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Was invited on my first elk hunt with a friend for this coming year.

Of my rifles, he said bring my 300WM, so that decision is made.

He said 300 - 500 yards is the most common range, followed by up very close.

So, the question for those with experience is what bullet would you recommend for a 300WM with 24" 1:10 twist?

I have 185 and 210 Bergers hybrids on hand, as well as 175 and 190 SMK's.

Advice appreciated.

Thanks.

This should be a fun thread...

I'll vote 180 Nosler Partition or 200 gr Nosler Partition from the 300 Win Mag; mostly because that's what I've used successfully at those distances on a number of bulls from the 300 magnums. My longest kills have been in the 500 yard vicinity.

And either one will manage the close range shots as well.

They aren't the only bullets I have used on elk but performance has been consistently good with the Partition.

180 Nosler accubond or 180 ballistic tip which happens to shoot really well in every 300 I have owned. I have not killed elk with either one, but mule deer tells us the ballistic tip 180 is plenty stout

I've shot all my elk with a 300 H&H loaded with 180 TTSX's and had great results, but as Bob said the partiton is another solid choice.

Don't overlook the Sierra Gameking. They are very accurate and kill just as dead as the rest.

I even heard a rumor once of a 180 gameking taking down a large Shiras moose.

Sorry to tell you but those are poor selections for elk. The BT isn't made for larger game and Nosler says so on their website. I've killed 4 or 5 elk with the AB and will never use them again. I've had 2 separate and they always mangle the meat.
Partitions are the way to go.

I have been using the 200 AB in both the .300 WSM and .300 Win Mag. I have yet to recover one, not even the one that penetrated about 4-5 ft of a really big bull before exiting.

The bullets you have on hand are not the best choice for elk. They are sleek accurate paper punchers and Ok deer bullets but not stout enough for close elk encounters. Any of the bonded, partition, or monometal bullets would be a better choice, 180 grains and up.

Rock Chuck,

The 180 Ballistic Tip was changed a few years ago and now has a VERY heavy jacket, comprising about 2/3 of the bullet's weight. This is the same construction Nosler came up with for the 200-grain .338 Ballistic Tip almost 25 years ago, and as a result terminal performance is very similar to a Partition.

I know this both from killing numerous animals with the 200-grain .338 Ballistic Tip, including some much larger than deer, and from taking a few with the 180 .30 since the redesign. Almost all blow right on through, but one recovered bullet I recall was a 200 .338 that went lengthwise through a 450-pound gemsbok, entering the right shoulder and ending up under the hide of the left ham. Nosler beefed up the jacket of the 180 .30 because so many people insisted on shooting game bigger than deer with the 180 BT, and it works quite well on elk, as do some other Ballistic Tips.

A great many people have also used 180 and 200-grain .30 caliber AccuBonds on elk with zero problems. There were a few made very early on that, due to one person on the assembly line, weren't bonded sufficiently. That was quickly corrected, and not many made it out of the factory.

But that was a long time ago, and despite using a lot of AccuBonds and watching hunting partners use them, in calibers from .270 up to .375, I have yet to see one separate. The list of animals is a long one, including not only elk but moose, grizzly and larger African game including zebra, kudu, gemsbok, waterbuck, blue wildebeest and a bull eland at least twice the size of a typical 6-point elk. The eland just happened to be taken with a .300 Winchester Magnum. Without looking at my hunting notes I can't recall whether the AccuBond was a 180 or 200, but it doesn't really matter.

Obviously I don't know whether your particular AccuBonds were some of the very few defective bullets that left the factory, but suspect they probably were. I also can appreciate how personal experience affects opinions, but the vast preponderance of evidence is AccuBonds do work very much like Partitions, which is why so many people who've killed a lot more big game (not deer) than you have with them continue to use AccuBonds on not only elk but even bigger game.

The Ballistic Tip isn't made for larger game.





P

I am a Barnes TSX/TTSX man. BUT Nosler Partitions if they shoot in your rifle are never a bad choice.

I've watched a lot of immediate one shot kills with these hunting Bergers on various LR hunting shows but I'm not convinced that its tough enough for an elk.

