Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Weird question - What rifle if you need that elk to drop in his tracks

Do you feel lucky today?

Well punk, do ya?!!

Ha Ha. You're right Don, I'm going about this the wrong way.

Screw the rifle, use a Partition.

I elk hunted a 600 ac peice of ground one time, made the mistake of using Ballistic Tip.....

Casey may be close to the truth,as I know it.....No doubt Rosco is, too, but I have never tried to head-shoot an elk.

Thinking back, I can't recall a bull elk (never shot a cow) that took a step after a quartering-on hit into the ball joint of the leg/shoulder with a Nosler Partition,where the bullet then completely penetrated the rest of the chest cavity. Ditto for Bitterroots that gave similar results.

For that matter, I can't recall any animal that I have hit that way that went anywhere but "down" on the spot.That includes pretty close range, out to about 500 yards,about as far as I have killed a bull elk.

The last 6x6 I killed took a 160 Partition from a 7 RM broadside into the shoulder and collapsed on the spot.Another shot by a companion(big herd bull) took a 160 Partition through the shoulders broad side at close to 500 yards and was cut down, on the spot, mid bugle.Another at 300 yards caught a 165 from a 30/06 through the heart (no bone) and stood around for a second hit into the shoulder, quartering on, which immediately dropped him.

Of course both the Partition and the BBC have the muscle (construction) to dig deep after a hit into heavy bone and will make it into the vitals with bullet to spare and continue chopping up vitals on the way;and both will do this up close and at distance.

Since they are entering the vitals expanded from hitting that bone,(and especially the Bitterroot which shows greater frontal area than the Partition) they are also going to do a lot of damage as they enter the chest cavity. You get the dual effect of immobilizing from a hit to heavy bone,and destruction of vitals will kill before they get to their feet, if they can. Combination of rapid expansion on heavy bone and rapid expansion in vitals to make a mess. Depending on impact velocity, the BBC seems to make a bigger mess due to big frontal area.

OTOH, a bull hit with a 200 gr Partition from a 300 Weatherby,with a quartering away shot, was angled from the last ribs onside into the off side shoulder...the bullet made it alright,broke the off side leg,but that elk traveled a little ways and was gimping on three legs when I got a broadside finisher, which dropped him. Maybe the bullet was not as fully expanded through the vitals since it hit mostly soft stuff on the way.

This is cutting it all pretty fine but when it comes to bull elk and dropping them where they stand, I like a combination of breaking bone, and if possible,vitals with the same shot. I also like a bullet that will reliably break up that bone and still penetrate into the vitals on the way through.

Soft tissue hits all bets may be off....they may run, may drop, may stagger around and collapse.....who knows? I have never seen a bullet fully capable of 100% DRT's with heart lung hits....One thing for sure is that if you hit them around the edges,elk can be pretty tough.

The head/spine is too small a target (even on an elk) to rely on hitting. Even if you are an expert marksman, a small/last minute move by the elk (especially the head) ruins the POI. I have dropped more than one deer in a their tracks with a neck shot, only to have them get up and run off, never to be found.

I think a good, heart/lung shot which includes through at least one shoulder is your best bet. However, wherever the first bullet goes, get another shell in the chamber and be ready to shoot again until he goes down for good. And when he is down, look at him through the scope for several minutes ready to shoot if he attempts to rise.

by far the best advice. high shoulder shot will do what you're set out to do. as far as a rifle, that's up to you. they are elk, not tanks

This should be required reading for anyone contemplating hunting an elk. Elk, especially the big boys, are notorious for needing a finishing shot. Everywhere I've hunted elk, there are always stories about folks letting one get away while high-fiving themselves for a nice shot. After that first shot is not the time to congratulate yourself! Watched my buddy shoot one 7 times once, but that may have been because of his bullet choice.

Shoot high and through both front shoulders. 30-06 will work but a 300 win or 300 wby would do better. No front legs or a broken back and the elk will not run. You could destroy a big chunk of meat on the front shoulders with a high shoulder shot, fyi.

In my experience on elk-sized game, I like the .338 with 210 TTSX. Shooting high shoulder will work with a lot less gun, .270, 7x57, etc

high shoulder with 300 WBY 180 Partition dropped him right there

Yes! High shoulders (the front ones) with 405 grain 45-70 slug going at about 1,300 fps.

Dual lung shot is always the best

Not a lot of data, but a 338 Fed shooting the 185 TTSX or 160 TTSX puts them down within sight. Chest shot or lung shot. Hope to have a data point with a 210 Partition shortly.

Fixed it for you (Elmer Kieth load, 53 gr, 3031)

MM

Aspen, huh?
Stopping the elk at the fence is only half the problem. Ya still have to deal with the grey haired trustafarian neoprogressives running across the field in their Danscos and Capris screaming "murderer!". A follow up plan may be in order.

Ive dropped lots of elk with a 340 wby loaded with 250 hornadys and 375 H&H loaded with 270 grain hornady bullets , even a 270 win, loaded with 150 grain speers works well,and does the job, but a 405 grain remington from my 450 marlin loaded over 50 grains of IMR 3031 is what Id grab in the stated conditions, and Id take the time to place the shot well.
WHY? well Im 100% confident in that rifles ability to dump elk on their nose with one good hit, and while my 340wby and 375 h&h are a close second,and have a well proven track record ,I like lever actions


don,t get hung up on velocity just get the most accurate load, and place the shot where it will do the most damage,

but theres zero reason to think that 30/06 loaded with a decent 180 grain soft point won,t do the job just as well if you shoot well

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Well my arm wasn't broken but badly sprained. I do like sticks and my dad brought his primos trigger adjust sticks that worked very well. I'm gonna stick with my ballistic tips for the 06 because my experience has been as good as it gets. That being said I killed a 332" bull Saturday with my 300 RUM using the factory rem 180 Sciroccos and worked pretty well too. I didn't manage good placement but takeing out a front leg and then a rear hip stopped him cold. I made the mistake of simply not shooting this combination enough prior to my hunt as I ran out of time. I would have taken my 06 but when I went to shoot it the scope failed and there wasn't enough time to replace it. Check my as unit 10 post for pics.

I have mine loaded up to around 1750 fps with 55 grains of H4895. It's extremely accurate and kills on both ends. After I get this 100 rd lot shot up, I'm downloading a bit. I've decided there is little need to hot rod a 400+ grain slug.

Lots of good advice given already. The Nosler Partition has never let me down.

I have a bunch of them I have taken out of elk and everyone of them text book mushroom.

Good luck and good shooting.