Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Of these three bullets...

Which would you choose for deer and elk and why? My average shot is around 200 yards but this area has the potential to go way beyond. Let's say I'll limit it to 500 if it came to that. The Accubond has the power but like the idea of solid copper.

145 LRX----@200---2716/2376---@500---2362/1796
150 TTSX--------------2659/2355---------------2282/1734
160 AB------------------2727/2643---------------2400/2047

Under no circumstance is any of the loads lacking. The photo is of the best group with each.

one of the copper ones...solid copper.

Gives me that extra bit, knowing it can't really come apart, and awful hard to keep in an animal, so you generally get 2 holes.

If not, then any old cup and core bullet would suffice for me.

Don't really much care which of the soild copper ones, they are to close together in performance IMHO, granted I didn't run the numbers and all.. but should be awful close... I'd choose the one I like the best and had the best accuracy.

At those velocities I wouldn't use monometel

But I'm only a copper fan on very high muzzel velocities or close distance shots on tough game

Never had an issue with mono at slow speeds. Never been an overly speed freak generally speaking.

Have only run two barnes over 3000 fps.

YMMV

I'd go LRX if you've hoping to ventilate stuff from PBR to 500 yards, and shot angles up close vary. With a velocity of 2716fps at 200 yards, you're well over 3100 at the muzzle...

2970 with the 145, but up around 11k feet

160 AB is a stellar bullet. Can't go wrong.

From the looks of things, I'd go with the 145 LRX! Great accuracy and with the typical Barnes performance(almost 100% wt. retention), you can't hardly go wrong. memtb

What cartridge is this? 7x57?

Did I miss that?

.280AI I'm suspecting. Based on the OP's moniker.

I'm NOT a fan of Mono-metals unless ranges are going to be short most likely. However, I've not used the AB on anything so can't vouch for it really either.

I'd choose one of the two heavier ones, most likely the AB.

Thats what I figured, but asked because the velocities seem slow for a 280 AI.

Are those starting velocities or remaining velocities at 200 yards?

By what's posted I read it as being at distance.

LRX without hesitation. Impact velocity determines range limitations, not muzzle velocity. As long as that bullet is impacting at 1800fps I'd pull the trigger. 1800 is my number, not Barnes' number. They say 1600 with an LRX. If a 127LRX from a 260 will put two holes in a cow elk from 725 yards and kill her within a couple steps of impact then your 145 will be overkill at 500.

I don't shoot monometals much but reloaded some 168 TTSXs in a .308 at around 2700 for a friend who shot a very nice bull with one at less than 100 yards.

He shot it in the heart and recovered the bullet, which looked almost new, minus the tip. Without commenting on "bullet failure," the bullet did not expand.

I really like the 160 Accubond. I've used it on a few deer and elk so far. It expands well has always been very accurate for me. It will crush elks front leg bones and keep on trucking. I use a couple other bullets in my 7's but overall the 160 Accubond really has been a great bullet for me over the years.

At those velocities any 140 gr to 160 gr bullet will work fine. If that is a 280 ai, those are really low velocities and I would step them up. Of those 3 bullets definitely the 160AB.

The velocities posted are at those listed distances, the way I read it. That gives it plenty of velocity for the mono-metal, but it would be the Ab hands down for me.

I'll only say I've made a few deer kills at long range with 7mm, 150-gr ttsx's started at 2950-3000 fps and while, yes, they were kills with entrance and exit, there was very little evidence of much expansion inside and at the exit point.

I'd strongly consider the Accubond if going longer is a real possibility--better B.C. obviously with more energy and you will likely get more expansion, though there is little doubt the other two placed right wouldn't work also.

As your pic's indicate, the TTSX's are generally very accurate and the 140-gr TTSX out of my 284 is also going into .5 MOA at 400 yards. I can start it at 3100 fps with R17. I've taken several BG animals so far with it and that bullet but all have been relatively close where they've worked very well.

Strangely, my 300 Wby doesn't seem to like the 168-gr TTSX much.

Lrx
I know you said 200 yard is average. My fear with a AB and your velocities would be an elk walks out 50 yards and you hit the shoulder. I could be wrong.
So I'd just play it safe with the Barnes

The Barnes don't shoot fast for me but do shoot well.

MV is 2970 145
2930 150
2960 160

IMR 4350