Drew an Elk Tag, Need some advise

[Rupe]

I am going to be hunting Elk with my Striker with the .308win. barrel on it. I need some advise on a bullet powder combo. The yardage could be as much as 300 to 400 yards. I have a stock arrel length of 15" and it has the stock muzzle brake. I am looking at Nosler partition, Hornady innerlock, and the Sierra Gameking Pro Hunter. Bullet weight between 150 and 180 grain. I know that the light bullet will be faster but the heavier will hit harder. I only have Varget, IMR3031 and IMR 4895 at the moment. Any advice you can suggest would really be helpful. I have CCI Large Rifle Primers too. I'll be shooting from a bipod and there is a Nikon Monarch3 4-16x42 sf mildot scope mounted on ihe Striker. Any other info. you need just ask. Thank you for your help!
Rupe

 

[Tikkamike]

The partition is a great choice so is the barnes tsx and ttsx. I would go with a 180 and start practicing. you will have a fair amount of drop at 400 but if you know your gun it will be no problem at all. You are on the right track. just pick one and get to shooting

 

[Buttermilk]

If it were me, taking into consideration the 308W, 15" bbl (shorter actual bbl due to brake?), and the velocity capability of the 308W, I'd personally pick a 165 gr bullet such as the Nosler 165 Accubond.

If you run the ballistic numbers, the 165's are slightly better than the 150's/180's out to moderate ranges.

I would also try to limit my shots to 200-250 yds with the 308W, depending on what MV your gun can generate.

My 2$ worh...

Regards
Rog

 

[RT2506]

I have never killed an elk or even hunted them but I have LOTS of experience killing deer. I also would caution you to limit your range to 250 yards max. Elk are big boned and bodied and you need all the energy you can muster to get into where they live. A 165 gr 30 cal bullet from a 15" barrel 308 Win. can only be driven to 2400 fps or so at muzzle. At 300 yards your velocity is down to around 1800 fps and your Ft-lb of energy drops down to between 1250 to 1100 depending on bullet shape. I want a minimum of 1000 Ft-lb energy on impact for the average size white tail deer to get proper expansion on the bullet and penetration. The Hornady A-Max and the Berger VLD hunting bullets have a good reputation for expanding and kill good from lower velocity handguns. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Tikkamike]

If it were me, taking into consideration the 308W, 15" bbl (shorter actual bbl due to brake?), and the velocity capability of the 308W, I'd personally pick a 165 gr bullet such as the Nosler 165 Accubond.

If you run the ballistic numbers, the 165's are slightly better than the 150's/180's out to moderate ranges.

I would also try to limit my shots to 200-250 yds with the 308W, depending on what MV your gun can generate.

My 2$ worh...

Regards
Rog

dont worry about drop or velocity. The elk has no idea how fast that bullet is going. yu can stop a 150 or a 168 easier than you can stop a 180+ I have killed a LOT of elk and I can tell you use a heavy bullet. the 308 with a 180 will be better suited for 300 and under but itll get that 180 there and the bullet will take care of the rest. Dont worry about energy. Get that bullet in some bone and disable the front end of that elk... You can enduce a tremendous amount of blood loss by breaking bone not to mention if itts north of the diaphragm its going to creat at least one nice sucking chest wound which is 100% lethal. They cant live on a collapsed lung... a collapsed lung is just as worthless as an exploded lung. I wouldnt even consider a target type bullet like berger of Amax throw a bonded lead core (or partition ) or a copper bullet itll expand when it hits and breaks bone... if you only hit soft tissue you still have a lethal shot.

weight is your friend when it comes to killing an elk. picture it like this... what would hurt more a baseball going 30 mph or a bowling ball going 10 mph?

 

[Rupe]

Thanks guys for the input, I will look at everything, but I am leaning toward the Partition. They shoot very nice out of my Striker. Both the 150's and the 180's. I used to hunt elk in the woods out to 100 yards with a .44mag SBH but out here in the open sage brush of the high desert is a bit new to me.
Anymore input is welcomed!
Rupe

 

[Ernie]

I wouldn't recommend a 180 for the distances you are considering.
Really know your drops if you use a Partition. I have killed a number of elk with a 140 Partition and a 284 Win XP-100 back in the day.
With your lower velocities the A-max (168 grain), and NBT's (150-165) will work too.

 

[Rupe]

Thank you Ernie!

 

[bar63]

Nosler Ballistic Tip. The 10-15 percent difference in velocity that a handgun looses to a rifle makes a big difference in bullet expansion beyond 300 yards. The guys around here that use 308 pistols to hunt with get about 2400fps w/ 165 grain BT's.
I shoot them in a 309JDJ at 2400 also. Real world expansion is: 2" hole thru game @200, Good hole w/3" bloodshot @300, 3/4" hole?? @ 400 w/deep penetration.
They are out of steam @500, penetration but small wound channel and no extra damage or bloodshot, period. My accuaracy holds together well after 500, no terminal velocity. Would not shoot elk @ 400 myself, antelope is a different story though. Antelope tip over at longer distances.

 

[Rupe]

Thank you for the info. Big65. Good stuff!
Rupe