Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk & Ammo question? Please help!

Hey Everyone,

This is a great forum That I have come to trust and value the opinions of it's members.

I purchased a Savage 99 in 300 Savage back in December. I've pretty much settled on the Remington Core lokt's 150 gr bullet until I am in a position to load my own. I have around 200 rounds through this gun and have been averaging 1-3" groups at 100-200 yards.

Now, by the grace of God,, I drew a Bull Elk tag, this is the moment that ran through my head when I first picked up this rifle. From hours of searching on the Internet in regards to my caliber it usually goes use 150's for deer and 180's for anything bigger.

So my question, will 150's get it done on a bull elk at 200 yards and under? I want to do right by the animal first but when viewing a side by side comparison I'm only gaining the 30grns of weight with the 180's?

Any first hand experience with this caliber against this animal?

Please Advise

First a disclaimer. I have not shot a 300 savage, but I have used several .308's for shooting both elk and moose. Same bullets with 100 fps difference in velocity.

If you put your shots in the ribs from broadside, there is no practical difference between 150's and 180's. If you hit the point of the shoulder, or take a shot from a rear angle, 180's will give you a BIT more penetration and are somewhat more likely to break big bones and keep going to the vitals. If I was buying ammo specifically for elk, I'd buy the 180's unless they shot VERY poorly compared to the 150's. Core Lockt's are good elk bullets at your rifle's velocity. Performance inside an elk means more than slightly flatter trajectory or a group 1" smaller.

To answer your question, 150's will "get it done" from 200 yards or less, 180's will "get it done" a little bit better.

heckthomas 'like your handle now that was one tuff lawman.no experience with 300 savage.

heckthomas-welcome to the Fire!

Where and when will you be elk hunting?

Oh yeah, our 150 CL will do you just fine.

Dober

I have killed a couple elk with my 300 Sav, with both 150 grain federal powershock and 165 Grand Slam reloads. I have not had the need to go to the 180 grainers yet. I don't recall the exact ranges, but I don't think either were over 200 yards.

Yes. Especially yes at 200 yards or less. Don't get fancy, just put the bullet tight behind the shoulder.....



Casey

Welcome. Either should work just fine with proper placement. If there are any real accuracy differences (say 2 inch groups verses 4 inch groups), I would go with the most accurate. If accuracy is the same, I'd go with the heavier for elk. Good luck in the draws, 1Minute

Hey Guys, thanks for the fast reply's I really appreciate it.

The elk tag is in AZ here around the Happy Jack area. I took a cow elk a couple years ago with a 270 winchester from the same area and I here her boyfriend has a score to settle with me

I'll definately run some 180's through the savage just to see, but I have the scope dialed in so well on the 150's I'd hate to change it if I could avoid it. I made a pact with myself to really focus on 1 rifle this year with good optics to better my hunting skills, If you saw the beautiful buck I missed last year you would understand.

The first big game rifle of my own [not counting my 32-20] was a 300 Savage 99R.

I used the 150's for everything. They worked just fine.

Some may not agree but I see little real difference between the .300S, .308 and 30-06. I don't think you will either.

The first big game rifle of my own [not counting my 32-20] was a 300 Savage 99R.

After I tried both I used the 150's for everything. They worked just fine.

Some may not agree but I see little real difference between the .300S, .308 and 30-06. I don't think you will either.

I have shot several Elk with the 308 and every one of them was a bang flop. 165 gr SPBT I don't buy into the "only elk rifle has MANGUN at the end" theory. To me one killed with a standard caliber just brings more excitment then one shot with a superboomer. Have fun with it make your shots count and there isn't an elk that will stand there and tell you diffrent.

Heck,

First, welcome to the 'fire. Second, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!! Dial in the 150's for 200 yards, go forth and slay that bull in confidence.

Let us know when you have his teeth on your key chain, with pics of the elk, not yourself.

Wayne

Yes, 150 grainers will work.

If you're running a 300Sav and factory ammo, might try Federal Premium with 150gr Partitions and see how they shoot--if Federal offers such a combo in the Savage cartridge.

But the 150gr Core-lokt's and 300Sav's have probably killed a lot of elk over the years.



Casey

Haven't shot .300 Sav. on game, only on the range. But my .260 Rem 725 with 140 grain Corelokts produced 3 bang-flops in a row in '06: cow caribou at 200 yards, cow elk at 150, and wolf at 40.

Placed righteously, I don't see a problem with your choice.

Thanks Guys, I appreciate all the replys, the hours I spent searching on the internet do not carry any weight compared to the positive replys I've recieved here.

We have a cabelas here and in there museum section they have several full mounts of the bull elk, When I see them I just can't help but think what an honor it is to finally get to hunt one.

I was in Yellowstone a couple years ago, and a big bull elk walked right past us, I uttered to my wife that they are such a magnificent animal, yet still produce some of the best jerky and summer sausauge

Googluck, HT.
And yes to further the answer the 150's would be great on elk.
Corelokts are pretty boring but seem to always get the job done.....no flies on them in other words.

I have shot 7 moose , 2 elk, lots of bears and deer with the 300 savage with 150 GR. I only lost 1 animal and that was to poor bullet performance on a bear ( I found the shoulder ball and joint in 3 pieces on a sand bar but never saw the bear again). I would not hesitate to use it on another elk if ranges were kept under 200 yards. That was my go to load for 20 years

Should be a great combo. We have the same gun and everytime I get the wife a tag she insists on shooting that gun...real accurate.

heckthomas,
I've killed six nice bull elk with my M99 in .300 Savage..Two with Rem core lock 150s and the rest with 165 Speer GS bullets..All under 200 yards.
Moderate velocity loads, but MOA accuarte with the 2.5 Alaskan scope I use on my M99 R..

I've also killed a bunch of bull elk with 730 grain wood arrows and two blade steel broadheads out of a 70# longbow or recurve.

When I lived and hunted northern-central Arizona rim country years ago, that Happy Jack and Clear Creek-Moqui Lookout area was one of my favorite areas to kill elk in..:)
See if you can find the real Jumbo tank..:)close to the bail off but a great spot to sit and hide in ambush..

Hunt in as close as you can, place the shot well, and work that lever and take a second shot if you can..Beats dragging a nice bull in pieces back up out of a steep canyon..:) Jim

Thanks again guys, I appreiciate all the advice.

Jim and TI, it does my heart warm to hear first hand my rifle and bullet selection is up to the challenge, so basically the pressures on me and I can live with that. There's nothing better than squeezing off a round knowing that you did your part and the bullet should take care of the rest.