30-30 Win has killed a ton of elk over the years which has similar ballistics as the 7.62x39. Reasonable distance with a soft point should be fine.

Reasonable is different things to different people, in this case for me that is 150 yards.

 

There are folks that shoot deer with the 7.62x39 and with good soft points it seems to do OK. Arguably a little less than .30-30 ballistics, which has worked fine for deer for over a century.

Cow elk is a lot bigger than a deer though. Seems pretty marginal to me.

 

I suppose if he can get close enough and make a boiler room shot it would work. Have tell you though a SKS in 7.62x39 is far from being on the top of my list as an elk rifle.

 

It will, of course, kill an elk if you get the right situation. But it is not my idea of a suitable round. I suspect that you already know that, however, or you wouldn't have asked the question. If there truly is no other option, then I guess you should use what you can use, but please make sure you stick to the range and bullet placement limitations that are necessary for such a marginal round to do a proper job.

 

Would not be my choice either. We see some big red deer in Slovenia and Poland which would rank very close to elk in stature. Choose the bullet very carefully and I would put a Barnes TTSX top of my list because it will punch through and give you a bleed hole for tracking. I would want to be 100yrds or less and have the cow elk absolutely square on so I could place that bullet right through both lungs, just a rib back from the shoulder. That way she is going to bleed out fast. I shot a red hind last year in Slovenia with my 8x57JRS and a Barnes TTSX. Thought it was standing right and so did the guide but the bullet only scored one lung, mulched the liver and exited by the rear haunch. That beast ran 1000mtrs before the dog found her. Care, patience and sheer common sense will put some elk meat in your freezer. Luck doesn't come into the equation.

 

I will be reloading for the hunt what is the heaviest controlled expansion bullet I can find in .311

 

Thanks for the quick replies

 

Maybe you could back him up with something more suitable if needed.

 

Please understand I have taken many elk over the years & have seen many taken. I will tell you straight out a 7.62x39 is an elk wounder. I know there are those who tell about how they took elk with a 30-30 but you never hear about the many elk that are wounded & lost with a 30-30. The 7.62x39 is less powerful than the 30-30. Elk have also been taken with the 22 LR but that doesn't make it an elk rifle. Any animal you hunt deserves to be respected & therefore requires that you use a cartridge that will put it down humanely. If you shoot an elk with a 7.62x39 any where but in the head the odds are overwhelming that you will only wound the elk & it will run off & die a slow painful death over one or more days. Even if you put a shot into the rig cage the 7.62x39 doesn't have the power needed to penetrate. You might get one lung maybe but that will "NOT" bring an elk down. An elk will run for miles with one good lung. If you must shoot an AR type rifle then get one in a .260 Rem. or 308 which with the right bullet will take elk cleanly

 

A head shot on an elk with a SKS is something I wouldn't care to try. You'd have to deliver a shot with almost pinpoint accuracy and from very close range. Thinking the odds are against that.

D4man, can your dad hit a softball every time with that rifle? At what range?
That should give y'all an idea what accuracy and range is needed for head shots

 

In that rifle I would not go above a 150 grn and I believe Sierra make a 311 Pro Hunter bullet in that size, but Dom's advice is solid. His experience is far beyond mine on elk but no matter what you shoot with then you have an obligation to do the job cleanly and humanely. The energy you could expect to get at max mzl velocity is well below the legal 1700ft lbs we have to abided by in the UK for all of our deer. Close up and personal it could be done but you would have to be very experienced both in stalking the deer and accuracy. A suggestion would be a T/C Encore with say a 18 to 20 inch barrel in 308 ...30-06... 7x57 ...even 6.5x55. I shoot one with 16 1/2 inch barrels and it is very handy indeed and in either of those calibers I would be more than confident in shooting an elk.

A bit of a negative welcome to the forum I'm afraid but all sage advice.

