416 rem. for elk

[meigsbucks]

A .416 isn't the ideal all around elk cartridge but as several have said, a premium 300-350gr bullet will certainly work out to 300-350 yds. In fact inside 300 I think it would be awesome! Although it limits your range, 300 yds and under includes a lot of shots at elk. It would really put the hammer to a big bull elk... And next July you could put the hammer to a big Cape buffalo bull!
By the way, my favorite elk round is the .338 Win mag.

 

[colorado]

If you hit them with it, they won't get up I either use my 270 or 500 Jeffery, both seem to work fine.

 

[Dr Ray]

It would, is it ideal, not really. I think you would be better served by a 300 win mag or a 338 wm. shots can be far and a flatter shooting cartridge would be a better choice. Wood can be a factor in wet conditions and drastic climate shifts, but wood has worked for the last couple centuries. But if you already have the 416 and you really want to hunt with it, go for it.

That’s why I use a synthetic stock where I go hunting Rusa deer. The area is very humid and full of salty air. Rust is an issue.
I like the soft feel of the Sako synthetic stock rather than the hard feel of others.
I agree in that the 338 would be better as the 416 Bullets are very likely to penetrate fully without mushrooming much thus resulting in an animal running some distance.

 

[ChrisG]

... the 416 Bullets are very likely to penetrate fully without mushrooming much thus resulting in an animal running some distance.

I would say that this is where bullet choice makes a big difference. The black bear I shot last year wasn't big but he had a .416 entry hole and a softball sized exit. His internals were gelato. Woodleigh definitely know how to make bullets. That 340 grain protected point is a peach! From the few I've recovered from sand berms, they hold together well, but expand fairly quickly. And at 2550 fps they shoot as flat as a .308 with 180 grain bullets to 350 yards.

 

[WAB]

I once shot a prairie dog with my .375, perhaps a little over gunned but seemed to work fine.

On a serious note, I lived in Wyoming for 9 years before moving to Alaska. I did a fair bit of elk hunting. Limited quota areas are not a problem, but general areas get pretty crowded. If your animal runs any distance after the shot there is a good chance you will find someone else’s tag on it when you get there. The .416 with decent shot placement would likely negate this issue.

 

[colorado]

We have a Rem XCR II in 375 Weatherby that weighs less than 7 1/2 lbs with scope. I bought it for a brown bear hunt (successful). My youngest son now uses it for elk and black bear. Shoots a 300g A-Frame at 2700 fps, flat as a 30-06 with 180g bullets. Same effect as a 416 Rem, shoots a bit flatter. Anchors them and doesn't kick too bad. I still lean towards my 270 with 150g Partitions at 3000 fps. Both seem to work just fine.