.30 150 Ballistic Silver Tip for Eland?

[Darkhorse]

Did anybody see the last episode of "Choose your Weapon"? One of the hosts was shooting a .300 WSM and his cartridge was Win. factory 150 grain Ballistic ST's at 3300 fps. I just had to see this as I consider that bullet as a deer and antelope bullet. Not one for the largest african antelope in the world. And pushing the design limits for speed also.
He ended up shooting a really good one from inside 100 yds. Looked to be about 40.
I would have thought the bullet would come apart from reading the internet :lol: but after a short chase he recovered the animal. Apparently a one shot kill as they didn't show or mention him shooting again.
I'm feeling better about this bullet all the time. I am testing loads for my 7mag with 150's and will follow with my .300 win with 165's.
So, what do you all think about this bullet for eland? Does your experience bear this out?

 

[FOTIS]

Wow, impressive!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I wouldve thought this a little on the light side too but very impressive performance.

I have shot elk with the 165 grain Ballistic Tip in my .30-06 before. The first one was at about 200 yds quartering towards me. A yearling cow I shot her on the point of the on-side shoulder and she dropped right there and was bled out before I got there. The bullet passed all the way through.

I shot a buck running away from me at about 75 yards through the right ham and it exited right behind the left shoulder dropping him right there.

Ballistic tips are good bullets, they are not as "tough" as accubonds or partitions but they are a good bullet for up to and including elk as long as an intelligent bullet weight is used.

Thanks for sharing this, I have a .300 WSM I have been dying to try out on elk.

 

[Guy Miner]

First: I've never hunted Africa. There, that's my disclaimer.

An eland can go 2,000 pounds easy from what I know.

They've certainly been brought down by 7mm-08's and .308's and similar cartridges, even with light-for-caliber bullets, but that's NOT what I'd choose if I was hunting the world's largest antelope. And I'm a huge fan & advocate of the Nosler Ballistic Tip for much hunting, even larger game than many would recommend.

On the other hand, I guess it adds credibility to my old favorite statement that shot placement trumps everything... :mrgreen:

Guy

 

[lefty315]

I have to agree with Guy's statement about shot placement but I would not use that bullet at that speed on something that large, regardless of that particular outcome. As we all know you can kill some big animals with a lesser cartridge if the bullets makes it to the vitals without being detoured. I'd be curious to see the outcome had he hit a really large bone.

The 165 out of an '06 would be pretty decent at that speed but 3300 with a 150 would tear the bullet apart pretty good I think.

I've always thought using a tougher bullet gives you a little more margin for error if the shots not perfect. I've also thought to use a bullet tough enough to withstand a point blank impact and not come apart is a pretty good theory.


On a lot of hunts (where a guide is used) blood drawn=animal harvested! even if the animal is never recovered. Give yourself as much of an advantage as you can.


But these are just my opinions. I'm glad it worked out for the hunter.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I don't know? For me it looks like a perfect setup for my 9.3-74R. A 250 grain AccuBond at 2500 or a 286 grain Partition at 2400 seem to be the combination that I would want. The 150 BT may have the velocity but what if you hit a shoulder bone? Eland are known for being tough animals to kill.

 

[russ808]

It may or may not have been a one shot kill. What I did find out about some shows... editing... this is from someone I know who does shows.
Russ

 

[JD338]

IMHO, that is not the right bullet to be using on a 2000 lb Eland.

JD338

 

[Rigbymauser]

Many things can be done when one wants to prove a point. Can an eland be shot and killed ethicly with a 150grain Silver BT .308"?. Sure, but if other heavier bullets were available it would be a little wiser I would say. A 200grain at moderat 2500 ft/sec which translate into .308Win territory. Many wilderbeast in SA are being shot with .223 and .22-250 on gamefarms for meat harvest.
Pesonally I would rather use a 500grain lead bullet shot from a .45-70 at blackpowder velocity(1200 ft/sec)...no one would never question if that thing could or not...or my .333Jeffery using a long 300grain softpoint bullet at moderat 2280 ft/sec.


