Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 85grn TSX? brainstorming...

Supper perhaps I should not have come on so strong...sorry about that. However, in my humble opinion you need to be better prepared for the inevitable "less than perfect" shot. If you are truely prepared to wait on that perfect shot and pass up on any shot otherwise, well then I tip my hat to you. I don't take marginal shots either, but I have seen what shoulder blades on 900+ # bulls do to Trophy Bonded Bearclaws, Partitions and Accubonds. I am not the world's foremost authority on elk...I admit that. But after what I have seen, I would want something with more horsepower. I agree whole heartedly that bullet placement trumps caliber every time. Given the situation though, you will have more control over the bullet selection (obviously)than you will placement when you factor in wind, shot angles, heavy breathing etc. From what I have seen up close and personal, elk are one tough animal to put down and, more importantly, keep down. It is one animal that I know of where pure energy (whatever you want to call it) matters. If, after your brainstorming session, you do decide on the TSX, I believe you will have chosen the best bullet for that caliber and situation...again, best of luck.

Where on earth you seeing the 900 lb plus bulls? I've never seen anything like that?

Dober

You've gotta cross the border to find 'em

Godogs
I agree with you to a point, but that point won't be suggesting a 280 either.... If I have to do it and do it now, its gonna be a 338 cal minimum and that minimum will be a 338 win mag if not 338-378 or 338 edge or even a 375 or 416 round.
Jeff

Out to a couple hundred yards or so, and in the hands of a hunter who WILL place the shot correctly, it'll work just fine.

I'd rather see you use a 100 grain Partition because of it's many years of proven killing power, but that's just because I'm old and set in my traditional ways.

Wayne

As in borders of a high fence.......

Dober

I killed two black bears and one muledeer with my .243 and 85 br. X bullets prior to selling it. A skilled rifleman should have no trouble taking elk with a properly placed bullet.

Personally I wouldn't use one for elk.

No.....as in you've gotta cross the border to the north and come to the land of 60" bull moose, 10' grizz, and 1000lbs bull elk

Oh......dat border.....

Jordan you have much for silver dogs up your way?

Dober

No worries.


No matter the caliber, this year, TSX's will be driven.

wow...

I hate to say it, but you are one of the guys that we always make fun of. The man that brings the howitzer. I've seen many a guy try to schlep a 338 or 375 around on a week long hunt for the "just in case" and by the second day they are wishing they had something more along the lines of my 280.

Point out to me one single thing within 600 yards that my 280 can't do as well as your 338.

And if you are talking a light weight 338, those are for the birds. Had one a few years ago; put 6 rounds through it, took the scope off it and put it back in the safe to save for a project at a later date. It wasn't worth the brutality of it.

My dad finally came to his senses and put his 375 away and picked up his trusted 270 again.

And while I'm rambling, if you really want to get down to the bare bones of it, why not use the "original" elk caliber... .45-70? Oh, thats right, its not a freaking beam rifle that will zap an elk at 1,000 yards.

You betcha we do. What do you think keeps us occupied in the off season???

We get some nice silver dogs in places on the high line but most other area's they're kind of a rusty reddish brown for lack of better words.

Thx
Dober

I hunt New Mexico...and no, no, no...I have never ever in this lifetime been near a fenced operation unless you count the fenced run I keep my labs in.
Rost495, I agree with your partial agreement...whatever. I assumed the comparison was between the 243 and the 280 and that was all the choices we had here. I shoot a 280 AI as my #1 deer gun and probably would never take it elk hunting either...I stick with my 300's. I am sure the AI would take an elk, no doubt.
Y'all have a nice day.

I hunt New Mexico...and no, no, no...I have never ever in this lifetime been near a fenced operation unless you count the fenced run I keep my labs in.
Rost495, I agree with your partial agreement...whatever. I assumed the comparison was between the 243 and the 280 and that was all the choices we had here. I shoot a 280 AI as my #1 deer gun and probably would never take it elk hunting either...I stick with my 300's. I am sure the AI would take an elk, no doubt.
Y'all have a nice day.

Supper

I pack a heavy 54 mz for most of my elk hunting, swapping to a 338 or other is no change. Weight wise they are not much heavier than a 280 lets say.

And I agree, if you can't handle the recoil of the bigger rounds stay away. Most cannot. But it doesn't bother me, heck its only one shot anyway.

I don't carry the larger ones for a distance reason either, just simply for that south to north shot if it is all I have. Though they do offer a bit more at longer ranges if ever encountered.

You can laugh all you want, but if you hear my gun go off, you had better have a knife handy, how that is bad I cannot figure.

Of course maybe I'm weird since I've shot a deer with my 50....

Jeff

Last night seemed to be a bad night for my rant mode on a few forums... sorry if I came across a bit arrogant.

Thats something I've never understood right there. I've seen people take shots like that, but to me its not that big of a deal. I don't -have- to kill something. So if this is your example of a "worst case scenario" that a 243 wouldn't work for, well I wouldn't take that shot anyway. Texas Heart Shots just aren't worth it.

And as the other thread going on right now states, who cares what gun it really is so long as people are out there actually participating.

I must have misunderstood what you were talking about. Either "silver dog" is an american term, or I'm just out of the loop...

What are you referring to?

silver colored yotes is what I meant, sorry for the Dober lingo

Dober

Cool, I assumed you were talking about yotes. Yeah we have plenty of those. I shot a couple silvers myself this season...

Why not go try it out and let us know how it works?

Good Hunting!