Am I overthinking my 30-06 elk load

[samualh]

Over the recent weeks I’ve worked up an elk load for my 30-06 with a 22” barrel. I am new to reloading but have worked through multiple loads and powders but the one load that drives tacks is 50.6 grains of H4350 with a CCI no.250 magnum rifle primer and 180 grain sierra tipped game king (game changer) bullet or a 180 grain hornady BTSP interlock.

According to load data this should be pushing around 2500-2550 fps. I know the 30-06 is capable of much more speeds but this particular load with either bullet outshoots any other load I’ve made to this point at about 3/4 MOA. According to sierra I need 1800 fps for the tipped game king to work properly making my max effective range around 400 yards (about as far as I’m comfortable shooting anyways). I know easiest thing would be to get a chronograph but I do not have one and I know they can be pricey.

As I get closer to my trip I am getting more and more concerned about if this load is enough for elk being a flat lander with mainly experience with whitetails. Am I overthinking this? Just looking for suggestions or affirmation that my math is correct

 

[nm.otter]

Modern radar chronographs aren't particularly finicky, but if you have a load your gun likes that much, I'd do a bit of truing (out to maybe 600 yards or so) and go hunt with it.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Get a sold zero, shoot it to 400 yards figure out your drop and true velocity.(further would be better) Go from there. I think yes over thinking it.

Edit: basically same as above

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Surely you can find someone who is willing to let you shoot ten shots past his Garmin and text you the results? I know I wouldn’t say “no” if someone asked me that while I was at the range.

In any case, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. A 180-grain TGK hitting above 1800 FPS is going to blow the hell out of anything it hits.

 

[Slickhill]

I hunted for years with the most accurate load of 4350 under a 180 in my 30/06. Killed a bunch of game with it. Book said 2700 so that’s what I was getting.
On down the road I had a chance to use a chronograph so I shot some of my favorite 30/06 loads over it. 2488fps was the average. I’d been hunting with a 300 Savage all along.

I’d probably ramp the load up and not worry about 3/4moa accuracy as elk are pretty big targets. If you’re not dialing the flatter trajectory would mean more to me than slightly tighter groups.

 

[TaperPin]

I doubt you’re even hitting 2,500 fps. That’s 30-40 Kraig or 300 Savage velocity, or what a 30-06 is doing at 150 yards or 300 win mag at 250 yards. Nothing wrong with that if you’re aware of the limitations. I doubt it will bounce off an elk, but I’d pay extra close attention to exactly where it was standing and expect some tracking just in case. Many goofballs can’t find an elk within 100 yards of where it was hit, so just don’t do what they do.

I started off thinking this a bad idea, but the more I think of it, it would be fun clobbering an elk at 400 yards with a 30-40 Kraig.

 

[keystone112]

I was only getting around 2650 with factory Norma Bond Strike 180s in my ‘06. Worked just fine on my elk at 400 yards.

 

[Kyguy]

Chrono's aren't THAT pricey. Since the Garmin and the Athlon have come out, people are selling their Magneto Speed chrono's cheap to buy the new stuff. If you're going to stay inside of 300 yds, then it probably doesn't matter, but once you pass that, you need to know the muzzle velocity to accomplish stuff. Yeah, if you have access to a long range you can shoot and shoot to true up, but the money you waste just throwing rounds to figure out velocity is better spent on a chrono.

 

[43.6N]

Where’s the elk hunt?

 

[samualh]

Colorado, applied for a pretty easy tag but in an area I’ve hunted before for black bear and have seen plenty of elk

 

[Pilsner]

You're over thinking it. Go forth and kill an elk.

 

[43.6N]

Colorado, applied for a pretty easy tag but in an area I’ve hunted before for black bear and have seen plenty of elk

Awesome man. I was going to offer my chronograph if you were in my neck of the woods.

I think you’re gtg.
You’ve got plenty of gun for the elk hunt. Your range sounds reasonable. Altitude will help keep velocity up at your max range, and you’re limiting yourself to 400yds anyways.

Ethical hunting means knowing your limitations, and you certainly have put plenty of thought into that aspect. Now it’s time to focus on all the other parts of being an effective hunter!

Make sure you double check your zero when you get there. And take lots of pictures!

 

[Wprinkle]

What App are you using for your dial up? But if you are truly worried about it, true your rifle. Estimate your velocity, Shoot it out past your "max distance" It will either be on target or low. If its low dial up until you are making hits. Then reverse engineer the velocity. Its super easy in Shooter APP. Of the 6 rifles I have done this will after chronoing 20 shot groups all but one needed trued to true velocity.

 

[samualh]

the hornady app