Is either enough gun for elk at 500 yards with a barnes 115?

"Shut up and hunt.."

Lmao! Nice

Hunt? You mean get out there in the cold and mud where the grizzlies and the wolves and the catamounts can get you?? NO WAY!!!

500 is probably stretching it - there are certainly better choices for that range. I'm much more comfortable at 400 with my .257 +P, which pushes a 115g TSX to just under 3000fps when seated long. (My rifle has a lot of freebore, too.) After 400 the velocity drops below 2200fps and I've always been concerned about TSX's opening reliably at lower velocities, which is why I use TTSX instead.

When elk hunting with the Roberts I push a 120g A-Frame to just shy of 2950fps. I don't worry about whether or not they will open and if they can't do the job I don't have any business taking the shot. Even with the A-Frames 400 is near the edge of what I will take and I'd want a broadside.

If intent on 500 yard shots, I'd definitely prefer a .25-06. Better yet a .270, .280 or 7mm RM.

As has been mentioned, I wouldn't choose the 115 Barnes if looking for 500 yards. The 110 Accubond or 115 NPT would be better choices simply for assurance of expansion.

Of course a 100 gr TTSX at 3300 fps wouldn't be terrible...

The cartridges are close enough that it doesn't matter. Take your pick.

If you have to ask, the answer is no. YOU are not ready.

When you decide you're going to and just want thoughts on HOW, c'mon back ... we'll talk.

Tom

What rate of twist do you need for the 115 Barnes?

Always a cacksucker in every crowd isnt there..

CBB
Because somebody points out the obvious to you??

Asking a question about bullet/caliber choice at a given yardage on a game animal i havent pursued doesnt deserve a snotty answer imo..answer the question that was asked or s.t.f.u.
There was a reason the question was asked and several people answered it with solid advice.. No need to be a dick...

Nobody is trying to be a dick- To try to kill an elk with ANY cartridge at 500 yards requires a certain amount of experience and knowledge about rifles. If you are so inexperienced in either elk hunting and/or rifles that you don't know the answer to your own question, you obviously have not been around elk, elk hunters or shooting very much.
The reason I say that is, if you had been around hunters and shooters to any extent, you'd know that some people say that anything less than a 300 magnum is to small for elk at any range and others will say a 243 works on elk to 1000 yards. Just do some searching on here and you can see that for yourself.
The way responsible people learn to kill elk at longer ranges is that you start shooting deer with a certain cartridge and see how it performs, and then take a couple of elk at shorter range with that cartridge. If it works well, you start stretching the range out. over those seasons, you see your buddies kill elk with different cartridges and then YOU decide how big a round you want to shoot 500 yards.
Legitimate questions here get little flack. Questions that have been asked a 1000 times before that have no definitive answer sometimes test the patience of people on here looking for adult conversation.

Girlfriend is going be using 25-284 with 100 grain interlock but she sure as hell won't be shooting to 500 yards

When the question comes up will this or that caliber kill an elk or moose or coyote at 500 yards or what ever..Mostly the answer is yes it will, but how long it will take the animal to die, and how much country it will cover before it dies, is another question entirely..I agree with TOM, if you have to ask you are not ready for that trip..

My Ruger is an erstwhile standard 1989 Ruger twist. Unless they changed it since then, 1-10 is the current Ruger twist.

My wife will run her 25-06 loaded with Swift A-Frames started out at 3145FPS for he first elk hunt. I'm not sure I'd wanna shoot at an elk at 500 but I think within 350 it'd be just fine. I would want something with lead up front though, at the longer ranges to make sure it does open up.

take what ever you pick and try it closer,i use to shoot the m1a1 up to 45oo yrds and its tough with it.just take yer time and get use to it ya gotta crawl before you walk.

500 yards is really not that far to shoot if you practice a little. A lot of people get their panties in a wad when talking about shooting 500 yards because they have never done it or won't invest the time and money to be able to do it.

I would have no issue punching a elk at 500 yards with my 25-06 as long as the wind is not howling to bad.

Dink