Elk lost with 208 AMAX?

[backyardsniper]

I'm getting ready for a 2014 elk hunt. Brand new 300 win mag coming this week been waiting for it for months from the smith. I live in KY so the 208 amax works fine for what we got here. Has anyone on her ever shot and lost an elk with the 208. I don't mind switching bullets for this elk hunt but if there is no need I'm not gonna do it. I'm interested in first hand experience with the 208 on elk from a 300win mag. Thanks guys.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

While i have ZERO experience with the Amax in any caliber, if you are using a target bullets on game, at some point you are going to experience bullet failure.

They simply aren't designed for the task you are assigning them.


Having said that, i know some guys use them successfully on elk sized game.

 

[gamehawker]

I would go with a Nosler AccuBond 210gr bullet if it were me.

I love the 140gr and the 160gr 7mm AccuBond bullets with my twin Remington 700 Sendero SF 7mm STWs.
They are deadly on game and very accurate.

I developing a load with the Nosler AccuBond Long Range bullet but have not tried it on game.

 

[Broz]

I'm interested in first hand experience with the 208 on elk from a 300win mag. Thanks guys.

I think you wasted your breath asking this. There will be tons of "experienced advisers" that may never have ever even opened of box of them.

My advice would also be to add a shot distance for the intended use of this bullet. Like any bullet, it will have a distance / velocity it will shine from the chambering you are shooting it.

Jeff

 

[backyardsniper]

Bergers are also not "hunting" bullets even if they stamp hunting on some of their boxes now. People were using them for hunting long before hunting with target bullets was cool. When berger realized how well they worked for this they then dedicated a line of bullets for hunting. I've killed lots of stuff with plain old SMKs so the " hunting bullet " vs the "target bullet" argument is moot. Either the bullet works or it doesn't regardless of labeling. At the distances we are shooting game now nothing but a match grade target bullet will work, except for the accubonds. Which aren't labeled target bullets but seem to shoot like one.
I hear a lot of what you are putting out from people who say "I've never used them but I don't think". I'm not interested in that. I want to hear yes I put the smack down on an elk with one and it worked just fine, or I shot an elk with one and it was a good shot and he packed it off so don't use this bullet.

 

[backyardsniper]

That is true Broz. I don't really know about that yet. i will have to do some preliminary testing. If I could get some of the long range accubonds or preferably some 215 bergers I would go with that. I live in Ky so when I get to WY I'm going to have to re zero and basicaly get new dope because of the huge difference in altatiude so it doesn't bother me to work up a load for this hunt. I have 1300 208 amax so if I could use them that would be great but i don't mind switching if I need to.

 

[Broz]

That is true Broz. I don't really know about that yet. i will have to do some preliminary testing. If I could get some of the long range accubonds or preferably some 215 bergers I would go with that. I live in Ky so when I get to WY I'm going to have to re zero and basicaly get new dope because of the huge difference in altatiude so it doesn't bother me to work up a load for this hunt. I have 1300 208 amax so if I could use them that would be great but i don't mind switching if I need to.

I wish I had some first hand data to offer you but I don't. They always shot great at 1000 when I shot them. But I never killer anything with them. So I didn't offer a post that was about what I use, like, or think you should use. I only have an opinion and we all know about those. I hope you get some first hand field data you can use.

Jeff

 

[backyardsniper]

Thanks Broz,
I feel that unless I get an overwhelming "hell yeah I smoked some elk and they worked great", I'm gonna go berger. I haven't got the rifle yet so I can always sell the bullets I've got and reinvest in bergers. Bullets are hard to come by so I didn't wan tto do that if I didn't have to. I could always just snatch up a 100 berger s and use them for the hunt but i like to have one bullet and one load if you know what I mean. I suspect there will be a large quantity of 208 amax for sale. I can't imagine that they won't kill much similar to a berger though. Rapid fragmentation and hydrostatic shock. I could be wrong though. I have killed whitetail with them and it was awe inspiring, but as we all know elk is a different animal

 

[Broz]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f86/2010-bull-elk-61602/





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[backyardsniper]

2955 is fast for a 300wm. with that weight of bullet. Mine has a 27" broughton 5c on a stiller tac 300 manners MCS-T badger thruster brake and jewel trigger. Nightforce F1 3.5-15. Just out of curiosity do you think 2900fps+ should be easily achievable with a set up like that. My real concern is not how far is to far but how close is too close as this seem to be the problem with the rapid expanding type bullets. I hope to stay on the outside of 300yds and inside 1000yds but you never know when one will walk out in your lap. Since this is my first elk hunt and likely my only elk hunt I wan to be prepared for that. I think they will hold up OK though in the unlikely event of a close encounter

 

[screech]

I haven't used them out of a win but used them in a rum and shot a raghorn around 150yrds. Basically lots of damage but your probably not going to get an exit hole. I use amaxs out of both my 300rum, 7stw and my 6.5x284. I've had nothing but fantastic results but I don't expect exit holes. Elk on both the stw and rum deer on 6.5

 

[backyardsniper]

No exit hole is no problem for me. As long as its killing them

 

[LRHKiller]

I shoot 180gn barnes TTSXout of my 300 win, ive killed six bulls with them out to 611 yards but if your looking for a bullet in the 208gn range barnes came out with a 200 gn LRX

 

[jamesmc2]

Shot a 6x6 bull last year with the 178gr Amax out of a 308 Win at 2730 fps. I have had excellent results at the slower velocities of the 308 because this bullet opens and fragments easily. Most of the bullet failure stories I hear with the Amax are close range shots (under 200yrds) with high velocity magnums resulting in extreme fragmentation and little penetration.

I shot a muley this year at 113yds with the same combination. More fragmentation occured with this closer range shot with the lead core passing through and the jacket found under the hide on the opposite side. You can read about the bull I shot at the link below.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f52/2-desert-bulls-99870/