My girlfriend and I are planning an Elk hunt in 2015, I'll have the .06 and she will be carrying the .308. I'd like to hear from someone with real field experience with a .308 on Elk. I realize a larger caliber would be better but that's what she likes and shoots comfortably. Any input would be appreciated.

Keep the shots within effective range of the .308 and optimum bullet expansion and she should be fine. Of course shot placement is key. I have a friend that hunts everything with the .308 including elk and has never had a problem.

If she's good with it, it's plenty of gun. Go with a good 165 or 180grn bullet.

The bullet out of the .308 may be the same one out of your ought six. Use it.

308 is more than ample for elk.

The .308 will do the job. Use a tough, bonded bullet and be sure she can shoot the rifle well. Study vital zones of elk so shot placement becomes second nature.

Practice somewhere besides the bench. Shoot off a bipod, kneeling, etc.

Most importantly, if the animal is still on it's feet put another in it. Have her practice reloading quickly and re-acquiring the site picture.

I have a buddy that no longer can draw his bow and he used a .308 on elk. He only shoots them at 100 yards and closer. He puts first shot in vitals and if it doesn't go down he does a follow up shot in the vitals. He as never lost an elk with it.

I've seen the Barnes 168 Vor-Tx in .308 take down some big nilgai bulls, I would think it would be plenty for an elk.

+1.

The .308 will be fine if she can place a shot on the money without flinching. I prefer a 300WM but I don't know many women that will shoot one enough to become proficient without flinching so if she shoots the .308 (well) then take that girl Elk hunting and don't worry about the caliber as much as the placement. Good Luck on your hunt, Baker

308 will be fine on Elk. It is a great caliber and can shoot through an Elk with a good bonded bullet. Shot placement is key and the 308 has more than enough power to put a big hole through the Elk's vitals.

I have taken 6 guys on hunts and those guys have used a 308 to take Elk, Red Deer and, Aoudad. I personally have taken 2 Elk, a Pierre David and 3 Red Deer with a 308. All of those animals are what I would consider Elk Sized animals. 308 has never had an issue.

I actually had this same question. Sounds like shot placement is key with the .308. So, to ask a dumb question, are we talking about the double lung shot, or some other placement?

Now I'm gonna sit back and watch the debates begin.

My wife and I just returned from Raton, NM where she shot a huge cow elk ( field dressed 370 lbs). She shoots a 7mm-08 and was shooting a 140 Partition bullet. Went down within 30 yards after a well placed broadside double lung shot. The built lodged under the skin on the far side. Next time I will heed the advice of many on here and use a barnes tsx bullet. The partition, while it did the job, came apart. The recovered bullet weighed 87.7 gr. based on this I would say the 308 is more than adequate but like the 7mm-08, bullet choice is everything. Anything less than the perfect broadside shot we had and I think we might have HDTV a long tracking job.

I ahve taken a nice 5x5 with 7mm08 so 308 would work perfect IMO. If an arrow can kill one a 308 dang sure can.

Good article from Guns & Ammo addresses this question:

http://www.gunsandammo.com/2013/09/10/ga-perspectives-does-the-308-fit-the-long-range-hunting-bill/

The Partition you shot did exactly what it was supposed to do. The Partition is built like an "A" frame bullet. About 40% of the bullet mass is in the front part of the bullet. Upon expansion, the front part will open up and sometimes fragment or shed it's weight during the expansion process. 40% of the 140 grains is 84 grains remaining. With your 87 grains remaining, that's almost a perfect, text book expansion.

Now, if you switch to the Barnes solids, you will lose the "shock" factor that the lead bullets provide. The Barnes bullets will provide a more pass-through chance. But big game animals will generally run much further after being hit with a Barnes than with a lead bullet. So, shooting a large cow elk and it running on 30 yards after being hit, I don't know why you would want to consider changing projectiles.

Amen.

Everybody knows you must have a 300wm or a Ultra Mag maybe some kind of .338 to kill an elk. And how is she supposed to take one of those 800-1000 yard shots that are so commonplace now a days? "I mean everyone is doing it"! Watch just about any hunting show or read any internet hunting site they will make it clear that all big game animals out west are killed at extreme range with big magnum rifles... jk

87.7grains remaining of a 140gr partition is exactly what John Nosler believed is ideal performance. the 38% that was shed along the bullets path was not wasted but instead became secondary projectiles doing more damage as it shed energy into the animal doing more damage than just along the main bullets path.

It will work, but I would keep your shots as short as possible.

I watched my son kill a nice bull with his .308 and have a friend that has taken several with a .308. It is plenty. I have taken several with my .280. Shot placement is very important no matter what you shoot.

Thanks for all the responses. I feel good about her using that rifle now.

A 308 is plenty big enough. Thru the years growing up in wa State. a lot of my family members used a 270 for elk. I took my first 4x5 with a 243. Yes it was only 150yrds but put it down after 30 or so yrds. Hit a vital it will go down. Elk is a large animal with a large vital area. To you and your wife dont worry 308 will do it with ease. So have a great trip and put them down.

Plenty for elk, of course shot placement and bullet selection is a given.

One of the cover photos for this forum, is a picture of me at the Flat Top Ranch in Walnut Springs, TX - I shot that elk with a single shot CVA Optima .270