Poll - One all around single cartridge under conditions

[USAF Ret]

What bullets and impact velocities from that story?

Unless you know that info, stories about cartridges and number of shots mean nothing. What matters is the shot placement, bullet, impact velocity.

I sent them an e-mail, but did find out they were hunting with Sierra TGKs. I don't think that was a great bullet choice.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

What bullets and impact velocities from that story?

Unless you know that info, stories about cartridges and number of shots mean nothing. What matters is the shot placement, bullet, impact velocity.

This ^^ - To be fair, I would absolutely keep sending lead until the elk hit the ground, and that's one thing (and highly recommended). However, if it actually took 4 shots to put one down, then the first 3 weren't placed well, or the bullets weren't performing well, one of the two.

But then the other hand, do not let me talk you out of a 280 AI (said a guy with a 280 AI) The 7mm's are indeed, excellent elk medicine, and a 280AI gets you a bit more reach than the less juicy cartridges.

 

[USAF Ret]

This ^^ - To be fair, I would absolutely keep sending lead until the elk hit the ground, and that's one thing (and highly recommended). However, if it actually took 4 shots to put one down, then the first 3 weren't placed well, or the bullets weren't performing well, one of the two.

But then the other hand, do not let me talk you out of a 280 AI (said a guy with a 280 AI) The 7mm's are indeed, excellent elk medicine, and a 280AI gets you a bit more reach than the less juicy cartridges.

Shot placements were good. I am pretty sure it was the TGK. Good deer bullet. I sent an e-mail and asked about what damage they saw when the opened the carcass,

 

[Chris in TN]

Shot placements were good. I am pretty sure it was the TGK. Good deer bullet. I sent an e-mail and asked about what damage they saw when the opened the carcass,

What you describe sounds like a projectile being used beyond its ideal expansion window.

TGKs work really well at higher speeds. I've never seen one shot into anything at lower speeds.

Again, as the owner of a .280AI who has shot two elk with it and watched my dad over his shoulder as he shot one, and who has killed a pile of deer with it and a few coyotes.....

You don't need a .280ai to hunt elk effectively inside of 500 yards. You just don't. What you need, is a smaller, lower-recoil rifle, shooting bullets that work within the velocity window you have. You don't need heavily built bullets at longer ranges; they are counterproductive. And at closer ranges, you don't need the high velocity that the heavy bullets perform well with.

At some point I will probably chop my 280ai to 20" and keep it, because there's nothing else it would make sense to rebarrel a long action rifle to - if I go to a shorter cartridge I'd rather use a short action, but I no longer see a need for a long action at all, it's just a rifle I won't ever get rid of. So it'll likely stay a .280ai and maybe once it's shortened (or rebarreled shorter if I ever shoot it enough more to justify that) I'll use it some, but it won't be because I sense any sort of need for that level of performance inside of maybe 600 yards.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

You don't need a .280ai to hunt elk effectively inside of 500 yards. You just don't.

Truth. I have a 280AI and I love the cartridge, but the biggest boomer I've ever actually shot an elk with was a 308 (150 grain Accubond). I have mostly used 303 British (not much more than a 30-30), and 7x57 with 140 accubonds. All the elk I ever shot came home in my truck, and I didn't do any long tracking jobs on any of them.

 

[solarshooter]

I chopped my 284 to 20" after I realized it was just excess recoil. Still easily a 600yd gun. And probably the last 7mm I'll ever build.

 

[Finaddictions]

I have read your entire thread, and completely understand your needs. Wish more people read the whole thing before commenting.

I’ve hunted elk a lot, and the few comments above are spot on about cartridges and bullets. Elk are far from bullet proof, and most of the time when people say something didn’t work well is because they used bullets that don’t expand well (overly tough constructed bullets because they’ve heard the rumors of how tough elk are), or had poor bullet placement. The last 5 elk I’ve killed were with the 6.5 Creedmoor with a 130 AccuBond. Worked incredibly well.

A 7-08 would also be a stellar cartridge, and the 120 NBT would work fantastically well.

Your idea of the 120 TTSX would also work out of your 280 AI or the 7-08, but the wound channels would be narrower than the Accubonds or the Ballistic Tips. I also think the Sierra Tipped GameKings would work just as well as the Noslers. It’s really your preference. Just put the bullet in the lungs and you’ll be a happy hunter.

Sure hope the docs help you get everything settled, and super tickled for you to have this opportunity to hunt elk! Hope it’s a fantastic and rewarding experience.

 

[solarshooter]

I have read your entire thread, and completely understand your needs. Wish more people read the whole thing before commenting.