I am a big fan of partitions. In 30 caliber, the 180 is good but the 200 is better. I've used the 200 gr accubond also and it work fine, but I just can't get passed the partition. Good luck whatever you choose.

I'd load some 200gr Partitions, or 200gr Accubonds in your 300 and commence to filling some arks!

From Nosler's web site:
Sure, they'll kill an elk with the right shot but with a marginal one or a heavy bone hit, they can fail. That's why Nosler makes heavier constructed bullets for heavier constructed animals.

My bullet for elk, moose, etc in my 300WM are my 180gr Accubond reloads.

I woul dsay anything from 165-200 would be great, be it Accubonds, TTSX's, or what ever shoots best in your rifle.

You are basing your advice in information that changed many years ago. Read Mule Deer's post back on page 1.

Elk are harder to find, than to kill.

Lots of bullets in the 180-200 range are going to work.. Bergers, barnes, noslers.. Get a load working, check your equipment, start practicing and getting in shape.

And make sure to have fun!

The 168ttsx is like the hammer of Thor on elk fromy 300 wby!

180 Nosler Partition Have not had one let me down yet.

I have loaded them for 7mag 30-06 338 win mag and all smoked elk.

Last year I ended up having to use my deer rifle LONG STORY 257 Roberts AI 120 grain Nosler Partitions did the trick on a really big cow.

That's some funny stuff right there.

180 Partition

Advice......

1. Huck them target bullets and get either 180 or 200 grain partition or accubond bullets. That horse hauky about accubonds exploding is just that, horse hauky. Carry on with Working up a load to your liking with ether said bullet.

2.Find a legal wapiti to shoost at.

3. Hope legal wapiti is not @597 yards on the last half hour of light on the last possible day of hunt

4.Once wapiti is found, Place bullet into and or threw vitals or destroy major structure bone ie: hips, shoulders, spine, brain pan.

I'll admit that I'm still scared of Bergers, MatchKings and Scenars on elk. Myself and hunting partners have taken more with Partitions than anything else, but I think the Accubonds are starting to creep up into the picture more. Hard to beat that 200 grain Accubond. Did recover one from a .300 Win Mag at about 50 yards that was caught in a rear ham. Elk died.

I am fairly green if not extremely green. But looking at the old barnes reloading book that lists the XLC (coated) bullet. In the 180 XLC the 30 06 was dang near if not better than the 300 win mag in performance. Therefore it is my belief that the Magnum 30 cal cartridges begin to shine above the 3006 at 200 grains or better. The 200 grain stuff will better utilize the slower bigger burning powder column of the mag cases. The sectional density of the 200 would give Boddington a chub , and the ballisitc coefficient even with flat bases will nearly match a 180 boattail. It is my humble opinion if you can group a 200 grain with your 300 mag, hunt with it or use a 3006/308 winchester.

A lot of appropriate Nosler bullets mentioned here so I'll mention the 168-gr Barnes TTSX. It won't fail up close and you can easily kick it out fast enough from the 300 to get some expansion at 500. Usually very accurate too.

Bla Bla Bla, this is good, that isn't...

At the risk of sounding like Boxer, I have killed over 60 elk, the most of them were killed (around 40) with a 165 grain Hornady spire point in a 30-06. Nothing special, just good shots at distances of 80-400 yards.

Due to circumstances on a hunt, I decided to get something for longer range than the 30-06 so a 600 yard shot could be made reliably. I settled on a 300 Weatherby magnum with a 180 grain Nosler BT and have killed several elk at over 500 yards with no loss of elk or meat.

If you think that a standard bullet of today's major manufacturers won't work, you are mistaken. I would stress that the shot is more important than the bullet. As much as people badmouth a Remington Core-Loct bullet, I wouldn't hesitate shooting them either. I have killed elk with those bullets out of military surplus rifles.

As was mentioned earlier, shooting is more important than the bullet, being in shape for the hunt and a good pair of boots would worry me more than the bullet...

While I can't be sure the number of times, but Muledeer has explained this to you before more than once. And he did so once again in this thread.... Don't you think its about time to take a hint and realize your info is outdated and irrelevant?

If it was irrelevant, wouldn't Nosler drop that line from their BT website page that says it's for deer sized game? It doesn't cost that much to buy a bullet that's actually recommended for the game you're hunting.

