Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 284 VS 308

Given similar impact speeds using the same bullet, ie Nosler Partitions or whatever, 160s in 284 and 180s in 308, does the larger caliber bullet kill better? It would seem that it would, but I wonder, if in the field, is there any practical difference? thanks, capt david

Given your criteria, but depending on critter, not much practical diff.

Having said that, greater mass still counts for something.

I mean, if I was going to kill a brown bear, I'd prefer the 30 cal 180 over the 7mm 160 given equal velocity for both.

An elk?--not so much........



Casey

I don't know that you can ever truly know-shoot two hundred elk and maybe you can close in on a legitimate opinion but you can never get rid of all the variables..

Can't see that there would be any practical difference between the 284 and 308 when using proper bullets at similar velocities.

I load 140 grain Partitions in my 284s, because of the COAL limits of the short bolt and lever actions, and would feel well armed to shoot an elk.

JEff

I think it would take several lifetimes of killing with each to be definitive about it... and then I'd bet the answer would be a definitive, "no difference."

Are we talking at 300 and or 301 yds...grin

Dober

Ok sorry couldn't resist...no in all seriousness and I totally believe this. I am a fan of two holes and I do feel that it'd be tough to keep a 284 slug in the elk and from time to time one would find the 30's. No bigga casa grande really but to me it's important (sort of, plus I luv the 7's and borderline loathe the 30's.

Dober

I used a .308 all season this year. 180 grain as you mention. In every instance a .284 with 160s would have done the job just as well as the .308.

Differences are so negligible, I wouldn't worry about it. Pick whatever you like the most. If they took my .308 from me, I would think long and hard about a .284 to replace it.

Hell, that sounds like a good addition. Gunbroker, here I come.

Hey Fin, what 30?

I actually think you may be right about 30's staying inside.

Then again, I've seen the reverse too... one was a 160 7mm Speer Hotcore that was on the offside of a spike elk on a broadside double lung shot at 200 yards from a 7RM... go figure. But the bullet looked like a Speer ad!

I've killed elk with both (although I used 150gr Partitions in the .284) and never saw much of a difference b'twixt the two.

Saw my dad kill a few more with his .308...still no difference.

Given that, I still have to say that in my estimation, the .284 is the bee's knees. Just somthin' about that cartridge....goes faster than it should, shoots straighter than it should....kills like lightning. And for some reason, the felt recoil was less than it should be, too. when I was running a .284, I had an identical rifle in 7mm-08 that felt the same (no lie!) and the .308 was noticeably stiffer.

With today's bullets (say, a 150gr TSX), the .284 is about as good an all-around cartridge that you can find that is still pleasant enough to shoot.

This is hard to answer,and I don't profess to be the last word on tis or anything;just my point of view cause we are in a grey area.....I can only tell what I have seen.I think bullet action has a lot to do with it....

From the standpoint of tissue destruction(mostly fired from 7mm and 300 mags cause that is what I have seen the most),I've traced bullet paths through elk killed with both,seen the destruction,and would say (guess)that the 30 destroys more tissue,or seems to....

..after a long stint with 270's and 7mm's on large buck deer, I whacked a big bodied Saskatchewan buck 350 yards across a field with a 165 Partition from a 300 Win Mag started at 3250 fps.....I was a bit surprised to see the damage and size of exit wounds. I have seen the same thing on other animals and bullets fired from 300 mags.

But does the 300 "kill" quicker or "better"? I suppose it should....but I have not been able to detect it from the standpoint of how far the animals travel,given similar hits and comparable bullet action, and considering that no two shots are precisely the same.......

I think this is because,all things being equal,the 7mm destroys "enough" vital tissue,penetrates well enough,and creates enough damage, that the animal simply cannot handle the trauma......and I think also this is because ballistics is "Physics",or science,and in contrast to what happens to cause an animal to die from a bullet is something else,hard to quantify in certain terms.

I'd say the animals is in tough straits regardless which of the two he is hit with.....

These are my thoughts and observations on the matter....all contrary viewpoints welcome..

I believe NH is looking for a new Governor... throwing your hat in the ring?

I'm thinking your middle name is "Equivocation."

Just kidding of course!

Bob 4 Govenah...grin

I like that

Dober

Mark, you even got the accent down.

Heehee.......

Brad/Dober:Have you guys seen bigger holes from 300's than 7mm's? Is it my imagination? Thinking back I have seen some pretty ghastly holes from 300 mags.....funny thing I also recall the animals moving off, too....

I have not seen much difference in how quickly they died though......

Gee, nobody ever called me "equivocable"..........I wonder why?...........



And I'm such a nice guy, too........



Casey

I have not killed as much stuff as some of the guys in this thread but from my expierence the .308 bullet wins.

Take that for what its worth because I am a fan of 30 caliber and have hunted with one for more than anything else.

I think you would find the occasional .284 bullet instead of the occasional .308 bullet.

Dink