Rifle Elk Hunt Question

[taz_gerstman]

Good afternoon everyone. New to the site. I have a question about suggested grain size of a bullet for hunting elk. I have a browning .300 wsm a-bolt and a browning .308 x-bolt both are setup using Winchester 150grain ballistic tip ammo. is 150 grain plenty or should I goup? Of course all of it is depending on shot placement but overall what are your opinions? Thanks

 

[Sask hunter]

A friend of mine shot a moose last year with 300 mag 150 grain whitetails (can't remember if they were federal or Winchester) anyways they were a soft point and didn't penetrate worthcrap on his moose. Personally I would stay away from a ballistic tip and go with a soft point or a bonded bullet. In the 300 mag I would use a 165 or a 180. I haven't shot an elk yet but have shot a few moose. I always used 180's in the bush and 165 for the open farmland

 

[backcountry_hunter]

Go up... 180 gr Barnes ttsx's would be (pending your gun likes them) tough to beat. Accubonds, partitions, any bonded bullet is going to be better than a cup/core like a fusion or standard core lok... 180 over 150 for better BC and you'll be happy to be heavy if you touch bone on either side. Cup core bullets will exploded, especially out of a 300. Could be done but Doesnt need to be.... all copper retain close to 100% of their weight, anything with lead (bonded or not) only retains a percentage

 

[bryan m]

I have been using 150gr nosler ballistic tip ammo for many years in my 7mm mag for deer sized game. It is very effective, but I rarely ever  have a pass through with that bullet. I usually recover it on the far side of the deer from where I shot. For a larger animal like an elk, I would suggest a heavier bullet for more penetration. Especially if you hit large bone.

 

[eaglebuilder]

Go up... 180 gr Barnes ttsx's would be (pending your gun likes them) tough to beat. Accubonds, partitions, any bonded bullet is going to be better than a cup/core like a fusion or standard core lok... 180 over 150 for better BC and you'll be happy to be heavy if you touch bone on either side. Cup core bullets will exploded, especially out of a 300. Could be done but Doesnt need to be.... all copper retain close to 100% of their weight, anything with lead (bonded or not) only retains a percentage

I would prefer copper bullets. I have using Barnes since copper is required in the Tree -Hugger state of California. Barnes suggests to use a lighter bullet as in 165 grain in the TTsx and maybe 150 grain in the TSX . I have recovered Barnes bullets and found them in the mushroom shape and about 100 % of the bullet .

 

[eaglebuilder]

I do not like the Nosler Green tip copper bullet , hit a Elk and had a hell of time finding her. I have been trying the Hornady GMX  ,but have not tried them on game as is this time. California requires copper in some parts of the state and will in the future require it in all the state.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

Go up... 180 gr Barnes ttsx's would be (pending your gun likes them) tough to beat. Accubonds, partitions, any bonded bullet is going to be better than a cup/core like a fusion or standard core lok... 180 over 150 for better BC and you'll be happy to be heavy if you touch bone on either side. Cup core bullets will exploded, especially out of a 300. Could be done but Doesnt need to be.... all copper retain close to 100% of their weight, anything with lead (bonded or not) only retains a percentage

I would prefer copper bullets. I have using Barnes since copper is required in the Tree -Hugger state of California. Barnes suggests to use a lighter bullet as in 165 grain in the TTsx and maybe 150 grain in the TSX . I have recovered Barnes bullets and found them in the mushroom shape and about 100 % of the bullet .

They're a great bullet, it's just been my experience that not all rifles like them... I have one gun that shoots them lights out, another struggles to keep them within 5" at 100yds but shoots other ammo well. If you have a gun that likes them, run them.... hard to do much better.


I have not had the same experience with nosler's all copper. I haven't shot them extensively but the little I have they performed well (for me anyway).

 

[MT_mulies]

I hunted elk for years with a .270 shooting 130 gr bullets off the shelf. Never lost an elk and killed ~10 elk. Then I started archery hunting and haven't needed my rifle for an elk since. I started reloading bullets but haven't needed them for elk only mule deer. I shot a mule deer about 200 yards with a 140 gr barnes triple shock and it dropped in its tracks. My whole family has shot .270s since the 50s and usually buy off the shelf bullets. Most of the time its either a 130 or a 150 gr. I think with your gun and bullet choice you will be fine with a good shot.

 

[Turnercody]

I shoot a 28 nosler, and have worked my own load development. I shoot a 195 grn Berger.  Haven't had an elk take more than 3 steps...  I'd lean heavier than 150 grn but that's not saying it won't work.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

I really am not a fan of 150 gr on a .30 platform just because it's shaped like a jelly bean. I'd always select higher BC for any caliber.... regardless if I was hunting elk with a .243 or a 338 lapua. 150 - 30 caps to me look like a 45-70 billet.

 

[ILbowhntr]

150-168 are great for deer, but don't have the sectional density for Elk size game. For the most part. I shoot a .300 SAUM with a 180 swift scirocco bullet. It shoot sub MOA and holds together well. None of my rifles like the Barnes bullets and believe me, I've tried.