Anyone have any experienced recommendations on good .308 round for medium, long range elk hunting (out to about 350 yards)?

I'll be shooting a 26" heavy barrelled sniper rifle with a tactical scope that was designed for use with the 168 gr, Federal Match ammo. So if you know of a factory round with the right bullet for busting elk that gives a similar trajectory, so much the better.

Thanks.

Take a look at the offerings from Black Hills. They offer a load with the 168 grain Barnes TSX that ought to fit your requirement

Black Hills Gold Ammo


Hope this helps,


HBB

I'd look hard at the Black Hills Gold ammo loaded with a 168 Barnes TSX. Should line up pretty well with your 168 match ammo.

Black Hills 168 TSX

Apperenty great minds think alike...

+2.

BMT

Well, Federal Premium High Energy loads have one with a 180 grain partition at a reported 2,750 fps (or thereabouts), that's not too shabby either.

At that range, it hardly even needs to be a premium as the impact velocity will be pretty low.

That said, the 168 TSX would be an excellent choice. As would a 165 Partition or Accubond.

My vote goes to the Accubond IF you are indeed going to be shooting this elk at 350 yards. If you will be shooting it at anywhere from 20 yards to 350 yards, then the Partition or TSX is probably marginally better.

In truth, any of those, and several others, will work just fine. Your .308 is operating in a velocity range that does not test bullet performance particularly. A Core-lokt would probably work just as well as a TSX at 350 yards, IMHO.

-jeff

... I love .308, by the way, and every round derived from that case. Hope I didn't come off as hatin' on your rifle!

-jeff

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52&products_id=206

That is the way to go.

If you're thinking on my wavelength, Brother are U in trouble

HBB

Thanks for the info.

I'll try and get a box each of the Black Hills and Fed Prem HE and see which one my rifle/scope combo likes the best.

The double tap sounds real interesting 200gr at 2550, but I'm not sure how well the rifling will match up to that heavy a bullet. Still, if I come across a box, I'll probably try it.


Jeff-

No offense taken. I agree that the .308 is hardly a 350 yard elk rifle. And really tough bullets might not open up as well as I'd like at those ranges.


Thanks to all.

Yup, unless it happens to be one that's closer. I load 165g North Fork and TSX/MRX in my .308.

For a general-purpose .308 elk rifle, yeppers! Or a Partition or Accubond. But he's got a big heavy sniper rifle setup... sounds like he's pretty much planning on a longer shot.

If the elk co-operate.

-jeff

Well yesterday I went out and spend 76.00 on a couple of boxes of the FED HE 180gr. (I couldn't locate the Black Hills ammo at the two stores I went to, and I had some other stuff to do.)

Theoretically, the FED HE looks like it just the ticket. The ballistics are within an inch or less out to 500 yards with those of the Fed 168gr Matchking. The Fed Matchking is the cartridge that my scope (Springfield Armory Govt Model II) was designed around.

The Nosler states that the 180gr Nosler Partition needs at least 1800 fps to open up properly and at 500 yds the theoretical velocity of the FED HE is still moving at around 1900 fps.

Now if I can get my rifle to group well with the load, I am in business (otherwise I go back and look for the Black Hills ammo).

Jeff:

I am not wishing for a 500 yd shot at an elk, I just want to be reasonably confident I can make one if I need to (since nowadays I pretty much limit myself to big 6-pointers or better).

I also got a bear hunt coming up in a couple weeks and shots will probably either be really close or really long. I feel better with 180gr bullet for that work.

And, finally I got a deer hunt coming up after the elk hunt, and for that I would really like to try out the rifle for a long range kill (provided I feel confident I can make the shot).

Again, thanks for all the good advice.

That's the factory load I'd use... I've chrono'd the 180 HE load in a 22" bbl'd 308... 2,700 fps is typical.

That's what I got in my 84M, too. Matter of fact, I think it was you who recommended those loads to me, thanks for that.

.308 is just an amazing little creature, isn't it...

You'll whack any of the critters you mention with that load, that's for sure!

