7mm Elk Bullet

[gethuntin]

I drew a rifle Bull tag and am debating which bullet to load for it because of not know what type of shot I might be presented. I would like a bullet suited for almost any shot angle. But I do have a 168 gr Berger Classic Hunter load already developed but I have only shot an antelope so far with it. I know a lot of elk are killed each year with Bergers but after seeing how the bullet performed I have my doubts unless it is a perfect broadside shot.
So I have 162 gr Hornady SST on hand and Ordered some 150 Barnes TTSx. Anyone care to share some field experience and lend me some advice on bullet selection.

 

[6mm Remington]

I'm guessing it's a 7mm magnum or some type. My dad hunted for years with nothing BUT the 160 gr. Nosler Partition. Hard to go wrong with that bullet in any 7mm. I use Partitions a lot myself and know you cannot go wrong with them. Another excellent bullet would be a 160 gr. Accubond. I have done water jug testing for penetration, expansion, and weight retention on both Accubonds and Partitions to 500 yards and they both performed perfectly.

160 gr. Partition
160 gr. Accubond
Choose the one your rifle likes best.

 

[gethuntin]

Yes a 7mm rem mag. I looked into those bullets; backordered in most places right now.

 

[Hootsma]

I'm on the same search right now as well, except my rifle is a 7mm-08. From what I've read so far, the short list is as follows:

Nosler Partition
Nosler Accubond
Barnes TTSX
Hornady GMX

From what I've read the Hornady SST is for a thinner skinned animal like whitetail and antelope.

I must confess that I have no experience shooting any of these rounds at elk, it's just what I've read over the last couple of weeks of searching on line.

 

[Brado16]

If you have Berger's in hand, have a load that your rifle likes- then use the Bergers- your overthinking it...

 

[bwlacy]

I love the Barnes in my .300 H&H. I've never recovered one from an animal yet, but have only shot deer no elk. They are awesome bullets once you find the load that your gun likes. I don't think you can go wrong with any premium bullet from a 7mm mag if it shoots well.

 

[wapitibob]

I'm using 140 TSX out of my 7STW this year for Elk and Antelope.

 

[FLAK]

I'll vouch for the 160 NP. Out of a 7mm WBY.

 

[elkeaterco]

168 Berger Hunting VLD
Every Elk on the wall dropped stone cold dead but one at 400 plus yards.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[5MilesBack]

I've always run 175gr Partitions or 175gr Swift A-frames. The A-frames will stay together more so than the Partitions but they both mushroom well. I'm pretty much a bowhunter only these days, so let me know if you can't find what you're looking for. I probably have quite a few that would work. I'm sure the Barnes TTSX or TSX would work great. I also have some 160gr Barnes MRX which aren't made anymore.

 

[Arrowslinger]

Both my 7's shoot 160 accubonds.

 

[mtnrunner260]

I've killed a handful of elk with 7mm bullets.
Started with my mom's 7x57 with 140 partitions as a lad. Never had a problem.
Moved to 7mag with 140 partitions. No problems.
Moved to 168 berger hunting vlds. No problems.
As long as you put the bullet where it belongs you'll be ok.
Though the partitions and accubonds would be tough to beat.

 

[Ross]

Been using a 154 gr sst since 07 and killed many Bulls from 10 yds to 512... And been very happy how it shoots out of tikka...as noted place it accordingly and you will have a dead bull.

 

[gmajor]

I've ordered some partitions and accubonds (140 grain for my 7-08) to see which one my rifle likes better. The winner is what I'll use. Though I did take a long look at the barnes ttsx 120 grain.

 

[6mm Remington]

gmajor I think you will be very happy with either the Accubond or the Partition in you 7-08. That's all I used in my 280 Remington,and those are two that I'm going to definitely try in my new .280 AI.

 

[TheHardWay]

If you have a load developed for the Berger, I'd use that. If you are set on a new load, like mentioned, the Partition, Accubond, or TTSX are all goo choices. It just depends on what your rifle likes best. I happen to shoot the 150 gr Scirocco out of my 7 (although it is a 7STW) which you might also look into. It does a number on elk.

 

[kcm2]

I've killed a lot of elk with the 270/130 partition. A couple with the 140 Accubond, and a 180 TSX from a 300 WSM.

All did well. Last year's cow fell to a 130 GMX, which only weighed 129.3 grains after expanding perfectly. That's the first bullet that may replace my partitions, especially since the Superformance ammo shoots very well out of my rifle.

You can't go wrong. Pick the one that shoots best.

 

[charvey9]

Depends a lot on the rifle and what shoots best. On paper a Berger 168 VLD great ballistics, but if you can't get it next to rifling it may not perform as well.

I tried quite a few different bullets in my Tikka 7mm, and the one that shot best was a Barnes 150gr TTSX.

 

[gethuntin]

Thanks for the replys. I do have a very accurate load w the Bergers right now but wasnt sure if they were suitable or not unless I had a perfect shot. It was a load intended for deer and antelope. My concern is if I had an elk quartering to me if the bullet could reach the vitals and would there be excessive meat loss compared to a SST?

 

[5MilesBack]

My concern is if I had an elk quartering to me if the bullet could reach the vitals and would there be excessive meat loss compared to a SST?

That's why I always liked the A-frames......no matter what angle shot I took, I knew that over 90% of that bullet was getting to or through the vitals.