BTW. Here is a load for the 300WSM using a 150grain bullet surpassing the 3300 ft/sec mark:
http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail.asp ... oadID=8804

Very impressiv..very effecient of such small case

 

[big rifle man]

agree with Guy. That's a great bullet for deer and similar size animals but shooting at something as large as an Eland is definitely taking a chance. That's like shooting an Elk with a .243. If everything is perfect it "usually" works. Getting in to the vitals is the key issue. I've seen occasions where things "didn't" work with larger calibers.

 

[DrMike]

Inuit kill polar bears with 22-250s. I've heard of natives killing grizzlies with 22 LRs. I prefer a bit more with the game is larger or when the game can put a hurt on me if things don't go precisely right. The issue is not can the bullet kill a large animal such as an eland; the issue is should that bullet be used. I'd opt for more.

 

[CZ]

Did anybody see the last episode of "Choose your Weapon"? One of the hosts was shooting a .300 WSM and his cartridge was Win. factory 150 grain Ballistic ST's at 3300 fps. I just had to see this as I consider that bullet as a deer and antelope bullet. Not one for the largest african antelope in the world. And pushing the design limits for speed also.
He ended up shooting a really good one from inside 100 yds. Looked to be about 40.
I would have thought the bullet would come apart from reading the internet :lol: but after a short chase he recovered the animal. Apparently a one shot kill as they didn't show or mention him shooting again.
I'm feeling better about this bullet all the time. I am testing loads for my 7mag with 150's and will follow with my .300 win with 165's.
So, what do you all think about this bullet for eland? Does your experience bear this out?

For sure there are better bullets suited for the task, Ive been loading 165,168, and 180 Barnes TSX tipped bullets for various of my clients, who used .300WSM and .300WM with great success in Africa, from small framed antelope to the biggest ones.
Would use Nosler Accubonds, E tips, Partitions, or any of the custom bullets on the market.
The cost of any any Premium bullet has no place when you invest on a trip to Africa.

 

[andrewctillman]

I am surprised the PH allowed this hunter to shoot an eland w such a light, fast bullet.

Some credit must go to the PH for getting his client as close as he did where fragmentation can destroy the heart or lungs.

Myles McCallum was my PH is 2005 and he liked American hunters. He said they typically showed up a .300 winchester and knew how to shoot.

 

[SJB358]

Those elands sure seem like a whole lot of animal for a 2000lb beast. I guess it comes down to shot placement. Ratio wise, someone mentioned shooting an elk with a 243 and that is probably about the same proportion as the 30 caliber 150 on the eland..

 

[Darkhorse]

Well, I wouldn't use it for eland or any other animal of such size and toughness. Bullets and jackets are designed for a certain class of animal and that's what I use.
I like light tackle fishing.
I dislike light tackle hunting. Sounds a lot like catch and release hunting.

 

[Guy Miner]

I like the fishing analogy.

 

[Partisan]

I expect you could kill an Eland with a 22 LR but it would not be my choice.
I am heading to Africa for the first time and will be taking a 338 WM for Kudu and Gemsbok. The larger bullets have a reputation for taking the bigger stuff more "Positively". In Africa; an animal hit, recovered or not, is a Trophy Fee filled.

The other thing to remember is that "Reality TV" shows aren't Reality. :wink:

 

[super-7]

I thought Eland were similar in size to our North American moose? Would not be my first choice of bullet , but would not hesitate to use it in a pinch. I would be very selective in my shot though with pretty much broadside being the only option. No quartering to or away shots.

 

[Divernhunter]

I have hunted Africa and would not use them. I will not say they cannot work. I will say you are MUCH better off using Swift A-Frames or Nosler Partition bullets.

Eland are big tuff animals.

 

[elkeater2]

Watched another episode of the same show today, hunting antelope in Wyo. The guy who did the shooting had a little piece of orange something-or-other attached to the back of his hunting type day pack. The Wyo regs say specifically that a blaze orange garment of some kind must be WORN. I think they were stretching things legally and ethically with that example as well. Not a good example for younger hunters, either way.