Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 168 VLD, 162 ELD-X, or 160 AB?

Which bullet would you choose for shots out to 700 yards on elk? Minimum tends to be 200-275 yards. 7mm Remington Magnum.

And I wonder how many replies before someone says no one should be shooting 700 yards at elk.





P

elk can't tell the difference.....

No one should be shooting elk at 700 yards.
Getting that out of the way.
I know you’ve shot elk up close and some long ranges as well.
I’d be more worried about up close performance and staying together as all the ones listed will work further out.

But is there a significant difference in bullet performance? My brother wants to try the 168 VLD despite excellent accuracy with the Eldx.

I will admit to not having any experience with the ELD x.. however I have neevr had good luck with getting any Hornady bullet to shoot I do love the 160 accubonds

I guess If they more accurate , not a lot of room for error at 700.
I know you’re a believer in shot placement

I’m assuming equal accuracy, hence placement.

Is one bullet better than another?

In an attempt to opine, I've been using the 168 VLD as my big gun bullet for a bit now. It's my elk bullet. I start it at about 2800-2850. It flys very well.

I'd say all else equal, if your impact velocities are above 2900fps, the Accubond or EldX will likely be a better choice. Most kills are below that threshold however.

The VLD's,specifically mid to heavy for caliber VLDs, and IME/IMHO, are about the most undersung bullet for mid to low impact velocities relative to wound channel and penetration characteristics. I'd say absolutely better than the Accubond or the ELDX and I've seen wound channels with both, many of them.

This is why I shoot the bullet in a .280 Ackley so I'm not worried about a 25 yard shot or a 700 yard shot....

I have no plans to change.

For an all around near or far bullet the AB hands down. The others work well at extended ranges but I have seen both of them come unglued too much (for me) at close ranges. Just to confuse things I would throw in the 168 ABLR if the standard AB is questionable at 700 the ABLR may take up the slack. I have not taken any game with the 168 ABLR yet, though I have some loaded them in 7RM, in other calibers I like them just fine and they do OK at closer ranges too.

Deer I would say just pick the most accurate one, for Elk there are more demands on terminal performance and the terrain can be rough. The AB and ABLR provide mental if not real assurance on reliable performance for me.

What do 9 out of 10 dentists prefer?

I've shot several bull elk out to 500 yards with a 168 HVLD in 7mm RM, all but one DRT! The one that ran went about 60 yards.

You've picked my three favorite bullets for the 7mm, and I've killed elk with all three.

Consistently under 500 and I'll take the 160 AB. Consistently over 500 and I'll take the 162 ELD-X.

Within your parameters of 225 to 700 though...tough to beat the 168 VLD imho.

Dave

The Sierra 175g sptbt is over looked often, and darn near as tough as a 175g partition....another option. Also, the Sierra is a very, very accurate and easy to tune bullet.

No one should be shooting at elk at 700 yards.

GF_ .......you know the drill

Sunday evening at 707 yards from a solid shooting position, laying prone in a field with a bipod, day pack under my right elbow and light to no wind. DRT from one shot with a 180g Abond from a 300 Wby behind the right front shoulder.

Not my first, second, or third big game animal taken at this distance with one shot.

Just saying 🦫

Pop goes the 🦫 and the 🦫 goes boom!

Nice shooting Beav!

Thanks King...I was going to write up the story because it was pretty funny how it came together.

Then I accidentally deleted what I wrote an hour ago. Ugh!

Suffice to say. It started with me in my onsie pj’s settled in with chips and onion dip to watch a movie. Then getting a call that elk are out, can I drive an hour to make a long shot if needed?

Yada, yada, yada, Me trying to get out of it...Asking if I could come the next morning? Wifey calling me a pussy while I’m on the phone. Me bitching getting dressed about having to leave my fresh onion dip and just rented Rise, Planet of The Apes Movie.

Wife telling me to shut up because she knows I love this kind of stuff....and to go make meat because we’re starving. LOL.

I have an hour drive to overthink the potential shot....Never had so much time to mind screw myself before taking a long shot.

