Anyone have any practical experience elk hunting with either 375JDJ or 338JDJ???

I would also consider the 500 S&W, but would be a little concerned with 150-200 yard shots.

I have killed elk with a rifle and tons of deer with a pistol...now it's time to kill an elk with a pistol.

Thoughts???

Welcome to the forum Roger!
Either of the JDJ calibers would work fine. The 50 S&W would also work fine out to 200yds in an Encore. Hunted with a friend that dropped a black bear at about that with one. I had a 15" Encore in 450 Marlin that would have been great on elk at 200yds.
Good luck with the handgun.

...four bull elk kills and one cow elk with the .375 JDJ and 270 grain Hornady bullet.




Great combination.

Welcome to HHM Roger308.

I loaned my .338JDJ#2 barrel to a friend to use for elk. He had me load a 225gr Northfork Tech bonded bullet....this was about seven years ago and they were pricey back then!! Anyhooo...he dumped a 5x4 bull at 70yds with a one shot kill and complete penetration.

I know the 500 will do it. I hit a spike last year with the revolver. 440gr at 40y with a pass threw shot that broke both shoulders. He only made it to the ground

When the 375 Jdj was thought up it killed 19 elephants in the first couple of years which means it should be ok for elk. Atleast I hope so because I bought one to hunt Elk with in Colorado.

Don't overlook the 35-06JDJ. It will dump a elk at over 300yds and shoots flatter than the .375. I took an elk this year in Utah at 175yds. 225 partitions with a complete pass threw.
This is a one gun do all caliber. I've taken animals from duiker to eland with this round.

I've used the 338/284 on several elk, the 185 gr Barnes X bullet works great. I also used the same caliber in Africa with great success.



Dick

The .375 JDJ with 270 Horn. spire point, the .338 No. 2 with 200 Horn, 225 Horn, or 250 Nos Part. will all work. I've used the .475L from a FA revolver with 400 Horn XTP's on bull elk, so yes, the .500 S&W will also work.

Hunlee was thinkin thats the 444 or 45-70 wood be ok aswell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hunlee

35 Whelen AI puts a 225gr SP down range at 2550 fps. This ones going on the next high country bear hunt and Im sure its a good 300 yd elk cartridge as well. Very similar to 35 06JDJ

Maybe I missed something but I think the post was started with the CONTENDER frame in mind, (.375 and .338 JDJ) and the mentioning of 35/06 JDJ and 338/284 JDJ are moot points since they are I believe Encore based calibers. , I think the .35 Whelen is the saem as a 35/06 JDJ and is also an Encore cartridge.

Just trying to stick tom the subject.

Wow... Great feedback gang! I appreciate it!

how fast do those 338jdj #2 bullets go?

Thanks...what kind of velocity out of the 35-06?

Looks like this forum will cause me to try several different encor bbl set-ups! What could be more fun?

Ok so now you ARE talking "Encores Included" and the original post was misleading...

If you want to go Encore big bore Elk go with the .375/06 JDJ and NEVER LOOK BACK.

I have shot one as a friend owns it and it is one great cartridge for ANYTING that walks, and "flat" enough too. While on an elk hunt with him I witnessed his shot and it absolutely flattened a 5X5 raghorn bull elk .

Roger308: "Thanks...what kind of velocity out of the 35-06?"

Got to the hoerses mouth: http://www.sskindustries.com/cartridges.htm

Thanks runngun!

I just took a look at the ssk website. I do like what they say about the 375-06 JDJ!

I assume accuracy is on par with the original 375JDJ...

I'm going to give them a call tomorrow. Thanks again for the feedback, I really do appreciate it!

Roger308

I have a 15" .375-06 JDJ barrel. It would get my vote. If I want to kill something it is my go to gun. It pushes 270g TSX's at 2450.

Recoil

Speaking of recoile, Recoil...is this one abusive?

Some might call it abusive but I certainly would not. I would not recommend it for a first handgun experience that's for sure. With the tamer it really is not bad at all. At least you do not have to worry about it decorating your forehead. I do not happen to find recoil offensive which is witnessed by the fact that I consider a .44 mag to be unimpressive. I do not really enjoy shooting the pea shooters very much. Everyone has a different perception of recoil.

Recoil

The 35-06 will give you a little over 2600fps out of a 15" barrel.

That's with a 225 gr bullet

Would a 7mm 08 be an OK elk round?
Basically equal to a 308win.

Just my .02... but... I would say go with an 30-06 parent case instead of a 308 parent case.

If you place your shot and use a well constructed bullet, the 7mm-08 will be fine for elk. Just keep your shots at a reasonable distance so the bullet can do its job. Nosler Partitions would be my first choice.

Roger 308,
The .338 JDJ No.2 will run a 200 gr. Horn. spire pt. @ 2300 fps at safe pressures out of a 14" Contender.

If you base it on the bullet weight/impact velocity/energy numbers that you can expect from a 14 to 15 inch barrel you will see it meets the minimum that most agree are adequate for elk, and does so at quite some distance out.