Well....... this sure sounds nice in theory, but if you ever see an elk slapped with a 180 gr bullet from a 300 magnum at 400-500 yards you might forget about these theories. A 180 gr flat knocks the snot out of them.

I've used the 200 gr NPT on them.and 180's as well...on average it will penetrate a bit deeper but any difference in actual killing over a 180 of similar construction is more theoretical than real.

Game animals would have to get to be the size of a Cape Buffalo or rhino(never hunted either one) before I gave a thought to hunting them with a 300 magnum and a good 180 gr bullet:certainly nothing in NA.

Bob I would definitely not be afraid to shoot an elk w/the 180gr .30 or .338 BT's. They hammer our large hogs(200-400lb)here in Texas with much authority. Having used the .284 most of my life...when I began hunting w/the 338-06 and the 180-200gr BT's I saw an instant difference in knock down and killing power. powdr

powdr: Great outfits!

Never used those 338 bullets you have, but 30 cal 180's an be used on just about anything.

I've used 180 Accubonds out of a couple different 300 mags on several bull elk. I've also used the same bullet extensively from Antelope to Caribou and a variety of African plains game. Performance has always been as advertised with the Accubond. It is an excellent bullet. I've also shot big game animals with Partitions & TSXs without issue. Elk are pretty darn tough. A good bullet is a must IMHO.

Bob....I was trying to say with the 300 Mag cartridge with bullet use under 200 grains the cartridge does not begin to distinguish itself from the 3006. By no means is a 180 in 30 cal modern hunting bullet in adequate for 800 pound elk. As long as it is going fast enough when it hits the elk.

The barnes reloading manual #3 shows in a 3006 the 180 grain xlc will do 2986 fps to 3091 using 51 to 62 grains. (how the heck you fit 62?) of powder.
The 300 win mag pushes the 180 xlc 3053 fps to 3148 fps. These speeds require 73 to 80 grains of powder.
So the 3006 will average 3038.5 fps on 56.5 grains.
The win mag 3100 fps on 76.5 grains.
2 % more velocity using 35% more powder.

In the same manual the 3006 will push a 200 grain xfb 2482 to 2680. Or 2581 avg.
The 300 win mag will chart a 200 grain xfb 2590 to 2908. A 2750 avg. That shows a 6.5 % velocity difference.
So the velocity advantage increases by 350 % If one shoots a 200 grain bullet versus a 180 grainer out of a 300 Mag compared to a 3006.

So my advice to you jeffbird.... pick a rifle you own you can shoot well out to 500 yards. Look for a sectional density around .25 in the bullet(165 grain 308) and twice the animals weight in fps upon impact.....roughly 1500 foot pounds. For most bullets to function properly it seems they should strike the animal at or above 1800 feet per second.
Monolithic bullets will penetrate above and beyond their sectional densities predict. However lighter bullets (less sectional density) can also be lower intheir ballistic coefficient. The lower the BC the more prone a bullet is to drift. Another consideration is an errant hit with a lighter bullet will posses less energy. We all know a proper hit in the fatal area almost any bullet will harvest. But if a bullet strikes the Rumen/intestinal area foot pounds of energy will come into play as to how shocked the animal will get.
If you choose your 300 mag by all means shoot the bullet you can shoot the best. However some of my reloading manuals state under 180 grains the magnum cases are prone to incomplete powder burn causing variation in bullet velocities. I just got a 308 Norma mag and my neighbor has been loading a 300 win mag at my house so I been reloading and studying the magnum cartridges intently for the first time. I usually hunt elk with a 300 savage. Why? So I can post pics on the savage forum! I do not believe having 300 mag stamped on your barrel will make elk flop over dead....you gotta hit em where it counts! Good Luck!

You need to throw that book away.. 180's at 3100 outta an '06 looks good on paper, and many reloaders found that to be the only case.

That book had some ridiculous loads.

I wouldn't want to be around anybody shooting a 30-06 that was getting 3100 with a 180...

Angus where to start....

