Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting What is it with rifles and bullets here?

IMO, the blue ribbon winner for wasted space was the, “how do you wipe your butt” thread. Second place goes to JeffO that needed counsel on how to open a bullet box.

Well, I enjoy reading what has worked for others so over the years there's been data on what works for the majority. I've probably carried the 30-06 more than anything and did tag a cow with the 165 gr. Accubond. Tagged another cow with a .300 Win. Mag. and 200 gr. Speer Hot core. Most of my elk taken though have been with the .35 Whelen, all cows and I primarily hunt for the meat. I have taken the .270 Win. and .280 Rem. on other elk hunts that just were not successful. Can't win 'em all. Thinking seriously of trying with a 7x57mauser I picked up Already hve a good accurate load using 150 gr. Partitions. Just have to get a tag.
PJ

I'll probably get roasted for this but I think Osky brings up a good side point.

I'm old enough to have been brought up squirrel hunting with a 22. Many (most?) here are probably in the same boat. The limit was 5 and we were issued 5 rounds. Bring back 3 rounds they better be accompanied by 2 squirrels. No beatings were doled out, just that look of disapproval which is worse. Didn't appreciate if fully at the time but hindsight has shown me how much discipline (trigger) and patience (Don't just fling bullets) and efficiency (learn to make it happen) that taught.

I wonder how many current super-equipped, long-range shooters who primarily "practice" off a bench or prone with a bipod could make a hasty shot, semi-squatted to clear brush at 60yds. I know there are many very good riflemen here and I'm certainly not digging on guys who have the discipline and equipment to reach out. It just seems that all the shows and articles these days focus on very deliberate calculated shooting at long range.

Apologies for the topic de-rail.

As to the topic of discussion. If you look to your left, you'll see that I live in North Carolina. My elk opportunities will be few so I ask questions that to someone who grew up in elk country may seem silly. The answers however, may help when that time comes.

The caliber evolution turn into the bullet revolution. Although a bullet like the Partition has been around forever, the advent of premium bullets turned cartridges like the 30-06 and 270, and a list of other “smaller” cartridges, into giant killers. There just really is no need for the big boomers in order to easily kill elk and other big game these days.

Yes, but the bullet revolution was more attributed to the magnum craze when C&C bullets would not stand up to the higher velocities, or states like California making the use of lead bullets illegal. I don't know about "giant Killers" but the 06 and .270 have been perfectly adequate for almost all North American big game. All the bullet revolution and magnum craze has done is let hunters believe they will kill elk with any shot presentation encountered IMO.

The almost demise of buffalo and elk is the U.S. was accomplished with lead bullets.

Unless he's a long way off !!

I have been running the same loads for years for my main hunting rifles. I have become confident in how they perform and that takes bit.

Generally speeaking, I start new loads with bullet brands and styles I am familiar with. If that is not available I go looking for information. Heck I do anyway. It is half the fun. I havegotten lots of goodtipson24HCF ndappreciate it.

Getting into a new cartridge or load, it is tough to get enough experience with it. Where I live it is tough to get more than two or three tags a year. I am a little envious of folks that can hunt hogs regularly. Lots ofchances to try stuff.

You make a point about mags influencing bullet design. And good bullets allowed a lot of cartridges to become giant killers—not just the 06. And yes, stout bullets allow quartering shots and other difficult angles with FAR more confidence.

And it often took a lot of those old time lead bullets to kill a bison…..

In my early years guiding to be honest I can’t remember the bullet types. I believe most were partitions.
I do recall that .270 were either 130, or 140 gr. 06’s we’re in the 150 gr neighborhood.
300 yards was a big shot and we tried to get in better than that with patience and quiet stalking.

Osky

Just for conversation….I have seen 4 musk ox shot and one bison. All from either a .300 Win Mag or a .300 WSM with standard, but modern bullets. The bison took a spine shot so one can’t deduce much from that, but all the musk ox took multiple solid, and I mean SOLID hits in the chest from bow range. They all jumped forward a few feet then went back to grazing. Another solid hit and they did the same thing, just like in the old west movies with bison and those old time lead bullets. After 3-4 rounds and several minutes the musk ox finally fell over as the rest of the herd went back to grazing.

Slow and heavy lead isn’t my thing but I figured I’d make that point.

Osky,
A few years after I got out of the Navy I started guiding for a family friend. I was using Sierra 150gr in my 270 because I felt that’s what I could afford and they were plentiful in my small town.

By the second year of guiding I’d seen 4-5 elk killed with NPt’s and helped dress out a few more killed with NPt’s. I decided I needed to “afford” Partitions.

Moderate expansion, deep penetration, and Partitions do it CONSISTENTLY. Unlike too many other bullets that work well some of the time, other times not so much.

Having said that, I’m slowly transitioning over to copper bullets because I think lead core bullet’s days are numbered.

T Inman,
I have a friend who killed a musk ox in the 90’s with a 35 Whelen and 250gr NPt’s. Both shots in the armpit at 50-60 yds. On the second shot the bull turned towards them, the native guide ran, and the white guide yelled “brain him!”. About that time the bull fell nose first and keeled over sideways.