I’ve hunted elk a lot, and the few comments above are spot on about cartridges and bullets. Elk are far from bullet proof, and most of the time when people say something didn’t work well is because they used bullets that don’t expand well (overly tough constructed bullets because they’ve heard the rumors of how tough elk are), or had poor bullet placement. The last 5 elk I’ve killed were with the 6.5 Creedmoor with a 130 AccuBond. Worked incredibly well.

A 7-08 would also be a stellar cartridge, and the 120 NBT would work fantastically well.

Your idea of the 120 TTSX would also work out of your 280 AI or the 7-08, but the wound channels would be narrower than the Accubonds or the Ballistic Tips. I also think the Sierra Tipped GameKings would work just as well as the Noslers. It’s really your preference. Just put the bullet in the lungs and you’ll be a happy hunter.

Sure hope the docs help you get everything settled, and super tickled for you to have this opportunity to hunt elk! Hope it’s a fantastic and rewarding experience.

Lightweight 120-130gr 7mm bullets have much lower sectional density and as a result will have worse external and internal ballistics. A 162 ELDM is just about the most optimal 7mm bullet you can shoot, in all aspects of performance. I like Berger's so I shoot the 175 Elite Hunter. But I would keep it in the 160-180gr range if going with 7mm.

 

[Finaddictions]

Lightweight 120-130gr 7mm bullets have much lower sectional density and as a result will have worse external and internal ballistics. A 162 ELDM is just about the most optimal 7mm bullet you can shoot, in all aspects of performance. I like Berger's so I shoot the 175 Elite Hunter. But I would keep it in the 160-180gr range if going with 7mm.

You’re completely correct, but the OP has injuries that are limiting his ability to tolerate recoil. He’s looking for softer recoiling loads. That’s why the suggestions for the lighter bullets.

 

[USAF Ret]

I have read your entire thread, and completely understand your needs. Wish more people read the whole thing before commenting.

I’ve hunted elk a lot, and the few comments above are spot on about cartridges and bullets. Elk are far from bullet proof, and most of the time when people say something didn’t work well is because they used bullets that don’t expand well (overly tough constructed bullets because they’ve heard the rumors of how tough elk are), or had poor bullet placement. The last 5 elk I’ve killed were with the 6.5 Creedmoor with a 130 AccuBond. Worked incredibly well.

A 7-08 would also be a stellar cartridge, and the 120 NBT would work fantastically well.

Your idea of the 120 TTSX would also work out of your 280 AI or the 7-08, but the wound channels would be narrower than the Accubonds or the Ballistic Tips. I also think the Sierra Tipped GameKings would work just as well as the Noslers. It’s really your preference. Just put the bullet in the lungs and you’ll be a happy hunter.

Sure hope the docs help you get everything settled, and super tickled for you to have this opportunity to hunt elk! Hope it’s a fantastic and rewarding experience.

I appreciate this post. Thanks. I wish the doctors were as responsive as my fellow hunters.

 

[USAF Ret]

I have read your entire thread, and completely understand your needs. Wish more people read the whole thing before commenting.

I’ve hunted elk a lot, and the few comments above are spot on about cartridges and bullets. Elk are far from bullet proof, and most of the time when people say something didn’t work well is because they used bullets that don’t expand well (overly tough constructed bullets because they’ve heard the rumors of how tough elk are), or had poor bullet placement. The last 5 elk I’ve killed were with the 6.5 Creedmoor with a 130 AccuBond. Worked incredibly well.

A 7-08 would also be a stellar cartridge, and the 120 NBT would work fantastically well.

Your idea of the 120 TTSX would also work out of your 280 AI or the 7-08, but the wound channels would be narrower than the Accubonds or the Ballistic Tips. I also think the Sierra Tipped GameKings would work just as well as the Noslers. It’s really your preference. Just put the bullet in the lungs and you’ll be a happy hunter.

Sure hope the docs help you get everything settled, and super tickled for you to have this opportunity to hunt elk! Hope it’s a fantastic and rewarding experience.

So, I keep seeing the 7mm 120 NBT coming up and folks mentioning it has a thicker wall. Correct?

 

[Finaddictions]

Yes it does. It performs more like an AccuBond than some of the other Ballistic Tips. Nosler beefed up the tapered jacket for silhouette shooters who were impacting the 500 meter rams but not necessarily knocking them down. The heavier jacket allowed the beefed up bullet to accomplish that task, while at the same time becoming a fantastic performing hunting bullet as well. It’s pretty darn accurate too!!