Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting "bullets matter more than headstamps"...

Shhhhhh .... grin

I’ve ate a bit of elk steak in one of the harder states to kill elk once or twice...

Making a clean accurate shot with the first squeeze matters more than what you’re rock’n with in the woods. If you jerk and flitch the big magnums then set it aside...Nobody will call you a pussy if you’re making clean hits with a lower recoil rifle. Dead is dead and high-5’s and fist bumps are passed around...

You have a wounding issue because you wanna swag a magnum that scares your soul. Then, party members get a little perturbed having to track an animal down into steep canyons and heavy cover with a bonus, if found, at the end, dealing with a gut shot elk.

But, don’t hate on those who shoot the magnums often and well. Coastal country can be big, steep and treacherous. 300 RUM can be a friend.😎

I don't know how tall that fella is,but that bull is THICK! My brother in law shot one in Colorado in 2013,that was such an animal. Of the 3 bulls in camp that season,it was enormous. Dwarfed the other 2 by a wide margin. Doubt it would have winterd over either. The teeth were all but gone. His horns were chit too. One 160 grain Partition via 7 Rem mag. Slightly going away,didn't exit. I was on the mountain when they processed it,or I'd hunted for the bullet a bit. Don't think anyone has it. Our crew has taken 7 bulls out of that same camp in 3 trips. All were shot with the 7 Rem mag. Just coincidence. Bullets from 175 grain factory fodder,to 160 grain hand loads. None traveled more than a few yards. All were hit in the goodies. We have a shoot till he's down mind set in our camp. I think the most shots into one bull was 3. All weren't necessary,but we've never lost a bull,knock on wood.

One could say from the data gathered in our camp,the 7 Rem mag is the perfect elk rifle. Any of those bulls could have just as easily been dispatched with an 06 based round. I will say this. After seeing how thick and densely muscled a truly big old bull is, Ill lean to the Interlock, Partition, bonded or TTSX bullets. In what ever case they are fired from.

Agreed. If we include an elk tag in our applications this year,Ill be carrying my 280AI,or the Kimber 30/06 Just because it's lighter. The AI piles 140 TTSXs into Little bitty groups. It's one of those rigs that just seems to shoot its self. The 06 will be stoked with 180 Partitions. Nice sweet spot at 57 grains of H4350 in a Norma case. Nuttin fancy. We hunt as hard as our body permits. Like you say,we worry more about being in shape than what's in the gun case. Good boots,good bullets and a good body. The hunting God's take it from there.

JMan, when are you gonna learn to stop posting pics of synthetic stocks and Leupold scopes...They don’t shoot properly...NW boys are just dumb! Nice older bull. I got one of them too. 22 hours getting his fat A$$ and horns outta deep reprod.

Please inform us uninformed where a rimfire .22 is legal for elk? Certainly not in WA. Inquiring minds want to know. Happy Trails

I think you are pretty well spot on, but placement only takes one space. After that if the bullet works the cartridge matters not at all IMHO. Assuming its enough steam to open and push through the vitals and hopefully exit.

Though I think so many these days need an exit, I prefer that too, but so many deer hunters are shooting mini bombs and expecting deer to fall over so they don't have to get out and look for them, that they have no skills in tracking after the shot... but I digress.

I did mention us NW boys are dumb...It gets past down from the older generation. Better this, than say, marrying your sister..Wink, giggle, smiling...Joke boys from the Deep South...Stand down. 😊

Centershot......why do you not like the SST bullet?

I have a similar perception of the SST.....but have had most excellent results with the FTX line in the 300 savage.

I have a hard time believing there is much difference if any between the SST and the FTX. Must be all in my head.

The only rifle I hunted with for many years was this old Sako .220 swift. On this day I was out calling coyotes, and bumped into this small six point. I waited for him to stand up out of his bed, and killed him with one shot through the lungs at 150 yards, from that black hill behind my left shoulder. It's legal to use .22 centerfires here in Montana.

How many barrels have you burned in your Sako Swift over the years?

It's wearing number eight, and needs a new one. I'm kicking around the idea of having it re-barreled to a 22 Creedmoor. Alpha is making brass head stamped for it now..

I was figuring 5-6 barrels. The older pic of you with the swift and it was already sporting a replaced tube. You love your S&B scopes? My wife asked if i would like one for Easter...Crazy girl, of course I do.

That old rifle and I go back a ways....

I've been using S&B's about 15 years. I've had good luck with them. Before them, I used fixed power Leupold scopes. I still have a few of those laying around....

15 years on the S&B...I will take that as a positive review. Time to start looking...Nice Bou!

Hey, Scenar, just a thought...Every now and again, maybe post some ugly, scraggly, gnarly looking animal you shot. Let’s people know you’re human 😊

It’s not, probably never was, for deer either. He sure felt comfortable using it, never had a issue with killin or with the law. Funny thing is, it was during season too......

Shep is about 5’8” and 190 lbs, little guy.... grin

Montana.

I wouldn't recommend it, but it is legal.