-jeff

I would recommend a sporter rifle and hoping for a closer shot. I can just imagine packing a varmint gun through the woods.
Proper placement is key not what premium bullet you use. Federal Fusion's or the Core-lokts I use are as good anyhow at a fraction of the cost IMHO. At least ever elk I ever shot was just as dead and didn't run off and die miles away, or hundreds of yards either.

I'm sure glad you said that. I was planning on using my .308 loaded with the 150 gr. TSX over a mild charge of Re-15 ( 46 grs.). Somehow, I think it will work.
I'd hate to have to carry my 11 lb. plus, target rifle up into the Rockly's. I'll try to make do with my little 7.5 lb M70 w/ 4X scope. Maybe some dumb elk will take pity on me and stand around fairly close so i can carefully shoot him it the lungs. I'd be real nervous trying to break both shoulders with that bullet. E

When I went elk hunting in Colorado a few years ago I only had time for factory loads as I did not handload at that time, so I tried to sight my gun (Rem model 7 in .308) in on the Fed HE 180 grain loads which my gun absolutely hated. (that was the load I really hoped would work)
I also tried some TBBC's (my second choice) like the first choice my gun hated these, so I ended up using my deer loads which were Winchester 168 grain BT's....to say I felt undergunned was an understatement as I felt I needed a better constructed bullet, so during my hunt I passed a shot on a decent 6x6 only because I had a texas heart shot opportunity (not my first choice of shots anyway).
So because of the bullet I had I passed on an opportunity at a rather decent bull and never had another opportunity at an elk that year....I feel that if I had one of the other 2 choices I really wanted, I would have taken the shot and got that elk but not with the BT's.
Of course my distance was considerably shorter say 90 yds....but in the back of my mind I always wonder would the BT's have done the job?.......I guess I'll never know.

Now days my bullet choice is Barnes TSX's.....

This is what I just love about this forum. A guy asks a simple, straightforward question, and even describes his rifle and yardage. It's a good question, because shooting an elk at over 300 yards with a .308 is pushing the envelope. The part I love is all the "extra" advice he gets, unrelated to his original question. Advice like dump your rifle and get a lighter one, or try to get closer for the shot. Advice on the kinds of bullets that will "work just fine" and cost less. Comments on someone's pet handloads when the guy clearly said he's looking for a factory load.

IMHO, if a guy is going to contemplate and be ready for shots at elk at over 300 yards with a .308 and bases his choice of ammo. on the cost (he isn't thankfully), he's barking up the wrong tree. Add up all the money you'll spend to go on an elk hunt, and save $20 or $30 on two boxes of ammo.?

Advice that proper bullet placement is key is always good, and as a matter of fact a .243 will do just fine when you punch both lungs. But at 400 yards, even the best marksmen will miss by a few inches now and then, hence the question about the "best" factory load (not bullet).

Personally, I would hunt elk with a 150 TSX any time, or better yet, a 168 for my style of hunting. But then again, I won't be shooting at over 300. If I hunted with a long-range rig and thought I might, the 150 TSX would not be my choice, based on the fact that a good 180 is a better long-range bullet and will retain much more wallop past 300 than a 150. Remember, we're talking elk at over 300 with a .308. And we're talking the "best" bullet, not what will work.

Now the other thing is, although I've never killed an elk with a TSX, the one knock I've heard fairly consistently is that at low velocities, they tend to not open up. Anyone who's killed an elk at long range with a TSX at similar velocities care to comment on that?

I am no expert but have well over 50 big game kills and have never shot a so called a Texas Heart shot yet. For that matter I never plan on one either. I have turned more than one elk or deer down because of no decent shot was offered. I have yet to be sorry, IMO it is the right thing to do. I have never tried to break a shoulder either, heart lungs work, has been my experience. It takes blood and oxygen to live and without it nothing moves far.
We use 30 calibers ( '06's and 308's) with 150 grain bullets they work, again IMO you don't need the latest greatest magnum or the several dollar apiece bullets to reload. Somewhere close to 100 animals have fallen for me and mine the last few decades with either the Federals or the Core-Lokt's.
There is nothing wrong with $3500 rifles or $5 bullets but again IMO unnecessary.

