I agree with rrmont, take the one you shoot the best. I would also take into consideration the type of country you will be hunting in, as in possible ranges at which you will be taking shots from. Whatever you choose, get a good solid bullet, especially with the 25-06, you want good penetration, and some bullets for that caliber may give you issues with over expansion and lack of penetration.

If recoil is not an issue, the 30 06 would be my choice. I've taken elk with my 257 Ackley Improved with no problem, and it is similar to the 25 06. I've also killed several elk with the 35 Whelen and the 358 Norma, which pretty well bracket the 35 Rem Mag. The 06 would be my choice of this group. We tend to over intellectualize elk and deer hunting. Your first shot is your best one, use it wisely.

The old .350 is a neat cartridge. No doubt it will deliver the goods. Do you need all the thump? Probably not. No doubt the old '06 will get it done.

I'm a big 25/06 fan, but... I know it's been done even on large bulls. To me that is kind of like shooting a deer with a .22/250 it works with a good bullet and good placement, but is it the best tool for the job? As I related in your previous post a buddy of mine bang/flopped an average cow with a 100 grain Barnes X. I believe deep down he would still have preferred something bigger.

In the timber I would definitely tote the .350, what the heck give your old .350 another dance around the room!

Everything else being equal, I would go with the 30-06. It delivers a heavier bullet than the 25-06 and it will likely be easier to find good quality bullets for better penetration. The .350 would certainly get the job done, too, but wouldn't be nearly as flat as the 30-06 if you need to reach out there. My vote always goes to the flattest cartidge with enough oomph to get it done reliably.

30-06 is my choice because of penetration,knock down amd distance,there is so many uses and grain weight chices to pick from.

Dell if you think your shots will be 300 yards or under what the hell it will not have a problem puting a elk down. Half the guys in the town I live in keep telling me you cant kill anything with a 7mm, but a 270 is just dandy well I prove them wrong every year. The choice is shoot the one you think best.

potterman, in another post, you didn't even know what a 25-06 was. a 25-06 DOES have great range. 500 yard shots if necessary. Del, i would go with the 25-06. it makes a good story when you're telling people that you shot an elk with one of the smaller elk calibers. just like MLH said, a 30-06 has taken too many big bulls, yawn, try something different. i would feel it to be more rewarding to kill a huge animal with a small bullet, rather than give it the ole "BANG FLOP"-clay. it's your choice, do what's comfortable to you.

PotterMan96 . . .

A primary design function of the 25-06 is long-range, flat trajectory shooting. This is due to the 25-06's ability to push aerodynamic bullets out the barrel at velocities ranging from 3100 to 3700 fps, depending on bullet weight. For example, a very experienced shooter with a excellent rifle on a calm day can drop a prairie dog at 600-700 yards, a coyote at 500 yards, a deer at 400 yards, or an elk at 300, if using proper bullets of the right construction. (Of course, most very experienced shooters keep all their shots on game animals to 300 yards and under, but that's a different issue.) The 25-06 comes very close to being an ideal all-purpose cartridge for
non-dangerous game in the USA.

The .350 Remington Magnum, on the other hand, is primarily a short-range, slow velocity, big-slug cartridge. Muzzle velocity is anemic when compared to any of the fast .25s, .264s, .277s, .284s and .308s. After about 175 yards, bullets fired from a .350 Remington Magnum take on the aerodynamic characteistics, trajectory and flight path of a coke machine when dropped out the back of a parked pickup.

Many of the people who read and write on these blog message boards are experienced shooters and reloaders who have put a whole lot of bullets downrange for a whole lot of years. You might wish to study your reloading manuals and published factory ballistics tables--and do quite a bit of handloading and shooting along the way--before you incorrectly condemn a great cartridge and incorrectly praise an unremarkable one.

TWD

I guided for a guy that regualary shot and killed elk w/ a .243 he would'nt let anybody shoot less then .300 Win Mags though. As for as your question, shoot what you feel comfortable with. As for the rounds offered, the .350 will kill 'em deader than a mackrel, but not a lot of range. .25-06 range but(I feel no knock down power at range) it's a fine rifle for thin skined game but this is elk we're talking about. Now as for the .30-06 sure its killed lots of elk(yawn?, I thought thats what you we're trying to do!).It's got range(second longest recorded shot in military history, behind the.50 cal)if you screw up and leave ammo at home you can get some almost ANYWHERE ! I'm from the Ruark school "Use Enough Gun ! Good luck and good hunting !

What are you talkin about hunterkid in an old question you had never even heard about a 25-06 so you have no room to talk.