First, you can't really use the XLC data in the manual as "typical" because the bullet had a slick blue coating that supposedly cut resistance to the bullet traveling down the bore and gave somewhat higher velocity than most standard bullets.IIRC they may also have been mad slightly undersized to further reduce resistance, the difference in diameter being mad up by that blue, slick coating. It was a neat trick. I have actually loaded and chronoographed some in the 300 WM.

I think you might be cherry picking your data a bit since a quick look at 2 other manuals don't show velocities much over 2800 fps from a 30/06 and 180 gr bullet..I would regard the Barnes data you cite, showing 3091 with a 180 gr from a 30/06 as pie in the sky with any other 30 caliber 180 gr bullets.If I saw it, I'd be running the other way from that load.


I'd consider 2900 fps as really stretching a 30/06. I know that some people have hit those velocities with MRP but have to consider anything much over 2800 fps from a 30/06 as hardly typical.



Any garden variety 300 Win Mag I have loaded for will get 3100 fps with a 180 gr bullet. I hunted for years with long throat 300 Win Mag and 24" Krieger SS barrel that gave 3140 with good case life.No 30/06 I have ever seen would give any where near that velocity level and the 300 beats that cartridge by 200 -300 fps.at pressures I can live with.There is no free lunch.

I would like to see a dozen 30/06's average 3038.5 fps from a 180 gr bullet on 56.5 gr of powder,as you state in your post.... I bet you $100 right now you won't see it....nowhere near close.

I have not looked to see if Barnes makes the XLC anymore but like i said, that bullet was/is an anomaly and hardly typical of what you can expect with most any other brands.

Does Barnes still make them?

My point is that the 300 win mag has substantially more powder capacity than the 30/06 and will show a velocity advantage of 200-300 fps no matter what you feed either one and loaded to the same pressures.If a 30/06 narrows that margin it's only because you are loading it hotter than the 300 and for no other reason, including magic bullets and powders.


In any event,the point of my post was not to start comparing cartridges for relative efficiency...a pretty big waste of time since powder capacity always wins the race ...but to simply state that you could kill elk all day long with either a 180 or 200 gr bullet from a 300 magnum and if construction is good with both you won't see much if any difference in how they kill.

^^^^^^ Listen to this man, I live in Wyoming and his stories are told here in quiet secluded places^^^^^^^^
P.S. I killed a bull with a 7x57 with a 150 gr. core lokt at almost 2600 fps , so anything bigger will kill them just as dead.

I shoot Barnes 165 gr. TSX bullets to kill elk, out of my .300 Weatherby.
A better bullet for elk would be hard to find, IMO.

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.

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.

Pardon my interruption.

???????

I've no experience at all with the 210 and have only run the Juggernauts via the 308 win... The 185 worked fine, but I've only used it on a handful of big game (25-30) from 60 yds out to 580 yds... Didn't see a problem with them at all...

I no longer have any magnum rifles and am down to a 300 SAUM and a 6.5 SAUM... I've been running 155 Scenars in the lil 300 and they have worked excellent at all distances thus far...

When I was running magnums I slummed the 180 Sciroccos most of the time and they performed well with never an issue, from a 300 WM, 300 RUM and a 300 WSM...

As I mentioned earlier... Sneak that 308 in there and gun your go to round... I know you can run it and run it well so why take a whore to the dance...

Try the 180 NBT's, Acc's and Partitions. Let your rifle speak to what it likes. At the same time, make sure you are in good shape to enjoy the hunt.
Keep us posted.

In my 300 I like the tsx. Works good in clear cuts and timber.

EHG,

Concur, and the 308 with 175's definitely will make the trip as well.

Thanks guys.

Since it did not make the list near the end. My limited experience was that the Swift Scirocco 180 out of a 30-06 Remington Premium factory load had no issues dropping an elk at 325 yards.

My tikka in .300 ways 7 lbs even with the scope, pretty much the same weight as a .30-06 , and does just fine with the 24 " barrel.

To get full reward out of your hunt, you need to pack out at least one quarter on your back..... It's the suffering that builds bonds!!!!!!!!!

Would love to more than you can imagine. But after docs tinkering with my spine courtesy of a lady talking on a cell phone instead of looking through her windshield, if I just make it up the mountain to see the sunrise, the trip will be a great success in my mind. Everything beyond that is a bonus.