I followed a fella's advice who had "got his elk" 17 years in a row. He used a 30-06 with 150 grains reloads, the elk have not changed. What worked then works now. How much time and money do you suppose Remington spent developing the core-lokt bullet? Nearly every bullet I see advertised in the gun rags looks almost identical when recovered as what I have seen with what few I have recovered.
I'll get off my soap box, but the bottom line to me is hit em where it counts is first and foremost. Hunt responsibly don't shoot just cause you can hit a animal any ol place from any distance.

I've never shot any animal in the backside either. A buddy killed a spike one year using a 30-06 and 180grs. The bull was only 60 yards away or so, but I probably wouldn't have taken the shot.

Acutally, every elk I've killed has been within 30 or 40 yards (maybe 50 yards one time). And all of the ones I've let go (some not-to-shabby 6ptrs), have been within 50 yards or so.

Other than antelope and a couple of mule deer, I don't think I've every killed any big game at over 200 yards.

Still, I want to be ready if some of them bulls, I've been letting go for the past 4 or 5 years have made to 7 or 8.

Friday I will take the rifle out and shoot it at 100, 200, and 300 yards (maybe 400 if I remember to bring a portable target holder) and see if the load will work with my rifle.

smokepole:

I know what you mean about asking a straight forward question and people going off on different tangents. These threads seem to take a life of their own sometimes, but it always makes for some interesting reading.

Good Hunting to All:

700LH, you make some very good points. And no one can argue with results. Also, no one said that core-lokts aren't good bullets, or that 150 grain bullets won't kill elk just fine, or that you should use a different bullet.

Here's how I look at it though. If someone asked me which is best for 300+ yard shots at elk, a .308 or a .30-06, I'd say the 06. That is not to say that the .308 won't work, that's an entirely different question. And in my mind anyway, the 180 grain bullet at 2,700 gets closest to what an 06 delivers.

I can personaly testify that a 180-grain Nosler Partition works on elk well past 300 yards when started at a measly 2700 fps.

JB

I can second that notion, cept mine was always started at 2650 being as I am such a conservative fella........grins

Anyone buy into that?

Dober

You're just one of those wimp-loaders....

JB

Now that would be me...grins

Speaking of load wimp loaders, you wanna go and break in that .340 on Friday?

Dober

Thanks, but I wil probably still be nailing trim to the new upstairs flooring....

Though they did re-open the rod & gun club range--and the sky is clear enough that I may even be able to "scout" for my embra borrego with the spotting scope while shooting! Might try that tomorrow morning before having to hammer some more.

JB

Buff Hunter,

There are a pile of bullets that work well at 308 velocity. Since you want something like the Sierra Matchking, I'd try the Sierra 165 BTHP Gameking. The Sierra hollow point hunting boattails are actually built tougher than their boat tail soft points according to the folks at Sierra. I know a lot of folks use this bullet at close range here without problems so it should work fine on elk in open country.

Britt

Britt-that is the bullet I am presently running in my lil 308. It is big time accurate but has the BC of a spud. Turrets of course can help out with this.

I've not used it to date in a 308 on game but have taken a plethora of game with it in the .06 and the 300's.

Personally I feel it is the toughest bullet that Sierra makes and is every bit as good if not tougher than all the other non preme's out there.

Just wished its BC didn't suck to bad...

Dober

But when this one hits it's a sweet tater LOL!

Britt

Got that right!

I'm thinking I should field test the lil 308 out of a stand on an island in eastern Mt on the Jellystone. Now if I could just find someone who had land out there....grins

Perhaps I'll need to show some property about Nov 12th, which just happens to be my birthday!

Dober

It's an accuracy favorite of mine for my LVSF 308, but the only thing I've shot with it was a small pig. I wasn't really worried, but having read your comment I'll have no qualms about busting a big buck with one. Where I'll be hunting 300 yards is a long shot, so even launched around 2650 fps I'm sure the spud will do all right.

mathman


Oops, I forgot we were in the Elk section.

Dobs,

Don't ya know, you're supposed to write on the side of your cases with a sharpie "2800 FPS"? That way it will kill'um deader!
I think some wise-ass writer said that somewhere!