I have been on this magic caliber/bullet kick since the 80'S.

Bullet manufacturer's have certainly upped their game over the last 40 years.

We are all better off, as we do not have to suffer the 80's Ballistic tips anymore. I had a bad experience with them on a deer. Elk would have been a certain disaster.

Same with the Barnes X or XLC bullets anymore. Miserable to get them to shoot and the performance was questionable from my experience.

Bullet manufacture/performance is constantly evolving. It is great to have forums to discuss real world performance. Especially for people that do have real world experience on elk.

There are many bullets that will kill a deer just fine. Elk are bigger critters and can quickly show bullets that are lacking. Elk broadside through the ribs is one thing, change that shot presentation and bullets get sorted pretty quick. IMO.

I know what I like. After having seen/taken elk with 243 to 375. I have opinions on what what works. And I what I like to use.

I share my thoughts with people here based on my experience. I also learn from other people on here. Need to sort through a lot of posts to glean useful information.
The information is here, just have to see the trees for the forest.

I lean towards monometals for any caliber I use on elk, YMMV.
A heavier for caliber C&C, or bonded certainly works, as does a target bullet at long range.

Figure out how you hunt, what shot you capable of making. and go from there.

Shot placement ends a lot of arguments IMO.

WOW!

I got a bunch of silver tips loaded for my 303 savage!

Better head North to Alaska!

A go North….

The rush is on.

Well, you're right.

Guy

Boots on the ground are definitely an advantage, but when you live 4-7 hours away from your hunting grounds it can be difficult to do the amount of scouting necessary to be successful on a regular basis. If you live in a part of the country where certain animals may not be available without substantial travel it can be even more difficult to not only scout, but even to recognize what country may or may not be holding elk/deer/bears/wolves, etc....

The other part of this is the guns/bullets equation. I have many partial boxes of bullets I have bought to try in many different rifles to make the best decision on which one to hunt with. However, those are from years ago. With the price of components these days it is nice to have a resource like this and other hunting forums to ask what others are using and what their results have been. Substantial money can be saved and a lot learned about how to use certain components and how to hunt certain game . The extra information you can pick up by just asking the right questions can be more than a little helpful- especially for first timers who may be coming out west as an example to try for elk or some other critter that they may only be able to do once or twice in a lifetime.

Besides all that, we are all gun and hunting loonies and this is our pasttime, just like gearheads spend time on automotive sites, and JeffO spends time on democratic gay sites...

Alpine that’s interesting. Probably my brain getting fuzzy but I do not recall seeing .270 rounds back then in 150gr. That’s just me.
I do know I hear a lot of people make excuses for bad shots theses days and many blame the bullet. In the “ old days” we simply said bad hit or I missed. I am of the opinion there is no consideration but point of impact on the big game species we are generally speaking of here when shooting within say 300 yards. No wind, no drop, maybe a touch for elevation change. Center mass lungs and a happy night in camp.

I’ve honestly never seen any bullet not get thru the lungs and get the job done. I have never been a shoulder shooter always figured why mess with that when the lungs are right there and an even bigger target? I’ve seen big ungulates go a long way with broken legs but seldom more tha 100 yards without lungs.

Osky

To me, bullets are like tires on my truck.

For the vast majority of my driving, simple street tires are sufficient (and offer better fuel economy). However, when roads get a bit dicey, I prefer good AT type tires, and since I don't know what road conditions I will encounter, I run AT's year round.

I also only use Barnes for my big game hunts. I do not know if I can get a perfect, standing, broadside shot at 150yds, so I use Barnes.

I was a Boy Scout, back in the day, and "Be Prepared" has stuck with me.

i grew up shooting guns all the time ,my uncles and some older friends all worked at Federal Cartridge so when i was a kid ammo was given to me and i shot a lot ammo . i have been a handloader for at least 45 years of many different cartridges tried a lot of bullets , powder ,brass .have my own 25 yd, 50 yd ,100 yd. rifle range with berms and a heated shooting house so i reload all the time.yes i have my favorite cartridges -favorite rifles as do many handloaders and shooters do , reloading , shooting , hunting ,buying guns and collecting guns is just fun .Pete53

I’ve got elk loads worked up for my 7mm and .300 Weatherby’s for, oh, about 15 years now. I shoot scoped rifles enough to stay proficient. Whoever said it was a software issue is right. Where I hunt, you usually have mere seconds to spot, decide, and shoot. Not the long drawn out whispering with the guide like on TV. Good hunting, yall!

We talk about it because it’s fun, and gives us something to do. At the end of the day, a .270 through any of the 300’s with good bullets is all anyone needs for elk, and I’d be willing to bet what 95% of elk die from every year. Yes, shot placement is key. BUT, like has been said previously, most people don’t live in elk country, if they get a shot, they may have a split second to decide, and elk don’t often stand perfectly broadside giving you the perfect shot. So do you really want a 6.5CM with an ELD-X when your only shot on the only elk you’ve seen after 5-6 days of heavy hunting is a 250 yard quartering shot that has to go through shoulder to get to lungs? I don’t. I’ll take anywhere from a 150gr partition from a .270 to a 200gr Ascent from a 300WM for that shot. And anything in between.