Choice of 7mm for bull elk

[ianpadron]

Let say that look at 25 clients shooting ELD-X and 25 clients shooting something else.

The outfitter is saying that he has seen the ELD-X group loose more animals that the other group.

Is it a perfect, statistcally valid experiment? Probably not.
Should it be completely dismissed as irrelevant? Also probably not...

I guarantee you that's not the case.

Go call 50 outfitters and ask them what cartridge they recommend for their elk hunters. That'll tell you everything you need to know about how trustworthy an outfitters' knowledge is on anything ballistics related.

 

[streamerfish]

I have a bull hunt coming up this fall. I have a 7-08 and 7mm Rem Mag in the gun safe. Which should I bring? (I'm asking now to make sure I get plenty of practice in by fall)

7mm-08 Pros: lighter rifle than the 7mag, I shoot it well, and has killed everything I've shot at but that's been only deer and a bighorn sheep. I generally shoot 140g Accubonds
7mm-08 Cons: less oomph than the 7mag.
7mag Pros: I shoot it well, more oomph. I'll probably shoot 160g Accubonds or Baarnes TTSX
7mag Cons: Heavier than the 7-08

FWIW I really don't want to shoot beyond 400yds, preferably closer than that. Heck, the last bull I shot was standing at 75yds!

Thanks in advance!

Oomph means basically nothing when it comes to terminal performance of bullets to harvest animals....

If I was going to choose between Accubonds and a TTSX, personally, I would go with the Accubonds. Your generally going to get a bigger/better wound channel with them. IF I was running TTSX, I would be going straight for the shoulder/anchor it shot (and I would consider the LRX instead if going mono).

IF I wanted to shoot the best combination of.....(I need a real hunting bullet that's going to penetrate no matter what, these target bullet wacko's know nothing about killing elk)....and....(Heavily fragmenting bullets, often times match style bullets, create the biggest wound cavity, put animals down faster, I want real damage, not 1/2" holes through an animals as it runs off, these mono lovers know nothing about killing elk).....

Then I would be shooting a Nolser Partition.

 

[ianpadron]

I’ve seen failures with perfect shots. You must be one perfect shot to always hit exactly where you’re aiming…. Or ur one of the guys that pulls the “exactly where I meant” every shot.

So im curious since you’re the perfect shooter, whats the perfect shot? Is it in the pocket, 6” behind the pocket, spine, high shoulder, neck? I mean I think eastmans suggests the high shoulder, newberg is the high lung. But let’s say the client likes the high shoulder shot, 250
Yards and the bullet explodes on the shoulder, is it the bullet or the shot placement? You’re telling me every single bullet will never ever fail ever and it’s just cause of the shooter.

What bullet explodes on the shoulder of an elk? A 53 grain VMAX maybe...

Keep going though, if anything, your posts are at least entertaining.

OP asked about a 7mm-08 shooting 140 ABs...so what are you even worked up about?

 

[06 SB]

Boy it has gone sideways. A target bullet can work. In regards to "Name a shot where it wouldn't work and a bonded will." is a heavy quartering to or quartering away on an elk. I know my Bondstrike or TTSX will work well. I have 5 days to hunt elk this year. I want to be able to take every opportunity. A bonded or mono-metal allows me to take any shot I am given. Same for when I go to Africa next year. Use what you have confidence in and I will do the same.

 

[ianpadron]

This thread's gone more sideways than a tweeker on payday.

Hey now pull up a chair and you might learn somethin from Mr. BIGANTLERGITTER

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

What bullet explodes on the shoulder of an elk? A 53 grain VMAX maybe...

Keep going though, if anything, your posts are at least entertaining.

How many elk have you been part of harvesting? I mean when I get the guys that have harvested 5 elk maybe seen 10 killed are experts.

Get up to that over 500 been a part of


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ianpadron]

How many elk have you been part of harvesting? I mean when I get the guys that have harvested 5 elk maybe seen 10 killed are experts.

Get up to that over 500 been a part of


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Show us the pics of a bullet that failed to penetrate an elk shoulder. Should be easy for a dude that has seen 500 die right?

 

[BuckSmasher]

I honestly don't know what will/will not go through an elk, or through its shoulder. I can 100% honestly testify that I frequently didn't have close range pass throughs on sub 200 pound wild pigs with a 223 firing 62 grain fusions and 62 ttsxs. It stands to reason a 800 lb bull elk is built a lot stouter than a 150 Lb pig.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Show us the pics of a bullet that failed to penetrate an elk shoulder. Should be easy for a dude that has seen 500 die right?

Wanna see pics of failure to penetrate 150 lb pig? I will upload when I get home from work if it will change your mind.

 

[dchum]

I honestly don't know what will/will not go through an elk, or through its shoulder. I can 100% honestly testify that I frequently didn't have close range pass throughs on sub 200 pound wild pigs with a 223 firing 62 grain fusions and 62 ttsxs. It stands to reason a 800 lb bull elk is built a lot stouter than a 150 Lb pig.

Not sure why the 223 is getting brought up lol
Do people even read the posts or just comment? Regardless of your stance on it.

