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.