Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk load - 2 choices

6.5 saum

120gr TTSX at ~3250

Or

140 accubond at ~3000

Which do you choose and how good do you feel about it as an elk rifle. Assume both are really accurate

No other choices please

Tia

I am sure that both loads would be adequate. But the 140 grain Accubond at 3000 fps mv is exactly what I load in my father’s .264 Win Mag and it is an excellent all-around load.

We have had very positive results with the Accubond on elk in multiple calibers and weights. It works VERY well!

Bull elk or cow hunt?

Bull

Accubond.

TTSX for me, never a problem in any caliber I’ve used them in.

Cabin fever setting in. Flip a coin and go hunt.

Either will do the job if you do yours. I shot my bull this year with a 338 Accubond @ 225 grains. I’m risk averse though.

Accubonds are always excellent!

Wouldn’t pick those two, but they’d work.

Scenarshooter wrote the book on it ,bet he would say 139 scenar or stay at home and do what your wife tells you to. Mb

TTSX.
The true test of a bullet’s terminal performance is up close and personal. Most hunters don’t seem to consider that. The TTSX will hold up and hold together.
The AB is a good bullet, but asking a lot more of it when it hits bone at 2900fps.

The last four years I’ve killed six elk. One at ~250, the remaining at 80 yds or less. After 53 years of elk hunting that is pretty representative of my ratio of elk killing distances.

The 140 Accubond would be my choice and is in my 26 Nosler pushing them around 3450 fps. Last elk I killed with it was 127 yards broadside. Bullet went though both shoulder blades a rib on each side, and caught the bottom of the spine and was found just under the skin on the far side with a perfect mushroom... and they are very accurate in my 26 Nosler...

Whichever shoots the best in your gun. Both more than adequate.

Have killed three elk with my 6.5x06 and 149 gr Hornady interlocks. One shot each! Haven't used it again but if I felt I could afford bonded bullets that's the way I would go. Never used monolithic bullet, way to expensive for me and if you do your job, I can't imagine any advantage with them at all! Most any bullet with a well placed shot kills very quick. Any bullet with a poorly placed shot wounds! Yep, even the great monolithic bullets!

If I were hunting elk with a 6.5 and wanted to use a mono I'd probably pick the 127 grain LRX. I haven't used it on elk but it penetrated completely on a 250 lb boar hog I shot through the chest.

I think the 140 Accubond would be a great choice too. Again, I haven't used it on elk, but it's worked very well on some good sized mule deer.

I killed a big cow--as large as some branch-antlered bulls--this year with the 127 LRX from a 6.5 PRC. She was quartering toward me at around 200 yards, and put it just inside the near shoulder. Dropped and never moved. The bullet broke the spine, angled through the lungs, and ended up somewhere in the innards.

A hunting partner on a hunt a few years ago killed a 6x6 in timber with a 140 AccuBond from a the dreaded 6.5 Man-Bun. The range was about 50 yards, and he put the bullet tight behind the shoulder. The bull went about 50 yards and keeled over dead--and the bullet exited.

Which ever one shoots the best! I have killed two bull elk with my 6.5 GAP 4S (6.5 SAUM) using 156 Bergers @ 2850 fps!

140 accubond at ~3000

How many times did you shoot the elk?