Help with ammo

[Uncmikel]

I'm headed for a cow elk hunt in a few weeks with my .300wsm and am having a hard time finding ammo here in CA. I've found some boxes of Winchester Deer Season XP but it's only 150 grain and says it's designed for whitetail. I also found some Hornady 180 grain but it's the copper garbage that's required in CA. Which ammo would you use?

 

[Mag_7s]

In my opinion either will work just fine, but I would lean on which ever one shot the best. Assuming it I an out of state hunt, and both types are legal to use.

 

[Uncmikel]

In my opinion either will work just fine, but I would lean on which ever one shot the best. Assuming it I an out of state hunt, and both types are legal to use.

It’s in Oregon so I can use real ammo. Both shoot better than my skill level. I’m just worried about the lighter projectile vs poorly expanding copper.

 

[ZAK13]

With a mono-metal bullet you can get away with a lighter version, due to not really shedding weight while expanding. I use a 110gr. TTSX in my 270 Win and have taken whitetail, black bear and an almost 450lb hog, got deep penetration and good expansion. Good luck

 

[CAElkhunter]

180 grn copper is fine on elk, especially cow elk.

 

[Nick992]

I like the copper monoliths. Either should be fine

 

[chizelhead]

I'm not an expert, but I recommend the mono if it shoots well for you at your range. It looks like the 150gr is a rapid expansion bullet, which at close range on an elk risks fragmenting at the impact site but not in the vitals. I haven't experienced it, but I've heard enough stories to convince me to steer clear.

 

[One-shot]

I'm headed for a cow elk hunt in a few weeks with my .300wsm and am having a hard time finding ammo here in CA. I've found some boxes of Winchester Deer Season XP but it's only 150 grain and says it's designed for whitetail. I also found some Hornady 180 grain but it's the copper garbage that's required in CA. Which ammo would you use?

The copper garbage? It’s becoming more popular so we don’t poison birds of prey or other wildlife that will eat the guts are whatever is left of the potentially downed elk. Go with copper. You’ll have no problem and it has a greater power factor by about 10%. 1 shot and down should be all our goals.

 

[sneaky]

It’s in Oregon so I can use real ammo. Both shoot better than my skill level. I’m just worried about the lighter projectile vs poorly expanding copper.

Copper only expands poorly when you take shots outside of the parameters it was designed for. You shouldn't be taking thousand yard shots at cow elk. At realistic hunting ranges it does exactly what it should

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Jaden Bales]

I'm headed for a cow elk hunt in a few weeks with my .300wsm and am having a hard time finding ammo here in CA. I've found some boxes of Winchester Deer Season XP but it's only 150 grain and says it's designed for whitetail. I also found some Hornady 180 grain but it's the copper garbage that's required in CA. Which ammo would you use?

I know this is an older thread, but where did you find this 180 gr. copper garbage you speak of? Was it online?
I have been looking for some.

I tested 180 GMX (now CX) and 165 TTSX alongside a variety of different classic bullets (Partition, Bondstrike, and Fusion) since I use my 300 WSM for everything from pronghorn to elk, I like the monometals.

Just a lot cleaner to butcher and all the bullets killed whatever I was aiming at. Granted I am a 400-yard and in kinda guy.

 

[CAElkhunter]

180 grain copper works fine on Elk. I have killed many bulls with 180 TTSX.
It sucks that the ammo shortage makes finding your favorite round such a pain in the ass.
I wish I hand loaded......