Elk hammer

[Old Buck]

My son and I had two 300 Win Mags built in 2007. We tried several bullets and the 200 grain Accubond shot the best. We settled on 73 grains of RL 22, which gave us a velocity of 2975fps.

From 2007 to 2012 we drew 5 late bull tags between us. One bull was only about 150 yards, but the other four were cross canyon shots between 435 and 720 yards. The Accubonds did a good job on all five bulls.

[STOMP442]

If you're going to shoot a magnum make it worth while and shoot the heaviest highest ballistic coefficient bullet possible and maximize the potential. Lance has already said it but the heavy Bergers are where it's at with the .300s. Since you made the comment about not having to touch the lands to make them shoot well I am going to assume you are not a Berger fan. The 215 Hybrids are much easier to tune and are absolutely devastating on game.

[lancetkenyon]

If you're going to shoot a magnum make it worth while and shoot the heaviest highest ballistic coefficient bullet possible and maximize the potential. Lance has already said it but the heavy Bergers are where it's at with the .300s. Since you made the comment about not having to touch the lands to make them shoot well I am going to assume you are not a Berger fan. The 215 Hybrids are much easier to tune and are absolutely devastating on game.

Depending on cartridge, I have Berger HVLDs and Hybrids (and SMKs too) shoot very well from .010" to .150" off the lands. No need to jam them. Unless that is what your gun likes.

[Chimichanga]

I agree with Stomp, those 215 Berger hybrids wallop anything in its path. In the 2 years shooting them through my 300 win mag all 11 animals have fell and were easy recoveries.

[DesertBull]

Is there really any difference between the 215 Berger and the 208 Amax. Other than the obvious 7 grains?

[STOMP442]

 

If you're going to shoot a magnum make it worth while and shoot the heaviest highest ballistic coefficient bullet possible and maximize the potential. Lance has already said it but the heavy Bergers are where it's at with the .300s. Since you made the comment about not having to touch the lands to make them shoot well I am going to assume you are not a Berger fan. The 215 Hybrids are much easier to tune and are absolutely devastating on game.

Depending on cartridge, I have Berger HVLDs and Hybrids (and SMKs too) shoot very well from .010" to .150" off the lands. No need to jam them. Unless that is what your gun likes.

 

Totally agree. I only have one rifle that prefers the Bergers jammed in the lands and thats the Wife's bench gun 6mmBR. Everyhtnig else seems to like .025" off the lands.

[GreyGhost85]

Is there really any difference between the 215 Berger and the 208 Amax. Other than the obvious 7 grains?

I shoot 285 amax's out of my .338 and can attest to their performance on elk. I'm sure you would get similar results with the 208's. This is a mushroom recovered out of a big 350"+ bull at nearly 700 yards angling slightly towards. Bullet entered behind the shoulder and was found in front of the opposite hip under the just under the skin

[STOMP442]

Is there really any difference between the 215 Berger and the 208 Amax. Other than the obvious 7 grains?

 

The Berger has a BC .058 higher than the Litz Measured .633 for the 208 Amax. Both great bullets.

[Mike S]

I was really impressed with the way a Barnes 6.5 127LRX hammered this bull. I'd expect the bigger calibers would work just as well within the appropriate impact velocity range....

[lancetkenyon]

 

Is there really any difference between the 215 Berger and the 208 Amax. Other than the obvious 7 grains?

I shoot 285 amax's out of my .338 and can attest to their performance on elk. I'm sure you would get similar results with the 208's. This is a mushroom recovered out of a big 350"+ bull at nearly 700 yards angling slightly towards. Bullet entered behind the shoulder and was found in front of the opposite hip under the just under the skinimage.jpeg

Like comparing an F350 to a Peterbuilt. (apples and oranges just didn't do it justice)

[208muley]

I once watched a 428" bull get shot by a .270 with 140 gr bullet. It died good enough that we cut him up put him in a truck and brought him to camp. Dead is dead and it doesn't take a Mack truck to do it...

[.270]

I've killed lots of, I mean truck loads, of elk with about anything there is. Lightest was a .30/30. Heaviest was a .375 h&h. And everthing in between. Never had even one of em ax what bc the bullet was. Being a hunter and marksman means more than anything else. That being said, if I decided I had to have a new elk gun, it'd be a savage in .338 lapua. Got to witness some really incredible results with one last year. Wouldn't even look at anything else. Lark

[trphyhntr]

is there much elk left when you hit them with that

[.270]

Yeah. The whole was layin' right there dead. Twice. Lark

[STOMP442]

I've killed lots of, I mean truck loads, of elk with about anything there is. Lightest was a .30/30. Heaviest was a .375 h&h. And everthing in between. Never had even one of em ax what bc the bullet was. Being a hunter and marksman means more than anything else. That being said, if I decided I had to have a new elk gun, it'd be a savage in .338 lapua. Got to witness some really incredible results with one last year. Wouldn't even look at anything else. Lark

 

Let me guess, not one of them killed at over 400 yards where a good BC even comes into play. I will be the first to say Elk can be killed with just about anything, I am not a proponent of magnum calibers at all but if there is chance that I might have an opportunity at a quality bull at extended ranges I would make sure I had the equipment and practice under my belt to make the shot and make it count. A better BC minimizes mistakes made by the shooter in wind estimation and helps ensure a hit. Take for example a hunter had an actual 13mph wind cross wind but only estimated a 10mph wind. A heavy for caliber high BC bullet may be off a couple inches from the point of aim and still result in a vital hit where as a light weight lower BC bullet may produce a less than ideal hit or complete miss in the same 3mph wind miscalculation.