What would you choose? Two loads for Elk...

firedawg60

Twelve Pointer
Never did get into his writings, but I suspected he used partitions some. But how many did he kill with plain old cup and core type soft points?

Also, while I still consider a partition a premium bullet, at the typical 60-70% weight retention, it kind of falls short of todays copper and bonded bullets.
 
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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
he didn't wear hi-tech clothes or drive a 4x4 either,,,,,,

stuff changes,,,equipment gets better,,,,it's the nature of Man,,,,,
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Never did get into his writings, but I suspected he used partitions some. But how many did he kill with plain old cup and core type soft points?

Also, while I still consider a partition a premium bullet, at the typical 60-70% weight retention, it kind of falls short of todays copper and bonded bullets.
Partitians were a big step up from what they had in the day. But the locals out there use the same thing they use for deer hunting primarily. I hunted with the "locals" after my first trip luckily as I had a friend that moved out there. They got a big kick out of poking fun at all the "tourists". At that time I deer hunted with a .300 Win mag and did so for years. But the majority of what I saw them use was .243 and .270. But on the other hand they also usually head shot everything because they were meat hunters. They did deer the same way. Blood shot meat was a waste to them and they frowned on it.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I read an article some years back about calibers popular for elk hunting in Washington State in the early 1900s. The 30-06 was the most powerful gun used and 30-30s were common.

That said despite today's better powder and bullets states have caliber minimums for elk. Kentucky requires a .27 center fire minimum . Colorado has a .24 minimum
 
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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Isn't the VLD a bullet made for long range shooting?

Thanks for sharing that video

I wonder if that shot could be made the same with a standard cup and core soft point with a .243 Win?
 
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Tunanut

Ten Pointer
Isn't the VLD a bullet made for long range shooting?

Thanks for sharing that video

I wonder if that shot could be made the same with a standard cup and core soft point with a .243 Win?

Very low drag. Probably a berger or lapua hunting 105 VLD. Out of an 8 twist barrel, it is a very accurate killing pill. I've practiced out to 850 with them, 500-600 is child's play. Don't know it the core-loc is going to hold up as well. 6mm sierra game kings will give the higher dollar vld's a run for their money. I love my 243's, but honestly I'd not elk hunt with them unless I was starving. The 280 would be the rifle I grab.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Very low drag. Probably a berger or lapua hunting 105 VLD. Out of an 8 twist barrel, it is a very accurate killing pill. I've practiced out to 850 with them, 500-600 is child's play. Don't know it the core-loc is going to hold up as well. 6mm sierra game kings will give the higher dollar vld's a run for their money. I love my 243's, but honestly I'd not elk hunt with them unless I was starving. The 280 would be the rifle I grab.

Yeah those 6mm heavies are some long range magic. I am not a huge creedmore fan, but I am very very tempted to pick up either a 6mm creed or buy a plain Jane 243 and have it punched to an AI chamber to play with. That would be a heck of a 'bean' field rifle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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shadycove

Twelve Pointer
Federal Premium Edge TLR Ammunition 300 Winchester Magnum 200 Grain Polymer Tipped Bonded Boat Tail Box of 20
Product #: 251590
Federal Premium #: P300WETLR200
UPC #: 604544623994
0.0
here is some dang nice 300Win mag ammo on sale at Midway USA.
200gr long range BT bullet at 2810fps for <$22 a box of 20.
I would get a box of these, shoot a few groups at 200yds and if they will go MOA, buy a case of them and shoot yourself a big bull with'em this fall and any deer you want to kill here in NC [without all the wasted meat caused by those 150gr bullets].
 
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appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
^^^thanks. Might grab a box of those.

And haha on nc deer. I like shooting those fast open point bullets for deer here in the mountains.
A rib shot deer always runs in the opposite direction of the truck!!!!
High shoulder and they don't move here in the hills!!!
I don't mind losing 2# of meat in trade for 1/2 mile less walking!!!
 

apexhunter

Ten Pointer
The 300 is my regular deer gun. Tikka T3 Lite Stainless. Very light and accurate as heck. Very comfortable with it... knock on wood..... It has killed everything it has ever been fired at...
Actually the reason I bought the thing was because it was so light and I backpack hunt some deep parts of Western NC mtns.

Not really talking gun and calibers though.
The specific query. If I know that the Bonded PowerMax loads shoot lights out in my rifle, is there any reason to toy with Accubonds in the same weight for any *gain* in terminal performance that an accubond might give me??

I actually dug into the Powermax Ballistics some more, and the 150gr load I already shoot for deer actually carries more energy than the 180gr up until 450 yards, at which point the 180 takes over. And the 150's are still carrying minimum expansion velocity out to 900 yards, and still carrying over 1,000 ft/lbs at 800 yards.
So now I'm wondering if there's even any point switching... I've got 4 boxes of the same lot of 150gr that really shoot well in my rifle. Would be annoying to bump up to 180s and find the performance not matching the 150s

I think I've answered my own question. :)

I think you did answer your own question. My take on different loads for a single rifle is this: with all things being darned near equal between loads if I have 1 that my rifle loves and will print sub to less than half MOA groups consistently THAT is the load I will go with for that rifle. Considering the 90% or greater chance you will be shooting at 300 or less yards and the PowerMax load at that range is more than capable for elk then your query should be which boots to wear as the rifle should be settled upon.
 
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