So, I've got this rifle...

[JMelby]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to elk hunting (quite new to hunting in general) but I've got a few questions maybe someone could help me out with.

For starters, I'll save the sob story, but I have recently acquired my grandfather's rifle back from the guy who purchased it off of his estate sale. It is one he had custom built for elk hunting, but was never able to put one on the ground before he passed. It's an Interarms Mark X he had rechambeded to 8x68s. So my first question has to do with reloading. What would be a good starter reloading setup? I found his load data on an old box of brass I got with the rifle and I got a set of dies.

My next question is about planning the hunt. I've been doing as much research as I can about the unit I believe he hunted in (unit 89 or 90 in Wyoming) both are general tags and I've already got 1 preference point on the books so drawing next year or the year after shouldnt be a problem. So my question is, since I'll be going solo, as a novice, would it be a waste to go with an outfitted hunt? Or should I chance it and do a DIY (which is my first choice if I had to pick) I still have to buy a lot of gear to get a camp setup, but it's doable in a couple years.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, but if I think of anything else I'll post it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Interesting questions. For a cheaper reloading startup maybe take a look at a Lee reloading setup. If you really plan on getting into reloading its hard to beat an rcbs setup. Use hornady one shot for your lube and get some weights so you can calibrate your scales.

As far as the hunt, I've got no insight in elk or that area. I will defer to those more suited to answer. However, just for a thought, is there a friend or aquaintence with some gear and experience to go with? This would be a happy medium between a guide and a solo hunt.

 

[nrpate05]

I don't know anything about reloading and not much about the area, although the fishing along the Grey's river out of Alpine is unreal! The only thing I can say is that the area is really rugged. Get in shape and be prepared to work hard. I've hunted the units around Jackson (85, 84, 80, 82) and have always found elk, but its certainly no gimme especially post-rut. If you are leaning towards DIY, be aware that nonresidents can't hunt wilderness without a guide or without being accompanied by a resident. I think the units you're talking about are mostly National Forest, however. A good thing about going guided is that you'll certainly learn a lot from folks with years of experience.

 

[Sawtooth]

Cabela's has the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit on sale right now for $245 after sale price and mail in rebate of $25. That is a great kit for a great price. With the dies you already have you would be all set after buying bullets, powder, and primers. I can't help you with Wyoming hunt zones as I am not familar with that area.

 

[JLS]

Agreed on the Rock Chucker. Great kit. Mine has served me well for a lot of years. The 8x68 sounds like it would be a fun one to load for.

As to outfitted or not, a lot of that depends on you. Personally, I'd rather go by myself and learn along the way than pay an outfitter.

 

[belly-deep]

The Lee kits are great. A few items may need to be upgraded. I bought one as a "starter" 15 years ago and never "upgraded" to a "better" press. I did buy an RCBS scale, though. I've loaded thousands of rounds with that press.

As far as the hunt goes, if want to learn to hunt elk (meaning you'll go back several times over the next decade + on multiple elk hunts) then buy the gear and start out DIY. There WILL be a steep learning curve at the start.

If you want to shoot an elk and move on with things, then go guided. Much better odds of getting one on the ground the first time out.

No shame in guided hunts, IMO. The DIY crew frowns on them. I did my first guided hunt this fall for geese in Canada. Could I have done it myself? Yeah, but that would have required acquiring several thousand dollars in decoys, hours of calling and practice hunts down here in the states, and an extra week of work off to scout locations and obtain landowner permission. Not really worth it for a guy who doesn't necessarily need to kill a pile of geese every fall. I'll probably do a guided hunt every 3-5 years and call it good.

 

[VikingsGuy]

FWIW - I bought piece by piece with a fair amount of guidance from these Gary Zinn articles (www.chuckhawks.com/reloading_essentials.html AND http://www.chuckhawks.com/reloading_..._refining.html). It worked out fairly well in my opinion.

 

[Jwill]

I've never stepped foot in those units, but a quick look on the WGFD website shows them almost entirely national forest with no wilderness, though they look petty remote/away from towns. I suggest finding a buddy and draw cow tags just to get your feet wet elk hunting and to learn the lay of the land. You'll enjoy the hunt proportional to how well you get in shape. Very doable diy, but as others said if its a one time deal going guided isn't a bad idea.

