At odds with elk rifle calibers

[Pharmseller]

True - the 7 mag with a 175 accubond was the gold standard for many years. Kills a lot of elk!

Do you mean Partition?

Nosler makes the AccuBond Long Range in 175 gr, but not the standard AccuBond.



P

 

[Article 4]

Do you mean Partition?

Nosler makes the AccuBond Long Range in 175 gr, but not the standard AccuBond.



P

yup - partition

 

[UngulateGuardian797]

Just looking for some input on Elk Rifle Calibers, the market is flooded with so many options it makes the head spin. I currently have a 7mm rem mag. It has been an alright gun but it has let me down almost as much as it has impressed me. I have killed a handful of elk with it over the last few years but I'm sure not impressed with its knockdown. I hunt with a savage rifle , Hornady precision hunter ammo, I do not reload... My step brother hunts with a 300 WSM and I've watched him drop 3 elk with it, every time it's a no question hit, it sure packs a lot more punch. The only thing that sucks about it is the spendy ammo and lack there of in factory ammo options, so its appeal is somewhat diminished. What's everyone hunting with and if you had to buy a new rifle what would it be? Elk calibers...

I’m using a Ruger American Predator Gen 1 in 6 Creedmoor with the Hornady 108 gr. ELDM.

 

[KID]

I’m pretty sure you could be in a helicopter firing directly down and a 200 yard hold wouldn’t be off enough to miss an elk.

The main things that will drive a shot like that wide enough to miss are contacting a branch or dirt between you and the animal, or the elevation knob brushed against something and you’re a full turn or two off, but you would have seen that after the fact.

You may not have seen dirt or a branch in the scope, but when using a low bipod it’s not a mater of if, but when being so low to the ground gets you in trouble. I couldn’t take a shot on a 200 yard bear because of it, and another shot at a deer across a meadow. Because of that, 200 yard shots are now automatically taken from a sitting position, or even shooting over a pack usually provides more opportunities to get up higher. It’s better you learn the lesson on a spike up close so it’s obvious, rather than on the buck of a lifetime at distance.

You make a good point after we assessed the scenario the next day my brother figured I was hitting dirt in between me and the elk there were lots of weeds in the way as well, 28 years hunting and still learning .

 

[KID]

Hearing a lot of good things about the accu bonds, I'll have to give them a try.

 

[PC356]

I lost a huge bull elk with that bullet in my 7 rem mag. High shoulder hit. Bullet never penetrated the shoulder at all. 200 yards broadside hit and the bull dropped but got right back up and ran off without a limp. I'll never use the 154 sst superformance ever again. I've had great luck with the 160 accunond.

If you didn’t recover the bull how do you know it didn’t “penetrate the shoulder at all”?
Much less if it even hit the shoulder considering he ran off without a limp…

 

[roadhntr]

If you didn’t recover the bull how do you know it didn’t “penetrate the shoulder at all”?
Much less if it even hit the shoulder considering he ran off without a limp…

Here's a little more detail. After the bull got up, he trotted about 60-80 yards. I shot freehand once while he was moving and missed cleanly. Then he stopped, I shot again and the bullet shaved the long hair off his lower neck but I believe missed any flesh . I wished that shot could have been just 3 inches higher. Anyway, I could clearly see in my scope a blood spot around the size of a baseball on his shoulder and the blood was starting to run down his leg. That's why I think the bullet fragmented when it hit the shoulder. I let the bull bed down in the timber for about an hour, which probably helped the wound clot better. I bumped him out of his bed but couldn't get off a shot and then followed blood for about a half mile before the trail went dry.

 

[Pharmseller]

Here's a little more detail. After the bull got up, he trotted about 60-80 yards. I shot freehand once while he was moving and missed cleanly. Then he stopped, I shot again and the bullet shaved the long hair off his lower neck but I believe missed any flesh . I wished that shot could have been just 3 inches higher. Anyway, I could clearly see in my scope a blood spot around the size of a baseball on his shoulder and the blood was starting to run down his leg. That's why I think the bullet fragmented when it hit the shoulder. I let the bull bed down in the timber for about an hour, which probably helped the wound clot better. I bumped him out of his bed but couldn't get off a shot and then followed blood for about a half mile before the trail went dry.

So you’re telling us you took an offhand shot at a trotting elk at 280 yards?

And then you shot again and saw the bullet “shave the long hair” of his neck? Where were you aiming?





P

 

[roadhntr]

So you’re telling us you took an offhand shot at a trotting elk at 280 yards?

And then you shot again and saw the bullet “shave the long hair” of his neck? Where were you aiming?





P

It's was probably more like 220 yard shot at a "wounded" elk because it was trotting sideways broadside of me. When tracking the blood trail, I found a small pool of blood where he was standing when I shot. In that spot was the group of long mane or neck hair laying on the ground. I assumed it was from my bullet. I was aiming for the front shoulder area again. I believe at that point he was quartering away from me because he ran straight away about 10 yards after the shot and disappeared into the timber.

