Recomended bullet weight for ELK

[Varminator 911]

Compared 225 AB to 300 SMK at 500 and 1000 yds for drop, windage, and energy. Starting the 225 at 3200fps and 5130ftlb vs 300 at 2750fps and 5050ftlb. 100yd zero.

At 500 yds the 300 had:
12 inches more drop, 48vs36
1.7 inches less drift, 9.8vs11.5
and 360ftlb more energy,3418vs3050

At 1000yds the 300 SMK had:
50 inches more drop, 266vs216
9 inches less drift, 44vs53
and 522ftlb more energy, 2222vs1700

[jwp475]

A recoverd 300 grain SMK at 1036 yards and wieghs 248.4 grains,

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by casilva43

I have a .338RUM and am wondering what bullet weight you guys would recomend for long range ELK. I have been shooting 250 grains but am wanting to drop down for flatter shooting. Would you guys recomend ballistic tips?

I have just gone to the 250gr Accubond and was very suprised how well they
shot. ( Best group .212'') but the 225gr accubond performs great (Best group
.239" at 100yrds) .

The 225 AB has a good track record on ELK at long range and If you want to
go lighter It would be my choice.

As every one said the 300SMK is the best at extreme long ranges (1000yrds +)
but below that my preference would be the 225 or the 250 AB.

The accubonds have an expansion rate between the ballistic tip and the partition.

J E CUSTOM

[338 bruce]

I have killed A lot of elk with cal 338. My 338 win mag with 200 balistic tip at 3200 fps from 50 to 500 yds . A very good bullet. My 338 rum 700 yds w/250 game king , 300, 645, 685, 700 yds w/250 fb horady very accurate and cheap, 300,325 w/ 225 barnes triple shock(A lot of wind drift), 200, 325,500 w/275 a-frame, all one shot kills. I have just loaded 250 accubond to test. I shot seven elk with 300 mk and they do hit where you aim, but I had to hit the backbone before I could A bullet to expand at ranges from 100 to 600 yds. I will never shoot A game animal with one again.

[Kalashnikov]

Originally Posted by J E Custom

As every one said the 300SMK is the best at extreme long ranges (1000yrds +)
but below that my preference would be the 225 or the 250 AB.

I use the same approach. For me, the 250's shoot flatter than the 300's under 1000 yards, and really, that's pretty much my self-imposed limit for field work, so the 250's do it all for me. I haven't considered the 225's, but if I felt I needed somewhat flatter trajectory, I would go to my 300 RUM and 180 accudbonds (very flat @ 3300 fps out ot 800). For me, the beauty of the 338 is the big slugs (250+) and distances over 800 yards.

[Long Time Long Ranger]

You wanted to know about the ballistic tips. I have seen numerous caribou, elk, moose, mule deer, etc. shot with the 200 grain ballistic tip out of big 338's. The bullet always performs perfectly. One of the best bullets I have ever seen. If long range to you is out to about 600 yards it would be a very good choice in your rifle. Beyond that I would go with a higher BC bullet. Your gun should max out with best accuracy with this bullet in the 3300's.

[Boss Hoss]

I have been shooting the 338 Lapua or a variant of that cartridge for almost 20 years and have tried several bullets. I personally like the 250SMK for feral hogs and use the 300 SMK for competition occasionally (bag manners really suck with this in a LV class rifle) when the wind is brutal and gusty. In fact, am going on an elk hunt in a few weeks and will be fire forming the brass and then working up the loads this weekend with the 250 SMK--the only bullet I will work with for hunting.