Get to the field, I see the elk up on a plateau. The ranch owner is there. He tells me he and his BIL tried for two nights to get close to the herd but couldn’t before getting busted because of the open field...

I lazed yards from the fence where we all park. 847 yards. I look into the field and see a rise in the ground, more like a small hill. I said I’m going to move to the rise, which would help me with shooting up into the plateau off the bipod. Me and my Pard low walk into the field.

We hit the rise. I’m trying to laze again from my knees, but I’m getting different yardages because I can’t hold the bins steady enough. Fûck it ! I lay out flat and hit 707 yards twice for confirmation on the laze.

Set the rifle up on the bipod. I’m comfortable, but I had some movement under my right arm from the upside of the hill. Asked my Pard for my pack, that I stuffed under my right elbow....SOLID !

Dialed up 700 yards of elevation. Wind was calm, I could only feel slight coolness on my face from the temperature drop.

Picked the cow that was clear on the left, bedded down with her head up. I got my Pard on the same cow and told him to watch only that cow after I shot. If the plateau erupted with elk after I shot and I had to follow up with a second shot. I wanted it to be on the same cow.

Pard said, I’m on her...I said back, hold for the shot....I held tight on the crease of her shoulder blade, cut my air, and touched off.

I didn’t see impact, but after throwing the bolt to chamber another round, I heard my Pard say she’s hit. I was on the cow to see her stretch out, head thrown back and mule kicking with her hind legs...She settled and dropped her head. Done !

Going from Pj’s to laying prone in a field, then making a decent shot was weird as hell....But, all in all, It was a good shot that was made under the right conditions.

I’d do it again in a heartbeat if the same situation was made available.

🦫

No onesie pics?

GFY....😜🦫

BTW: Your wife is awesome.

Yeah, she’s a good girl. Wicked funny, too. Her calling me a pussy while I’m on the phone trying to get out of going that night, was pretty funny... Then saying “Go make meat, cause we’re starving” cracked me up.

All I could say was “Don’t eat my Ruffles and Onion dip”.

I got home late to find a half a bag of Ruffles and enough dip to keep me happy.

She’s a keeper !

🦫

God forbid, but if something happens to you, we've decided BobBrown's gonna marry her.

BB better be hung like Barry.

😳🦫

You'd have to see it to believe it.

Good going Beav....

I bet they have dick pic all over them

Thanks GW !

Grins

🦫

A couple years ago I had a rocky Mtn bighorn sheep tag, I had Zero intentions of shooting my ram on opening weekend because the rut was not in full swing and I had another month to get my ram...........after opening day one of my friends called as I had gone into town for supplies so I was in cell range.
He told me he was hunting the other side of the river with a client in a different unit than mine and found a giant ram that they wanted to take in the morning, only problem was that it was bedded in the cliff's at a range too far for his clients gun to reach...........can you come help in the morning and bring your rifle??????? Next morning the Ram was still in the same spot, I got my friends client laying prone on a flatbed trailer with my rifle and shooting rest, several of us had rangefinders and video cameras and spotting scopes.
It was 1200yds !!!!!!!!!!!! I dialed the scope in (he flinched big time on the first shot), second shot myself and others looking through spotting scopes could tell he was dead before he hit the ground............160gr Accubond favorite 7mm bullet ever. if it will kill a Ram at 1200yds an Elk is no problem in triple digits

I’d go with the 160 Accubond, though I honestly haven’t used the other two. I personally wouldn’t shoot to 700 on an elk. I haven’t practiced enough that far out, but to each their own. As Beav has shown, it can be done with the right equipment in front of the right rifleman.

I shoot the 160 AB in my 7mm AI with great results. I prefer to stay in the 400 yard range, but practice out to 600. I had two opportunities last fall, one at 300, the other at 410 both one shot kills through the shoulders.

