Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting How far for a .308 on cow elk

I've got a .308 that shoots well and may have the chance to hunt late for a cow. Using 165 partitions over 46.5 of Varget gets me hitting pretty great out to 700yds. Not sure on speed, but can check later.
Is this a 600 yd elk gun or does the .308 lose too much velocity and energy at that range?
What is an effective range for a 165 partition/how fast does it need to be going to work well with a good hit.

Thanks

Kinda think if your shooting distance at elk you should do your own home work and find your fps ,dope so on. Then make a personal choice based on your skills and confidence. Can I do it every time at that range if not you decide what range is your max and enjoy learning your craft.

I agree, I am not looking for someone else to tell me it's ok to shoot at this distance for sure. I will practice more, continue to know my dopes at various altitudes and temps. I don't know how to determine fps at various distances which is kind of what I think is also important. Even if I can hit what I want, I would like to make sure the bullet is traveling fast enough to expand. Is there a favorite way to determine fps at yardages? Do the ballistic apps provide that calculation for you once you give it other stuff?
Just trying to learn,
Thanks,
Jon

Apart from what fredIII said, I think you are off to a good start by asking yourself the right question of bullet terminal performance in case of good hits.

Playing your load in QL, I come up with two observations:

1: OL seems to think your load is way up there in pressure, right smart against ´SAAMI max.

2: Taking a minimum velocity of 1800 fps at impact, your load would reach this at around 475 yards.

To 1:

I have no idea of COAL and other factors nor of your load data, so here you are left to your own devices and this is mearly a quick and dirty QL proxy.

To 2:

1800 fps is given by Nosler as the minimum optimal impact speed for the Partition (http://www.nosler.com/partition-bullet/), so this is a good starting point.

My own experience hunting elk is somewhat limited. For what it is worth, hunting elk in the Colorado rockies with my hostdad and a study term on elk in the Alberta Rockies lead me to believe, that a .308 Win. with a 165 Partition is a fine elk rifle. Myself, I would limit my shots and fully expect to get a cow well inside 300 yards.

Elk are, where you find 'em. When you have them getting set up close is usually not the problem and the work begins when the elk is down. This last is also good to have in mind before one drops an elk way down at the bottom of "Bottomless Gourge".

Best of luck on your hunt.

Just now saw your reply.

Here is a good starting point for ballistic calculators:

http://www.jbmballistics.com/ballistics/calculators/calculators.shtml

THe one you need is this one:

http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

Hope this helps.

I have hunted and harvested elk before. The tag I may pick up as a leftover apparently has some longer shots where they can be spotted, but no cover to move closer. Longest one I have taken was at 374 yds or so, closest was at 57 yds. I'm all for getting closer to eliminate as many variables as I can.
Thanks for the info, may pick up an app today and hit the range tomorrow again.

Then you are golden. Good luck with your app and your hunt. The 1800 fps minimum impact should be a good starting point for a lower bound.

Jon S,

Look up scenarshooter,

He posts some pretty convincing photos of long-range whacking with his 308.

Look through this thread at all of the kills Pat (ScenarShooter) has made with his 308 & 155 Scenars. Notice the distances listed particularly. Pictures start on page 3, but, I'd read the whole thread.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9735118/1

If stuck on the 165 PT, I'd run the load through a decent chrono and then let JBM tell you when you've reached 1800 fps. Consider that the max range for that bullet. Then do the same with some 155 Scenars and use those for long shots

500 yards should be the max and then only if you are using the right bullet and competent enough to make the shot. Hitting and killing at long range just aren't the same, especially when using a case like the 308 Win

I wouldn't hesitate to put a 185 berger through the lungs out to about 800 with my 308, it shoots so well, and the bergers work really well.

Seeing that I've killed with bigger TSX at 800 that were not going fast either on caribou, I suspect there would be no issue.

The biggest thing is conditions allowing first round dead on placement.

When you take the oil out, the motor locks up sooner or later.

I'd look at the ablr or amax. Both open at slower speeds and have high BC's. I try to use the lowest speed a bullet will expand to determine its max range for hunting. ABLRs are said to open down to 1300 fps.

Bb

Once upon a time a witnessed a large bull elk....shot just aft of the shoulder from sixty yards with a 300 Ultra Mag using 180 gr. bullet stand on his feet a full five minutes before hitting the dirt!

I guess if you want to do it for a novelty, pick what ever range you'll get your jollies at.

But good Lord, if you feel like you NEED to shoot 700 yards for a cow elk, its time to practice your hunting skills, not your shooting skills.

700 yard performance is more about bullet/load choice, than the 308 Win chambering.

The 165 Partition isn't a great choice for long range.

This IS the Long Range sub-forum.

Where I hunt 700 might very well be the only shot I prepare for just that most of the year.

My wife, then fiancé, took a cow at 400 last year with the .308 and 165 Accubonds.

I like that

Oops! I thought this was posted in the "poodle lovers" sub-forum. My bad.