In the end yea they hurt but what goes on out front with make you a believer. I enjoy the fast stuff myself I'm a speed demon.... but for effectiveness downrange I've always thought the 35 calibers like the Whelen to be some of the most effective I've ever used. They seem to have the right blend of bullet weight and speed to really put some energy downrange. Once you cross over 3k lbs of muzzle energy with a relatively heavy bullet you start getting into some real power on target. They just hit hard and you don't have to worry with all this bullet blowing up or not expanding or getting a passthrough, etc. nonsense That's all out the window. The guns kick but my .358 which is another favorite of mine does not kick bad at all with a 200 grain anyone should be able to handle it I'm going to guess it has 20ft lbs of recoil which is about like a 30-06.

Elmer Keith said it best... "I like one-shot kills where possible and prefer to do all my hunting before I shoot."

#metoo

On armslist someone has a ruger american 30-06 listed for $250. That's a good deal on a good gun that would be great for an elk hunt.

It doesn't matter if you have a gun capable of shooting over 300 yards if you don't practice with it before you go.....

^^^^ This ^^^^. Pratice in a lot of different conditions also. Especially with the 45/70. I’ve shot mine out to 300 yards and it isn’t a big deal until the wind gets involved, 24’’ drift with a 10mph cross wind makes for a difficult shot(at least for me) It amazes me the amount of people who don’t practice their shooting. My BIL is the worst I’ve ever seen, he literally doesn’t touch his rifle until the week before season. He will shoot one 3 shot group and go hunt. Then he goes out and tries to shoot 400yds in a bean field. I don’t know that he has ever hit a deer outside of 100yds. Terrible shot!

My dad's the same way except he's missed one deer in almost 60 years and that one was a maybe

My pick is the .280 Ackley. It plain kills.

Stay away those Ackley or Rigby caliber designations, once you start using them you have to smoke a pipe and wear Orvis type clothing.

I have two Ackley improved cartridge guns, and I also have a 7X57, aka the 275 Rigby.

I wear Carhartt and dip Copenhagen.

Very good suggestion . 7mm with plenty of gitty up.

Its good to be eccentric but grounded.

Parker O.Ackley always made his Improved cartridges still be able to fire standard rounds. Once held a "stalking rifle for our Highlands" in .275 weighed 7lbs even and felt like a trout rod between the hands.