So here is my question. I have a 7mm rem mag thats being a little more than fussy about what it shoots. And I'm very picky about how good a rifle should shoot. I demand .75 accuracy at 100 yards and .50 is better. Yesterday I finally loaded up some 168 grain classic hunter burgers. They shot extremely well while doing a test to find a accuracy node. 6 rounds Into a 1/2 inch group. Speed 2850. Never shot a game animal with a Berger. I usually shoot Barnes TTSX or the LRX. But this gun won't. So my shots for elk and mule deer range from in your face to farther than I will shoot. I listen to everyone say how good they work at long range. What happens when this 168 Berger hits an elk at 50 yards?? Will it slash?? I loaded ELDX in 7 mag for a friend and that is exactly what happened to him with that bullet. Velocity was 2800. Don't want that to happen.

That is probably not what exactly happened. It's just what he told you that exactly happened..... and you believed him....

huntsman22 if you are replying to my question---I was there when that bullet splashed. Without snow on the ground and a 1.5 mile tracking job I would not have known it splashed on the scapula. Is the scapula the best place to shoot an elk?? No but its what it was.

My son had that experience with the ELDX out of his 280AI on three deer at less than 100 yrds, MV about 2850 fps. All bullets came apart, he sent me pics of the recovered pieces of the bullets, but all deer died. He was not overly impressed.
He has gone back to 160 AB`s.

So far, I`ve nothing but good to say about the Bergers out of the 7`s.

What about the 145 or 168 gr LRX, from Barnes?

I can't get them to group good in my guns. I use a TTSx 150 with good results but this particular rifle is a picky pest

The 168 classic hunter is a great bullet and wouldn’t hesitate to use it on elk.
If you want to stick with monos have you looked at hammer bullets?

I have 2 Rifles that I shoot hammers in. They don't shoot good in this particular rifle. I was worried I couldn't find any burgers and need more to sight in and range check. I found 2 boxes today and ordered them. Going to give them a try.

Barnes LRX is your huckleberry.

It might be your huckleberry..........but not necessarily for anyone else....just sayin....

Sounds like you have found a bullet your specific rifle likes. I’d verify the load a few times at distance also and go kill things!

This is my very short answer.
The Berger will expand reliably at that distance, my own testing shows the regular Accubond will show little expansion and no experience with the Hornady anything.
Out of my STW I am running the 168g ABLR to 900 or so and they will expand right down to 900fps.
This would be my choice.

Cheers.

Not a 7MM RM but a 30-06 168 Berger (Federal factory). Twelve minutes will buy me 600yards and very accurate (half MOA). Unfortunately, my Elk was at 218 yards. Bullet entered the chest an exited the shoulder DRT.

At 700 yards I'm still at 1600+ fps.

I ran the numbers for HSM 7MM RM using a 168 Berger VLD. Advertised speed for this round is 3076. At 700 yards it's still smoking over 2000fps. Um...yeah if you do your part, that round will do it's job.

The few guys I know that have shot the 162 eldx liked them Shot lights out. However, no experience on game.

I keep reading reports of eldx having some issues with terminal performance. I've not seen it and have shot eldx for last 2 seasons.

AB never failed me either.

Everyone I hunt with tells me I need to start shooting berger.

Everyone of them seems like a good option.

My friends daughter in law shot a 6x6 bull in utah a while back with a 200 grain eldx in a 300 win mag. Distance was 300 yards, the bullet broke a shoulder and exited,

I witnessed a 162 grain ELDX used on an elk at 60 yards out of a 7 rem mag. Speed 2850 at muzzle. Shot hit the scapula and splashed. Elk fell over and got up and ran away. Hunting partner came and got me and we followed up on it. Without good snow we would have not found the elk. We tracked it for 1/2 mile with zero blood. Found it bedded--40 yards. He shot it 3 more time to finish it---thu the lungs. None of the bullets passed thru. Was a rag horn bull. Later that year he shot a mule deer buck and had to shoot it multiple times. He was on a guided hunt. The guide asked what he was shooting for bullets.. 162ELDX. He said you are the 4th hunter this year that has had to shoot a buck multiple times with the ELDX bullets. I know another guy who shot a elk and it took 5 rounds to put him down. He will not use the ELDX again either. I don't know if those earlier bullets were not up to the job or if they have changed but they won't be in any gun it shoot.

Good to know

I wonder about the stories of bullets.

Is it really the bullet or the shooter? Or maybe the animal?

I've killed two elk with the 200 eldx, at 330 yards and 620 yards and they've been devastating. Broke the shoulder of one.

