300 WSM on Elk

[Logan9885]

I recently bought a remington 700 xcr to take out to wyoming next year and been working up some loads for it. I like the accubonds by nosler and took several deer with it this year with great effects. My question is are the 165 gr accubonds going to be enough for elk? Im real comfortable with this rifle out to 500 yds with my nikon with bdc in it. I can hit milk jugs all day at 500. Plus my rifle just doesnt seem to like the 180gr ones. Do i need to keep adjusting loads for the 180s or will the 165s be fine?

[Wyoredman]

Should be plenty, but suggest you load up some heavier stuff. Why have a .308 caliber and shoot lite bullets?

I like to use at least 180gr. bullets on elk, but with that said, I shot my cow this year with a 100gr. Sierra out of my .243!

Anyhow, 165 gr. will work fine if that is what you decide on.

[Brian Pfleuger]

People hunt elk with 243s. Any bullet made for big game will be fine from a 300wsm.

[ripnbst]

I think it is best practice to use heavy for caliber bullets on elk. For a .270 heavy for caliber is 150-160 gr. for 300WSM I dont know what heavy for caliber is but it dang sure aint 165 gr.

Bullets need to be bonded whatever they are. Penetration is what is key on Elk other than the obvious stuff that is always key like placement.

[Logan9885]

They only recomend upto 180 grainers for 300 wsm due to the longer bullets encroach on the powder space to much and make for really compressed loads (Not Good!) So actually 165 gr bullets are heavier for the 300 wsm caliber. 300 win mag not so much. and the accubonds are bonded bullets.

[snuffy]

I think it is best practice to use heavy for caliber bullets on elk. For a .270 heavy for caliber is 150-160 gr. for 300WSM I dont know what heavy for caliber is but it dang sure ain't 165 gr.

Bullets need to be bonded whatever they are. Penetration is what is key on Elk other than the obvious stuff that is always key like placement.

If you were talking about a normal cup&core soft point, then I would agree. BUT the accu-BOND is a bonded bullet. It sheds about 30% of it's weight upon initial expansion, but the core then penetrates much deeper than a normal soft point would.

You can go one weight increment lighter while still getting the penetration of the heavier soft point bullet. By that I mean a accu-bond 165 grain will penetrate as deeply as a 180 cup & core bullet.

They only recomend upto 180 grainers for 300 wsm due to the longer bullets encroach on the powder space to much and make for really compressed loads (Not Good!) So actually 165 gr bullets are heavier for the 300 wsm caliber. 300 win mag not so much. and the accubonds are bonded bullets.

Not really. At least not in my Browning A-bolt 300 WSM. So much is made of the lack of powder capacity in the 300 WSM. It don't NEED all the powder the 300 win mag uses, it's SO much more efficient than the big mag. Mainly because it runs at much higher pressure.

Compressed powder charges are just fine. Actually compressed charges are more uniform in velocities that lesser charge densities below 95%. But again, you don't need all that powder to achieve the same velocities of the 300WM.

I once was told that you could not load a 220 grain bullet in a 300 WSM. At least not with any decent velocity. So I had to try it;



How does 2686 avg sound for 5 shots from a 23" barrel? So much for limited powder capacity for the 300 WSM!

[totaldla]

Your loads are fine, elk aren't armor plated. So don't screw around trying to make heavier bullets work.

BUT, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!! Don't shoot 500yds at an Elk. Why? Two reasons:

1. You're supposed to be "hunting", not shooting. So hunt - get closer. If you can't get within 300yds of an Elk then you truly suck and should take up a different hobby.
2. Giving a Elk a 500yd head start is a downright dumb idea. Elk don't just fall over because you used a cartridge that impresses forum-dwellers. Elk usually are going to run a ways (unless you CNS them or pop the heart). It's a tough job to start tracking in falling light after you finally hike over to where the Elk was. I've talked to too many nimrods who say stuff like "I found blood and hair but I'm sure he survived" - don't be one of them.

