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

Funny post.

Well the 150 grain 7MM Nosler Ballistic Tip acts like a premium bullet. Hit em in the ribs with just about any reasonable bullet and you will have an elk.

The first 11 or 12 elk I shot was with a Hornady 180 gr Interlock.All dead,some ran 20 yards or so but all fell to a cup and core bullet so Yea they will kill.
Premium bullets may be better but if there comes a time where bullets become scarce I won't hesitate to use a cup and core bullet.

That’s a darned good point.

I know a bunch of consistent elk killers who don’t even know what a premium bullet is.

I feel like I'm smart to have only used premium bullets on elk (Partitions, original Xs, TSXs, and TTSXs). I don't get to do it much - only every few years Tags come hard in AZ.
But I KNOW I have no business commenting on the efficacy of C&C bullets on elk because I never used one on an elk. I'll trust what those that have say.
After 18 years of applying I drew an AZ antelope tag last year and during my 10-day hunt, got to know a nice man and his son who worked the Fort Rock Ranch. I asked what they used for elk when they hunted there. They said .243 Winchesters. I asked what bullets. "Factory 100 grain Core Lokts" they said. "Shoot 'em behind the shoulder and they go right down" they said... "We never lost one yet."
I believe them 100%. But 200 grains is the lightest bullet I ever shot an elk with (.358 Win). In the 35 Whelen AI I've killed with 225 and 250. I like doing it that way and will probably keep on.
I did take my 6.5x55 on a cow hunt one year with 140 Partitions, and was fully confident in it. But I never got a shot. And I have been working on a good 30-06 load with the 200 Partition at 2700 FPS over RL-26 that I would shoot any elk from any reasonable angle with. Might use it when I draw again some day.

Now I'm just rambling...sorry.

Y'all use what you want and good luck to ya!
Rex

^^^THIS^^^

Large cavitations in the heart region tend to put things down quickly....

After I spent a lot of money on tags, Gear, Rifles, including premium glass! The last thing I'm gonna do is use cheap ammo that I didn't test at the range!!! Now if you want to use cheap ammo, and have tested it at the range at various distances, and are confident in your ammo. Go for it! I've had custom ammo loaded for a few bucks more and tested it at the range and I'm very happy with it! Today, you can get some very good ammo off the shelf, and test it at the range, and knowing your equipment and ammo through testing takes all the guess work out of it!!! Different strokes!

Simple answer----NO Rio7

I really don't think so, but why not use them.

I started elk hunting late in life (28 or so), using .308 Winchester lever guns. For bullets I used 150 grain Winchester Power Points and 165 grain Sierra boattails. Both loads killed elk everytime I hit one.
A couple years later I switched to an '06 and 180 gr Partition and TBBC bullets. I actally believe the Noslers kill a bit more slowly than the cup and cores but my sample on elk is pretty small. TBBC's (originals) are devastating. They don't always shoot well in some rifles so I switch back and forth based on that.

My wife bought me a M70 SS Classic 20 or so years ago and I used it on a few elk and will again when I get over my hip replacement surgeries. After I got it I found it liked TBBC 225 gr Hi-Energy loads. I bought a pile of them.They are devastating.
I started running low but I found a few more on the Campfire so I am set for life. Except for elk I use a handload with 225 grain Hornady I/L. They too are devastating. While I believe I see some more reaction when using the .338, I don't think they drop measureably quicker.

Are premium bullets needed for ELK ? You can twist and turn it any way you want, with any chamber and bullet, the answer is still NO! . Elk are not bullet proof, no matter what you have read or heard. Rio7

No. It's not hard to stop a heart, but you have to hit it.... However, I use premium bullets, when I can because I think they are more accurate.

All one has to do is play by the old school cup and core rules. Heavier bullets at a bit lower impact speeds. That’s how the .30-06/180 became a benchmark.

Again.....CH’s logic is sound.

Where is that lil' guy.......scenarshooter......imparting all his elk hunting wisdom?

Maybe......but premiums aren't that expensive.

Were elk killed before there were premium bullets????

Yea......and you were intelligent until you interacted with smart people.

Where is that lil' fellar, scenarshooter?

He can tell us all about bullet performance.

Awareness isn't a strong suit for you, is it?