Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Are premium bullets needed for elk?

A friend of mine that has killed a LOT of big game animals in several countries told me his favorite elk load was a 165 gr Nosler ballistic tip out of any 30 caliber magnum. In his words, a NBT is a forgiving bullet. It can make a marginal shot a good shot. In the heat of the moment, things can and do go wrong and bullets don't end up where they were supposed to occasionally.

I shoot NBTs when I can because they are accurate. It doesn't take much to stop a heart, but you have to hit it.

I wonder what they used to kill elk before the "premium" bullets came around? Maybe elk have gotten tougher over the years....