FNG, ready to start my quest for the elk, need some advice

[bigdyl]

Hey folks, I am scoping out an elk hunt next year in CO, and wanted to get some practical advice from some seasoned hunters.

I am a regular turkey hunter but not big on deer/big game, until I tried elk, and man, I want to fill my freezer.

Looking at what I need for a rifle, I have two choices:

FREE - girlfriends dad has a ruger .30-06 (I'm guessing not a great scope but haven't had a chance to get my hands on it), for what it's worth - he would let me shoot it as much as I want to get comfortable with it

NOT FREE - buy my own rifle, looking at the tikka t3x .30-06 or 300 win mag with a luepold VX-freedom 3x9 40, best price I can find totals at about $1000. Big benefit here is that it's mine and I can shoot it, learn it, make sweet love to it, etc.

Sounds like chance are high I will at least get an ethical shot on a cow, so I don't want to get all the way there just to have a rifle I am not confident in fail me.

Though I haven't been on an elk hunt yet I would assume it's something I will continue doing, so might be worth getting the extra year of practice with my own rifle for years down the road. At the same time the price point would pretty much bankrupt me for the next few months until it's time to start buying tags, few extra pieces of gear etc.

I know it's a weird question but any advice is appreciated!

 

[MT_Fin]

I like the not free option for the reasons you stated, plus if you are successful it is even more likely that you’ll continue on so may as well buy now and have your own gear. I think the set up you have in mind is great also.....Tikka's are great as is Leupold and the ‘06 will get it done on just about anything.
either way, good luck!

 

[Ben Long]

either will work fine but if you have the cash you may as well buy a good rifle. Personally, I think with modern loads a 30-06 is great and doesn't beat you up as bad as a 300 Mag. Frankly, I don't think you can lose.

 

[rwc101]

Free is nice, but I'll never talk someone out of buying a new gun.

 

[Ben Long]

Not to be negative, but another factor is your girlfriend. If she dumps you, are you out of the borrowed rifle? Hmm. Seems like another vote for buying your own. Why tempt fate?

 

[406LIFE]

If you know you'll be biggame hunting, get your own rifle and begin to personalize it and make it fit you and your style. If your just dabbling in biggame, borrow the free one for a season.

Personally, I shoot the 300WM. I have a muzzle real and recoil is very manageable.

 

[3855WIN]

Buy a rifle and go deer hunting now where you live. You need to get used to butchering game.

 

[wytex]

Get yourself a 300wsm .

 

[Ben Sellers]

I don’t like borrowing rifles. If you damage it, even if he’s good about it it may become a point of friction. Also, if you kill one (first elk or big game animal), you’ll want to have that rifle for sentimental reasons.

 

[ChrisAU]

Go to your local Academy and get a Savage Axis 30-06 for $300.

Practice with the cheap shi*ty scope that comes on it until Black Friday.

When Black Friday comes, order a SWFA fixed 6x off Samplelist for around $200-$225.

Then go forth and kill anything you want to in North America with boring accuracy, durability, and dependability.

Spend the rest of the money on boots and a pack.

 

[unclemoe]

I second chris, if tight on cash the axis is a very solid rifle and if you do buy an axis make sure to get the model with an accutrigger, later you can add a new stock to it for a few hundred and have that thing shooting sub MOA groups easy

 

[Western Traveler1]

Buy, you need one of your own ;-)
Shoot it, get comfortable with it, then go build memories with it in the years to come. I too shoot a 300WM with a break. Most everything I have killed with a rifle has been with that gun, antelope to moose and everything in between...so many memories with that gun...

 

[ntodwild]

I am all for new stuff but it's not necessary. Almost all of us started hunting on borrowed gear of some kind. Prepare yourself well as big game hunting is a far cry from turkey hunting or tree stand hunting whitetails. There was a resent post on this forum that summed up a new Elk hunter who chose Colorado for a first hunt. I will try and find it for you so you understand what you're in for.

 

[ntodwild]

Here is that post. Be aware that my goal is not to discourage you and I don't think the post is discouraging at all. It's motivational for a new hunter in my eyes and points out some very real points and things you will have to deal with. If you are serious about your quest these are things to consider. Prepare well. When you get to the link go all the way back to the original post and read it.

CO Kicked My A$$

This sounds like my backpacking trip this past summer - altitude whipped my ass and sent me out days earlier than anticipated. It was a real bummer and I can only imagine how I'd feel if I'd had the same experience on a hunt. Do you think acclimating a few days in advance would have helped? I'm...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[erahm]

I shoot a Savage 11/111 in .308 and a Christensen Arms Mesa in .300WM -- Both have Vortex Viper HSLR scopes on them. I practice regularly out to 500 yards and would feel comfortable shooting an animal at 400 yards. That being said that scope is $600 and you don't need it on your first rifle. I highly recommend .300WM but I live in Coloroado. A .30-06 is also a great all around caliber and if you live in an area where you could do a fair amount of whitetail hunting, you might be better served with a .30-06 more often. As Chris said, the Savage Axis package comes with a crappy Nikon scope on it but if you practice a bit with it, you'll find it's fairly capable. Just make sure to remember that it's 2nd focal plane and the hash marks are different ranges depending on what magnification you have it on. My advice is to pick up a Savage Axis or XP hunter package (slightly more expensive for slightly better equipment) and always shoot with the scope on max magnification (it's only a 9x scope). I shot my Savage this way for several years and was good out to 300 yards with it. Once you're comfortable with it, if you think it's something you want to continue doing, put a better scope on the rifle. I love my Christensen Arms but it's a $1300 rifle and I'm honestly just as accurate with my $600 savage.

 

[ismith]

Yep, spend $300 bucks on a rifle so you can afford the $500-$700 you'll need for a Kuiu outfit

 

[LaSportsman]

Did I miss where you live? Another vote to hunt where you are this year if deer tags come with the license. You can always shoot the borrowed rifle and buy soon.

If it's legal, skin and quarter the deer in the woods for practice.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I don’t like borrowing things, especially guns, and especially on long range trips.

A 30-06 is a great caliber, especially with good ammo. Don’t worry about the long range fad, but get comfortable shooting at practical hunting distances. Out west this will likely be up to 300 yards, but I killed my Colorado elk at 75 yards last year, and did so in the standing position. Practice in practical positions, and know your limitations for each position.

I’m not a fan of the Savage Axis personally, but I know several people who are. I own a Savage 10 and 116 (the 116 started life as an XP), as well as a Tikka T3. I like the “full-line” Savages. The Tikkas are great, as well. I don’t like muzzle brakes at all, as they are VERY loud

 

[bigdyl]

Appreciate the advice everyone - I live in KS so I could go hunt whitetails, I just personally am not really interested in that. I’m in this hunt for the meat and Elk camp experience, and will have some guys at camp who I’m sure will be happy to guide me through meat harvest. .30-06 is the more practical rifle for my area, but I doubt I will start hunting whitetails so maybe it isn’t the more practical rifle for me specifically.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Appreciate the advice everyone - I live in KS so I could go hunt whitetails, I just personally am not really interested in that. I’m in this hunt for the meat and Elk camp experience, and will have some guys at camp who I’m sure will be happy to guide me through meat harvest. .30-06 is the more practical rifle for my area, but I doubt I will start hunting whitetails so maybe it isn’t the more practical rifle for me specifically.

What did you decide on for a gun?