trophyhill
WKR
It’s been an interesting past couple weeks since I have gotten back into the rifle game. And this is only out of necessity as I failed in September with my bow, and did not draw a NM archery tag. The necessity part is, I need meat! So back in April when I found out I didn’t draw a tag, I immediately bought a landowner cow rifle tag.
This meant I now had to buy a rifle. I thought I could go down to the local gun shop or just order what I wanted from Ruger. Boy was I wrong. This led me down a path with many rabbit holes. My rifle of choice would have been a Ruger M77 7 Rem Mag. Before I started bowhunting, I slayed mucho deer with that gun. But it is no longer available unless you buy used. And some of the prices I was seeing were 3-4 times the amount I had paid for a new rifle in 1995, for a used and abused gun!
I ended up doing a little homework and the choice was easy after talking to some folks. A lot easier than picking a bullet. Back then I’d load up a magazine with Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silver Tips and go kill deer. With most everyone sold out of ammo, I was now led down the path with all those rabbit holes because I’ve had to buy ammo I’ve never even heard of before. That’s how long it’s been. And the last thing I want to do is wound and not recover.
For example I’ve found a few boxes of Federal Non Typical 150gr ammo. A couple boxes Barnes Vor-TX LR 140gr. A half box of Hornady 139 SST left over from many years ago. 1 box of Federal Fusion 150gr. And I have 2 Federal Trophy Bonded 160gr coming. So these are my choices and I will have to make a decision and live with the outcome in a few weeks.
What I have is the Hells Canyon Speed 7 Rem Mag. There are tons of videos out there. Just google 7 MM Rem Mag Bullets for Elk and see what pops up.
For a beginner and someone who has never hunted elk, or the impressionable and naive, I believe there is a lot of bad information being pushed out there on what bullets are suited for killing elk. Particularly those long range target thin jacketed bullets being billed as the next best thing since sliced bread.
Hopefully some of the experienced elk killers with a rifle can or will chime in on the subject. I am certainly no ballistics aficionado on the subject, but I would think that 1500-2000 # of energy would be the minimum on what you want to feel confident. I have no doubt my rifle will do what I need to “git er done” out to 4 or 500 yards with more practice, but for now I will limit my shots to 300 yards because I know what I need to do with my scope at 300 to make hopefully a quick kill.
I’m not asking what bullet to use. My choice will be between the Federal Trophy Bonded 160 gr or the Barnes Vor-TX 140 gr. I’ve also read and heard good things about Nosler Partitions but they are scarce too.
What ammo are you using for elk, and why?
This meant I now had to buy a rifle. I thought I could go down to the local gun shop or just order what I wanted from Ruger. Boy was I wrong. This led me down a path with many rabbit holes. My rifle of choice would have been a Ruger M77 7 Rem Mag. Before I started bowhunting, I slayed mucho deer with that gun. But it is no longer available unless you buy used. And some of the prices I was seeing were 3-4 times the amount I had paid for a new rifle in 1995, for a used and abused gun!
I ended up doing a little homework and the choice was easy after talking to some folks. A lot easier than picking a bullet. Back then I’d load up a magazine with Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silver Tips and go kill deer. With most everyone sold out of ammo, I was now led down the path with all those rabbit holes because I’ve had to buy ammo I’ve never even heard of before. That’s how long it’s been. And the last thing I want to do is wound and not recover.
For example I’ve found a few boxes of Federal Non Typical 150gr ammo. A couple boxes Barnes Vor-TX LR 140gr. A half box of Hornady 139 SST left over from many years ago. 1 box of Federal Fusion 150gr. And I have 2 Federal Trophy Bonded 160gr coming. So these are my choices and I will have to make a decision and live with the outcome in a few weeks.
What I have is the Hells Canyon Speed 7 Rem Mag. There are tons of videos out there. Just google 7 MM Rem Mag Bullets for Elk and see what pops up.
For a beginner and someone who has never hunted elk, or the impressionable and naive, I believe there is a lot of bad information being pushed out there on what bullets are suited for killing elk. Particularly those long range target thin jacketed bullets being billed as the next best thing since sliced bread.
Hopefully some of the experienced elk killers with a rifle can or will chime in on the subject. I am certainly no ballistics aficionado on the subject, but I would think that 1500-2000 # of energy would be the minimum on what you want to feel confident. I have no doubt my rifle will do what I need to “git er done” out to 4 or 500 yards with more practice, but for now I will limit my shots to 300 yards because I know what I need to do with my scope at 300 to make hopefully a quick kill.
I’m not asking what bullet to use. My choice will be between the Federal Trophy Bonded 160 gr or the Barnes Vor-TX 140 gr. I’ve also read and heard good things about Nosler Partitions but they are scarce too.
What ammo are you using for elk, and why?
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