 

The accuracy would be the biggest problem which is generally not good from the SKS unless you have aftermarket barrel and no stock problems. If he is a good shot with that gun then maybe but you should take him to the range and see the groups he is capable of shooting. Is it a guided hunt? If so the guide most likely will not allow that gun on a hunt. If not a guided hunt then help him find a ambush site and place a blind so the range is less than 50 yards to maintain the highest possible energy. If there is the option of a new rifle there are many AR style rifles with adjustable stocks that have good elk calibers. I use the LR 10 in 338 federal.

 

I'd say no. Sell the SKS, save up a few bucks and buy a used rifle in good condition that has enough power to hunt elk in a humane, sportsmanlike manner.

Try a 30-06.

I'd think twice before hunting whitetails with an SKS, I sure as heck wouldn't embarrass myself by showing up at an elk hunt with one.

 

Here is another option for you which gives you the ability to chose a good elk caliber in a good rifle.Amazon.com : BLACKHAWK! KNOXX Axiom Ultra-Light Black Rifle Stock - Remington 700 BDL L/A : Gun Stocks : Sports & Outdoors

 

To hunt elk/moose here in Co .24 cal is Min with 85gr bullet and have impact energy @ 100yds of 1,000 ft pounds.

As long as 7.62x39 meets that it's legal here.

If you look at Co elk statis will show Bull,Cow,Calves in Harvest report. If you have cow or either sex tag you can take a female calf or young bull with horns less than 5" long.

http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Elk/2014StatewideElkHarvest.pdf

 

Tougher bullet construction and shot placement are the most important factors. I can think of worse cartridges for elk than a .30 cal controlled expansion bullet starting out at 2400 fps. Within 50-75 yards, a good 7.62x39 load will have similar energy to a 30/06 load has remaining at 300 yards, albeit with a lighter bullet. A 150 grain .311 bullet like the Sierra Pro Hunter will have a lower starting velocity more like 2150-2200 fps.
I use Hornady 123 grain SST bullets @ 2400 fps. for the smaller whitetails found in the valleys here, but would not use it for elk, I prefer at least 308 for that.
Montana has no restrictions on caliber for big game as long as it's a centerfire round. One could legally use a .22 Hornet if they desired, but I doubt anyone does. If it were a problem of people being undergunned, I'm sure the FWP commission would change the regulations.
Proper placement of a decent bullet from a 7.62x39 carbine would do the job on an elk, better than a less than optimal shot with a larger caliber. There is a lot of debate over what cartridge is the best for elk, deer, etc. but it usually all comes down to skill at shot placement, taking shorter shots instead of across the canyon ones, and selecting a bullet that gives a blend of adequate penetration and controlled expansion.
That being said, I would prefer at least something like a 7mm-08 or .308 for the bigger members of the deer family.

 

Let me ask you a question. Montana you can kill calf elk so what caliber do you need for that? You also have doe/fawn license, maybe DOW knows you don't need 308 to kill a fawn.

We do it here
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Deer/2014StatewideDeerHarvest.pdf

We also do it with antelope
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hu...ocuments/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Pronghorn/2014StatewidePronghornHarvest.pdf

 

Now as we get older in life, all of us hunters will have something that causes a problem now and then. You just work around those problems etc!
Now in an elk rifle, I would recommend a 7mm Mauser (low recoil) as well as the 30-30 in a lever gun. As was metioned earlier, many elk have been killed with a 30-30 at closer ranges under 100 yards.

I myself have used the Marlin .444 caliber or 45/70 at ranges less than a 150 yards. I used them mostly in the dark timber. My main elk rifle has been the .338 Win mag for over a dozen years and before that, I used the .300 Win mag. Either of them are 400 yard elk takers if need be on the hunt. Also used the 7mm magnum for a couple of years, model 70 Winchester bolt action of course.

Now a 6.5 (.264 caliber) in the 260 Remington caliber or the 6.5x55 Swede will also make a good elk taker, you just remember that I am talking about distances under 300 yards mind you. I have never been a fan of the black rifles taking game such as elk, moose or bear. You need a bigger and heavier bullet than a .223 in my eyes.