Please HELP!!!

[Nontypicalhunter]

I've just inhearited a .303 rifle from my uncle, and I don't know a thing about it! I know it's comprible to a .308 but that's about it. Can anyone tell me about this caliber of gun? I know it was a WW1 and WW2 sniper rifle as well as the British mainstay armourment but what am I looking at for ballistics? I know it's a "safari" gun and will take down an elephant but will it take down an elk from 700 yards? Any info is greatly appriciated.

 

[Critter]

Don't know much about the .303, but I can tell you this. Unless you're a target shooter with a 25 pound gun, you're not going to be able to accurately kill an elk at 700 yards. I shoot a 30-378, which is one of the flatest shooting cartridges around and I wouldn't shoot it over 400 yards, and that's even pushing it a little.
CRITRGITR

 

[Nontypicalhunter]

OK the 700 yards thing was pushing it but you know what I'm saying. What can I hope to expect from this gun? It's way to big to just be a coyote gun, that's for damn sure. So far the best i've found on the web is it moves at 2440 FPS but that's all it really says. I don't know how flat it shoots or how "accurate" it should be.
The gun has the old dial sights, so I'm wondering if I can even put on a scope?

 

[Critter]

I've got a german mauser from the world war that was passed on to me from my grandpa, it sits in my gun cabinet as a keepsake. For me, thats the best place for world war guns, but if you really feel the need to use it in the field I'd take it to a qualified gunsmith and make sure it checks out ok. The next thing to do would be to take it out to a range and find out what it will do for yourself. The gunsmith should be able to help you out with the ballistics and get you a good start from the bench. 2400 fps isn't blazing, so I wouldn't count on it being a beanfield gun.
CRITRGITR