3 deer have been DRT.

The 212 ELD X from my 30-06 worked as well as any other bullet could have on a small raghorn this fall. The bullet was barely over 2700 start speed though, and I'd likely not wanna push them much harder myself. But with the BC they have, there isn't too much reason to launch them real hard unless you're shooting and planning on hitting animals way out there. It acted real nice on the bull at about 390 yards. Punched all the way through both front legs and was wadded up in the hide/muscle on the far side.

So does the .30 cal eld-x perform different that he 7 mm eld-x
I’m working towards a 150 gr load for my 7-08. I was thinking of trying the 162’s in my 7 rem mag. Now I’m concerned. Is it a shot placement deal???

I use 150 eldx in my 7mm-08 with great results, MV 2790.

I use 162 eldx in my 7mm Rem Mag with great results, MV 2980.





P

Then the brother has no good judgement.

If you have the ELDx and the AB shooting well, no need to try the VLD at all.

JMHO

I agree but he’s my brother.

I'd use the 150 grain Nosler partition.

but no one should shoot elk at 700 yards.

Well this bullet or that bullet damned if I can figure out why anybody would use a fragile bullet and try to punch the near side scapula on an elk. I understand breaking them down but aim for the FAR shoulder after you have run it thru the vitals. Seems like a no brainer to me but then I use Nosler partitions and hunt elk not try to snipe them in the next county. Mb

Damn it. I have 140gr ELD-X's loaded up for my cow elk hunt this season. I'm trying to remember what I used to kill my last two elk's (memory can't even go back that far). On the last elk (2 seasons ago) it was too dang hot to load in the garage so I just purchased 1 box of Federal Premium 168gr Berger Hybrid Hunters. The accuracy, speed and ballistics were so good, I purchased 3 more boxes. Anyway, she was 218 yards out; the shot was a frontal chest shot that exited the left shoulder. It blew out her lung and destroyed her shoulder. She went maybe 20 yards and expired.

So I consider the Berger a high frag bullet / low weight retention bullet and it still had enough to punch through the shoulder from the inside out.

For the member who said they took a 69 yard shot (I think it was) with a 7RM, initially, I would say the 7RM pushed those bullets so fast that at they didn't expand and penciled through the animal. But they also mentioned that there was not exit. No exit would lead me to believe the bullet stopped and expanded to some degree. So at less than 100 yards, an ELD-X traveling more than 2500+ fps at POI entered the animal, and stopped (probably on bone). idk. Elk are tough critters. I once shot one in the cheek from 100 yards out and the bullet deflected (150gr Hornady SST) and the second shot went into her eye socket.

You can’t go wrong with the 168 vld. I have shot them out of a 7 mm ultra from 35 yds to 600yds there hasn’t been a survivor yet deer and elk.

When ever I read where someone has given up on a bullet because it won't shoot, I think, they just haven't fully expended enough testing to get in to shoot. First thing, start with well prepped brass. Find the powder charge which gives the lowest ES/SD which is very important if one thinks/plans that a long shot might happen. Then, COAL test in .025" increments to shrink the group. You can, if you wish, COAL test down to .003" increments after the .025" testing. If your rifle does not shoot as accurately as you demand at this point, well, then in IMO, their is either something wrong with the rifle or the shooter.

Always fun to watch folks picking the flyshit out of the pepper.

IF repeat IF you are a hunter, you can kill any Elk that walks the earth with a 180 gr cup-n-core bullet from a red or green 30-06 factory ammo box.

"Minute of Elk" is about 18" and they don't have over the horizon radar.

If you cannot get within 300 yards, you need to go back to "how to hunt" school.

LMAO

🦫

Red?

Old Federal Boxes is what I bet he meant. Maybe?

Old school Hornady 162 btsp will not let you down, R#25 with WMR primer will buzz them along at 3040 with amazing accuracy in our 7 Mags.

I'm a big fan of the 168 Berger's in my 7mm Remington Magnum.

I’d go with the 160 AB out of the choices given. I also like the 175 Partition and 140 TTSX out of my 7RM’s.

Yep