Best Cartridge for Hunting Elk???

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Question of the Day ....

Best Cartridge for Hunting Elk??? And bullet weight and brand? What are you shooting? Has it done the job each time? What have you used on elk that you would NOT recommend?


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Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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300 Win Mag, 180 gr Nosler Partition. I have 100% confidence it this combo.

I tried the 180 gr TSX and never lost an elk. but I did more tracking than I ever had to with the partition so I went back to the Nosler.













Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
I've shot them with almost everything but I'd only opt for a 7mm+ caliber driving a large premium projectile at substantial velocity.

I like the 300 win with 180 Partitions, love the 300 ultra with a 200 AB for longer ranges. The 338 and 340 are primo with Barnes or Noslers stuffed in them. 325WSM with 200 gr Barnes is no slouch either. It's killed the largest bull in the family at 383".

Hunting is too important not to use what you think is the best! I won't settle for less. Use plenty and never wonder.

Zeke
 
Iv'e killed over 30 Elk with my 300 win. with 200 gr. Nosler partitions,plus Bison and Moose, and that bullet has served me well. That being said, i bought a new toy, a 28 Nosler,and i'll be shooting 175 gr. Nosler A.B.L.R.'s. Can't wait to draw some blood this fall, iv'e drawn an Elk tag in Wyoming, now will wait for Idaho draws,and hopefully a Moose in Maine..
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-29-16 AT 10:44AM (MST)[p]300 RUM shooting 180 gr AB. Never had an issue. Use them on everything from antelope, whitetail, MD, elk, moose and bear. One gun, one bullet does everything.
 
375 RUM!

Have Lost a little Meat here & There!

But never Lost an Animal!

I Drilled a Hole through the Broadside of a Deer when I was Very Young with a Core-Lokt,Never Again!

9128damage1.jpg








[font color="blue"]They Shot Him in the Back AKA 'LaVoyed Him'!
[/font]
 
I'm a fan of the 300 Win Mag as well, but prefer the 180 grain TSX. I've used the Nosler partition without complaint, but the Barnes performs better.

I've shot elk with 270 win, 308 win, 30.06 (lots) 300 WSM and 375H&H. Probably a few others I've forgotten.
Killed a bull at 550 yards with the 270 Win with one shot, but convinced me it wasn't enough gun. (poor penetration with absolutely no bones encountered). 270 performed well at more modest ranges.
All do the job at reasonable ranges and proper shot placement. 300 win gives reasonable margin of error in a manageable package. Nothing wrong with the 375, except for heavy to carry, and not really great at long range (over 400yds).
I will use other calibers on occasion, but go back to my 300 win mag regularly.

Bill
 
I will second 7mm mag. My recipe is a 160 grain Nosler Partition. I killed a big bull in the thorofare of Wyoming this year 432 yards. Bullet went completely through the bull lodging under the skin on the off side. The bull didn't make it 20 yards. The Partition has been my favorite bullet for a long time. I've used it in .270 and 300 wby mag a bunch too. That 160 grain bullet retained 70% of its weight and drove through that bull. Use a bullet with good sectional density. This 160 load I worked up seems to agree with my 7mm nicely. Good luck.
 
There is no perfect round... The best elk gun is an accurate one with a good bullet. I've shot elk with everything from a 25-06 to a 338 lapua and found they all seem to kill just fine when you put a projectile through their lungs/heart when you know your abilities and the guns abilities. Anymore I shoot a 300 RUM with a 210 Long Range Accubond but I'm becoming more and more partial to the 6.5x284 Norma.

Coloradoboy
 
260AI driving a 140 Berger Hybrid Target bullet at 2950 FPS. Hits hard. Goes deep. Gives me the grenade effect and an exit hole. Disgusting internal damage with very little damage to meat.
 
I shoot a 7mm wsm browning A bolt with 150 grain bullet my wife shoots the browning x bolt 270 wsm with a 150 grain bullet we have never lost an elk or a deer granted we shoot all of are elk at 300 yards or less I've shot deer further shot placement is the key buddy good luck on this years hunt.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-30-16 AT 07:16AM (MST)[p]Elk can and have been killed with everything from a .22 long rifle to elephant calibers. That said, elk calibers for me start with 7mm and 160 gr Partitions or Accubonds. Never lost an elk with that combo. My buddy hunts with .300 Win mag and 200 gr Sierras. His elk tend to go down a might quicker than mine. Not a fan of high velocity light bullet loads that damage a lot of meat. The main reason I hunt elk is for the tasty venison.
 
Lots of combos will work.

I have had good luck with 180 grain accubonds being flung from a 300 wsm.

That combo is 3 for 3 with no tracking job needed.
 
>260AI driving a 140 Berger Hybrid
>Target bullet at 2950 FPS.
>Hits hard. Goes deep. Gives
>me the grenade effect and
>an exit hole. Disgusting internal
>damage with very little damage
>to meat.

Any Proof/Pics of you making booty do the Dirty Work?












[font color="blue"]They Shot Him in the Back AKA 'LaVoyed Him'!
[/font]
 
300 Wby with Barnes 168gr TTSX. I have yet to be able to keep that bullet inside an elk. I even got a pass through on a Shirus bull at 400 yrds.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-30-16 AT 04:42PM (MST)[p]7mm mag with 160 gr nosler partition. You can go bigger, but not better.

