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

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Looking at an Elk hunt in October... Shots ranging from PBR out to 700 yards, although my comfortable limit is about 500 since I just don't shoot farther than that very often...
(Can do the whole hunt with tag, round-trip airfare, and rental 4wd for $1,100... Have buddies that will be driving out there to haul gear and hopefully meat back for me. Staying in outfitter tent hunting between 9,000-12,000 feet)

Taking my 300wm.

I already shoot the Winchester PowerMax Bonded 150 Gr. load for deer and they are incredibly accurate and have dropped anything they've touched so far...
So...
Looking for elk, I'm thinking to shoot the same Powermax load in 180gr. Bonded bullet with a protected skived HP.

Or... Winchester loads basically the same load with a 180gr Accubond...

Yard for yard, both loads carry the same energy, trajectory, etc.

I shoot 110gr accubonds out of my 6.8 and have been very impressed with the results, but I have a soft spot for the PowerMax bonded...

What say ye?? Go with what I know?

***Side note but also important. I need to take a backup gun...

I have a browning BAR in 3006 but the dang thing just isn't very accurate when talking about long range... Best I've ever shot with it was maybe 2.5" groups, and I'd need to buy a new optic for it since it's been rocking open sights for bear hunting for a few years.

Or, I have a very accurate bolt 308 with a nice scope and I feel very good shooting at fairly long ranges with it. The load I shoot with that rifle is still carrying over 1,000 ftlbs of energy at 700 yards...

Thoughts?
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
For the 300 win, the heavier accubond would be ok if it shot well. Honestly the 150 you are currently shooting would do well. While I have not seen any huge bulls shot, I have seen maybe a dozen elk or so shot and have shot a few cow elk myself, they really aren't a hard animal to kill. The biggest concern elk hunting on public land is making a good shot and the elk running out of sight and being claimed by another hunter. So with that in mind, I would look at the 180 load and see how it shoots in your rifle. Another option would be something like the nosler partition. Not an ideal long range bullet but I'll bet if you do kill one, it will be well inside 700yds.
As to the 308, if you are confident in what you are currently shooting then I wouldn't fret it and rock on. I have seen my nieces daughter kill an elk with her 243......granted it was only a couple of hundred yards away, but the old adage of 'its where you shoot em rather then what you shoot em with' applies


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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
first - if you have buddies with you that have guns, no need for a backup gun for anyone - just switch off

any of those 180 gr bullets should work fine but I haven't used them,,,,,any heavy controlled expansion bullet that is accurate will work,,,

now to my question/request

$1100???? take me with you!! the bull tag alone is $641 (460 ish for cow) so your flying, renting a 4 wheel drive and getting a drop camp for $450?
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
woodmoose;1842979 now to my question/request $1100???? take me with you!! the bull tag alone is $641 (460 ish for cow) so your flying said:
Ha. Yeah. Round trip Charlotte to Denver is $250 Rental car is $200.

Buddies are heading out a week early to scout and they have the wall tent and atvs. I'll get there Thursday afternoon to scout and help with camp. Scout Friday and hunt Saturday to following Sunday.

My $1100 doesn't figure in ammo and whatever my split of food is.
Plus I'll spot them gas for hauling my gear.

They've been hunting those couple units for 20 years and usually have most tags full by Wednesday. They also drew 2 deer tags this year so they are gonna be hunting/glassing hard for some big mulies.

Even if I happen to kill something early in the week, I'd stay for the duration and help them find some deer

Even with supplies and gas I'll still only be in for about $1400.

This is all national forest and wilderness area hunting.

I hunted the area 15 years ago and we killed our bulls on the 2nd day.
 

genesis27:3

Old Mossy Horns
You may see an elk out to 700 yards, but you don't need to shoot at one at that distance. Getting close is what it's all about, and you'll feel more confident at a 200-300 yard range. At that point, take your deer rifle that you feel comfortable with at those distances. Too big of a risk shooting at distances that you're not use to.
But, that goes with any critter using any weapon.
That's just my thoughts anyway!

$1100 rifle elk hunt is quite a bargain!
 
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41magnum

Twelve Pointer
Either 180 gr out of the 300 and
150 out of the 308
The BAR is a great canoe paddle IME....I got tired of repairing them in the Gunshop.
I have good friends in Idaho who've been piling up elk with 308 Win and 150 grainers for over 30 yrs........bigger aint always better.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
The BAR is a great canoe paddle IME....I got tired of repairing them in the Gunshop.

Hahaha on the BAR... Mine looks like you drug it down a gravel road behind the truck then ran over it with a semi...
The sights are crooked, the stock is missing chunks, the fore end rattles, the bluing on receiver is gone from years of carrying it in one hand...

I've been bear hunting in the mountains with that rifle for 15 years... She's ugly, heavy, and won't ever "group" better than 2" with a scope, but she has NEVER let me down.

It points like a shotgun for me. I don't even really use the sights anymore. Shooting both eyes open and I can put every shot where it needs to go.
That's one of maybe 3 guns that I will never ever ever let go.
I can look at all the notches on the stock and think back to the exact day when I killed what those notches represent...

