Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Question for the Elk Intelligentsia

My 7Mag shoots 150gr Partitions, and 120gr TTSXs very well, and they both seem to be adequate for whitetails.

I have tinkered with 160 partitions, just in case I get an emergency request to reduce the elk population somewhere. But so far the rifle doesn't seem to enjoy them.

So my question to those who have more experience is this: Should I continue spending time, bullets and powder with the 160s? Or is it safe to assume that the 120TTSX or 150PT would suffice in a pinch for elk? Thanks

If a 150 PT out of a 7mm Mag won't kill an elk, it's wearing body armor. 150 PT's out of 270s have killed them by the thousands.

Agreed. If it shoots the 150 Partitions well I’d not fear a darned thing. I can’t speak to the 120 but many folks I trust love that Bullet.

The 150 PT would be my choice. I'll be shooting 155g Federal Terminqal Ascent this year but have successfully used 140 and 160g bullets in the past.

Ain’t a pinch at all, use either or and go kill a bull.

Thanks Gents, for your confirmation.

I like Partitions.. My 7 mag. pals kill lots of elk with 150 in BTBT.. But I think I would stick with the 150.. Not a Barnes fan..

I’d stick with the Partition or bump up to 150 TTSX. Light bullets of any flavor can do the wind dance in the high country on longer shots. Happy Trails

Sounds like wise advice!

Either the partition or the TTSX should work fine. Though, and this is just my opinion, I would prefer a little heavier TTSX (140). memtb

Either bullet will work fine for elk if shot in the vitals. The 150 PT is getting fairly close to ideal, I'd say. I don't know enough about the 120 tipped monos, but what I do know causes me to think that while a heavier version affords a bit more penetration, IF you catch the 120TTSX in an elk, it will likely be under the offside hide.

The 150-gr Partition would be fine. I don’t know about the 120 though I never have used it but I have taken a lot of game including elk with the 7mm 140-gr TTSX in the 284.

I think it would be close to ideal in the 7 Mag.

It seriously doesn’t really matter. Just hit them in the front half.

I've never shot an elk with a 150 0.284 NPT but have shot a couple with 150 0.277. The 0.008 prolly makes a huge difference. Or not

I have killed lots of elk with the Partition bullet, starting clear back in the 60'S, stay with the partition.

Every year about this time this subject comes up (what bullet for Elk??} you can kill a elk with damn near anything if you can shoot, Elk are not bullet proof. Thousands have been killed with a 30-30 and 150 gr. corelock contrary to the Blah----Blah--- on the internet. Rio7

I have killed a lot of elk with 270s using 150 and 160 grain partitions and all but one were 1 shot kills and the one that I shot twice ----I found when I gutted it, I didn't actually have to fire that 2nd shot. . About 1/2 have dropped at the shots and the others never went more than about 10 yards after the hits. I have only recovered the one bullet. It was the lengthwise shot I just described above. It entered the flank about 10" in front of the hip and went clear through to the side of the neck on the other side, dropping the elk. The first bullet was at the rear of the lungs tearing the diaphragm, clipping the liver and then exiting.

But my point is simple. I have used 150 grain and some 160 grain 270s on and off for over 50 years and the results have been perfect, so shooting a .284" Partition instead of a .277" partition is not going to be a lot different if they both weight 150 grains, so I would say you are at least as well off as I am am shooting my 270s

Your 7MM mag will start the bullet about 100FPS faster, so I can't see how it could be any worse. The results with my 270s and been absolutely excellent. I would not over think it if I were you. Go out with the 150 grain partitions in your big 7 and you will do just fine.

I've killed a bunch of elk using 150 grain BTSP. Never had one that didn't die. Partitions ought to be even better.

My 7 mag with Pac-Nor barrel would not shoot 160 partitions until I tried RL 25.

"I found when I gutted it, I didn't actually have to fire that 2nd shot".
I have found that if its still on its feet, you have a chance of losing it. I lost one, that was shot in the chest, slid down hill for 30 yards, into the timber. Just prior to entering the timber It attempted to get to its feet, , and I never saw it again. I did not have a second shot, but I truly wish I had.

Quite often when an animal is hit and just stands there, it's going into shock. That's caused by a very rapid drop in blood pressure. It's dead on it's feet but it acts like nothing has happened. You don't know if you hit or missed it entirely so the best thing to do is play your bets and shoot again.

7mm Remington Magnum, 150 grain Nosler Partition...assuming appropriate velocity at target and proper bullet placement = a freezer full of elk meat.

Absolutely 0 need to waste time, powder and bullets to gain 10 grains more in bullet weight.

Thus far, Partition accuracy has eluded me on every turn. I keep trying as I figure I am bound to hit upon the right load eventually. I figure a 150 Partition in any of my .284’s running 3000 fps would be the only load I would ever need.

I think you paraphrased what Jon Sundra said many years ago.

Not that it matters, but I bet it’s true too.

[/quote]

Quite often when an animal is hit and just stands there, it's going into shock. That's caused by a very rapid drop in blood pressure. It's dead on it's feet but it acts like nothing has happened. You don't know if you hit or missed it entirely so the best thing to do is play your bets and shoot again. [/quote]

It’s really gonna be “going into shock” if it stands there when I shoot it again!

I once put 4 rounds through the lungs of an elk and broke the far shoulder as it just stood there like nothing happened. Then it slowly sank down. The lungs were nothing but jello. I'm convinced that the 1st shot hit a major artery and it went into shock, just bleeding out on it's feet, unable to move. That's how shock works.

Not trying to one-up your experience but I shot a bull at about 75 yards right behind the shoulder with a .35 Whelen and he just stood there. I fired again and he still stood there. On my third shot, he was starting to fall over as I fired. Upon inspection, all 3 rounds hit within 3 or 4 inches and exited. Lungs were jello, arteries shot off the top of his heart, and everything else a mess, yet he never took a step. Stranger things have happened!

That just demonstrates my point about shock. Your 1st round hit a big artery and his blood pressure plummeted. He went into shock almost immediately and from there he was largely brain dead. His body wasn't able to function. You could have shot several more times and it wouldn't have made any difference unless you knocked a leg off to drop him faster.

There's plenty on the web about shock and it's causes and effects. They'll be talking about people but it's the same thing in animals. After reading up on it, you'll likely recognize the symptoms in animals you've shot in the past. Since most hunters shoot for the lungs and heart, it's actually quite common but most hunters don't recognize it for what it is.

I have killed some very nice bulls with the 7mm 160 grain NP, I can not imagine 10 gains making any difference at all. If you can't get it done with a 7RM shooting 150 PT's you need a better excuse than you choice of rifle and load let you down.

My 7 mag shoots 3 150 grain bullets into a hole you can cover with a dime at 100 yards quite often. Never has liked 160’s at all. I’ve killed several elk using Barnes & Nosler 150’s with good results. Your partitions are perfect elk medicine. But they aren’t deer a bullet through the chest at 200 yards might just make them look at you & run over the hill - they will die but less quickly & dramatically than deer by a long way depending on shot placement.