Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 300 SAUM - 130gr TTSX on elk?

Shortmagfan you got it right. PRACTICE, PRACTICE and more PRACTICE. There is no substitude for PRACTICE. The bullets will do their job provided you do yours, and it sounds like you will.

I can say another thing that has helped me a lot is hunting with a bow. Been doing it for 25 yrs. Understanding vitals relative to your position, is a must.

Anyway good luck with your up coming hunts.

SP357

The 150gr and 168gr TTSX (and perhaps even the 130gr, but my experience with that bullet is too limited to say for sure with regards to a direct comparison) will penetrate every bit as deep as the 180gr AB and PT.

Any of those bullets will do the job as long as they are directed through the right organs...

Just try a few of them and see which shoots best, and go with it.

Custom barrel? Pretty sure the factory tube is a 10 twist.

Yes custom hart barrel. (Yes, i have measured and confirmed twist with cleaning rod).

You have an elk killer in spades!!! There are a lot of none experienced opinions in this thread, especially when it comes to killing elk and the X bullets. That bullet will dig deep, stir things up and likely exit. No need to be completely selective on quartering shots, like many have suggested (within reason of course). 20 or 30 grains more bullet weight is NOT going to make any difference. The beauty of what you are shooting is, you know it well, it shoots flat, hits hard, doesn't blow up and penetrates well. In other words, you are comfortable with it. No trophy bull or rag horn is going to know the difference between a few grains of bullet weight. I took a guy out last year. He was shooting a .30-06 and was REALLY worried that the 150 grain Barnes XMR wouldn't do the job. I ASSURED him he had the perfect weapon/bullet weight. Everyone he talked to wanted him shooting 200 grain bullets out of the .30-06 or minimum of 225 out of a .338. He was so flippen scared to pull the trigger, for fear of the bullet bouncing off and having to chase the elk the rest of the day. We got on them at 335 yards. One shot through both shoulders and a nice exit hole...dead elk. What more do you need? Flinch

Shortmagfan,

I've read this entire thread and can understand why many here have the opinions they have.

I too used to think 180grs or larger on elk.

Monometal bullets(Barnes) and bonded core bullets have changed the game a bit as has been expressed here as well.

Flinch, Dober and some others who have lots of experience with Barnes bullets and killing elk have given you sound advice, IMO, regarding the bullet in question(Barnes TTSX).

In the SAUM case a 180gr bullet is going to begin to infringe upon powder capacity.

Your rifle likes the 130gr TTSX(a good thing). Barnes bullets are longer than most and will infringe on powder capacity even more if you go with 168s, 180s or larger. Plus they might not shoot being as long as they are.

If it were me, I'd go no bigger than 168 in the TTSX. In fact, I'd go with the happy medium 150gr and be done with it. A 150gr Barnes TTSX will give you all the velocity, energy and penetration you need, near and far, on just about any shot angle you're likely to encounter.

Having said that, my opinion is just that, mine.

You've picked an excellent bullet(TTSX), which is the easy part. Now practice!!!!! and use common sense on bad shot angles at long range(or, at any range for that matter). Going home empty handed but with good memories will rest easier on your conscience than the memory of a wounded and unrecovered elk due to poor shot placement....that would be a shame.

Good luck, Leftybolt