Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 30 caliber 178gr ELD-X performance across 3 cartridges

I have:

Tikka T3x 300 WSM
Tikka T3 30'06
X-Bolt 300 WSM
Ar/LR308 308 w/Thermal

I want to use one bullet across the the line. Currently it is just deer and pigs, but in the not so distant future Elk, Speed Goat and Goat are on the agenda.

I have searched, the last real thread was in 2015/2016 but there was not a lot more discussion other than accuracy. I want to know if it's a good choice for these rifles. I have several 100rds of the 30'06 loaded with the 178gr ELD-X and they flat hammer bigger pigs, a couple in the 200-225lb range never even twitched after being shot. All over 100yds and the big ones from 140yds out to almost 200yds. The 308 being a gas gun worries me a bit with Coal because of the magazine, but the 300 WSM worries me more about the velocity and the integrity of the bullet.

I can shoot up the '06 ammo and use a different bullet, but I really like the accuracy of this bullet with my limited experience using it out to 500yds on paper and steel.

I am all ears if there is a bullet that will handle the task in all 3 calibers.

For the record I now have the HP bolt for the AR. With the few I initially loaded in 308 at 2650fps, I was experiencing pierced primers and primers walking out, this was before the bolt swap and adding an adjustable gas block and a extra heavy buffer. Now they exhibit no signs of pressure.

All barrels are 1 in 10" twist. The 3 bolt guns are 22" and the AR is 16". I really would like to try this to simplify my loading.

Thanks fellas!

All are the same .308 caliber. Why try to force a single bullet to perform optimally on game as diverse as elk and pronghorn at three velocity levels? You will shoot the same number of bullets, why not two or three different bullets?


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3 - C A R T R I D G E S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok i feel better

Good

Thanks for the input DoubleRadius

The last elk I shot was in 1988 in Colorado and was about 300yds away with a 300 Weatherby. The last Antelope was in 1986 in New Mexico and he was over 700yds away with a 257 Weatherby. The last mountain goat was in Idaho with a Martin bow circa 1991?

So, I if I do go one these 3 hunts in the next couple of years, I doubt i will ever do it again in my lifetime, there is still a ton of crap I ain't killed in Texas that i want to.