DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,415
- 6,278
I am an old-timer; I like heavy for calibre bullets. However, having done a bit of shooting, I've discovered that the monometal bullets are a game changer. Velocity becomes the hero in the scenario. As long as the shooter can keep the velocity up, the monolithic bullets do as good, or better, job of killing game. I'm shooting more E-Tips than TSXs at the moment, but either will work, and work very well. For young shooters, I'll do whatever is necessary to reduce their discomfort from the bench so that they aren't intimidated in the field. Consequently, I'm inclined to reduce the bullet weight to reduce felt recoil for the young shooter.
Elk are tough animals. I was raised to think that person needed at least a 338 WM slinging at least 250 grains of lead; otherwise, the bullets would bounce off. Everyone knew this; it was common knowledge. However, not all the younger shooters know this and a few older cranks are unaware. My grandson carries a 260; he is not undergunned. My little native buddy carries a 300 Savage in a Remington Classic. It works quite well. I've taught both of them to hold their shot until they are comfortable with the shot and confident that they can place it in the boiler.
While I like it when an animal drops at the shot, such seldom happens in the field. Part of hunting craft is observing the terrain, watching how the animal reacts and where that animal goes after being hit, and learning to track through what some imagine to be trackless. It is work, but the delight of the hunter to apply the skills he has honed.
When shooting cup and core bullets, I still tend heavy for calibre. When shooting the bonded core bullets, I'm comfortable dropping down a bit in weight. When shooting the monolithic bullets, the weight reduction can be quite pronounced and the shooter can still be confident of a clean kill. More pointedly to the OP, a 130 grain TSX or TTSX launched by the 300 Savage will assuredly drop an elk and do so quite cleanly if the bullet is placed in the vitals.
Elk are tough animals. I was raised to think that person needed at least a 338 WM slinging at least 250 grains of lead; otherwise, the bullets would bounce off. Everyone knew this; it was common knowledge. However, not all the younger shooters know this and a few older cranks are unaware. My grandson carries a 260; he is not undergunned. My little native buddy carries a 300 Savage in a Remington Classic. It works quite well. I've taught both of them to hold their shot until they are comfortable with the shot and confident that they can place it in the boiler.
While I like it when an animal drops at the shot, such seldom happens in the field. Part of hunting craft is observing the terrain, watching how the animal reacts and where that animal goes after being hit, and learning to track through what some imagine to be trackless. It is work, but the delight of the hunter to apply the skills he has honed.
When shooting cup and core bullets, I still tend heavy for calibre. When shooting the bonded core bullets, I'm comfortable dropping down a bit in weight. When shooting the monolithic bullets, the weight reduction can be quite pronounced and the shooter can still be confident of a clean kill. More pointedly to the OP, a 130 grain TSX or TTSX launched by the 300 Savage will assuredly drop an elk and do so quite cleanly if the bullet is placed in the vitals.
