Bullet recommendations for 30-06 Elk

[jeffpenland123]

Well I’m catching up on the thread. As some mentioned, I was picking a round for a new rifle. I was looking to narrow it down. I agree, lots of good choices of bullets that will do the job if I do. I got lucky with one of the good choices being my first one tried. It’s Moa.

Thanks so much everybody. I bought a second box of the terminal ascent and will work on zeroing and practice.

I haven't ever shot a elk but on white tail deer these have been the best l. 1 nosler accubond 125 yards with a 300 weatherby magnum dropped a whitetail in its tracks but excessive meat loss I had never seen from a 300 weatherby with rem core lokts, 2 Remington core lokt 180 heard alot of good things on them for elk seen gel test done really good from 30-30 on deer they have done really good 243 win on deer done really good 303 British on deer done really good and 300 weatherby on deer done really good i say if it's above 1800 fps and 1650 foot pounds of energy it will kill a elk deer moose whatever u hit will die it's your shot placement that is most important. Edit I shoot the 180 core lokts in my 06 but I haven't shot a deer.

 

[LightFoot]

Well I’m catching up on the thread. As some mentioned, I was picking a round for a new rifle. I was looking to narrow it down. I agree, lots of good choices of bullets that will do the job if I do. I got lucky with one of the good choices being my first one tried. It’s Moa.

Thanks so much everybody. I bought a second box of the terminal ascent and will work on zeroing and practice.

How was the hunt?


>>>——JAKE——>

 

[PA Hunter]

Easy pick for me 165 -200 gr accubonds whatever is most accurate.

 

[EmperorMA]

Anything your rifle likes from 150gr - 180gr should work well in the .30-'06. Practice and the ability to put the shot where it needs to go should work even better.

No bullet on Earth makes up for a poorly-placed shot. Neither does "caliber," although there are still some Fudds who will say that a .338 Win Mag will kill with a poorly placed shot while a .243b Win will not.

Good shot with a .338 Win Mag or a .243 Win will have the same result: dead elk. And 99% of us will not be able to tell which animal was killed with which.

Same goes for a poor shot. That .338 isn't going to help one little bit.

 

[Waterfowler75]

Update- took a rag horn at 80 yards with the terminal ascent round. Double lunged, no shoulder. Ran a fair ways but left a good blood trail.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Update- took a rag horn at 80 yards with the terminal ascent round. Double lunged, no shoulder. Ran a fair ways but left a good blood trail.

How far is a fair ways?

 

[Waterfowler75]

How far is a fair ways?

250 yards or so. Remember I’m a whitetail hunter and am used to DRT the majority of the time.

 

[BuckSmasher]

250 yards or so. Remember I’m a whitetail hunter and am used to DRT the majority of the time.

That is too long for comfort. Seems long for double lung. Tough critter.

 

[omicron1792]

My experience with terminal ascent. Just doesn’t do enough damage on its way through.

Next time check out the 180gr tipped fusion for 30-06.

 

[Waterfowler75]

Right above the heart. Both lungs. Tucked right in the shoulder crease. Yeah I was surprised. I will say I went with the round that was exceedingly accurate, very available, and had good reviews here. Maybe I was closer than the bullet was designed to work. Close lung had damage, far lung was shredded. Good exit wound and good blood trail.

 

[omicron1792]

Right above the heart. Both lungs. Tucked right in the shoulder crease. Yeah I was surprised. I will say I went with the round that was exceedingly accurate, very available, and had good reviews here. Maybe I was closer than the bullet was designed to work. Close lung had damage, far lung was shredded. Good exit wound and good blood trail.

I used them for a season in whitetail. I took probably 5 with it. All died. But man small hole all the way through. Went back to fusions and now with tipped fusion I think it’s a winner.

My elk with 6.5prc 140gr tipped fusion.

Two shots. Never took a step.

 

[Waterfowler75]

I used them for a season in whitetail. I took probably 5 with it. All died. But man small hole all the way through. Went back to fusions and now with tipped fusion I think it’s a winner.

My elk with 6.5prc 140gr tipped fusion.

Two shots. Never took a step.

View attachment 969181

Where the whit tails close? I selected the round in part assuming I was shooting 100-400 yards.

 

[omicron1792]

Where the whit tails close? I selected the round in part assuming I was shooting 100-400 yards.

25 yards to 250.

Conceivably they would cause MORE damage the closer they are. They are hard bullets. Too hard to cause upset with too much weight retention for me.

The fusions seem to retain 60-70%, a happy medium. Still get some explosion but the main body/shank drive on through.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

168 or 175 TMK for cup and core

Or

130 TTSX for mono.

 

[Wertherman]

Federal thinks the terminal ascent is better than the bonded tipped always though that was interesting:
https://www.federalpremium.com/its-federal-season/trophy-bonded-tip-vs-terminal-ascent.html

My experience with terminal ascent. Just doesn’t do enough damage on its way through.

Next time check out the 180gr tipped fusion for 30-06.

 

[Okie_Poke]

Federal thinks the terminal ascent is better than the bonded tipped always though that was interesting:
https://www.federalpremium.com/its-federal-season/trophy-bonded-tip-vs-terminal-ascent.html

Of course they do. It’s their newest, shiniest bullet. That “which is better” section reads like a tv ad:

But wait, there’s more!

I’m not hating on it; maybe it is better in every way than the trophy bonded tipped. If I could find them reliably as reloading components I might even try them.