Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 308 expansion at close range?

Any opinions on what is the most expansive .308 Win. factory ammo for use on a tasty cow elk @ less than 100 yards??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

Think I would have to go with the Winchester Super X 180 Grain Silvertip, it has worked well for me over the years in 30-06 in that configuration and the .308 has almost identical ballistics.

I've had excellent results from Speer Hotcores.

Dick

Hornady 110 grain V-Max are pretty danged explosive . . . (grin).

BMT

Why would you want the most expansion? Go with a Nosler Partition, 165 or 180 grain. You get expansion plus penetration. Works great on cow elk.

I would like more expansion because even with the 180 gr. core-lockt I used last season the bullit just zipped right thru. Exit wound was roughly the same size as entry wound. I recovered the round from the snow, and it was hardly deformed. Good heart / lung shot, didnt even hit a rib, animal ran approx 75 yds. before dropping. I dont want to hurt 'em, just wanna send 'em to elk heaven quickly. Head shots are out because I live in a CWD area.

Although I have killed a number of Mule deer and Whitetail deer with my .308 W., I've not killed an elk with one.

My cousin, however, who has lived all over the West (Colo., Mont., Utah, S. Dak., and 20 years in Idaho), has killed 23 elk, one Idaho Shiras bull moose, and he doesn't know how many deer, with his pre-'64 Lightweight Winchester 70 .308 W.

He doesn't reload. His standard factory ammo is either 180 grains Rem. PSP Core Lokt, or Winchester 180 grains PSP cartridges. Both shoot very accurately in his rifle, plus, he is a very good shot.

He's killed elk with that .308 W. and those factory rounds from 50 yards up to 300 yards +/-, without any trouble.

FWIW. L.W.

Anybody have any experience with Federal Fusion??

Last season I shot a whitetail doe and an antelope buck with the 165 grain 308 Fusion load. It worked very well and dropped both on the spot(spine shots). No bullets were recovered but judging from the amount of tissue damage I would say the Fusion bullets expand well.

I think either the 165 or 180 would work well on elk. I would not hesitate to use either one. No Texas heart shots though.

I've never had a problem with 150s expanding, at close ranges. However, I used to have lots of trouble with 7 mag rounds expanding too much, which is why I use the .308, instead. The trick on elk is to get it to expand inside, and not too soon. At under 100 on a big dry cow, I'd think a traditional 150 spire point as good as any.