What to do, what to do???

[GunnyJohn]

I'm really wanting to get my elk this year with my 45-70. But so far I haven't been able to get close enough. (within 150 yds) as the season gets nearer an end, I've been considering my old fall back, 35 Whelen for a possible 250 to 300 yard shot with j-words. I've started developing a good cast load for my 35, but am not that comfortable with it yet. Well I'll go back out tommorrow. Wish me and my 45 good luck. Good luck to all still in pursuit.

[Garyshome]

Good luck! Think positive.

[jmort]

No reason not to use the j-bullet until you develop an alternative. This is supposed to be fun.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

GunnyJohn,

One possible help - FOR FUTURE HUNTS - would be with a different scope.

I put a Leupold 2X7 CDS (Custom Dial System) scope on my RUGER 45/70 because I took the 2X7 that was on there to put on a new RUGER American "06".

While I was looking for a scope for the "06", decided to give this scope a try and swapped scopes.

I am shooting a 465gr WFN cast at 1650fps, and the scope "should" allow me to be dead on out to about 275yds with the adjustment dial.

Of course a laser is good to help with range, but my dear wife bought me one a few years back.

Anyway, This might be a help to extend your range a slight bit.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Jupiter7]

Whatever gets food on the table! Best of luck!

[starmac]

^^^^ what he said, the elk don't care.

[waco]

Good luck my fellow Oregonian!

[300savage]

either way there should be no mental dilemma.
these are the fun times, you win in the field just by being there.
now i must ask a few questions if i might. first is how important is getting an elk to you ? do you need the meat? have you taken an elk before ?

there is an old saying amongst trophy hunters that is quite true and it is that if you are not willing to come home empty handed you will not get the really big ones.
wanting to take your elk with cast in a rifle is a bit of the same for you are handicapping yourself for an ideal.
cast bullets are not a superior tool for elk hunting in a rifle,, in a pistol they are , in a rifle no matter what anyone says a jacketed bullet has an advantage for elk.
unless of course you are in timber and shots are close. at 150 and under it gets no better than a big, fat, heavy chunk of lead at medium speeds.
but elk are where you find them, and often they just dont want to play that way.
so, how important is it that you satisfy that craving to take one while handicapped? just so you can say you did ? enough to come home empty ? if so i applaud your commitment just as much if not more for sticking to your plan come what may.
if you need to make meat to help feed your family this winter you should have put that punkin chunker down already and used your best tool for the job.

either way congratulations, you are experiancing a very sweet dilemma.
you could be like me hanging around the ranch nursing a broken pelvis having to satisfy myself with ambushing the occassional stinking hog that is dumb enough to let me get a shot.
although there are a couple coyotes in the last few days that will never grow any smarter around these parts.

[Digital Dan]

I'm really wanting to get my elk this year with my 45-70. But so far I haven't been able to get close enough. (within 150 yds) as the season gets nearer an end, I've been considering my old fall back, 35 Whelen for a possible 250 to 300 yard shot with j-words. I've started developing a good cast load for my 35, but am not that comfortable with it yet. Well I'll go back out tommorrow. Wish me and my 45 good luck. Good luck to all still in pursuit.

Why are you limiting your .45-70 to 150 yards?

[GunnyJohn]

My 45-70 is a one of a kind custom built for me by a friend. It has iron sights, and my eyes ain't what they used to be.

[NVScouter]

I have my 375 set up for my elk. I'm sticking with it for elk for now.

That being said I've taken 2 antelope and 2 deer with j bullets this year. My freezer has meat so some of the pressure is off.

[runfiverun]

it swwms I go through this same thing every year.
I carry one of my rifles with a carefully worked out cast load for most of the season only to see the animals slink away just out of my self imposed range.
so I switch rifles out so I can hunt across a couple of canyons or over an open field then end up shooting a deer or elk at 30-40 yards on my way in or out to my chosen spot.

[Digital Dan]

My 45-70 is a one of a kind custom built for me by a friend. It has iron sights, and my eyes ain't what they used to be.

That's fair enough. If you can mount a receiver sight or tang sight you can go a good bit further. My eyes aren't all that young either but the aperture sight theory lets me pretend I'm still young.

[mikeym1a]

Good Luck! Shoot straight! Eat his liver!

[GunnyJohn]

That's fair enough. If you can mount a receiver sight or tang sight you can go a good bit further. My eyes aren't all that young either but the aperture sight theory lets me pretend I'm still young.
I'm with you on the peep sights. All of my iron sighted rifles wear them. I suppose I could shoot a bit further with the 45-70, I would just have to practice more at extended ranges. I missed a coyote at what I figured was a little over 200yds. Elk are some what larger, but I feel comfortable at 150 for now. Just me I guess. I'm probably going to have to go with Crusty Deary Ol' Coots idea of a range finder, grab some ammo and go shoot some rocks.

[NVScouter]

it swwms I go through this same thing every year.
I carry one of my rifles with a carefully worked out cast load for most of the season only to see the animals slink away just out of my self imposed range.
so I switch rifles out so I can hunt across a couple of canyons or over an open field then end up shooting a deer or elk at 30-40 yards on my way in or out to my chosen spot.

Yup my whitetail hunts I only got to 190y once and 250-275 5-6 times. Of course the first time I had my T/C with cast that can do 200 but no further on game ( I shoot targets to 300). Second one I had my 45-70 and was busted by some unseen does.

I switched to my AR15 when the wife and I went out. Shot my first antelope at 180y and wife shot her white tail at 75y. Took my son out and shot my second antelope at 80y after letting a herd of about 150 antelope move by so I could only hit one. I had my 25-06 since I figured with a 3 year old I'd never get that close.

Then I shot my last two mulies this weekend at 90 and 120y. I had the new Ruger American and hadnt developed a cast load for it yet, just some try out loads. So at least 3 of those I could have taken easily with cast...had I brought it. While my .308 is in my truck now I did cast up about another 50 315g 375s for some more 375 H&H range time and will switch rifles at that point.

I drive through my Elk area on business about twice a week and I know if I dont have a rifle I'll be forces to wait as they cross the road in front of my and all I will have is a .380ACP. If the wife wasnt pestering me about wanting elk meat I'd only have cast ready to go.