Deer hunting is very popular, but pursuing the largest ungulate species in North America carries a unique allure. Chasing elk, moose, and caribou is a brand of adventure all of its own. The challenges are greater, but so are the rewards, with harvests promising hundreds of pounds of quality meat. Part of the challenge is the preparation, and part of the preparation is selecting the right cartridge. We have 3 options for the best cartridges for large game.
Requirements
The perfect large game cartridges need to perform well in a number of areas. First of all, they need be powerful enough to consistently kill large. big-bodied game. Next they need a good trajectory which will make it easier to hit game at distance and buck the wind. Finally, they need to have manageable recoil so that the average shooter can make a quality shot without flinching.
Power
First of all, the cartridge needs to be powerful enough to kill game. As covered in our article on killing power, there is a method called the Killing Power Score which allows us to compare cartridges. As a brief recap, the KPS of a cartridge combines metrics measuring energy, penetration, and the size of the hole to give a score for how powerful a cartridge is. We will use KPS to analyze power in this analysis. Our minimum KPS will be 40, which we used as our maximum in our article on the best deer cartridges. We will provide a maximum KPS of 75, as cartridges with a KPS over may be better suited for dangerous game.
Trajectory
There are two main considerations that effect the trajectory of a cartridge. The first, and in most cases the most important, is the velocity. This is easily measured in feet per second and estimates can be found on boxes of ammunition or in reloading manuals. The second is the ballistic coefficient which measures how aerodynamic a bullet is. The BC measures how easily a bullet is affected by wind, while the velocity predicts time in flight.In a roundabout way time in flight measures how long gravity and the wind will have to act on the projectile. We have included the velocity and the BC as inputs in our shootability score, which tells us how easy it is to hit things with a specific cartridge.
Recoil
Thirdly, the last factor effecting a shot is recoil. Other factors held constant, most people shoot lighter recoiling cartridges better than heavier recoiling counterparts. Fortunately, using basic physics we can calculate the recoil as long as we know the weight of the rifle, the weight of the bullet, and the weight of the powder charge. Because some cartridges are more efficient than others, they can throw identical bullets identical speeds using less powder, which equals less recoil for the same performance. A good example of this is the 300 WSM is a ballistic twin of the 300 WM but recoils less.
Results
Number 3:
308 Winchester
Coming in in the number three spot is the 308 Winchester. Invented in the 1950’s by shortening the 30-06, the 308 Winchester provides slightly lower ballistics than the 30-06 with significantly less recoil. While a relatively slower velocity cartridge with heavier bullets, the 308 still packs enough punch to put down an elk or a moose at ethical ranges.
Another benefit of the 308 Winchester is its availability. The 308 is of the most popular hunting cartridges on the market. Furthermore, cheap military FMJ ammunition is available for practice, making the 308 affordable and easy to find. An excellent short action cartridge, the 308 Winchester is very deserving of making our list.
Number 2:
6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge
Our silver medallist is a new kid on the block. Introduced by Hornady in 2018, the 6.5 PRC is made to throw the same heavy for caliber bullets as the 6.5 Creedmoor, but do it around 250 fps quicker. This extra velocity helps give the cartridge enough punch to tackle the bigger critters. Of note, the 6.5 PRC only just barely meets our minimum power threshold of a KPS of 40, scoring 40.18. For comparison, this is almost an identical power as the popular 270 Winchester.
The big advantage of going with the 6.5 PRC is the relatively low recoil. At 17 ft-lbs of recoil energy, the PRC is the lightest recoiling cartridge that still had enough power to make the cut for class 3 sized game. Only time will tell how ammo availability will be long term for this cartridge.
Number 1:
300 Winchester Short Magnum
The 300 WSM is our top elk, moose, and caribou cartridge. Hitting just as hard as the 300 Winchester Magnum but with less recoil, the 300 WSM is more than capable of dropping big game. Not only that, the 300 WSM fits in a short action rifle. This allows hunters backpacking deep into the backcountry to get the lightest rifle possible without sacrificing performance.
While an all around fantastic elk and moose cartridge, if you’re a recoil shy shooter, perhaps look at some of the other options on the list, as the 300 WSM still has a significant level of recoil at 27 ft-lbs.
Wildcard
While I don’t typically include a wild card pick, I feel it is relevant given the nature of the game. Elk, Moose, and Caribou often cohabit with grizzly bears. Because of the challenges of packing out such large animals, hunters must spend hours in bear country with dead meat. Understandably, many hunters may want a cartridge that is also capable of reliably putting down a grizzly bear if neccesary. If we remove our maximum KPS of 75, that gives us some suitable options for North America’s dangerous game. From these cartridges, one stands apart as a northern big game cartridge.
338 Winchester Magnum
Introduced in 1958, the 338 WM has long been a staple in Alaska and Northern British Columbia. The 338 WM generates over 4000 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle with trajectories very similar to a 30-06. A favorite of moose and grizzly guides, the cartridge is an old standby when the situation calls for big medicine. With a KPS of 89 it has plenty of juice to stop anything on the continent.
Closing Thoughts
There are many different cartridges out there with a variety of advantages and weaknesses. Hopefully this helps to give a prospective elk hunters of which cartridges are ideal for the pursuit of some of the largest game in North America. Selecting any of the cartridges listed above and you can be sure that when the opportunity presents itself, you will be ready to capitalize on the hunt of a lifetime.