Best Caliber for Elk hunting

Choosing the perfect elk hunting rifle and caliber bullet is virtually impossible. There are countless websites, magazine articles, expert reviews, etc out there claiming what is the best rifle and caliber type. The fact remains that the best hunting rifle for elk will be the one that works best for you. Just because something works best for one hunter doesn't mean it will work the best for another. This guide is designed to teach you how to pick out the perfect rifle on your own, not tell you which one to buy.

There are several different things you want to consider when buying your rifle for elk hunting. This includes manufacturer, caliber, stock and power scope optics. After reading this guide you can shop for your elk hunting rifle, ammo and scope at Bass Pro Shop's Online Store. They have the largest selection of hunting equipment, including rifles, ammo and power scopes. By using our Bass Pro Shop's Online Store link you help support this website since we receive a small percent of the proceeds. You can start your research below on choosing the best elk hunting rifle for yourself.

Popular Rifle Calibers for Elk Hunting

When it comes to searching for the so called ...best elk hunting rifle caliber... you'll most likely find nothing more than arguments and counter arguments. This is the reason why this section is labeled popular rifle calibers and not the best caliber for elk. We've tried to provide both the pros and cons for each caliber type. We still recommend that if you're not comfortable with a choice after reading this guide that you do further research. Don't forget you can purchase ammo online for far less money than in a retail gun shop at Bass Pro Shop's Online Store.

Below is a list of the most popular rifle calibers for elk hunters. You can use this simple data to further your research on what might be the best hunting rifle for you. Don't forget, regardless what caliber you choose if you don't properly shoot an elk you'll never bring one down.

Bolt Actions vs. Semi-Automatic

When choosing the right elk hunting rifle you'll need to decide if you want a bolt action rifle or semi-automatic rifle. With the advances in modern technology the real choice between bolt and semi comes down to two things, the animal(s) you're hunting and your style of hunting. This section is really going to explain the benefits of each one and let you decide what is best. If you're able to test fire both a bolt action and semi-auto rifle prior to purchase you'll have a much better idea what's best for you.

Bolt action rifles are hands down the most dependable action types for a rifle. Bolt action rifles are also one of safest type of action types. No one can argue about the legendary accuracy of bolt action rifles. You can easily tell bolt action is the top accuracy action type since the majority of competition shooters in non-military conformation use bolt-action rifles. If you're looking for safety and accuracy you can't fail with a bolt action style rifle.

Semi-automatic rifles may seem like 2nd best to bolt action but they do have their advantages. When you're hunting elk you'll need a higher caliber round. With a higher caliber round you're going to have more powerful recoil and depending on your age, health and experience recoil can be a serious problem. The ability to take a faster 2nd and even 3rd shot with a semi-automatic rifle gives it yet another advantage of bolt action rifles.

More often than most big game hunters (elk hunters) are going to favor the bolt action rifle or the semi-automatic counterpart. Hunters will argue that the lower recoil affects and the fact that a trained hunter can reload and fire fast enough is testament on the superiority of bolt action over semi-automatic. At the end of the day it's going to be what works best for you in the situation(s) you'll be hunting in. You can shop of elk hunting rifles at Bass Pro Shop's Online Store.

Choosing the Right Scope

Choosing the right scope for your elk hunting rifle can be a very daunting task. Hunters tend to get a little carried away with the magnification, especially when they are hunting a big game animal like elk. You'll be better offer with quality over magnification when picking out the right scope for your elk hunting rifle. You will also want to take into consideration how far you'll actually be taking a shot. There is no point in getting a scope that goes beyond your effective shooting range. Ideally a 2-7x quality scope or 2.5-8x quality scope will be sufficient for the average elk hunter. If you want a fixed scope you'll have to decide between the 4x and the 6x.

Where to Buy my Rifle

Most hunters don't realize that you can actually shop and purchase a rifle online. You'll just need to have it shipped to a local gun shop with the proper FFL license. One of the best places to buy an elk hunting rifle online is Bass Pro Shop's Online Store. They are one of the largest and most respected hunting retail outlets in North America. Unlike small mom and pop gun shops you won't have to worry about getting a warranty honored, pricing issues, customer service, etc. We recommend that all elk hunters visit the Bass Pro Shop's Online Store to find the right rifle for their next elk hunt.