Different bullets for cow elk

Northof51

FNG
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
51
I know each bullet will work fine for elk but I’ve got a chance to hunt a fairly small chunk of land with private at 100 yards.
Just wondering opinions between a 7RM with 140 ttsx and a 6CM with 108 eldm?
I’ve only had deer and pronghorn with the 6cm and they were pretty quick kills but definitely not a tip over type deal. And also seen bulls travel with double lung from the ttsx
 

CC11

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
170
If you're worried about your elk getting onto private after you shoot, I'd use a bigger bullet/gun and shoot for the shoulder to put it down.
 

hereinaz

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Dec 21, 2016
Messages
3,380
Location
Arizona
Match bullets in the ribs kill quickest and if you don’t hit muscle, they seem to hump up and don’t run. I have a sample size of only a handful of bulls and one cow. The cow I hit just stood there until she fell over. The bulls didn’t make it more than 20 yards.

And, if you get a quick second shot, the 6cm is easiest.

If you go for a shoulder shot, you can almost guarantee they run. It’s a natural reflex, like the bullet is a lion biting it.
 

wapitibob

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
5,942
Location
Bend Oregon
Bang flop usually requires a cns disruption; high shoulder. I’ve shot multiple cow elk with 140/143 tsx and hammers from a 7 stw, and neither went far. A heavy for caliber Berger and high shoulder would be my choice.
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
9,729
This thread covers shot placement in relation to your inquiry. Id use either, whichever you are more likely to hit where you need to.
 

Dakota Dude

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
160
Location
CO
Just shoot the shoulder and you should be good. Only bummer is you'll lose a little bit of meat.
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
912
Last couple years, I’ve dropped elk immediately with a 130 TTSX and a high shoulder shot, near drop (went 10’) with a 175 partition that took out the plumbing on top of heart and lungs. My grands just drt’d two cows with a 77TMK and 140gr Trophy Tip, both turned the lungs into goo with no apparent heart damage. Ranges were 25 - 120 yards. My son made a classic lung shot on a cow at over 300 last year with a 140 Accubond, cow went 25 feet.

With your two choices, I'd use the 108ELD-M, At 100 yards it will really liquify the chest cavity and should be slightly more likely to drop the cow at the shot. The 140 TTSX out of a 7mm RM is going to be moving at 100 too and should result in a very quick kill. A high shoulder shot is not risk free, but highly effective as a cns hit when executed correctly. I’ve also had real good fast results with a shot about where the neck and chest meet, not quite 1/2 up the body. Then probably the best high percentage play is a fragmenting bullet in the heart/lungs, drops them fast, which takes us back to the 108ELD-M.
 
Last edited:
OP
N

Northof51

FNG
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
51
Thanks for the replies, the 223 shot placement thread was helpful. I’ll most likely take the 6 because it definitely messes stuff up inside . I’ll just be really picky on placement
 

Colby

WKR
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
309
Location
Sandy Oregon
Pretty sure the 108 will make quite a bit larger wound than the mono even though it’s coming out of a smaller cartridge.
Larger wound = faster death.
I’ll be hunting bulls with my 6mm next week.
 

Solm

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 18, 2021
Messages
113
270, 308, 30-06, 6.5 Creed and quite a few others would do the job
 

mtnbound

WKR
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
458
Location
N. Idaho
I know each bullet will work fine for elk but I’ve got a chance to hunt a fairly small chunk of land with private at 100 yards.
Just wondering opinions between a 7RM with 140 ttsx and a 6CM with 108 eldm?
I’ve only had deer and pronghorn with the 6cm and they were pretty quick kills but definitely not a tip over type deal. And also seen bulls travel with double lung from the ttsx
Using a suppressor? What's your maximum possible shot distance?
 

mt terry d

WKR
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Jul 18, 2023
Messages
739
A cow means meat hunt right?
High shoulder shot = lost meat.
I’d put the first in the boiler room
Rack and repeat as desired.
 

hunterjmj

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1,361
Location
Montana
I'd go with the match bullet. Switched to match bullets about 10 years ago and wouldn't go back to a bonded or hunting type bullet. Seems to plant them where you shot them.
 

TaperPin

WKR
Joined
Jul 12, 2023
Messages
3,275
Cows and does were put on this world to shoot with whatever you want - grab that old rifle that never sees action, or that big pistola passed down from great gramps.

A 6mm limited expansion bullet doesn’t work all that well on elk, so it’s good you’re not doing that. Hundreds of elk are killed off haystacks every year by ranch kids and ratty old 243 rifles with Tasco scopes shooting cheap Corloct ammo, so you’ll be fine.
 

waspocrew

WKR
Joined
Apr 2, 2022
Messages
806
Location
MT
Base of neck should drop it on the spot. Killed 3 animals with a 145 LRX last week (ranges from 350-580 yards) and performance was great. Two whitetail bucks dropped on the spot, bull elk was dead standing on his feet and dropped at the second shot.
 
Top