cartridge for all of idaho's big game species

beavis14 · Jan 21, 2011

my vote is for the .300 win mag and a 165 grn handloaded ballistic tip !

Luther · Jan 21, 2011

I know some will say it is to small, but I love my .270. I have many different guns but the .270 is my pref. I have shot many deer, a few elk, and a moose with it. It has never let me down.

IDBoneCollector · Jan 21, 2011

.257 Weatherby is my gun of choice 100gr sp is what i shoot..

Bullelk1 · Jan 21, 2011

I shoot a 300 Win Mag with 180 grain Nosler Partitions for about everything.

Idahoron · Jan 21, 2011

50 cal TC Renegade with Paper Patched 460 gr 500 s&w bullets. Ron

matt4695 · Jan 21, 2011

300 Remington Ultra Mag,,,,,180 grain Accubond

diyidaho · Jan 21, 2011

300 rum with 180 scirocco bonded.

Ott · Jan 21, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Jan-21-11 AT 10:35PM (MST)[p]That makes 2 of us for the 300 RUM w/180 Scirrocco. Recoil is brutal, but this combination is a killer for all game in Idaho.

GSJ · Jan 22, 2011

Hard to beat the tried and true 7mm rem mag.

Looks like gemstate will be packing a 338 for elk from here on out though.............just cuz I want a new rifle. You know how it is!

the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".

scubasteven25 · Jan 23, 2011

I prefer the 7MM Magnum as well shooting 150 gr. bullets. It has never let me down now if only I could say the same vice versa. Can't blame the gun for an occasional miss as I did this year on a mule deer.

lip_curl · Jan 23, 2011

i wouldnt put too much faith in those scirroccos...they do fly nice, but they come apart. i hit a whitetail in the shoulder at 300 yards and the bullet came apart on his shoulder blade. he tripod'd himself out to 350 and i hit him in the lungs to finish him off. my buddy hit an elk at 60 yards 2 or 3 times and the bullets came completely apart when they hit bone. im range testing the 200g accubond and bergers for the rum now...

diyidaho · Jan 23, 2011

Lip-curl.

Thanks for the info, i was planning on looking at the bergers as well. As far as the scirrocco, i killed a bull at 436 and a buck at 380 this year with no problems.

matt4695 · Jan 24, 2011

lip_curl,

You will be happy with the nosler accubonds. nobody makes a better bullet. I shot my bull this year at 200 yds, he fell straight down. By the time I made to him he had expired (5-minutes). This is the first time that I have not had to put another round into a bull. I was very happy. I shoot 200 grain at elk and the 180's at deer. The 300 RUM is the perfect rocky mtn. rifle. It's a great canyon gun. If anybody hunts in the Salmon river breaks. you understand the need for a canyon gun.

my 2 cents

gutshot · Jan 24, 2011

.50 cal 370 grain maxi-ball

PanhandleBoy · Jan 25, 2011

270 Win with 130gr Hornady Interbond. The Interbond has better weight retention than Sciroccos or Accubonds, 90+ percent. I've killed deer, elk, lion and bear with this load without an issue. It's not what you shoot it's where you shoot them.

Pre64 · Jan 25, 2011

Whichever rifle is shooting well at the moment. I"ve never had a problem with Sciroccos, but I've got big problems with BTs. IMHO (and from experience), you are asking for big trouble shooting a thin jacketed bullet at magnum velocities. I use 200 grain accubonds in the 300. Absolutely wicked elk medicine.

ID_hunter27 · Jan 25, 2011

were in idaho a 270 is perfect for all. its just about shot placement thats all

Tank · Jan 25, 2011

257wby with 100g TSX. Has more knock down at 400yds than a 30.06. Fast and flat, that's how I like them.

huntfish714 · Jan 25, 2011

call me gueto but 8mm turkish mauser with 180gr in whatever you can find them in any more. iron sights or scope it is great rifle that's killed many animals and probably a few people to. also cheap $100 at most outdoors stores. just not a great bush wack gun. mostly sniper spot.

critterstalker · Jan 25, 2011

300 wsm 165 accubonds tried the bt but got very little penetration on elk worked fine on deer though.But i like having one load for every thing.

Ryry · Jan 26, 2011

.270WSM with 140 grain Accubond FTW.

BPKHunter · Jan 27, 2011

I really prefer the 7mm with 160 grains at 3000fps. Seems like the right mix of flat shooting, adequate energy, and reasonable recoil for the LONG range that most of Idaho has to offer. I love my 25-06 but clearly would not take long shots on an elk with it. I did a lot reloading for friends 300 Weatherby, and while I did get used to the recoil, did not like practicing with it. If I where 6'5 instead of 5'10" things might be different.

bucklover · Jan 27, 2011

Might as well throw my 2 cents in. I shoot a Remington model 700 that was a 7mm. Converted it to a 7STW with a synthetic stock and a Christensen Arms barrel that is 2 inches long. After a lot of good groups using all kinds of different powders and bullets, I finally settled on 140 grain Barnes Triple Shocks. Very consistent and deadly.

elk_horn · Jan 28, 2011

I like the the Barnes 168 tsx barnes in an .06 but I also really like the A-frame 225 grain in a .338.

OregonDan · Jan 28, 2011

7mm Remington Mag with handloaded 175 gr Nosler partitions. Used to take deer, elk, antelope and caribou, always with great results however will now use 257 Weatherby mag with 120 gr Nosler partitions for antelope due to flatter trajectory.