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

We ain't afraid of laughing at ourselves, Beaver.



The ultra-educated internet experts, on the other hand.....a lil' bit different.

Scared to death of some sort of challenge.

If you ever run across somebody worthy of a challenge, tell them about these threads.

It would be fun.

Actually like you, SLM.........in a little brother, big dummy.........sort of way.

I went on my first elk hunt in 1978. A friend asked me if I wanted to go hunting, so I bought a 700ADL 30-06 because it was cheap. I put a cheap scope on it and went to the range to sight it in. I also bought some Federal Premium 150 grain Sierra Game kings. That's a common cup and core bullet as you probably know. I killed a couple dozen elk with that load and then someone told me that elk wear armor plating and that you need premium bullets. So I started using 180 grain Nosler Partitions and eventually went to 180 grain TSX.

Gee I hope that none of those early elk come back to life because I didn't use premium bullets. That would be embarrassing.

Some would have us believe the 150 grain Sierra is inadequate for deer, let alone elk. Nevertheless my father killed many deer one shot each with that bullet on top of 52 grains of 4064 in his 30-06. A 700 ADL by the way.

I’ll bet you don’t even carrying home insurance…….or a spare tire (other than your mid section).

You’d likely laugh at anyone with a plug kit and 12V compressor.

The “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” crowd are all idiots in your eyes, right?

You’re cool, mathman. Smart too!

Your logic is skewed a little because you are comparing having something vs nothing.

Perhaps it would be more comparable to use the analogy of the 12v compressor vs carrying a generator and 20 gal air compressor in the trunk of your car incase you get a flat. now if I had flat tires every day I might opt for the generator and big compressor. if it's a once every other year then the 12v is all I need. FYI if you're having flat tires all the time perhaps the problem lies elsewhere from what you are using to air them up
Same can be said for premium bullets, yeah they'll work great, but if you know your rifle and can use it well it's very rare you'll have to hinge the recovery of your quarry on the type of bullet you are using.

Well, of course my logic was skewed!

A tire is on a truck…..and not a living creature I am trying to quickly kill.

You have all the intelligence of mathman.

So……’works most of the time’ is OK?

Do you work for the Post Office, by chance?

Do 'premium' bullets work ALL the time???

Mikey, where the hell you been?

We’ve missed your uneducated opinions.

Did the wife let you borrow her grocery getter to make a road trip to whip somebody’s ass?

Still trying to find you some gloss brown polish, but between COVID and the LGBTQ community, gloss brown is pretty hard to find right now.

I be back again soon.

You and smokepole……..let the experts know.

Is there any advantage in them, that you can see?

I didn't say "works most of the time" but I can see how someone of your intellect could take it that way. I was under the impression you were advocating to use premium bullets for the off chance the only shot presentation was poor and you had to power through more muscle and bone in order to reach vital organs. I didn't know you depend on premium bullets to make up for poor shooting, although I did allude to it a little in the event that was the case I apologize for not being more obvious. Seeing you are from Iowa it makes perfect sense now. (I typed this really slow to make it easier to read)
I agree, in your case I would definitely use premium bullets if you aren't sure where they are going to hit the animal you are flinging them at.

Holy Cow! Kinda feel like we just got took to the woodshed!

As a bowhunter........I avoid the front shoulder like I do California.

But.......check the comic books.......there are lungs behind those front shoulders.

Broadheads + heavy bone = bad.

Light, frangible bullets + heavy bone = bad.

Things can sometimes happen........especially when a chubster actually has to leave the truck/ATV/UTV. Not having a window pad and having to heave for air can affect things.

But, what does an Iowan really know, anyway?

Was recently informed rifles could not be used for deer in Iowa. Hope we've reached the legal limitations on all those 'irregularities' in the past.

Not employed by the Post Office, then? Another government job perhaps?

If unemployed.......rumor has it the cookbook publishers are hiring.

Well dang, and I always thought the lungs were between the back shoulders.

You're reading the wrong comic books.......and then just looking at the pictures.

Your knowledge of animal physiology is exceeded only by you grasp of Newtonian physics.

Please indicate any of 'me' errors at physics.

Think carefully, very carefully.



Geniuses and experts.....

Waiting!!!!!!

Where is south Texan?

Just when things were getting interesting......physics-wise.