Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting .300 win mag elk bullet

I have started working with a new to me Tikka in .300 win mag. This will be primarily an elk rifle.
After some initial testing with various bullets it has averaged less then an inch for three shot groups with:
180gr. nosler partitions/handloads
180 gr. Barnes TSX / handloads
220 gr Sierra RN/handloads
180 gr Noselr Partition / Federal Factory loads

These were all shells loaded for other guns and they all grouped under an inch and all grouped to same relative point of aim.
I am gonna start assembly loads for it and am kinda undecided what I would like to use. Magazine restricts to an absolute max. length of 3.34" so it becomes an issue with heavier bullets.
All things considered equal what would you use for an elk bullet

P.S. Most shots 300 yds. or less

Nothing wrong with any of 'em. I will be trying the 175 LRX. The 165 HIB worked just fine before, but I never leave good enough alone...

guys worry far too much about their equipment, and small differences, in rifles ammo etc. and tend to ignore the important stuff like your physical condition, keeping warm and dry and well fed on a hunt, and studying topo maps. Id bet good boots and socks vs badly fitting boots, and having a warm sleeping bag vs freezing your butt at night, have had a bigger effect on a hunts outcome that rifle calibers, being used, and getting into an area a few days early to get used to the altitude before strenuous activity prior to a hunt starting, preventing altitude sickness, has sure helped more, and spending an hour a day for a few months prior to a hunt in 4 15 minute sessions on a tread mill or running laps will sure benefit you more than any change in bullet design between a 180-200 grain bullet.
I can,t help smiling reading through this thread and thinking back 35 plus years when two of the guys in our elk hunt club had this big debate on the merits of the hornady 190 grain vs the speer 200 grain 30 caliber bullets.
I do most of the hand loading of ammo, for most of the members and either bullet can be loaded to similar velocities.
these guys got a whole bunch of old wet phone books and did penetration tests because they were curious, concerning penetration, and just if your curious the hornady usually penetrated a bit deeper, the speer opened faster,
(btw both bullets are accurate)but the end result was over at least a decade of hunting both projectiles proved very lethal on elk, so it mattered not a bit what was used.I know, that in 30 plus years neither guy has killed an elk at over 300 yards, and regardless of which bullet is used,a good shot in the heart/lung area results in a dead elk.

http://handloads.com/loaddata/defau...;type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

guys worry far too much about their equipment, and small differences, in rifles ammo etc. and tend to ignore the important stuff like your physical condition, keeping warm and dry and well fed on a hunt, and studying topo maps. Id bet good boots and socks vs badly fitting boots, and having a warm sleeping bag vs freezing your butt at night, have had a bigger effect on a hunts outcome that rifle calibers, being used, and getting into an area a few days early to get used to the altitude before strenuous activity prior to a hunt starting, preventing altitude sickness, has sure helped more, and spending an hour a day for a few months prior to a hunt in 4 15 minute sessions on a tread mill or running laps will sure benefit you more than any change in bullet design between a 180-200 grain bullet.
I can,t help smiling reading through this thread and thinking back 35 plus years when two of the guys in our elk hunt club had this big debate on the merits of the hornady 190 grain vs the speer 200 grain 30 caliber bullets.
I do most of the hand loading of ammo, for most of the members and either bullet can be loaded to similar velocities.
these guys got a whole bunch of old wet phone books and did penetration tests because they were curious, concerning penetration, and just if your curious the hornady usually penetrated a bit deeper, the speer opened faster,
(btw both bullets are accurate)but the end result was over at least a decade of hunting both projectiles proved very lethal on elk, so it mattered not a bit what was used.I know, that in 30 plus years neither guy has killed an elk at over 300 yards, and regardless of which bullet is used,a good shot in the heart/lung area results in a dead elk.

http://handloads.com/loaddata/defau...;type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

Beings I live 15 minutes from the area I hunt elk for. And usually walk 10 plus miles a day at work ( field surveyor) I am all set in those areas. And I sleep in my own bed every night during elk season...

No need for you to die, you are already in heaven. Consider this an exemption. lol.

I am just wondering why some would choose on over the other?

Nosler Partition is never the wrong answer.

Only reason I questioned a change was a couple of groups with the TSX's averaged .6" at 100. The Noslers average about 1". so far.