Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 257 WBY or 300 Win Mag as the all around western rifle?

When a bullet looks like a bent banana and didn't open I think it's a failure even if the animal died... especially a bullet that costs $35 per 50ct.

I believe you're jumping to conclusions. "Failure" in each post above was in reference to passing through, which is 100% factual. My point was that at longer ranges I'd sure not want a 257.

BTW, did your original post not reference long range shots from 400-600 yards? I know for certain that I read that somewhere but I can't seem to find it now.

+1

LC

Brad,

I didn't see any BBB (Bent Babanna Bullets) in the thread.

Not on this thread, Chuck Nelson had one this year, as did Mark Dobrenski, as did I... that's three guys that all know each other in one season.

I'm going back to copper/lead bullets...

I don't think any of have said these bullets failed to kill the game, we're just giving examples of what can happen with a bullet of this type. Nothing is 100%, but if a bullet isn't going to open up on occasion, I want more than a 25cal hole. Also, as has been mentioned here on several posts, with today's multi reticle scopes about anything can be used for long range shooting. Given that, I'd pick a 30/06 or a 280 if I was recoil sensitive, at least then you have the bullet weight and diameter to get the job done when things don't work as they should.

And I do not see where anyone claimed the TSX failed to do anything other than pass through.

This oft repeated homily "Well, the animal died so we can't call it bullet failure" is silly, tiresome and ludicrous.
If someone shoots an animal with an appropriate cartridge, and a bullet normally expected to be used on that animal at impact velocities the bullet was designed for, and the bullet does not provide a reasonable amount of penetration and a reasonable amount of expansion, it's bullet failure.
By the way, has anyone every seen or known of a legitimate bullet failure on elk with a 180 grain Hornady Interlock, or 180 Nosler Partition?

Royce

I stand corrected.

I have to note that this has been 27 pages of rock 'em sock 'em fun so let's continue with:

Given you choose the 300 Win Mag, what's you favorite elk load or all around load?

I already have dogzapper's favorite 257 load as well as Mule Deer's

Your getting a kick out of this thread huh David?...grin

Don't know of any failures with those bullets you described.Killed lots of critters with that 190 BTSP Interlock from my 300.Awesome cup core bullet.

I've only hunted elk for two years and shot at two elk so I'm not exactly an expert. Killed them both, one with a .277 140gr Partition and the other a .308 168 TSX. The shots were not comparable, the partition was 100 yards and the TSX was 550 yards. The Partition at 100 yards was a complete shoulder pass through with a 140 bullet. I speculate that a Partition in 308 would have performed better than the 168 TSX did at 550 yards. The 168 knived through, I want more trauma.

I will hunt elk again next year and it will be with a Partition, I have no fear that it will explode on impact at close range and I'll bet that it'd be more reliable given a long range shot, though I'd not worry if I had to use the TSX.

It was one of the better questions I've asked.....

Disregard my response, I read .308 not realizing it was a 300 WM.

180 Nosler partition,200 Nosler Partition,165 Bitterroot.

Bent Banana Bullets? I had one with a 225-gr Nos Part out of a .340 Bee

Hey, David, don't I get to list my favorite loads for the .300 Winchester too?

ABSOLUTELY!

He listed none............

73.0 Reloder 19, 168 TSX. Haven't killed any elk with this one, but suspect it would do. Have killed a typical mule deer that grossed around 195, with one of those raking shots that Elmer Keith liked.

75.0 H4831 (either Short Cut or Retro), various 180's. This is my "test load" for the .300 Winchester: If a rifle doesn't shoot this combo well, there's something wrong with the rifle. Of course it also kills stuff. It can be a little warm in some rifles with some bullets, so I usually start around 72.0 grains.

72.0 Reloder 19, 180 Nosler E-Tip. Tested this one thoroughly in Africa last year, just as the E-Tip was announced. It worked very well on a bunch of stuff from 100-pound springbok at long range to 500-pound blue wildebeest up close. I haven't seen anything wonky happen withe E-Tips yet, but have only seen about 20 used on various animals from 1 coyote to a couple of big elk.

78.0 Ramshot Magnum, 200 Nosler Partition. I have used a couple of other powders with this bullet since I started using the .300 Winchester about 20 years ago. Had to, since Magnum wasn't around then. But this load has gotten the highest 200-grain velocities. It works both near and far on elk. Shot a 6-point bull in the big shoulder joint as quartered to me at 75 yards a few years ago, and the bullet not only took out the shoulder but exited the rear of the rib cage.(Dunno why some people don't think Partitions won't penetrate.) Ramshot data lists a little more powder as max, but 78.0 was tops in my last .300 Winchester.