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

[ripcurlksm]

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

 

[nobody]

Hornady ELDX, Hornady SST, then add Hornady Black 168 AMAX to your list as well as the 168 ELD Match ammo

 

[SDHNTR]

Any of em. Just pick what’s most accurate. At 200 yds or less, it won’t matter.

 

[Jfjfrye]

Federal premium Barnes tsx

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Hornady 168gr ELDM Match ammo - its the best answer.

 

[Choupique]

Out of what you have listed there the barnes tsx is what I would pick.

 

[Blacktail247]

I’m a fan of bonded bullets so from that list I would try the scirocco or the fusion. Out of my 308 the fusions have shot as good as anything and I have shot a bunch of different factory stuff.

 

[quondam24]

Hornady 168g SST is very accurate out of my Waypoint.

 

[ripcurlksm]

Any of em. Just pick what’s most accurate. At 200 yds or less, it won’t matter.

what about 400yds?

 

[SDHNTR]

what about 400yds?

At 400 I’d lean towards one of the more expansive bullets and away from copper, but put it in the right place and it still won’t matter.

 

[ripcurlksm]

Here are some expansion tests i found on these bullets between 100 and 500 yards. Granted a lot of these are 30-06 instead of 308. The Scirocco looks to have good potential

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

If I were hunting with a 308 I would probably use a 168gr eldm. If my barrel liked them. Buy a couple cases and go shoot.

 

[Huntingfarandwide]

Here are some expansion tests i found on these bullets between 100 and 500 yards. Granted a lot of these are 30-06 instead of 308. The Scirocco looks to have good potential

View attachment 625317

I had heard that all copper bullets took a lot to fully expand. Your pickups seem to confirm that.

I am disappointed because I love Barnes TTSX bullets.

 

[BigNate]

Looking at the test bullets the Barnes is last choice for me. Followed by the Scirrocco.

At the distances you have mentioned most anything will work. My son has been using the Hornady ELD Ms and X neither has been poor on game. The M is pretty messy up close.

 

[bnsafe]

I havnt shot an elk, but, what about the nosler 165 grain trophy grade accubonds? I shoot that load with ballistic tips for deer and its awesome

 

[Mike D Texas]

Here are some expansion tests i found on these bullets between 100 and 500 yards. Granted a lot of these are 30-06 instead of 308. The Scirocco looks to have good potential

View attachment 625317

Of all of those the terminal ascent would be my number one choice.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I use 180gr Partions for elk in my 308... 18" suppressed....Out to 400yds no issues
Federal has them in there Premium ammo

 

[rickw162]

I havnt shot an elk, but, what about the nosler 165 grain trophy grade accubonds? I shoot that load with ballistic tips for deer and its awesome

I have been reloading with the 165 grain accubonds, but haven’t tested on elk yet. I agree the 140 grain Nosler ballistic tips are fantastic for deer size game, even have taken caribou and cow elk in 7mm-08.

 

[ripcurlksm]

Looking at the test bullets the Barnes is last choice for me. Followed by the Scirrocco.

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

 

[SDHNTR]

I had heard that all copper bullets took a lot to fully expand. Your pickups seem to confirm that.

I am disappointed because I love Barnes TTSX bullets.

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.