 

[Pharmseller]

It's was probably more like 220 yard shot at a "wounded" elk because it was trotting sideways broadside of me. When tracking the blood trail, I found a small pool of blood where he was standing when I shot. In that spot was the group of long mane or neck hair laying on the ground. I assumed it was from my bullet. I was aiming for the front shoulder area again. I believe at that point he was quartering away from me because he ran straight away about 10 yards after the shot and disappeared into the timber.

Okay, I was doing the math, 200 yards on the first shot, 80 yards on the second.

It sounds like you don’t remember the event very well.

How long was he standing where you found the small pool of blood?

I’m just trying to understand what happened.




P

 

[roadhntr]

Okay, I was doing the math, 200 yards on the first shot, 80 yards on the second.

It sounds like you don’t remember the event very well.

How long was he standing where you found the small pool of blood?

I’m just trying to understand what happened.




P

Holy shit man, get a life! The whole point of this story was the bullet didn't perform the way it should have with the first shot. End of story. No need to get caught up with the little details of what happened afterwards. That has nothing to do with the bullet performance. Do I wish I could have done a few things differently, I sure do but I'm guessing most people do when they loose an animal.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Holy shit man, get a life! The whole point of this story was the bullet didn't perform the way it should have with the first shot. End of story. No need to get caught up with the little details of what happened afterwards. That has nothing to do with the bullet performance. Do I wish I could have done a few things differently, I sure do but I'm guessing most people do when they loose an animal.

Says “get a life” then immediately takes the time out of his life to stalk his profile. Weird.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

@KID have you landed on a cartridge decision?

 

[roadhntr]

Says “get a life” then immediately takes the time out of his life to stalk his profile. Weird.


View attachment 821366

So you checked my profile to see that I looked at his and then call me out on it for some reason. Really? Obviously you've been around awhile and you think you're pretty cool. So I'll leave this thread in your hands going forward.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

So you checked my profile to see that I looked at his and then call me out on it for some reason. Really? Obviously you've been around awhile and you think you're pretty cool. So I'll leave this thread in your hands going forward.

I scrolled over your name and it pops up and highlights your post count and join date, you can do this without viewing someone’s profile.

You were sarcastic and told him to “get a life” when he was simply trying to understand what you were claiming.

 

[Pharmseller]

You’re the one who included the details. Why put them in if they’re not part of the story?

I’m just trying to understand your experience since it’s different than mine. I’ve only killed two bulls with the SST, both .30-06, not 154 grain. Superformance factory, two years before I started reloading. They both died right now, one shot each.

I’m looking for clarification because the details, to me, don’t add up, so I’m wondering if there’s something other than bullet failure going on.




P

 

[Pharmseller]

Cool, he viewed my profile.

Wait, what’s in my profile? Should I be nervous or flattered?

I suck at social interactions.




P

 

[roadhntr]

I scrolled over your name and it pops up and highlights your post count and join date, you can do this without viewing someone’s profile.

You were sarcastic and told him to “get a life” when he was simply trying to understand what you were claiming.

I clicked on his name because I was thinking about sending him a pm but changed my mind. Far from "trolling". I simply gave the reason why I won't use the 154 sst on elk again. That's just my opinion, no need to attack me about all the details after the shot. Here's another detail about that bullet. I was talking to another guy that had the same experience and he reached out to Hornady about it and they told him that bullet is not intended for elk sized game and he should stick to game like deer or smaller. For the record, a couple weeks later, I shot a mule deer at 300 yards with the same bullet and it preformed really well.

 

[Pharmseller]

I clicked on his name because I was thinking about sending him a pm but changed my mind. Far from "trolling". I simply gave the reason why I won't use the 154 sst on elk again. That's just my opinion, no need to attack me about all the details after the shot. Here's another detail about that bullet. I was talking to another guy that had the same experience and he reached out to Hornady about it and they told him that bullet is not intended for elk sized game and he should stick to game like deer or smaller. For the record, a couple weeks later, I shot a mule deer at 300 yards with the same bullet and it preformed really well.

In my experience the only time people feel attacked by questions are when the story isn’t quite supportable.

In other words, I wasn’t attacking you. I was seeking clarity because the details of your story did not, to me, add up. And since I’m not the sharpest tool in the room I figured I didn’t understand, so I asked a few clarifying questions.

Are you Ridgetop on Utahwildlife? He’s telling the exact same story. Except he believes a bad shot with a good bullet results in a short tracking job. “A poor shot with a good bullet and you most likely have a short tracking job. That's been my experience.“

So do you think bullets can compensate for poor placement? To me (again, just me talking) that stance is odd as hell.

And I’m not stalking you, I was looking for info on the 154 sst on elk and that’s the first result Google gave me, and the story sounded familiar. FWIW I couldn’t find any statement from Hornady recommending against the sst for elk. In fact, they recommend the 154 gr sst for both deer and elk on their website.

And it’s common to be on multiple boards, no criticism there, I’m Pharmseller on four or five forums.




P

 

[HandgunHTR]

I was talking to another guy that had the same experience and he reached out to Hornady about it and they told him that bullet is not intended for elk sized game and he should stick to game like deer or smaller. For the record, a couple weeks later, I shot a mule deer at 300 yards with the same bullet and it preformed really well.

The same Hornady who literally has a picture of an elk in the line description of that same bullet?