Analysis Paralysis - cow bullets

[Cannonball]

I have an AZ unit 8 cow hunt in early Dec. Ill preface by stating i know any will get the job done and go out and see what shoots best and what I shoot best.... That being said Ive got the following so far in our limited ammo availability situation. Which would you choose for this hunt, assuming that it shoots good through my rifles. My thought is that I will be trying to stay with shorter shots so the SST and ELD-x may not be good. Anyways please dont beat me up too much, im a newbie and bored in front of the computer and if nothing else Im sure some folks will get fired up....:

.270 win
Hornady light magnum BTSP 140g
Hornady Light Magnum SST 130g
Sierra Gameking TGK 140g
Remington Scirocco swift 130g
Federal Fusion 130g
Remington Core-Lokt 150g


.300 win mag
Hornady ELD-X 200g
Sierra Gameking TGK 180g
Sig OTM match 190g
Hornady custom SST 150g
Hornady Custom BTSP interlock 165g
Rem Core Lokt 150g
Hornady American Whitetail Interlock 180g

 

[WestTexasBestTexas]

Although not on your list, I’ve found great success with Barnes TTSX 130 out of the .270 win. Accuracy has been better than I’ve been able to get with anything else I’ve tried so far, so worth a tip of the hat.

But my main reason for replying was to say GO GATORS!


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[LightFoot]

270 Fusion or 300 interlock, but any of them will get the job done..

Good luck.

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[SDHNTR]

Whichever one is most accurate.

 

[Azdon]

My family and I have been hunting cow elk in Arizona for the past 25 years. Probably killed 20 elk when we were drawn. 80% were killed with 150 g Remington core lokts in 30-06. The rest were killed with 130 g Remington Core lokts in 270. All but 1 were 1 shot kills at ranges between 120-300 yards. Shot placement is the critical factor. We wait until we get a decent heart/lung shot so we don't waste much meat.

I just finished building another 270 for my grandson for use on medium to long range shots using reloads using Accubond Longrange 150 g. bullets in new Nosler brass. If I am careful and off a bench that combo is shooting .3 MOA @ 100 yards.

 

[Clarence]

I would be very comfortable with gamekings in either caliber, if aiming for heart/lung.

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[mtnlomo]

All are good choices, except maybe the Core-Lokts, I used some out of a 7mm-08 on a cow when I was a kid, and they exploded on impact with little to no penetration shots ranged from 80-250 yards. My first two shots hit her right behind the shoulder, and they barely broke her skin. I finally killed her after shooting her under the chin from 80 yards and then running up and shooting her in the head with my .38 special while she struggled to get up. It was a miserable experience, I felt terrible about watching her suffer like that.

This is all anecdotal of course, I know many people have had good experiences with them, but I don't trust them after that.

 

[Eli80]

Scirocco is a great bullet too.

 

[Mosby]

I have killed a couple elk with the interlocks and I have always found Hornady to be accurate factory ammo. I probably wouldn't hunt elk with the SST bullet. I don't think it is a bonded bullet. The Scirocco bullet has a great reputation but I don't trust anything with the Remington brand on it right now. I have shot a lot of Sierra bullets but always found others to be more accurate. I would probably try the Hornady and the Federal and hunt with the most accurate between those.

 

[Seamaster]

Of the ones on your list I like the Sierra Gameking best followed by a tie between the Remington Corelokt and the Hornady Interlock.

Don't worry too much about it. I have taken about four dozen elk or so, and cows are not that tough. Just put it in the right spot and most bullets will let the air out of them.

 

[Cannonball]

Of the ones on your list I like the Sierra Gameking best followed by a tie between the Remington Corelokt and the Hornady Interlock.

Don't worry too much about it. I have taken about four dozen elk or so, and cows are not that tough. Just put it in the right spot and most bullets will let the air out of them.

Thanks, i was just reading some about monolithics making pencil holes and ballistic tips fragmenting and ruining too much meat

 

[fmyth]

I've only shot one elk with Core Lokts and it was a bang flop. Didn't take one step. I'd use the Core Lokts or SST's without a second thought if I was reasonably sure the shots would be inside of 300 yds. Past 300 they are not as accurate out of my rifles as other more modern bullets like the Accubonds and ELDX's.

 

[Mike Islander]

Whichever one is most accurate.