Sorry if this comes off heavy-handed, but I've had too many guys tell me their lost Elk sob stories and I know there seems to be a growing trend for sniper wannabes to get bragging rights for the longest shot. My Elk go in the freezer - every time, either by bow or 45-70.

[Logan9885]

If I was interested in 200 gr bullets and above I would go with something larger than a .30 cal. 180 gr is the highest I would ever need unless I went beefalo hunting. I got my info about the compressed loads and bullet weights up to 180gr from the nosler #5 book. As for the 500 yd elk shot......wouldnt try it any way. I live in Va. and would have to much money tied up in an elk hunt to risk loosing an elk and still having to tag it. I was just stating that I am comfortable with the 165 gr load up to that distance never said I would try a shot at a elk that far.....jugs i will.

[mrawesome22]

Dad kills elk with a 439 gr arrow at 265fps.

I imagine a bonded 165 at more than 3000fps would be more than edaquate.

[Nathan]

If you can hit from field positions at 500 yards, then I say go for it. You do need to be able to hit the flat part of a paper plate at unknown range near 500 yards from field positions though.

I too have seen wounded elk get away. Usually shot at relatively close 100-300 range by people who don't practice, sight in or spend any effort preparing for the shot.

So I don't see why a guy practicing at range, learning his rife, etc should be discouraged.

[huntinaz]

My question is are the 165 gr accubonds going to be enough for elk?

Absolutely, don't think twice about it. Post pics when you get one, eh?

I too have seen wounded elk get away. Usually shot at relatively close 100-300 range by people who don't practice, sight in or spend any effort preparing for the shot.

So I don't see why a guy practicing at range, learning his rife, etc should be discouraged.

That's my position on the subject as well

[Logan9885]

I figured they would be plenty but just like to get reasurance. I have a farm with an easy 500 yard shot and i shoot at least every other week 20 rounds or so during that week. I use bipods and shoot some off the side of fence post as you would if it was a tree just getting use to my rifle. The worst hunter is the unprepared!!

[AllenJ]

I guess I'll be the one to respectfully disagree

Elk are big, very tough creatures. Can you use a 165 Accu Bond to take one? Under the right circumstances I would think so. The problem is that while hunting to many times the circumstances are not right, something changes at the moment of the shot. The question should not be can you use it but rather if you do and something goes wrong, and you lose the animal, are you going to be wishing you would have gone with a better constructed or heavier bullet?

[Stick_man]

The 165gr Accubond is actually a very good choice for elk. In any of the .30 cal mags, it will perform admirably on elk out to probably 400 yards or more if you do your part and place it where it counts. In the non-magnums, it is good for at least 350 yds.

I actually prefer the Accubond over the Partition just because of the design. Another great performing "premium" bullet to consider would be the Barnes TSX or TTSX. All of these mentioned bullet types simply get the job done.

If you are comfortable shooting YOUR rifle with the 165gr Accubond (as you have indicated), by all means that should be your top choice. Keep your shots to a reasonable distance, get good shot placement, and you will experience great success. Most often, the hardest part of killing an elk is simply finding them in the first place.

[huntinaz]

Can you use a 165 Accu Bond to take one? Under the right circumstances I would think so

Uh... the 165gr Accubond out of a magnum cartridge is gonna bring a lot of pain. There's not gonna be many more "right" circumstances just by moving up in bullet weight.

Elk are certainly big and tough, but I've seen too many killed with 30-06s shooting 150gr cup and core bullets to give any doubt about the OP's load. My dad manages to find the right circumstances to kill elk every year with said load. Until I stepped up to 168gr TTSX in my 30-06 this last year, I did it every year too with 150gr cup and core bullets.

[MNDroptyne]

Everyone has their own opinion. Mine is there is no elk walking this country that is gonna get hit with (what I shoot) a 168 grain .308 to the neck or the head and keep walking at 300 yards or less. I shoot neck and head shots because I hate tracking and love quick humane kills.

[larzb93]

i just posted 5 shot group of 200 gr nosler accubonds i shot out of my 308. might want to give those a try