Help me pick Elk .308 factory ammo to test accuracy in my rifle

[BigNate]

@BigNate why? the scirrocco has good expansion at all ranges and looks to have retained most of its weight

Wound channels on small frontal diameter bullets allow elk to walk a ways before expiration. I shoot for the lungs/ heart so like violent upsets. I'm happy with Bergers, Ballistic tips, ELDs, probably Accubonds.

If closer shots are common then the higher velocity will help with the tough bullets.

 

[ripcurlksm]

If you love Barnes, just drop down to a130 or 150 for more speed. You won’t have any expansion problems. The 168 TTSX also opens at lower speeds, but at these ranges, I’d still take the light bullet and more muzzle velocity.

and i assume the tsx/monolithic-type bullets would open up more in flesh and bone vs the water jug tests shown above

 

[KsRancher]

My son's first elk this year got 2 165gr SST's at 455yds out of a .308 ruger M77. The first would have been plenty being it was a perfect heart shot. But he was still standing so he got another.

 

[hereinaz]

Federal Gold Medal match dropped my cow buffalo.

 

[KsRancher]

Federal Gold Medal match dropped my cow buffalo.

That was my second choice to the 165gr SST Superpreformance

 

[Brooks]

Where’s the Nosler Accubond or Partitions? 165 - 168 gn …. We’ve been killing elk with a 308 and Partitions and Accubonds since Moby Dick was a minnow. Barnes TSX ….out of the ones on your list.

 

[ripcurlksm]

Where’s the Nosler Accubond or Partitions? 165 - 168 gn …. We’ve been killing elk with a 308 and Partitions and Accubonds since Moby Dick was a minnow. Barnes TSX ….out of the ones on your list.

just going off ammo that was in my local gun shops

 

[Formidilosus]

and i assume the tsx/monolithic-type bullets would open up more in flesh and bone vs the water jug tests shown above

No. Water shows you the best case scenario in upset.

 

[ianpadron]

The Superformance 168 ELDMs are top tier.

28-2900 FPS with a projectile that has a BC of .523.....

No slouch and on par with a lot of cartridge/bullet combos that are more widely recommended

I will never shoot another factory offering in any .308 hunting rifle

 

[ripcurlksm]

Range Report:

Thank you everyone for the advice, just got back from the range after testing:

• Federal Terminal Ascent 180gr - #1 choice, two 3-shot groups at 1/2" at 100yards @ 2576 fps
  
  
• Federal 165gr Swift Scirocco II - 3" groups at 100yds
  
  
• Hornady Precision Hunter 178gr ELD-X - 1.2" groups at 100yds

Terminal Ascent group


I'll be dancing with Terminal Ascent but will consider in the future to try some accubonds/partitions and SST (at a lower weight), my gun shops here didnt have them. Up next Ill be getting a few more boxes of Terminal Ascent and push some 5-10rd groups

7lb unloaded R700 Mountain w Leupold VX-II LW in front

 

[roosiebull]

Rifle: Rem 700 Mountain 22" SS barrel
Range: 50-200yds most likely, possibly 400yds

I have a box of Federal Terminal Ascent 175gr and am looking to pick up three other boxes of ammo from my local gunshops below to test at the range to see what groups the best in my rifle. What ammo would you recommend for elk to try?


Also is there a flowchart somewhere that shows all of the hunting bullets and their evolution? It gets confusing with all of the acronyms.

Example like:

Bonded: SST > SSTX
Partition:
Solid: TSX > TTSX


11/12 Update:

Thank you everyone for the advice, just got back from the range after testing:

• Federal Terminal Ascent 180gr - #1 choice, two 3-shot groups at 1/2" at 100yards @ 2576 fps
• Federal 165gr Swift Scirocco II - 3" groups at 100yds
  
  
• Hornady Precision Hunter 178gr ELD-X - 1.2" groups at 100yds

I'll be dancing with Terminal Ascent but will consider in the future to try some accubonds/partitions and SST (at a lower weight), my gun shops here didnt have them. Up next Ill be getting a few more boxes of Terminal Ascent and push some 5-10rd groups

I love the terminal ascent and that’s what I shoot in my 308… I don’t rifle hunt elk, but have seen 3 elk killed with terminal ascent in a 6.5 creed… they seem like a modernized partition

I have about 300 rounds of TA, and when I run out I plan to get a couple different weights of eldm and load and test them, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much shooting TA, I haven’t seen anything I don’t like with several kills with them in the creed, and one buck with the 308 last week but it wasn’t much of a bullet test… shot him in the neck and centered the spine and blew a big hole all the way through like expected