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Dude. Stop.

Barnes 165 or 168 TSX is all you need.

Thats no joke..My copy of that Manuel is buried somewhere, but i would be willing to bet the 180XLC data angus is seeing for the '06, is the exact same loads as they used for the 150 or 165gr XLC..a common theme throughout that Manuel. I dont know how that ever made it into print. I do know they fixed it in later prints, not sure how many like ours made it to shelves tho.

OP, the 210 hybrid berger will be fine on elk..so would the 180BT.One of my favorites for the 300 win is the 168 TTSX

Edit.

Out or curiosity I found my barnes #3..as I suspected:

We do like to make things complex, yet many Campfire hunters know there's only one perfect elk bullet. Somehow, though, that perfection doesn't lead to an overwhelming consensus, and apparently not many elk were killed before all these perfect bullets were developed!

There's no way you will safely get the '06 to approach 3000 + fps with a 180, especially the xlc, without approaching pipe bomb status. Do not do that. The traditionally accepted, pressure-tested, SAAMI loads for a 180 out of an '06 are ~ 2675-2800 fps depending on the rifle.

I'll be. Mine has that too. Never noticed that before - amazing!

Edited: even those 165/168-gr loads look a bit hot.

Well said! This barnes xlc is an anomaly! Possesing Monty Hall "lets make a deal"type figures. However I did get a measured 2950 with them using a Colt light rifle. This load also shoots out of my jc higgins fn, and a 1903 A3. (I never measured either rifles velocities) But lets look at a few other things about the 300 Mag......Does it not require a 26 inch barrel to get the optimum performance? Do they not tend to weigh .75 or more pounds than a 3006 or 308? Do they not, in fact as I have stated, show superior ballistics using a 200 grain projectile? (Compared to the 3006/308) Is not a 200 grain bullet superior to a 180 in sectional density and ballistic co-efficient? If a 200 groups as well as a 180 why would you need to choose the 180? Thanks........I just can't get my head around not using the 200 grain bullets in my 308 Norma.

Well I just got back from shooting my 308 Norma. I cannot get 180 grain boat tails to shoot as well as the 200 grain flat bases. So until I get the timmney trigger and the barrel floated she is gonna shoot the 200's. What I was trying to get at for the original poster....Unless the 300 win mag is all that he owned that will shoot Elk sized bullets he should select whichever rifle was most accurate to 500 yards and perhaps the lightest if he planned on hiking a lot.

I also think worrying about good boots is WAY more important.

It's the new Jeff O.

Man..... I had completely forgotten about that. As I recall there were some 7 Rem Mag loads that later got revised down as well,slick bullets notwithstanding.

Mine is around somewhere, too. Buried where it belongs.

The thing might become a collectors item someday.

The takeaway from this discussion seems to be that every major brand of bullet is working for someone, other than Swift which was not mentioned and doubtless they probably work fine as well.

I'll tinker with some Barnes and Noslers and see what shoots. Honestly, seems like a 150 - 210+ grain anything in the chest would not be conducive to elk health.

Angus, I have 243, 260, and 308's as well. 308 is my go to choice. My friend wants me to bring my 300, so since it is his hunt and invitation I am going with his request, although a 308 will be riding along as a spare.

I am taking the boots advice to heart. I have Lowa Hunter GTX's that are well broken in and have served me well in our areas with sharp rocks underfoot. They are stiffer soled than most hunting boots, more like a high topped light backpacking boot with a half shank. Thoughts on these?

Fitness will be by far the biggest challenge for me. This hunt has really given me a nice goal and some renewed motivation. We already have some horses lined up for bringing an animal out if we are lucky. That was my one condition for the hunt.

Thanks everyone for taking time to provide the input. Looking forward to posting some photos even if it is nothing more than just a nice sunrise with a cup of coffee.

Regards.

Good luck! What State you hunting in?

Colorado.

Thank you.

As was said, XLCs could be pushed way faster than "regular bullets". They were an oddball and a b*tch to load w/o damaging the coating.

The Barnes manual was very clear about loads for regular X bullets and XLCs being way different.

Some of new TTSXs are the same way. I can edge 4000 fps in my 30" 25-06 Highwall with the 80 gr TTSX. They drop right out even though a falling block has no where near the extraction of a bolt gun.

Been shooting Barnes, since there was a Barnes. Never found an unsafe load yet.

Didn't Barnes start in 1932? If you have been handloading since then, here's a tip of the hat to you sir.

I'd run that 308 on the sneak with 175's... They work just fine....

Would be a awful if I got confused and pulled the wrong one out in the dark.

What do you think about the 185 or 210 Berger hybrids?

Thanks EHG.👍

I would be more concerned about choosing a bullet that will hold up at close range; especially at 300 mag velocities. The 168 TTSX would be my first choice but any 180 gr bullet would do. The Accubond or Partition is a good choice as well.