When I worked with XLCs, I couldn't drive them faster in a number of rifles. Yes, they have some "slipperiness" but also a longer shank with more surface area contact.

I gave up on the original Xs and then the XLCs too after not too long experiencing spiking pressures zeroth both that were erratic. It could have been an errant lot of XLCs that I had. But I gave up on them.

I'm a big fan of the PTs mostly in my 338. Ran the 200 and 180 PTs in the 300 Win Mag for elk. My hunting partners took a couple elk this past fall with the 180 PT at around 3050 from the muzzle of his 300 Win Mag







That bullet crushed a front leg bone and was lodged in the far side knuckle.

My other partner was running the 200 AB started at 3250. Elk was taken at 530 yards. Hit towards the rear of the rib cage, took the liver and lung. Hit and cracked the front scapula.







I know a ton of other bullets will work fine, but you won't guess how well an AB or PT will work.

I was using 150 partitions in my 7mag for moose and they worked great, all the broadside shots were pass through.

I tried some 160 accubonds and found they were more accurate.

The first moose I shot was quartered away. At almost 300 yards I hit him in the ribs, the bullet passed through his heart and lungs and lodged in the far side leg bone.

He only took about 2 steps and died and there was very little meat damage.

I'm sold on them.

I've used Accubonds, Partitions, Ballistic Tips and Barnes TTSX so far on elk in 3006, 7 Rem Mag and 300 Weatherby. For my own small personal sample the TTSX is the best bullet - the BT shot a very tiny bit better - but had the worst performance on stopping them. The accubond and partition were fine just not as accurate or as dramatic results.

I have spent probably over $250 giving Partitions an exhaustive try in my 284 & 308 caliber rifles. No success, no more attempts.

ahhh I did not realize the spine issue... some mornings the sunrise view from up top is better then a downed elk!!!!! Enjoy your trip

Try a faster powder. Usually works with Partitions.

This old thread popped up, which tested most of the bullets discussed here. Also, for those discussing the Ballistic Tips, the thread has photos of the old vs. new Ballistic Tip jackets.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/7219652/1

While I'm a user of 200 NPs the more hunters I guide the less I think bullet choice matters.

John I sold my 300 wby. Which bullet would you shoot for elk in a 264 win mag? Thanks

I've never shot an elk with the .264 but have seen plenty of similar cartridges at work. My own preference would be the 140 Nosler Partition (or even the 125), but any of the bonded bullets or "tipped" monolithics in the 120-140 grain range would work. However, my first .264 was a pre-'64 Model 70 Westerner that belonged to a local rancher for many years. He killed a bunch of elk with the 129 Hornady Interlock Spire Point and thought it was perfect. I only shot deer with it, using the 140 Speer Hot-Cor, which worked fine.

I am setting up my 300 RUM for Elk hunting. Would I be better served with a bonded bullet or a partitioned bullet or does it not really matter? I was thinking of either a 200 grain partition or a 180 grain bonded bullet.

300 Rums generally like 200gn Accubonds over either Retumbo or Rel 25.

When first released, I loaded for a couple more using AR 2217 which is H1000 in the US. It too, is a great powder for this cartridge.

John

168ttsx is my favorite otherwise. If I knew the shot was very likely to be over 400 yards I would start to lean towards the 180-200 accubond.

180 grain Nosler Partition protected point. Works on deer and hogs as well.

What is the difference between the spire point and protected point?

Yer over-thinking this thing. Go with any well-constructed bullet that gives best accuracy in your rifle...short range just doesn't matter. Know your ballistics, use a range-finder.

I've only 60 or so caribou, 20 moose, and a few assorted others under my belt (literally), with my only elk taken at 150 yards with a .260 140 grain factory Corelokt. Worked just fine.

IIRC the PP has no exposed lead tip. I think the ogive is also different.Both to better fit the short neck and deep seating in the 300 Win Mag in a 30/06 OAL box mag,but could be wrong on the ogive thing.

I believe there is still exposed lead. It is halfway between a spire point and round nose.

for the .264 i like the 130, 140 accubond, 140 partition, 120 ttsx

YUP!

My experience, as limited as it is, supports that.