This one. All those bullets will efficiently dispatch an elk.

I tested 7 different cartridges in my 30.06 and was surprised by how much it liked certain loads and hated others.

 

[Mt Al]

please dont beat me up too much,

"don't" vs. "dont" - end of beating!

Anything will work. Shot corelockts for 25 years with zero (0) failures, mucho energy transferred into the critter. Sadly, I fell prey to the premium bullet PR and have been shooting interlocs vs. corelockts probably because they look cleaner and pointy-er. Maybe someday I'll pull my head out!

However, given how things are in the ammo supply world, I'd go with whatever you have most of or don't care if you run out of. Every single bullet you listed, as you know, will do the job. Discussing the difference among the bullets is fun, we all get opinionated, they really are constructed differently, but the reality is the bullet is 1% of the lethality question whereas shot placement is 99%.

After stirring the pot as you have, you are required to post a pic of the cow elk shot with whatever bullet you choose!

 

[Wapitiwhacker208]

All listed projectiles will do the trick if placed in the correct spot, that being said I am very thorough when dealing with my own firearms. Being in your shoes I would probably be packing my Blagg rifles 28 nosler, throwing a 195gr Berger bullet pushed by n570 powder, why you might ask? IT WORKS!! I’ve gotten extremely accurate and I’m comfortable at 1400yrds. Though I would rather take an animal closer I know my limits. I’d shoot whatever you’re most accurate with and go into the hunt with confidence.


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[crossone]

.270 win
#3 Hornady light magnum BTSP 140g
#4 Hornady Light Magnum SST 130g
#3 Sierra Gameking TGK 140g
#1 Remington Scirocco swift 130g
#1 Federal Fusion 130g
#2 Remington Core-Lokt 150g


.300 win mag
#1 Hornady ELD-X 200g
#2 Sierra Gameking TGK 180g
#6 Sig OTM match 190g
#5 Hornady custom SST 150g
#3 Hornady Custom BTSP interlock 165g
#4 Rem Core Lokt 150g
#2 Hornady American Whitetail Interlock 180g

I watched a guy kill a small bull elk with 150gr Core Lokts out of 270 Win. It was about 80 yards or so, the 150 Core Lokt bullets seemed to work pretty well, deformed and petetrated deep. My guesses being because a 150 in .277 has a lot of sectional density and because a 270 Win. doesn't push them fast enough to destroy them.

Sciroccos are usually great performers but I can't speak for the 130 gr .277 bullets. The 7mm and 30 cal ones do work well.

Fusions are bonded and have a good reputation.

Interlocks are supposed to hold up ok but I've never used them or seen them used.

TGKs are rumored to be pretty volatile and wouldn't be my first choice for close range. Nor would the SSTs.

Sig 190 OTM Match are apparently loaded with Sierra Matchking bullets and unless you can find some reports of these bullets being used in magnum cartridges on elk with great results I would not choose them. My buddies with .338 Edges use the 300 gr Matchkings on elk and while they mostly work there have been some failures. I have used some 250 gr Matchkings out of my .338 Winchester on antelope does to determine if they would be suitable for elk and they were not good.

 

[hobbes]

I've not had a Remington Core Lokt fail me in any way. I've had good luck with them from 7mm mag and 308 in 175 and 180 gr. I can't comment on the rest of them.

 

[sneaky]

I'm just curious why there's a distinction between cow bullets and bull bullets lol

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[Seamaster]

I think most experienced elk hunters will know the answer to this one.

Cow hunts are meat hunts. Guys usually do not take shots unless it is a stationary broadside cow that the shot will be taken at the optimum angle into the chest.

Bull hunts for a traveling hunter can be a little different. The hunter may not be able to get a perfect angle and sometimes a large bone gets in the way.

 

[sneaky]

I think most experienced elk hunters will know the answer to this one.

Cow hunts are meat hunts. Guys usually do not take shots unless it is a stationary broadside cow that the shot will be taken at the optimum angle into the chest.

Bull hunts for a traveling hunter can be a little different. The hunter may not be able to get a perfect angle and sometimes a large bone gets in the way.

That's the reason that a well constructed bullet will perform on both. There's no distinction for me whether I'm shooting a cow or bull, same rifle, same bullet, just might wait a split second longer for a cow to turn broadside. A bull...well, they usually dictate the terms.

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