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Suggestions on an AR for elk hunting wanted
11/1/2009 9:54:45 AM
So just got back from elk hunting (public land in eastern oregon) yesterday and in the past 4 years since i've started going elk hunting I'm still looking to shoot my first one.
Saw cows just about every day but could never find anything I could shoot (our group had branch bull tags)...other then what looked like a 4x4 but I was never able to get closer then about 600yds and I don't feel comfortable taking a shot that far out. Regardless lots of good fun and our group of 10 guys did get 2 bulls so I'll get a share of the meat.
Anyway for the past 4 years i've been using my uncle's old beat up M77 in .30-06...getting tired of using someone else's gun and am wanting to piece together an AR over the course of the next year like I just got done doing with my first AR15 (built with the goal of making a quality "fighting rifle" in mind). I was considering a bolt action but I had a lot of fun with the AR15 and enjoy the platform so I'm initially going to look into staying with it for an elk gun.
Haven't done much reading yet into the big game worthy calibers and just looking for some suggestions on what to look into given the below information. I figure once i settle on a caliber i can fine tune my research as far as brands of rifle components and such.
The terrain we hunt in is a mixture of older growth forest and bald ridges similar to this picture that usually make me curse the elk under my breath hiking up and down them while my ankles and lungs beg for mercy
For distance, personally I think 400yds is about my upper limit on distance of where I'd feel ok about taking a shot. We found ourselves getting about 250yds or so to the cows that we found. Last year we got 150yds to a herd including a nice branch bull but we only had spike tags that year. Ballistics-wise I think the 100-300yd range is what i'm mainly needing.
Also wanting something that I'd want (and can afford) to shoot throughout the year.....love taking out my AR15 a couple weekends a month and would hopefully like to do the same with this gun. I don't want it to be a similar situation to my cousin who has a .300wby mag that he only shoots once a year (like 10 rounds to sight the thing in before elk season)...if I'm going to put money into this thing I want to be able to shoot it often.
Like i said before I haven't started researching yet into this subject but I'd obviously like it if I could find something where i would just need an upper and I could use my ar15 lower but I'm not sure if for elk I'd need to get an AR10 lower.
Anyway, any suggestions are much appreciated, thanks.
Saw cows just about every day but could never find anything I could shoot (our group had branch bull tags)...other then what looked like a 4x4 but I was never able to get closer then about 600yds and I don't feel comfortable taking a shot that far out. Regardless lots of good fun and our group of 10 guys did get 2 bulls so I'll get a share of the meat.
Anyway for the past 4 years i've been using my uncle's old beat up M77 in .30-06...getting tired of using someone else's gun and am wanting to piece together an AR over the course of the next year like I just got done doing with my first AR15 (built with the goal of making a quality "fighting rifle" in mind). I was considering a bolt action but I had a lot of fun with the AR15 and enjoy the platform so I'm initially going to look into staying with it for an elk gun.
Haven't done much reading yet into the big game worthy calibers and just looking for some suggestions on what to look into given the below information. I figure once i settle on a caliber i can fine tune my research as far as brands of rifle components and such.
The terrain we hunt in is a mixture of older growth forest and bald ridges similar to this picture that usually make me curse the elk under my breath hiking up and down them while my ankles and lungs beg for mercy
For distance, personally I think 400yds is about my upper limit on distance of where I'd feel ok about taking a shot. We found ourselves getting about 250yds or so to the cows that we found. Last year we got 150yds to a herd including a nice branch bull but we only had spike tags that year. Ballistics-wise I think the 100-300yd range is what i'm mainly needing.
Also wanting something that I'd want (and can afford) to shoot throughout the year.....love taking out my AR15 a couple weekends a month and would hopefully like to do the same with this gun. I don't want it to be a similar situation to my cousin who has a .300wby mag that he only shoots once a year (like 10 rounds to sight the thing in before elk season)...if I'm going to put money into this thing I want to be able to shoot it often.
Like i said before I haven't started researching yet into this subject but I'd obviously like it if I could find something where i would just need an upper and I could use my ar15 lower but I'm not sure if for elk I'd need to get an AR10 lower.
Anyway, any suggestions are much appreciated, thanks.
11/1/2009 10:30:51 AM
AR10 or DPMS 308 at least.
11/1/2009 10:32:43 AM
Originally Posted By bobweaver:
AR10 or DPMS 308 at least.
