Imagine you'll see a million different answers, so I'd so go with a large caliber rifle you feel comfortable shooting. Good shot placement is probably more important than grain size. As you've already seen people have killed elk with smaller calibers and bigger calibers. I've personally had success and witnessed success with 300 win mag.

I will say I'd suggest also thinking about the bullet you're planning to use. I did not like the performance of an all copper round, despite the fact that my gun had the best groupings with the particular round.

If you are going to buy a new gun, couple questions.. Are you a suppressor guy, what is your brake and recoil tolerance. what is your hunting style(bivy/backpack, horses, day hunt, truck,etc), whats your comfort shooting range?

it could be argued there is no point in a 300(win, nos, prc)or 338 if you dont shoot over 500 yards, 30-06 recoil is significant for what it is, its my personal least favorite. Id jump up to 300win or Nos over the 06. I feel like 300wm recoil is easier to deal with. I shot a shorty 30nos last week suppressed and Id would struggle to spot hits with it under 200 yards.

If I was building another mtn gun as I do alot of DIY backpack/bivy hunting it would be a sub 6.25lb 20-22” barrel with Titanium suppressor. Sub 6 bare rifle gives you more options for more robust equipment(scope, tripod, suppressor/break etc). As far as caliber probably go no more then a 7prc or 280ai. I may do another sub 7lb 28 Nos, but recoil even braked it is hard to see closer hits with it and I have to wear double hearing protection.

my 2cents for what ever they are worth.

I just really can’t understand the dislike for 30-06 recoil. I loaded full tilt 212 eldx for my 30-06 and 300 wby, the 30-06 is very noticeably less recoil. Factory 180’s are noticeably milder in the ‘06.

There are elk, and then there are ELK. I've killed more than two dozen with archery, muzzleloader, and firearms. Each was taken with a weapon appropriate for the task. Your 30-06 is fine, I prefer my 7Mag with 160 gr Barnes. My hunting partner only uses a 300mag. The wife has a dozen to her credit and loves 270/280 and premium 140/150 grain bullets.

I would suggest a medium caliber that you will enjoy, use frequently after the elk hunt, and will continue to find affordable ammo for in the future.

300 win MAG with 180 grain bullet - pretty basic and successful

I have shot six or seven cow elk with my 3006 and it was the perfect choice for that task. I agree with Redchevy in that the recoil really is not that bad. When it was time to go on my once or twice in a life time bull elk hunt, I decided I needed a new gun. I settled on the 300 WSM (Tikka) because I felt like that was a good compromise between my 06 and a 300 mag. The good news is that it did exactly what it was supposed to, a one shot kill on a bull two years ago and another one shot kill on a cow last year. The bad news is that it is a beast to shoot due to recoil and noise. Also, quality ammo is hard to find and very expensive because I do not reload. A box of Nosler 180 Accubonds are right at $100. Due to those factors, I do not practice with it as much as I should.

I am thinking about putting a suppressor on it (some have said the Tikka TX barrel is too thin to thread) but that still doesn't solve the problem of expensive ammo. If I had it to do over again, I would probably buy a 300 mag with the barrel already threaded and put a suppressor on it. A lot of people say you don't need to go that big and that is true if you make a perfect shot every time but we all know how that goes. I would say get the biggest caliber that you can shoot well.

Daniel Boone, A break, trigger or trigger job, different stock and upgraded recoil pad will tame your 300 WSM, worked on mine.

Angus - I appreciate the feedback. I am not much of a fan of muzzle brakes due to the obvious increase in muzzle blast. I always tend to use ear protection when I am hunting but it never seems to happen. I did change out the stock to a Bell and Carlson with a longer LOP and an upgraded butt pad but it still kicks like a mad mule. Everybody tells me there should not be that much difference between the 300 wsm and my 06 but there is no comparison. I think going with a suppressor will be my next move.

6.5 PRC here. I practice a lot, shoot under 500 yards, know my DOPE, use a quality bullet, and put it in the boiler room. Sample size of 1, but the 6.5 PRC absolutely crushed an elk in it's tracks for me this year. I have a great deal of confidence in it - kills em' just as dead as my 30-06, shoots flatter, less recoil, I can spot my shots easier, etc. So far, I am a fan.

X2.

Cow elk are not extremely large and a 30-06 will work handily as will a .270, .308 or 7mm-08.

