elk 300wsm 200g factory ammo - hornady eld-x or fed terminal assent

[davsco]

0 - 600 yds, prob more likely 200-400 yds.

any one meaningfully better for elk than the other, given similar accuracy?

thanks

 

[wannakillabigbull]

They're two very different bullets. ELD-Xs are cup and core and designed to shed weight and only retain about 50-60%. TAs are a more unique design with a lead/copper bonded front half with a solid copper rear shank designed to retain closer to 90% weight. In general the ELD-Xs are made to create a larger wound channel but the TAs will penetrate deeper and more likely to give you an exit wound.

I shot 180 ABs out of my 300 WSM this year with great results. I also tried Terminal Ascents at the range but they didn't group near as well, though still were very accurate.

 

[Packer9037]

I shoot 200gr ELDX bullets from a 300 weatherby. Very happy with bullet performance. I've got two bulls and a cow with this set-up, all between 300-400 yards. 2 dropped where they stood, bad shot on one that required some tracking. Bullets didn't exit the hide, but they did exit the body cavity...just hanging out just inside the hide on the opposite side.

IMO - I think there are a lot of guys that killed a fair amount of critters with all different set-ups....whatever makes you feel the most comfortable behind the scope will be your best set-up.

 

[Ktm500]

I have always been a Barnes fan, but a couple years ago started shooting the terminal accents out of my 300 win mag. I’m very happy with the performance. I will be taking them on a moose hunt this fall.

 

[ABElkChaser]

Not answering the question, but related. With the above note that the TA is intended to retain 90% weight, would this be considered a bullet failure? The picture is a factory loaded .308 TA recovered from the offside hide of a bull elk shot at 30 yards. Shot slightly quartering to, just behind front shoulder so may have hit a rib but no other bones. Elk ran 80 yards and fell over so results were fine.

 

[The Guide]

Not answering the question, but related. With the above note that the TA is intended to retain 90% weight, would this be considered a bullet failure? The picture is a factory loaded .308 TA recovered from the offside hide of a bull elk shot at 30 yards. Shot slightly quartering to, just behind front shoulder so may have hit a rib but no other bones. Elk ran 80 yards and fell over so results were fine. View attachment 818509

That is better than I would have expected for a shot at 30 yards. I see all the mushroom has peeled off but I'm not sure if any bullet would do better at that range and velocity other than a 100% copper and even then you would have lost pedals.

Jay

 

[Ktm500]

This is from a mule deer shot in the shoulder at 350 yards with a terminal accent. It was laying under the skin on the exit side.

 

[Dave0317]

Not answering the question, but related. With the above note that the TA is intended to retain 90% weight, would this be considered a bullet failure? The picture is a factory loaded .308 TA recovered from the offside hide of a bull elk shot at 30 yards. Shot slightly quartering to, just behind front shoulder so may have hit a rib but no other bones. Elk ran 80 yards and fell over so results were fine. View attachment 818509

Hotly debated topic these days. I don’t think it’s accurate to say you have a “failure” when you have a dead animal as a result. It may not be “optimal” depending on what you want out of a bullet. If you wanted a hole all the way through the animal, you would think a bonded .30 cal would be good bet. If you wanted maximum tissue damage and wide wound channel, that’s not what that bullet is optimal for. I would choose something else. But if a guy likes to say his bullet is bonded and has good weight retention, and wound channel doesn’t come into the conversation, that bullet seems to have done pretty decent. Still a dead animal, so can’t say it’s wrong, but it’s not what I would pick.

 

[ABElkChaser]

That is better than I would have expected for a shot at 30 yards. I see all the mushroom has peeled off but I'm not sure if any bullet would do better at that range and velocity other than a 100% copper and even then you would have lost pedals.

Jay

Thanks for the input. I was thinking that may be the case, but was somewhat surprised with .308 having lower velocities than the bigger 30 cals. Where I hunt I shot last years elk at 18 yards, but can have shot opportunities beyond my comfort range of 400 or so, so was looking for a bullet with would be sufficient 0-400 yds.

 

[180ls1]

195 ELD Match seems to be the top dog for factory stuff if you run the numbers.

 

[The Guide]

Thanks for the input. I was thinking that may be the case, but was somewhat surprised with .308 having lower velocities than the bigger 30 cals. Where I hunt I shot last years elk at 18 yards, but can have shot opportunities beyond my comfort range of 400 or so, so was looking for a bullet with would be sufficient 0-400 yds.

I think you found a pretty good combination of up close and longer range use in that bullet. I would definitely consider using that bullet for those distances. Is it a factory load or a hand load?

Jay

 

[ABElkChaser]

Hotly debated topic these days. I don’t think it’s accurate to say you have a “failure” when you have a dead animal as a result. It may not be “optimal” depending on what you want out of a bullet. If you wanted a hole all the way through the animal, you would think a bonded .30 cal would be good bet. If you wanted maximum tissue damage and wide wound channel, that’s not what that bullet is optimal for. I would choose something else. But if a guy likes to say his bullet is bonded and has good weight retention, and wound channel doesn’t come into the conversation, that bullet seems to have done pretty decent. Still a dead animal, so can’t say it’s wrong, but it’s not what I would pick.

Agreed, the results were find with this one and an 18 yds frontal with a TA I took last year that went a couple of steps and cratered. My experience in bullet performance is limited, so would love to hear a recommendation for an elk bullet for a .308 from the 0-400 yds range...I thought that was the intent of the TA, but maybe that's just marketing?

 

[The Guide]

195 ELD Match seems to be the top dog for factory stuff if you run the numbers.

Who loads those? I don't see them from Hornady for the 300WSM.

Jay

 

[ABElkChaser]

I think you found a pretty good combination of up close and longer range use in that bullet. I would definitely consider using that bullet for those distances. Is it a factory load or a hand load?

Jay

Factory loads. Would love to get in hand loading, but that will likely have to wait until kids are older and I have more time back on my hands.

 

[180ls1]

Who loads those? I don't see them from Hornady for the 300WSM.

Jay

I misread the WSM part. I was thinking WIN.

 

[TimberRunner]

I killed 3 elk and 3 or 4 deer with 200 gr eldx in 300wsm. Had a bad experience with them on one of those elk in 2020 and one deer in 2019. Shot placement was great on both animals and they were both recovered, but both were a bit of a rodeo. The elk required 3 shots, all within an inch of each other behind the shoulder at 320 yards. Went into Timber, bedded down, 45 min later it jumped and went further into Timber, couldn't get another round in it. Backed out and waited 2 hours and it was dead. Maybe just a tough animal.

I then had a case of TA fall into my lap, so to speak. Have now killed 2 elk and 5 deer with TA. Been very happy with the terminal results.

So, I would go with federal TA if everything else is equal.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

2022 season my buddy drew a good elk tag in Colorado and hand loaded 200 ELD-Xs for his 300 win. He shot his elk, impact velocity was 2000 fps, broadside. No pass through, and we found the core and jacket separated, both on the off-side hide. Not my preferred performance but it did result in a dead elk.