AR10 or DPMS 308 at least.
Agreed.
The AR platform even the larger platform may not be big enough.
It would seem that a lighter gun in a bigger caliber would be best.
11/1/2009 10:42:48 AM
I built an AR10 in a .338 Federal just for what you are wanting to do. I am Heading out Elk Hunting with it planning to use Federal 200 Gn Fusion which still pack 1500 Ft/Lbs of energy at 500 Yds.
11/1/2009 11:57:56 AM
Originally Posted By mraiken:
I built an AR10 in a .338 Federal just for what you are wanting to do. I am Heading out Elk Hunting with it planning to use Federal 200 Gn Fusion which still pack 1500 Ft/Lbs of energy at 500 Yds.
I built an AR10 in a .338 Federal just for what you are wanting to do. I am Heading out Elk Hunting with it planning to use Federal 200 Gn Fusion which still pack 1500 Ft/Lbs of energy at 500 Yds.
How's the recoil with the .338?
If you don't mind I'd love to know the specs on the gun you built and about what it all cost you.
Also how much is "cheap" .338 ammo (the stuff one would use to punch paper at distance....i'd use premium stuff when hunting).
11/2/2009 1:34:11 AM
Mark LaRue used a 6.5 Grendel to drop a nice bull elk. IIRC, the 120 grain Barnes TSX completely penetrated through the bull at 400 yards, and dropped him where he stood. The Grendel pretty much duplicates the original 6.5x55 Swede ballistics, and there's not too many flies on the old Swede... Why hump all the extra weight of the AR10 platform up and down the hills?
11/8/2009 10:10:07 AM
Unless you go the 6.5/6.8/.450 BM you will need a AR10 type lower, I'm sure any of those,esp. the .450 class, will kill an elk within their range limitations. Thing is , looking at the area you hunt in shots tend to be far more than near. Once you shoot at the elk, if you don't drop them with a solid shot, they are not going to run toward you. So if your first shot at 250 yds is a hit in the vitals or stomach and you don't hit the shoulder or spine, you are going to be looking at the range rapidly increasing between you and the elk. I would want the most powerful gun I SHOOT WELL when trying to stop an animal I wounded. The .308 I hunt with is the rifle shoot more than any others in my safe(ok, i burn up way more 5.56), but I do get to put about 500-750 rds per year downrange in the 308. Prolly only 60-80 thru my 300 ruger. I can shoot the ruger well, but I have way more confidence in my DPMS. I'm lucky to have a place with steel hanging from 100 to 500 yds up the mt., so I get lots of practice. You can find factory FMJ 308 for well under 15.00 a box. The 6.5/6.8/450 types will be about 30.00.
Get a .308 with a mid to light wt. bbl. and you won't be sorry
ETA: 308 results
Get a .308 with a mid to light wt. bbl. and you won't be sorry
ETA: 308 results
11/8/2009 10:22:30 AM
Originally Posted By StrikeAnywhere:
How's the recoil with the .338?
If you don't mind I'd love to know the specs on the gun you built and about what it all cost you.
Also how much is "cheap" .338 ammo (the stuff one would use to punch paper at distance....i'd use premium stuff when hunting).
Originally Posted By mraiken:
I built an AR10 in a .338 Federal just for what you are wanting to do. I am Heading out Elk Hunting with it planning to use Federal 200 Gn Fusion which still pack 1500 Ft/Lbs of energy at 500 Yds.
I built an AR10 in a .338 Federal just for what you are wanting to do. I am Heading out Elk Hunting with it planning to use Federal 200 Gn Fusion which still pack 1500 Ft/Lbs of energy at 500 Yds.
How's the recoil with the .338?
If you don't mind I'd love to know the specs on the gun you built and about what it all cost you.
Also how much is "cheap" .338 ammo (the stuff one would use to punch paper at distance....i'd use premium stuff when hunting).
I just looked at the ammo specs/prices....it looks pretty good 180 gr accubond 2800 fps at the muzzle( I bet thats with a long 24" bbl)
ammo prices are 28.00 to 48.00........about twice the price of 308 and probably a little hard to find
11/8/2009 11:07:38 AM
I'll throw a vote in for an AR10 as well. Ammo for .308 is still easy to find, and much cheaper than specialty rounds. Get one on a 16 or 18 inch version and you'll be a happy camper.