We are recommending set ups for OPs elk hunt. He has a 7mm08 and a 7mm rem mag.

Do you have any advice for him using those two rifles?

 

[The big greasy]

So every bullet will blow right through an elk shoulder no issues? Lol that’s good to know. Glad I got lucky and picked the tsx or partition.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Not sure why the 223 is getting brought up lol
Do people even read the posts or just comment? Regardless of your stance on it.

We are recommending set ups for OPs elk hunt. He has a 7mm08 and a 7mm rem mag.

Do you have any advice for him using those two rifles?

Yes, whichever he shoots better and likes bonded or mono bullets.

 

[06 SB]

Yes, multiple times with the 308 165 gr penciling with a 300 win mag. Stopped using monos all together as a result

I had one similar experience with a 6mm TSX. I shot a small whitetail and had no blood trail at all. I knew I hit it as the distance was about 10 feet from it and 20 feet up in a tree. When I got to the deer, it looked like it had just penciled through. In diagnosing the bullet performance, the bullet entered going 3200fps and stripped the petals off and the shank of the bullet exited. The heart had 5 holes in it. 4 petals (3 were in the heart) and the shank. I do believe you can get these things going too fast. Perhaps this is what you encountered. My father and my one son both use the 165TTSX from their 06s and have not lost a single animal...elk or deer.

 

[dchum]

Wanna see pics of failure to penetrate 150 lb pig? I will upload when I get home from work if it will change your mind.

He’s not asking about .223 you haven’t even taken the time to read the thread you’re just looking to argue lol.

 

[ianpadron]

Wanna see pics of failure to penetrate 150 lb pig? I will upload when I get home from work if it will change your mind.

Are you claiming that a bullet didn't penetrate the onside shoulder of a pig? Yes, that id like to see, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with this thread.

No one is claiming all bullets get full width penetration on animals, but I've yet to see a bullet of any construction get stopped by the onside shoulder.

Idgaf about exits on most hunts.

 

[Kow]

I’d take the 7mm Rem Mag and not overthink it. Elk are not the place where I’d choose the lighter option just because it’s handier if I already had a magnum in the safe.

 

[BuckSmasher]

He’s not asking about .223 you haven’t even taken the time to read the thread you’re just looking to argue lol.

Well, partially true. I don't go on the (.223 elk, deer, moose, elephant) thread and stir the bees nest but that does chap me a bit. Especially since I firmly believe, with evidence, that it is unethical. A group of grown men saying they are healthy enough to hike the mountains and hunt elk and can't handle the recoil of a 'normal' big game cartridge like a 30-06 or .270 is pretty sickening also.

I have had a mixed bag of experience with non-bonded bullets. With the caveat that I didn't lose either one of these deer I will relate experience. Deer one I was 21 years old and shot a small Texas whitetail just outside Rocksprings with a 200 or 210 grain spire point from .340 wby at 85 yards. Hit the dirt and got up and limped off about 10 yards then died. No exit wound. From a 200 grain bullet. On MAYBE a 160 lb deer. Second deer, 95 grain ballistic tip 243 at 50 yards. Ran about 10 yards then piled up. No exit. Couldn't find a piece of the bullet very much bigger than long grain rice.

Sorry if I came across as argumentative. I mean no offense. Just passionate is all.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Well, partially true. I don't go on the (.223 elk, deer, moose, elephant) thread and stir the bees nest but that does chap me a bit. Especially since I firmly believe, with evidence, that it is unethical. A group of grown men saying they are healthy enough to hike the mountains and hunt elk and can't handle the recoil of a 'normal' big game cartridge like a 30-06 or .270 is pretty sickening also.

I have had a mixed bag of experience with non-bonded bullets. With the caveat that I didn't lose either one of these deer I will relate experience. Deer one I was 21 years old and shot a small Texas whitetail just outside Rocksprings with a 200 or 210 grain spire point from .340 wby at 85 yards. Hit the dirt and got up and limped off about 10 yards then died. No exit wound. From a 200 grain bullet. On MAYBE a 160 lb deer. Second deer, 95 grain ballistic tip 243 at 50 yards. Ran about 10 yards then piled up. No exit. Couldn't find a piece of the bullet very much bigger than long grain rice.

Sorry if I came across as argumentative. I mean no offense. Just passionate is all.

Both animals you mentioned died in 10 yards, what's the issue?

 

[BuckSmasher]

Are you claiming that a bullet didn't penetrate the onside shoulder of a pig? Yes, that id like to see, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with this thread.

No one is claiming all bullets get full width penetration on animals, but I've get to see a bullet of any construction get stopped by the onside shoulder.

Idgaf about exits on most hunts.

I honestly don't know how far most of them got. They were dead so must have made it to at least the center of the pig I guess. I agree with you, pretty much any bullet can go through a eighth of an inch of hide and hair and into or through the scapula. But in the case of 62 grain 223 it wasn't enough to go through that, maybe break the spine and leave an exit wound of a boat load of Texas pigs.

 

[BuckSmasher]

Both animals you mentioned died in 10 yards, what's the issue?

Complete and total bullet vaporization.