Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting which bullet recommended

Out of all the bullets the OP stated, the 180 sierra roundnose shoots the best in my 308

If it shoots well, the 168 NBT would be a top choice for me - I've got quite a haord of them. It does have a jacket identical to the Accubond, it's just not bonded. A member (kman) did some testing here with various 30's and it performed well. While the pictures are no longer available, the information and discussion is still good:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...let-test-cow-femurs-and-newspaper-part-1

Great bullet. Even from 300 Wins it’s worked great.

Grandslam or mag tip

My son and I had good luck with a .308 shooting the 150 grain TTSX in Mozambique . We took a good sized sable, a bush pig, a bushbuck and an impala with that load. Everything was DRT. The shots were all under 100 yards though, and since the muzzle velocity was 2900 fps the impact velocity would have been pretty high.

Try the Grand Slam, please let us know how they perform.

I’ve shot elk with them in a 300 SAUM. Worked well, but you will recover them if it’s not a broadside-ish rib shot.



To the OP: The Mag Tips might result in long blood trails after 250 yards or so. I think they’re made with heavy jackets for use in magnums.

You’re right DF.

I’ve almost always had good luck with accuracy and NPT. For some reason accuracy has not been great in either of my 25-06’s and NPT. I have 100 grain, 115 grain, 117 grain and 120 grain 25 caliber NPT’s and so far nothing to sing praises about.

Any hunting bullet NOSLER makes is always an excellent choice.

Anyone have any exsperience with 168 grain A-Max's?

I have had some great accuracy from those bullets in my .25/06 which only proves that rifles and barrels are individuals.

Select the bullet you have confidence in! I would shoot bonded bullet's, heavy for caliber but I shoot favored loads quite a bit and can't afford even bonded bullet's. My hunting bullet's are either Hornady Interlocks or Speer Hot cores depending on which shoots best! Properly placed they will kill as well and quickly as any bullet! To many people try to replace poor shooting with more expensive bullets! Doesn't work.

Back when the world was flat and brims were curved, I killed a bunch of critters with 165 gr Grand Slams in .308 Speer Nitrex factory loads. Who knew?

I've only killed six elk. Three with my 6.5x06 and 140gr Hornady interlock bullet's and three with my 30-06 and 180gr Hornady interlock bullet's. If I was to go to a different bullet it would weight the same but would be Speer Hot Core bullet's. Place your shot properly and they are all you will ever need! I have no doubt that I could go to lighter bullet's in both cartridges but the lighter bullet would make me re-consider my shot placement!

Ive had good luck with both 165gr TTSX and 165gr N-AB. I prefer to use copper and the 165 TTSX just plain shoots, so I stick with it. Neither are "long-range" loads and performance has always been good, so i don't fuss with ballistics too much (MV, BC, etc). For the game you mention, something a little cheaper like a Sierra Game King might suffice.

Sir, just curious about the poor performance of the 150 gr. TTSX. I've just begun to load that bullet in my 308 and don't want to waste my time & components. Is it too tough to expand at 308 velocity?

Thanks.

I wouldn’t use any of the bullets the op suggested.

Partitions, TTSX’s, Accubonds, Interlocks, Core Lokts - in that order.

In 308 out of the bullets you are considering I would use Sierra 165 HPBT

I have had good luck with the Grand Slam in the .280, so I would probably lean that way

What range do you anticipate shooting to? Most of those bullets you listed would work well at closer ranges but the 308 benefits a lot from higher bc type bullets if shots are going to be beyond 300 yards or so.

Although a lot of us here load 155g lapua scenars in our 308s for hunting. Not a real high bc bullet but pretty good for a 155g and it's been proven by many here to take game well. If you can't find any I usually keep a few thousand on hand and could sell a few hundred but these days they're easier to find then a few years ago.

Lots of good options with a 308 though. Just pay attention to impact speeds to set your range limits. Most hunting bullets expand above 1800 fps. I like to set my range limit to 2000 fps with some of the copper expanders to make sure I get reliable expansion.

Bb