I like bigger bullets for bigger critters too, so would also look at the 338 Fed up to 35 Whelen depending on expected range. The 356/358 Win are greatly under-apreciated.

The 35 Whelen AI or the 375-06JDJ would be top on my list!!

I'd shoot an elk with my 7-30 Waters and wouldn't feel undergunned so I think your 7-08 would be fine.
If you're shooting your 375JDJ good you can use that.
My choice would be whatever you're deadly with!!

"I'd shoot an elk with my 7-30 Waters and wouldn't feel undergunned"

?? What WOULD you feel "undergunned" with? Have you ever killed an elk?

Just curious. Of course you can kill an elk with a .22 but that is not the point. IMHO

Revolver Rounds - 445 Supermag, 454, 460 S&W, 475, 500 S&W and similar.

Single Shot Rounds - 338 Federal, 358 Win., 375 Win., 375 JDJ and similar.

In each of these rounds I would use heavy for caliber bullet weights.

As always shot placement is the key. If you feel confident that you can get a lesser caliber right where it needs to be so be it. I know that in hunting situations that can at times be difficult to accomplish. For me I'll use as much caliber as I can handle proficiently when hunting big critters such as elk. I went after one a few years back that had been shot by a fellow in error. It seems as though he lost track of the one he had originally shot in a group and ended up shooting a second one. My son and I tracked it for quite some time in the snow before catching up to it and dispatching it with my .300 Weatherby. How far that elk got with as much as it was damaged actually brought a tear to my eye. I felt so bad for that elk. I do digress. My point being I always go with as much firepower as possible rather than thinking what caliber will do the job if the shot is right. Bigger is better for me when an animal's life is on the line.

Recoil

My last elk I killed with my #50 recurve...yes, I've killed elk before. My very first elk was with a 30-06 rile @ 50yds, I definately didn't need to carry that heavy rifle all over the woods for a close shot like that.
I feel shot placement is key!!!!
I wouldn't shoot one @ 300yds with the Waters but I would @ 100yds. Closest I've ever been to an elk...I could reach out and touch her with my bow, too bad she was looking straight at me.
My last kill with my Waters was an Antelope doe @350yds. I haven't killed anything with my 308 or my 6.5x284 pistols yet.
I started pistol hunting because I enjoy the stalk of bowhunting and pistol hunting just kinda went right with that...I haven't rifle hunted in years.
To each is own but I like having a challenge and hunting will be fun for me or I won't do it.
I've done plenty of killing in my younger years and I just don't enjoy that anymmore.

Hoo Yaa Recoil

I just finished my loading data for my 8mm GNR for big game. I am currently working on the 375 H&H AI!

You have both made good points. Sometimes it is easy to forget that the users on this forum can't or don't know our meaning behind what we type. (Or our experiences in the field!) Lord knows I have put my foot in my mouth a time or two on this sight. LOL

On another note, Mr. Ernie has taken elk ethically at some impressive distances. (And I do mean ethically!!) But shooing "his" rig, I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting half of his capabilities. In short, to each his own.

338-06 JDJ
225 grain bullet velocity 2643 fps
About the same velocity as the 35-06 JDJ & 375-06 JDJ with a higher BC bullet.

In my home state your legal to hunt elk with any centerfire round 24 cal. and up that makes 500lbs or more at 100 yards. This seems light to me but those that wrote the book are older and seen more than I have. So hunt with what you love not what someone else dose. Its your hunt, Treasure it cause you only get so many

QUOTE: "...This seems light to me but those that wrote the book are older and seen more than I have. So hunt with what you love not what someone else dose. Its your hunt, Treasure it cause you only get so many..."

Good thought for prose...however:

If you think "the law" has the common sense figured out for humane and ethical hunting calibers for hunting big game, think again.

Be smarter than "the law" and WITHIN THE LAW use the gun and caliber that with YOUR skill level and PERSONAL DISCIPLINE parameters serves the animal you are hunting with the best and most humane death that you can deal it.

If you feel that I am in error here, please come with me to some of the State DNR meetings and help get some of the hunting laws changed.

It will be a real eye opener for most of you.

Respectfully,

Gregg Richter

Of course Gregg is absolutely right about the game regulations.....& the regulators! Here in Idaho its legal to use any centerfire on big game, talk about outdated! Now I know someone will instantly speak up & say deer, elk & bear have been taken with a 22 rimfire, I had a guy tell me once on another forum that Elephant had been taken with a 22 rimfire, my goodness, where does some of this stuff stop.
Common sense seems to be a dying trait & when it comes to hunting much of what we read can be classified as a "stunt". Guys are using 32 magnums, 38 specials, etc to take deer, just so they can tell us it can be done! %$#+@, we know it can be done, is it etnical....or senseable?
Rant over! A 7/30 Waters with correct bullets & correct shot placement is adequate on elk, its probably near the bottom but if shots are 100 yds or so it will work fine. 30/30's at woods distance have taken many, many elk.
One more small rant, someone said they went to handgun hunting because it more resembles bowhunting, then states they shot an antelope at 350 yds with their handgun, Hmmm!
I'm off to chase some cottontails with my new 8 shot Ruger 327.

Dick