sjsfire

I use a 300gr Barnes Expander MZ in my CVA with 2-50gr Pyrodex pellets. Main reson is because they pattern the best I've shot so far, they don't break apart, and they mushroom perfectly. Sorry for a fuzzy picture but this is 4 shots at 100 yards.......

spaniel

I'm a big fan of 200gr bullets on deer for multiple reasons, but I really feel I have to go to 300gr for elk. Not that a 250gr won't work, but typically I cannot drive a 250gr accurately at full power so I end up being able to get nearly as much velocity (accurately) out of the 300gr as I could the 250gr, thereby getting more energy delivered.

I'd feel a bit under-gunned with a 200gr bullet. I whacked an elk 5 times with a 200gr bullet out of a 300WM, good shots, and he just stood there. Granted it was long range but the bullets were still carrying much more energy than a close range ML shot.

I like the increased sectional density of the 300gr bullet to increase the chances of a pass-thru. Maybe lighter bullets exit just fine, I have VERY limited real-life experience on elk so you are in a better position to educate me than vice versa.

sabotloader

spaniel

Thank you - think you said in a few what I did not in a bunch...

Been there done that with a 200 from a 300 Win Mag - 5x6 bull in the rut and he had no clue he had been shot - well maybe and probably he did - but he didn't care. Three times at probably a lot closer range than yours... two of the Nosler's exited and the third one ran from stem to stern but did stay in the animal. Then what seemed liked a 1/2 later all four knees buckled and he went down but up even at that point he had one interest the cows in front of him.

hunting junkie

245gr and up these days.Although i killed a lot of deer with the 180gr hornadays ,i just like the heavy stuff now.

Semisane

I like a bullet that's big and slow - just like me.

SteveBNy

Love hearing the thump from a 460 gr conical.
And no tracking.

Steve

txhunter58

For the most part, what we are saying too is that as we slow the bullet down, we compensate by increasing the size.

However, The construction of the bullet playes a big part as well. A 300 gr Nosler partition will probably equal the killing power of a 400+ gr pure lead bullet. You can drive a smaller bullet faster, but the faster you drive it, the better it has to be constructed to stay together at high velocity and do the same job.

SWThomas

Just like sjsfire, I like the Barnes Bullets. Very accurate and outstanding performance. I like using the T-EZ's though, paired with an MMP HPH-12 sabot rather than the supplied sabot. They're more accurate out of my rifle that way. I use the 250g for deer & small hog and I reserve the 290g for large hog.

Grouse45

The last couple years i have prefered the 275grn bullet. With some testing and shooting i have no problem at all shooting an Elk with a 200grn bullet at 2550fps. That is very close to 30-06 speeds.

I should also mention that in higher elevations those speeds might not be able to be accomplished. If that's the case, i would go back to the 275grn bullet. Maybe even a 300grn bullet if i thought i needed it.

BTW- Either way you look at it, speed kills.

lemoyne

All though it does not bother me a bit to use a heavy bullet when I hear people talk about what they need the same story all ways comes to mind. Three years ago up in Canada camped in the same area was this couple from Chicago and she got a big bull moose with a muzzle loader. She was shooting a Thunderhawk with 100 gr and a 200gr 40 cal SW and she caught the moose broad side shot him right over the top of the heart and through both lungs. Her husband said the moose just stood there for a minute the staggered about 30 yds and fell on his face, he showed me the bullet it was nicely opened and had stopped in the skin on the far side.
Now I keep thinking I would like to have that shot, and just what different bullets and what would be the right load for them. Lee