Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 284 Winchester/Elk Question

Hey Guys,
I dont want to start the time-tested tradition of talking about whether a gun is too small or too big for elk, we've all been there and done that. I usually shoot a 30.06 but bought this gun and it shoots amazing......its a .284 Winchester built on an M70 Short-Action and has all the 'bells and whistles' that a guy needs.
Currently shooting a 140 grain Nosler Partition at about 2900-3000 FPS and shooting groups at .7 MOA at 100 yards....never been able to do that until now!
My question, any .284 Win. elk hunters out there? Anyone recommend which bullet I should be using for elk? The 140 grain partitions fly good and seem to be a good all-around bullet for deer/sheep, etc but not sure if i should go to a 150-160 grain bullet and use them for elk, or possibly go to an Accubond or something similar.....
Anyone? I'm open to suggestions.....I'd like to use this rifle for elk as its super-accurate. I have my 30.06 as an alternative, but this is a sweet gun and I'd love to knock a few elk down with it......
Take Care,
Trev

10-20 grains of bullet make NO practical difference, especially when using a partition. You will see more practical difference in the added velocity you gain with a lighter bullet, vs. a heavier bullet. I have killed a pile of elk with the 7mm mag and 140 grain ballistic tips, so the need for a heavier bullet is not needed. I personally don't like partitions for their pencil type wound channels, but they do penetrate. I will be using 139 grain Hornady interlocks this year out of a 7mm-08. Enjoy your new toy and stick with what is working for you. Flinch

Well the only help I can be is that I found the 150gr partition to perform worlds better on Elk than the 162gr Hornady Spire point that it replaced. I would go for the partition if it was me.

Good load.

You might also consider upping the bullet's size to 160-gr. Partitions for elk.

I shot one 5x5 elk with a 284 using a 160 partition. High lung shot---bang flop. I put a 150 partition in a wounded mule deer entering left side paunch and lodged under the skin in the front of the right shoulder ie: about 2 feet of pentration.
The "pencil type wound channels" have never shown themselves to me. I have taken game with a variety of partitions 100gr 243, 130 & 150 gr 270, 150 &160 gr 284, 165 gr 308 and always had an explosive wound upon entering the animals chest and then deep penetration and very dead animals.
A 130 gr in 270 will work on elk so a 140 in 284 should work also, IMHO.

Been there,done that, using 160 Speer Magtip, and 154 gr Hornady RN.(both selected to get all the powder space I could in Win 88 and Sav.99 Actions) If I could load longer than saami spec's might have used 160 Partition, which has done well for me from 7mmRemMg. Note that the 284s use is generally where shot will be 150 yd or less(often much less)..Lyle

I've not used the .284 Win. on elk, but have killed a couple with my .280 Rem., using the 160 grains Nosler Partition. Worked just fine. One shot each. One was at about 225 yards +/- and the other was perhaps 150 yards +/-. (I didn't have one of those new fangled contraptions they call a "rangefinding gadget.")

.280 Rem. & .284 Win. ballistics, for all practical field use, are the same.

Good luck,

L.W.

My .284Win savage has killed many elk with 145gr. Speer SP, I wouldn't worry about the 140s. In fact last years bull was appx. 500 yards. It's all depends on how well you place the bullet. Have fun! Vern.

I have killed a boatload of elk with the 130 partition in a 270, and all but 2 were pass throughs. So, if the 140 partition shoots, use it, and don't look back.

Why do you say the use of a .284 would be 150 yards or less? When I'm pushing a 140 grain NP at 2900-3000 fps, I could really see no argument there at all.....
Thanks for some of the responses guys!

Used a 28 caliber rifle for many years in killing over 20 elk.
90% of the time I used a Partition and never once saw a pencil type wound channel. In fact the opposite, massive tissue and organ damage with a nice exit hole on every one of the elk. The nose of the Partition wrecks havoc inside an animal. I still haven't found a better bullet.

I couldn't agree more.I used the 130 grain Nosler in my 270 for years..Never saw the need for a 150 or 160 as the 130 did it all for me in the Nosler although I am quite happy with the 140 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw also.

I can't say enough about the Nosler bullet on Elk in .277 or .308..

Jayco

Why have I had such crappy luck with them????? Used them on elk in .270, 7mm, and .30-06. ALL were hit well, but left pencil holes in and out with NO blood trails at all. Most critters went 100 yards before piling up. There was little or no tissue damage at all, just nice clean holes all the way through. One .30-06 bullet went through the heart like an arrow. The bull was still on his feet for 3+ minutes. I have had horrible luck with partitions. I like bang flops or at least the animal to die in sight within seconds. Flinch

Flinch,
Whats the diff between an Interlock and and Accubond? Just curious as I'm kinda new to all of this. I have loaded both Accubonds and Partitions in 140.....the NP seem to group a bit tighter, but I havent 'played' a pile with the Accubonds yet.....

Flinch, that's what happens when you buy your bullets from "Ralph's & Mabel's Screen Door, Chimney Cleaning & Used Premium Bullets Company, Inc." <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

L.W.

Gosh Flinch I just don't know what to tell ya. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Rackmaster: "150 yds or less" speaks only to my personal use of those specific bullets in the 284.. Nothing sinister intended..Lyle

Ahhh....alright.....was getting worried there for a bit.....thanks man...

Flinch-I tried the Winchester fail Safe with the 140 grain for the .270.I had terrible luck with it.I flat hate that bullet just from my experince with it.A pencil hole in and they would buck and jump and run down into a "Hole From Hell" to die.The same on two nice bucks but some people swear by the Fail Safe.Just not me.

Bullets are a funny thing.almost like part of the family to some and ya better be careful what you say about someones bullet. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Maybe a bad batch of Noslers in your case and a bad batch of Fail Safes in mine if thats possible?

Take care..Jayco

If there weren't some hunters out there with "different" experiences than the vast majority----then there would be little or no reason far all the other variations out there. There would only be contented hunters, and all using Partitions.
fwiw: I do not get large entrance and exit wounds, but oh the damage inside the chest cavity----usually looks like a cherry bomb went off. I do prefer heart shots and for the animal to run 50 to 100 yards to "bleed out" a little. I think they eat better.
jmho