Another goat bullet selection/shot placement thread

[Theringworm]

I have a Mtn goat hunt this fall. IF my 6.5 PRC gets Jilting time I’ll be taking that shooting 156 EOLs or 143g ELDxs. If it’s not done, the 28 Nosler is coming shooting 175g Nosler ABLR or more likely the 195g EOLs. I know the 28 Nosler is more gun…..but the PRC is hopefully about 2 pounds lighter.

as far as the OP’s question…. I don’t think it matterswhich bullet. If a follow up shot is going to be possible because they are in wide open terrain, aim for the boiler room. If a follow up isn’t likely or they are nextto a steep cliff, break them down in the shoulder.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

This is a good point. A 20" .308 hasn't got much going on in the velocity department... Somehow in my head I thought I was going to have enough velocity to get the TTSX out to 400 yards, but I was just looking at my calculator and I'm under 1800 fps at 400, whereas the ELD-X is still doing close to 2000 fps at 400 yards. I guess that sort of answers it for me. I'd like to stay under 300 yards, but I'm pretty comfortable in the 300-375 range so I'd like to keep that option open. Whatever, like I said in the beginning, this is off-season navel gazing. I have a case of both and they'll all get shot eventually. You could probably kill a goat with your car keys if you hit him right in the goodie basket at 2200+ fps.

Did you ever get this figured out? I’m about a month out for my goat hunt and trying to decide if I want to use my 308 or scrap it and take a 300wm. I have Barnes 150g ttsx and stuff to load it as well as 150 and 165g accubonds. I. Trying to decide if I should start working with the 308 (Kimber Montana 22” barrel) or just commit to using the 300 and working up a load for that. I wish I wasn’t coming down to the wire with all this but it’s been a busy past few months.

 

[Cbled]

I killed a goat last year with 140 accubonds out of a 18” barreled Adirondack in 6.5 creedmoor. Your .308 shooting accubonds will likely work great.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I killed a goat last year with 140 accubonds out of a 18” barreled Adirondack in 6.5 creedmoor. Your .308 shooting accubonds will likely work great.

Would you go with a 150 or 165g accubond? I have both and plenty of varget as well as 4350. If you were well equipped to work up either weight which would you go with?

Also, how far out was your goat you killed with the 6.5? I have a tikka 6.5 and lots of 130g accubonds (140s have been tough to find). I also have a bunch of 124g hammer hunters I could whip up for the 6.5.

Heck now that I think about it, I have 152 and 137g hammer hunters as well.

 

[Cbled]

Would you go with a 150 or 165g accubond? I have both and plenty of varget as well as 4350. If you were well equipped to work up either weight which would you go with?

Also, how far out was your goat you killed with the 6.5? I have a tikka 6.5 and lots of 130g accubonds (140s have been tough to find). I also have a bunch of 124g hammer hunters I could whip up for the 6.5.

Heck now that I think about it, I have 152 and 137g hammer hunters as well.

I shot my Billy at 150ish yards. The fact it was a 6.5 allowed me to put three shots in him in pretty quick succession, he was dead pretty shortly after. Honestly any of the accubonds you mention would work in my opinion. I normally woulda used my 280 ai but it had a broken firing pin, now I’m leaning towards taking the 6.5 sheep hunting also. Way nicer to carry, easier to shoot, and it worked just fine on a mountain goat.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I shot my Billy at 150ish yards. The fact it was a 6.5 allowed me to put three shots in him in pretty quick succession, he was dead pretty shortly after. Honestly any of the accubonds you mention would work in my opinion. I normally woulda used my 280 ai but it had a broken firing pin, now I’m leaning towards taking the 6.5 sheep hunting also. Way nicer to carry, easier to shoot, and it worked just fine on a mountain goat.

Man this is killing me lol, 20 minutes ago I was dead set on using the 150g ttsx, now I’m wondering if a 165g AB is the ticket.

 

[Decker9]

I wouldn’t hesitate with any of the above AK, I do prefer them harder bullets personally, 6.5 and 308 both would be great, trust me the goat won’t know the difference

Ime, big kicking rifles (unless you have a break maybe) often leave marks on the eyebrow in goat country. Just my experience lol.

 

[Broomd]

Goats are tough critters indeed, but I’ve never had one go further than a few feet after being shot. This one was killed at about 230 yards, using something similar to what you’re describing (18” .308, and 150gr. factory TTSX bullet). He went all of about two or three steps. The shot was just behind his right shoulder, quartering away, and the bullet settled just under the skin of his left shoulder. After cleaning the bullet up I reweighed it at just over 148gr.

Yep, awesome....