And you're canoe paddle metaphor... LOL... I grew up in the mountains, my BAR is a walking stick! We ain't got any creeks deep enough to paddle in! :)
 

apexhunter

Ten Pointer
With any of the rifles and loads mentioned being more than sufficient for elk a suggestion would be to take the rifle that 1) you have the most confidence in shooting at longer range and 2) is the most comfortable to carry for an entire day trekking around in the hills. There is nothing worse than toting an anchor around for hours only to find yourself winded and gasping for breath when trying to settle into the rifle for a 400 yard shot. I would take the one that you know where it will hit at distance and is most natural to get into and shoot accurately under pressure.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
With any of the rifles and loads mentioned being more than sufficient for elk a suggestion would be to take the rifle that 1) you have the most confidence in shooting at longer range and 2) is the most comfortable to carry for an entire day trekking around in the hills. There is nothing worse than toting an anchor around for hours only to find yourself winded and gasping for breath when trying to settle into the rifle for a 400 yard shot. I would take the one that you know where it will hit at distance and is most natural to get into and shoot accurately under pressure.

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. :)
 

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
I've killed them with 180 and 200 gr out of a 300. I wouldn't shoot anything lighter. Totally disagree with elk not being hard to bring down. Shoot until the elk is down, out of sight, or you run out of ammo.


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Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
A well placed arrow will kill one, but if you're spending the money and taking the time to go then take equipment that will get the job done. I've hunted with an outfitter in NM six times he will not allow anything less than a 7mm. There is a reason for that. Not trying to argue or debate with anyone just trying to offer some advice that will help this hunter succeed.


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genesis27:3

Old Mossy Horns
A well placed arrow will kill one, but if you're spending the money and taking the time to go then take equipment that will get the job done. I've hunted with an outfitter in NM six times he will not allow anything less than a 7mm. There is a reason for that. Not trying to argue or debate with anyone just trying to offer some advice that will help this hunter succeed.


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I agree! When I was in my early 20's, I saved up the money to buy a 7mm Mag specifically to one day take elk hunting. Saying that to say, I knew then that they are tough critters, and not a whitetail (700lbs vs 175-200lbs). I've since found that there's nothing like elk in Sept with a bow in hand, but I couldn't agree with you more. Take something that will knock them down. They can cover alot of miles in short order if not.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
A well placed arrow will kill one, but if you're spending the money and taking the time to go then take equipment that will get the job done. I've hunted with an outfitter in NM six times he will not allow anything less than a 7mm. There is a reason for that. Not trying to argue or debate with anyone just trying to offer some advice that will help this hunter succeed.


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And I know guides that prefer to see a guy show up with a beat up 270 or 30.06 over a new whizz magnooom that they have only shot a few times and have no clue about. Lots and lots of the guys out west who hunt elk a heck of lot more then everyone on this board combined tote 308's, 7mm-08's , but most guys that I know that live out there and hunt well every year generally tote a 30.06 and have killed a truck load of elk. And again, from my sample of maybe 15 or 20 elk that I have shot or seen shot, no they aren't hard to kill if you shoot them in the boiler room. Most guides have caliber preferences because most of their clients are for the most part clueless.


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bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
As to the OP, your load will be fine as long as you keep the distances reasonable. I'll bet more elk have been killed with a lowly 30-30 then any other cartridge out there


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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
A 900 plus pound bull elk was hit and killed by car in Maggie Valley last year?

Not sure if Colorado elk get that big but sure dwarfs a whitetail or muley.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
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. :)

Most likely so. If you do your part the bullet will do its part. The 180gr Accubond would have the edge in penetration on a less than ideal shot from the muzzle onward. That's why I'd pick them.

<>< Fish
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Most likely so. If you do your part the bullet will do its part. The 180gr Accubond would have the edge in penetration on a less than ideal shot from the muzzle onward. That's why I'd pick them.

<>< Fish

Good advice there or you just have to be willing to be patient and wait for a good shot and also be willing to let the animal walk of you can't get a shot you are comfortable taking.


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41magnum

Twelve Pointer
As to the OP, your load will be fine as long as you keep the distances reasonable. I'll bet more elk have been killed with a lowly 30-30 then any other cartridge out there


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and a .270 Win--look at the hundreds Jack O'Connor killed.

ALso, the 6.5x55 (about like our .260 Rem) has been taking 1200+ lb MOOSE in Scandanavia for over a century........proving that accuracy rules...not ME or FPS.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Good advice there or you just have to be willing to be patient and wait for a good shot and also be willing to let the animal walk of you can't get a shot you are comfortable taking.

Oh I'm like that with anything. Heck, even deer here in the mountains with my 300 get a pass if I don't have the shot I want.

For a little background. The one elk I've killed was a pretty 5x5 at 125 yards with an open sight CVA hunterbolt around 10,000 ft in the Co. backcountry shooting 295gr powerbelts over 120 grains of Pyrodex loose powder.
September in 2002 in the high country with the bright yellow aspens. Magical time to be in the woods... Dad and I did it DIY, packing everything in and out. Really cool experience.

We spotted the bull from about 400 yards away and made a move. Got within about 200 and bugled and he started coming. Shot him while he was raking a 4" aspen like a match stick waving back and forth.
 
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