Well, I got back this morning from shooting the Fed HE 180s. They worked like a charm in my .308. I carefully resighted my .308 with the Fed MKs 168's and shot 4, 2-shot groups at 100yds that were each about 3/4", with scope adjustments made between each group. The final group was about a 1/2" from perfect (2" high at 100 yds)for dead-on at 200yds. I then shot 1 2-shot group with the Fed HEs 180's, which measured 1" and was about an inch left from perfect (wind was starting to pick-up blowing maybe ~20 MPH from right-to-left).

Due to the wind picking up, the remainder of my shooting was done exclusively with the Fed HE 180s. Here are the results.

I then moved on to 200 yds and shot 2 2-shot groups that each measured 1 1/2", and were about 1 1/2" from dead-on (wind was starting to gust and I tried to squeeze off in the calm spots).

At 300 yds, I shot 1 2-shot group of 6" (wind was gusting pretty bad and maybe up ~25-30 MPH). Each shot was no more than 4" from dead-on, with the closest about 3 1/2". I was using the 300yd recticle of the scope, and giving the wind, I was pretty much satisfied with the results.

All shots were fired from the bipod, without any sandbags (just using my left fist, under the stock for fine-tuning adjustments).

I believe on a nice calm day, I could stay within MOA to 300yds without too much trouble.

Again, thanks for all the good advice!

I bet you could do it further out than that...

But hunting conditions are rarely calm, at least where I hunt elk.

-jeff

Jeff,

I also thought of that. I could probably push to 400-450 yards, provided the wind was dead calm. I think I will limit myself to about 350yds for elk (and hopefully get a big bull at a much closer range).

For a bear hunt coming up in a week, I'll probably limit myself to 350yds as well (not too crazy about crawling into srub oak after a wounded bear!).

For a deer hunt, in mid-October, provided the wind was right, and I had plenty of time for a second or even third shot, I might stretch it to 450 yds.

Again, not shooting long range, unless I need to.

BH

BH,

At closer range bullet construction becomes more important, of course. I was under the impression that this was pretty much strictly a long-range affair. If that's not true, then do be sure to choose a bullet that will hold together.

-jeff

Jeff,

They are 180gr Nosler partitions. I've shot 154gr Nosler partitions in my .7mm Wby Mag for years. I've never had a problem with close range shots (although, I generally try to break a shoulder when I'm within 50yds or so.) I did shoot a bear at about 70 yds with a behind-the-shoulder shot. It ran down into some scrub oak (im my direction) and trashed around a bit. I give it about 30 minutes to bleed out or stiffen up and them went in after it. I found it dead, not too far from where
I entered the oak.

Thanks for the reminder!

BH

A Partition is almost always the answer to just about any bullet question!

-jeff

I didn't know that Weatherby had a 154gr Nosler Part load. I thought that the Nosler entrys were 150gr and 160 gr. I think that weatherby factory ammo used to be loaded with Hornady Spire Points tho, maybe they still are? That would account for the 154gr 7mm bullet. If all this is true, then you've had good success with cup and core bullets in the 7mm Weatherby. Not bad!

Yeah, no kidding! The interlock is a heck of a c-n-c bullet, though.

-jeff

Yep,

180 grain Partition in the .308, 200 grain Partition in the 30-06, 175 grain Partition in th 7's. Whomp and stomp as far as you can reliably hit em.

Wayne

If you want factory ammo go buy some of the Fusion loads with the 165 grain bullet. They will do the job just fine.

Don,

You are correct they are the Hornady Spire Points.

To All:

Thanks for the great advice/information. Unfortunately due to
a current health problem, I had to cancel all my hunts this year (sob). Maybe next year.

Again thanks and Good Hunting.

BH

Let's hi-jack this thread and keep the .308 talk going... : )

I am planning to use one of the Remington Special Run Mt Guide guns in 308 for my next trip. I have a ton of great ideas on ammo now! I think I need to get into reloading so I can afford to try all of the options discussed!

700

Unfortunately for us, some don't live in elk country.. I can and do walk away from any messy shot on a WT here.... If I'm driving 24 hours one way, spending bunches of money etc.... I"ll take the tx heart shot in an instant if its all I have. Its no different than shooting them coming at me in the chest, except opposite. Thats IF I have a gun and projectile capable.

Jeff