 

[Antares]

Did you ever get this figured out? I’m about a month out for my goat hunt and trying to decide if I want to use my 308 or scrap it and take a 300wm. I have Barnes 150g ttsx and stuff to load it as well as 150 and 165g accubonds. I. Trying to decide if I should start working with the 308 (Kimber Montana 22” barrel) or just commit to using the 300 and working up a load for that. I wish I wasn’t coming down to the wire with all this but it’s been a busy past few months.

Well, I won't claim to have anything figured out, but I have decided to shoot the 178 ELDX for mountain goat this year.

Slightly off topic, but I am genuinely confused by all the accounts of ELDX/ELDM bullets exploding or "grenading" at close range, with little penetration. That has not been my experience. I've shot dozens of deer and goats (feral) with those bullets in the last year and never had a problem. I shot a doe this morning with a 140 ELDM at 25 yards, straight through both shoulders, pea-sized entry and golf ball-sized exit. That works fine for me, especially considering that bullet still performs well at 500+ yards.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Well, I won't claim to have anything figured out, but I have decided to shoot the 178 ELDX for mountain goat this year.

Slightly off topic, but I am genuinely confused by all the accounts of ELDX/ELDM bullets exploding or "grenading" at close range, with little penetration. That has not been my experience. I've shot dozens of deer and goats (feral) with those bullets in the last year and never had a problem. I shot a doe this morning with a 140 ELDM at 25 yards, straight through both shoulders, pea-sized entry and golf ball-sized exit. That works fine for me, especially considering that bullet still performs well at 500+ yards.

I’m m not sure about the hornady stuff, I’ve never fired an eldm. I have like 10 boxes of the 143eldx for my 6.5 but I’ve never done more than shoot them at the range. I messed with the 200g eldx in my 30-06 for a while but moved on from it.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Well, I won't claim to have anything figured out, but I have decided to shoot the 178 ELDX for mountain goat this year.

Slightly off topic, but I am genuinely confused by all the accounts of ELDX/ELDM bullets exploding or "grenading" at close range, with little penetration. That has not been my experience. I've shot dozens of deer and goats (feral) with those bullets in the last year and never had a problem. I shot a doe this morning with a 140 ELDM at 25 yards, straight through both shoulders, pea-sized entry and golf ball-sized exit. That works fine for me, especially considering that bullet still performs well at 500+ yards.

How did this work out for you?

Any opinions on a .284 140gr Accubond @ 2900 fps?

 

[Antares]

How did this work out for you?

Any opinions on a .284 140gr Accubond @ 2900 fps?

Worked fine. I shot a billy with the .308 win 178 ELDX at 100 yards; passed through both shoulders and he was on the ground in 8-10 sec. I shot a nanny the next year with a .223 Rem 73 ELDM at 320 yards; through one shoulder, through the lungs, no exit, and she was on the ground in <5 sec. No experience with AB, sorry.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Worked fine. I shot a billy with the .308 win 178 ELDX at 100 yards; passed through both shoulders and he was on the ground in 8-10 sec. I shot a nanny the next year with a .223 Rem 73 ELDM at 320 yards; through one shoulder, through the lungs, no exit, and she was on the ground in <5 sec. No experience with AB, sorry.

I was talking to a well known outfitter in AK last month and he said the best goat calibers "start with 300 and end with Magnum". I didn't ask him, he was just going on and mentioned it out of the blue. Made me chuckle. Im sure he has good reasons for saying that though.

 

[Hackleback]

The goal would be to break both shoulders to anchor where they are. What ever bullet you think will do that. The behind the shoulder heart/lung shot will allow them to run to the nearest cliff and throw themselves off the edge.

 

[Antares]

They are plenty capable of throwing themselves off a cliff with two broken shoulders. The only fool proof method for keeping them from falling off a cliff is not shooting them near cliffs.

 

[Feeegs88]

I am no Mtn Goat expert. Shot mine last year in Colorado at 12,500 foot elevation and 258 yards away at a very steep uphill shot. 270 WSM Federal Premium w/ 140 gr Accubnd. One shot and he dropped in his tracked. Tumbled down about 50 yards towards me and was stopped by a large rock. Picture shows exit wound. Very slight facing away shot. Aimed for heart up through high opposite shoulder.
View attachment 409036

Nice one!

 

[aussiehunter]

Curious why you did not try the 110gr TTSX. With monos you generally go as light as possible... In a 20 inch can get them going 3300fps

 

[Wrench]

Why limit yourself to a boat tail or a bullet that thrives on velocity from a 308 if your shots are going to be so close?

Had the partition or a frame been an option.....there wouldn't be much to debate.

 

[Decker9]

You shoulder/spine a goat without bleeding him out, it could be a long time getting to him to finish the job, in goat country.

Ime, lungs first followed by breaking bones.

Iv seen eldx’s fail, I haven’t seen ttsx’s fail (given above minimum velocity) Easy decision for me.