I’m a big fan of the .300 win mag and would recommend that as my one gun chambering for a rifle.

I’ve killed several elk sized animals with a .300 win mag and have 100% confidence it in.

That said, a .30-06 is more than adequate to hunt any elk with

7mm Rem Mag, 700 Classic and I believe it is a 24" barrel with a 1:9 twist. It is pretty much bone stock other than my wife's uncle (gunsmith) free floated the barrel and tuned the trigger to 2.5-3 lbs when I first bought it before shooting it. No brake and I would love to get it threaded with a suppressor but think I would have to re-barrel to a thicker wall and I just hate to mess with it since it's been sub MOA as it sits for decades.

the 7mm-08 is a 700 CDL, free floated barrel with aftermarket trigger tuned to 3 lbs, topped with VX5 3-15x44 that I got shot in before season, less than 1 MOA at 100. Started the season with it but after not finding 2 hogs or even blood at 115 & 125 yards, target shot again to find it 4-5 inches off and not patterning worth a flip. Guessing something in the mounts is off/loose or possibly the scope? I just haven't taken the time to tear it down since all my free time is in the woods.

and ... to me, the best all purpose caliber would be 30-06 for anything in the lower 48. To clarify, if I could only have 1 caliber ... Yes there a many others likely better suited for any given game animal

Daniel Boone, the break is the biggest part of the solution.
Good luck.

Agree with PMK about 30-06.

Congrats on your future hunt! plan now, and save your money! Simple answer here.....
300 Win Mag or 7 Rem Mag, what we did. Took both to NM in 2002, plan on shooting long range, 300 yds about?
But during rut, a 40 yds shot may happen to plan accordingly! Learn your gun, if this is hike hunt, start now with
conditioning if your like me, i dont hike anymore..... just saying. Also just a fyi, my guns like heavy bullets, unless you
reload like me, you know the story.
Lastly, on optics, allow what your wallet will let you spend! both binoculars, or scopes! Prepare for 88deg wx or
15 deg, sleet and rain.... it happens.....


Good luck to you, be safe, take lots of photos!

Sensibly correct.

I'll add that muzzle brakes suck. It will get you more ear shattering noise at the range than in the field where multiple shots will hopefully not be fired. If anyone is close to you and you have a brake, please, please warn them prior to firing off a round. Suppresors rule.

I'd have to try one with my 444 Marlin.

35 Whelen. 225 grain accubond or 225 grain partition for the win. Need to be a hand loader though as factory loads loaded hot enough are hard to find. Save your 30-06 brass and fire form it to the Whelen. Working up the loads is half the fun.

All that said though nothing wrong with your 30-06 - it will handily kill anything in North America. Good luck on your hunt. Depending on your hunt and shot distance i would be into a JM Marlin stamped guide gun with open sights in 45-70 loaded up with some Buffalo Bore - not a good idea if you are recoil sensitive - dislocated my pinky finger once when i was younger when that finger happened to be on the wrong side of the loop.

Don't have one but i like this idea too.

I have a goal to secure a Nilgai with the use of my open sight 45-70

My go to was always a 7mm mag, 7mm STW, or my favorite a 300 win mag with 208g A-Max bullets.

I think that is very achievable. Some ranches do have a minimum caliber requirement for Nilgai, but I would think a stout .45-70 load would absolutely do the trick. Only been on one Nilgai hunt and our shots were 60 and 120 yards, respectively. Well within .45-70 range.

Shot placement is more important than caliber. I've killed bulls with 30-06, .300 Wtby Magnum, .270 Win, and 7mm Reg Mag. I have even loaned my 6.5 Creedmoor to 2 buddies who used it to shoot nice bulls. But just last month, my buddy with a 300 RUM either made a poor shot or the bullet didn't perform. He hit a big 6x6 and we tracked blood for over 4 hours until we could no longer find any sign nor the bull. It wasn't a lot of blood, but he insists he saw the elk hit the ground. I'm of the belief that he hit high, possibly in the backstraps.

That would be devastating. Sorry that happened.

I have used magnums, 270's and my 30-06. Not one of the dead elk sniveled. If I were going elk hunting next year the 30-06 would be the rifle I would take.

I 100% agree with this post!! Awesome elk round and I also have 25+ elk under my belt for experience.