Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 165 gr bullet & bull elk.

I was lucky enough to draw a bull tag in Az. and wanted some opinions on 165 grain bullets. I shoot a Tikka 30-06 and have run TBBC's and TSX through it and consistantly group under an inch at 100 yds. On a side note, took a nice cow two years ago with the TBBC's.

Try some 168gr Nosler E Tips.But you can't go wrong with the TBBC bullet either.

7STW, what's the story on that mud buster?

L.W.

kjkf-

I brought down a good 5x6 this past fall (see avatar pic).
Used a 165gr . Partition in a .308win - loaded to about 2780fps (basically factory 06' speed) and it did great. Full pass through - broke a rib on the way in, both lungs, and broke a rib on the way out. At approx. 125 yards. I think I'll be shooting either those again this year or 165 Accubonds.

L.W.

Couldn't really tell you.Found it like that heading home from hunting one morning.Thought it make a interesting pic.That hole and bank don't look like much,but it's a wicked sob.I rolled a quad in the same spot destroying my camera.Withstood a better than average azz soaking to boot.

Some "bad ass" with his jacked up Monster trunk learned about the limits of having a high center of gravity in the mountains. LOL.

Sidenote: Hope they got out OK!

Go kill an elk. My first one was killed with a 150 grainer out of a .300 mag. And it was one shot too.

Thanks, 7STW. That's an interesting sight. Glad I've not done that to my truck, although I've had it in some really rough places.

L.W.

Thanks guys. Looks like I'm good to go.

Randy Brooks (Past Pres. Barnes Bullets) and I talked on the phone several years ago, concerning the advantages of those Barnes bullets. The one thing he made a point of letting me know, was that with Barnes bullets you can go lighter and still get the same results of any other heavier bullet in the caliber your shooting. So a 165 grain Barnes type bullet would do you a good job and no worse for certain, when comparing to a 180 grain bullet.

Those TSX bullets penetrate very well. Hard to imagine a .30-06 and 165 TSX bullets not being equal to the task.

I have killed about 15 bulls with a 165 grain original X bullets. Never recovered one either. They worked fine. My son shot his elk this fall with a Federal Tactical load which is a 165 grain TBBC in a silver case. Worked just fine. Either bullet will be just fine for you. Congrats on the tag. Which hunt is it?

I use the 165 TSX in my 300 WSM. We have killed numerious Elk, 1 buffalo and 1 moose with it. Works just fine.

165 grain Hornady Interbond, through and through. Sample size o' one.

I had agonized about 165 vs. 180 prior to my hunt, but went with the 165's 'cause my '06 shot them quite a bit better.

In the end, if you feel that 15 grains o' bullet is gonna make that much difference, you'll prolly feel more confident shooting a much bigger caliber.

FC

Have used a couple of 165s in an '06 for elk over the years, 165 Hornady Interlock, and 165 br. Nosler PT...both worked well. Wife and I have also used both Swift A frame 165s and Barnes TSX 165s on African PG ( 'bout elk sized critters) out of her '06...her for trophy hunting and I used her rifle for some culling. No flies on the 165...at least at '06 velocities.
The premiums ( NP, TSX, A-frame) should have no problemo in the magnums either...

Ingwe

Back in the day when I had one gun for all seasons...Ol' Meat in the Pot put more game on the ground with a Hornady 165 grain Spire point. I didn't have the money for premium bullets, furthermore, I didn't need premium bullets. That 165 grain Hornady in that 30-06 accounted for over 40 elk and countless other game. Don't worry about all the fluff, just get the 165 and go do it.

Dennis, It's Oct. 22-25 in 6A.

This is the first year for that hunt. Will be interesting to see how it goes. 6A is a quantity managed unit and has a LOT of elk, just very few real whoppers come out of there. They were still rutting in 6A last year at that time. Might be the same way this year. At least they were still talking enough to locate them. I have heard of people who claim that elk are bugling in the winter too but I have hunted the late November/early December hunts for literally hundreds of days and have heard but maybe one or two bugles. I have heard some cow chirping but not near on the scale of September/early October.

Good luck and don't fret over the bullet choice, either one is perfectly suited to the task.

Years ago I killed a 5x6 roosevelt the week of Thanksgiving after cow calling him in. They definately talk year round but I wouldn't count on bugling.

Shrapnel, those are some dandy elk! Love that ram,too!Very nice!