The TTSX might be a more advanced bullet design, but they are hard to get sometimes and they don't shoot as accurately in my gun. Currently 160 gr is unavailable in 7mm. Can get the 140s but I just like a little bigger for elk

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
Big critters get my .338 win mag with 250 gr Nosler Partition. It definatly is Elk , Bear, Moose and Oryx medicine. Put Muzzle Brake and hearing protection on when having fun on the range, screw in the standard threads when actually hunting and life is good .
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-31-16 AT 12:23PM (MST)[p]7mmSTW stuffed full of H1000 and topped w/ 160 A/B.

Never used one but i would NOT recommend the .243 for elk...:)



"Word of the day..legs..spread the word"
 
I use a 300 Win. Mag. with 180 grain Remington factory loads most often. I know alot of people who put alot of time and effort into special bullets or reload combos but my last 5 elk have been one shot kills so I figure there's no reason to complicate things. I have used some 200 and 220 reloads for close range and brushy situations and I like them for that.

My first elk was with a 30-30 and my sister's was with a .243, obviously you can kill an elk with a pretty small caliber as long as you understand the limits of your weapon. However, when my boys start hunting, I don't think I'll have them use anything under a .270.
 
Started w 7mm Rem/175 gr Corelokt. 100% 1 shot kills. After 20 years I realized my longest shot taken was 225 yds, so I added an ultralight 270 Win/160 gr. partitions. Same result. When I run out of ammo I'll switch to 160 gr partition or bonded for the 7mm, 140 for the 270.

It depends much more on the hunter than the weapon.
 
I'm undergunned, only about 25 elk with 30.06 180 grain partitions. My Wife has shot a pile of Cows with her .243 BLR
 
300 RUM with 200 grain Accubond, backed by 91.5 grains of Retumbo has killed everything I have shot at for the last 5 years!
 
Guiding "trophy" elk hunters for 20 years, I have seen just about every combination you can think of. Having said that, I've seen more elk killed at various ranges with any of the .300 magnums, mostly 180 grain projectiles.
But every time I've seen a big bull taken with a 338 Lapua, my mind gets blown with amazement every time. So.....I have mothballed my .300 Weatherby and broke down and finally bought one. They are awesome at 100 yards, clear out past 1000.
Truly an amazing round!



avatar-1.png
 
>I'm undergunned, only about 25 elk
>with 30.06 180 grain partitions.

Booorrring! How dare you post the cartridge that has killed more elk than any other. LOL. Put that bullet through that gun in the strike zone and no elk walking can walk away.

One more thread about what is best for "me"



txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
>
>One more thread about what is
>best for "me"
>
>
>
>txhunter58
>

+1
While some are "better" than others, *****for me and my application*****, you hit the nail on the head!
Zeke
 
Hard to beat a 338 of any kind or a 8mm Mag. I'll say make sure your bullet expands at slower velocity 300+ yards, I had a 210gr partition "plug" right in/out the ribs of a bull at 315 yards... and had I not caught up to him going up the other side of a ravine and put a second one in him, he'd have gone quite a bit farther.

2f350s: Spend the money on additional licenses and HUNT more!
 
For Bulls, I love a .338. Have had great luck with 210gr Noslers.

Shot a cow last year with a .257 Bee at 600 with a 120 gr Nosler. Worked perfectly. .270's are a great cow elk cartridge.

Jim
 
I understand all the logic for larger calibers, but I have killed 14 elk with my 270 and 150 gr Nosler partitions. It has never let me down. Four of the elk were over 500 yards.
 
I'm a 7mm fan myself but I know any caliber at 270 or over does the job well. Depending on what you want in a gun. But I am a huge fan of berger bullets. They are just amazing compared to anything I've ever shot.

One bullet that I strongly do not recommend is the fusion bullets in 300 caliber. They literally explode on impact no matter the animal you shoot. No pass through, no weight retention. Me and my dad shot 2 elk and 2 deer with them. Same results each time. On my elk, right after the entrance hole through the skin, the ribs had a blown out hole that you could fit two fists in. No exit hole. 12 inches of snow on the ground and there was only blood about every 10 yards and not much. Her heart and lungs were tore apart.
 
I've had good luck with fusions in 30 cal. No animals lost, plenty of penetration. However, I now load my own. Barnes, tsx 180s.
 
I would avoid the Hornady SST 154 gr. in 7mm mag.
I lost a bull after hitting it in the front shoulder and the bullet blew apart on contact. The bull wasn't even limping when he ran off.
I use the 160 gr. Accubond now with great results.




There's always next year
 
.22 Mag Hornady 30 grain V-max. Put it behind the ear and they will drop like a North Korean rocket. Leaves just a tiny little hole with no exit wound usually. Then you can walk right up and arrow them in the heart so the DWR thinks you killed it with your bow. Works like a charm, especially in the middle of winter when you can sneak up to them in the deep snow then leave them lay and find the "dead head" when you are "shed hunting".

"Pics or it didn't happen!"
 

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