 

[Ben Lamb]

The 8x68s can produce a 220 grain bullet at 2900 fps. My 338 Win Mag is 2950 fps with a 225 grain bullet.

I'd third the rock chucker kit, get the dies, some bullets in the 180-220 class range, some RL 17, RL 19, H4350 & maybe some RL 15 and go play with load development. That's a sweet catridge.

 

[MThuntr]

The 8x68s can produce a 220 grain bullet at 2900 fps. My 338 Win Mag is 2950 fps with a 225 grain bullet.

I'd third the rock chucker kit, get the dies, some bullets in the 180-220 class range, some RL 17, RL 19, H4350 & maybe some RL 15 and go play with load development. That's a sweet catridge.

damn that's a beast...funny the 8mm never caught on here in the US.

JMelby you'll have to share some pictures of that rifle.

 

[CUElk]

congrats on getting the rifle back. pm sent

 

[JMelby]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone, I do intend on hunting elk more than just this once, but I will probably end up going to Colorado or Idaho for the OTC tags. This Wyoming hunt is something very special to me, I have always felt the need to fulfill the intended purpose of this rifle since I started hearing the stories about grandpa and elk camp somewhere near Star Valley Ranch. Unfortunately all I got were stories about him. He passed when I was a month old. But for some reason he was the one who pushed me to the outdoors.

Nobody in my family hunts. I only have a few friends who hunt whitetail, so finding someone to go with me is not looking to hot. Most guys around here just want to sit in a blind with their snacks, and there is nothing wrong with that, just not my style.

Since I started looking at reloading stuff, I've always liked RCBS, and I have no idea why. So I will probably start piecing a setup together from them.

Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures this afternoon before I take off for work, if not you'll have to wait until tomorrow!

 

[JMelby]

Well there she is. I also took a picture of one of the factory RWS 200gr EVOS next to a 140gr SST for my 270win to show size difference. The reason I want to start reloading is the one box of 20 rounds from RWS cost me $96+shipping. I found a shop in NH that imports them from Germany but you pay a premium to shoot them.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Beautiful gun, I was wondering what it looked like. Thats no slouch of a cartridge there. What bore size is .8mm in inches, .325 ?

 

[bobbydean]

OP. I appreciate that you are honoring your grandfathers heritage. Would be a fun gun. And expensive. Reloading is the way to go.

 

[JMelby]

Thanks for all the advice everyone, it really means a lot to a newbie like me

 

[LopeHunter]

I grew up hunting small game and then each fall would hunt whitetails as the only big game in the Midwest. Getting up the learning curve for elk, mule deer, coues deer and pronghorn took a while.

Elk was the toughest learning curve for me. Elk also is considerable work after the shot as is 2 to 3x the size of a whitetail. Another consideration is the amount of gear needed if are hunting away from the trailhead or road. Packing out several loads of meat with a pack that is not up for the job is miserable and can be dangerous. If warm out, might be difficult to get the meat packed out in time. If are not able to find a mentor for one of the OTC hunts then I suggest looking into going with a guide on your first elk hunt so can accelerate the learning curve trajectory.

 

[elkduds]

Congratulations on an excellent and underappreciated rifle. The Mark X is a commercial version of the Mauser 98 action, built in Czechoslovakia (Whitworth versions assembled in Manchester, England). The action is strong and smooth, often used as the basis for custom builds. My Mark X in7 Rem mag came from a pawn shop, w a bare wood stock. It looks a lot like yours. Over the decades it has gained a Timney trigger and glass bedding. Every time I considered replacing it, it would account for another elk, or the replacement I was considering didn't compare w my Mark X.

When you hunt w yours, on your Grandfather's hunting ground, that will be beyond special. Best of luck.



Here is mine, last week in CO.

 

[Dinkshooter]

That is a cool looking cartridge, it screams elk medicine

 

[jtm307]

My first 2 seasons of elk hunting were guided. It was fun but I really didn't learn that much. The next season I hunted with seasoned hunters DIY and occasionally solo. DIY with someone more experienced is the best way to learn IMO. Try to find someone to go with, even if you don't have a tag the first time. Make some friends on hunt talk if you don't know any elk hunters already. Hunting with someone is just as fun as hunting yourself. Look into some cow hunts in SE WY. They're a great way to learn elk hunting while waiting to draw the unit you want.