Choosing a bullet that will reliably expand and exit elk.

[mtnbound]

Thanks to all the knowledge shared on this forum, I’ve learned a ton about the benefits of softer match style lead bullets that fragment and do a great job killing. The multiple threads sharing success have convinced me to stop using more traditional bullets and I now have multiple rifles setup to shoot Eld-m, Eld-x, TMK and Berger bullets.

Over the years I’ve honed in on what works best for me for my elk hunting rifle. While that’s always changing, right now I’ve settled on assembling a 25” barrel 280ai that should be in the 9.25 to 9.5-pound range when done. Im not a huge fan of the recoil associated with magnum rifles and prefer to stay with a 280ai, vs something light a 7prc. This will be a “mid-weight” option for me and used to complement the light, short barrel tikkas I have.

I plan to develop a load using 175-Eldx for this rifle. While there’s no doubt the match style bullets kill well, they do so without exiting. There are occasions where I’d prefer a tougher bullet that offers some expansion, but also exit and leave a blood trail.

In researching bullets, I’ve struggled to find a clear winner.

For cost and availability, I’m interested in the Hornady CX bullets (139gr and 160gr), but cannot find much testing that gives a definitive minimum expansion velocity.

The Barnes bullets are another option, but again, I’m uncertain on a proven velocity where they expand with certainty.

Finally, I’m considering the 160 accubonds because I have 150 I’ve already bought. I’ve shot quite a few accubonds over the years and noticed they have a tendency to mushroom and lodge under the opposite side hide without exiting.

This is all a long way to ask for advice on bullet selection and minimum velocity, based on your actual experience.

If I choose a CX and keep impacts above 2,250-fps, should I expect some sort of expansion and pass through?

How about the accubonds, what velocity have you seen they need to exit?

Monos are likely going to give you the best chance of an exit, but I do not like their wound channel, so I would say the good old Partition.

 

[JMundy84]

My wife was killed 11 elk with 160gr 7mm partitions from 50-300 yards all but one have been complete pass through and only one has been shot twice.

 

[Jacobmettlen]

I used a 180gr Accubind in a 300 RUM this gal first shot exited but second shot did not but he didn’t 30 yards from first shot where he laid down.

 

[elkhog]

Nosler Partition gets my vote on this topic and any of the copper alloy monolithic should get best results for exit wound . Shot Placement is what put a animal down quick. A double lung hit on a elk they don't go far and a one lung hit they go miles to the bottom.

 

[5MilesBack]

Sounds like I should be considering the partition. Thanks for the suggestion.

I always shot 175gr Partitions and Swift A-frames out of my 7mag. They both kill well with good hits, but I always had exit holes with the A-frames.

 

[Pharmseller]

Quit hunting at night.

 

[he_lives]

Quit hunting at night.

In a few places I hunt the older age class animals seem to be well trained to only make appearances in the last half hour or so of legal light.

 

[Pharmseller]

Just yanking yer chain.

Around here the big boys, Blacktails especially, go full nocturnal.

In my experience an exit is more about where you shoot them than with what. Through the lungs without hitting leg bones is usually an exit.

 

[Chris in TN]

This is what it looks like when a 284/160 Accubond exits an elk on a broadsided shot at maybe 2500' impact velocity (my 25" 280ai at 450 yards, my elk, velocity is estimated, I'm away from my phone and threw the numbers into an online calculator, but it was 2925' mv and 451 yards at maybe 7200' elevation on a ~32 degree morning):



The little red 'v' you see is the exit. The entrance was exactly opposite.

I 100% understand wanting an exit on an elk, or anything else, but just know that a bullet tough enough to hedge your bets in favor of an exit, might well also be tough enough to make the exist small enough that it isn't going to bleed anyway. Elk are pretty hairy things. Not as hairy as bears, but getting a blood trail out of an elk is tricky. The point, I guess, is that a bullet that gives you an exit, might not be any better than a bullet that spent all its energy damaging internal tissue without the exit, if the exit is just going to get clogged with hair anyway.

YMMV.

 

[he_lives]

This is what it looks like when a 284/160 Accubond exits an elk on a broadsided shot at maybe 2500' impact velocity (my 25" 280ai at 450 yards, my elk, velocity is estimated, I'm away from my phone and threw the numbers into an online calculator, but it was 2925' mv and 451 yards at maybe 7200' elevation on a ~32 degree morning):

View attachment 981479

The little red 'v' you see is the exit. The entrance was exactly opposite.

I 100% understand wanting an exit on an elk, or anything else, but just know that a bullet tough enough to hedge your bets in favor of an exit, might well also be tough enough to make the exist small enough that it isn't going to bleed anyway. Elk are pretty hairy things. Not as hairy as bears, but getting a blood trail out of an elk is tricky. The point, I guess, is that a bullet that gives you an exit, might not be any better than a bullet that spent all its energy damaging internal tissue without the exit, if the exit is just going to get clogged with hair anyway.

YMMV.

That's really great first hand info - thanks for posting.

 

[Chris in TN]

That's really great first hand info - thanks for posting.

Entrance, FWIW: