Bullet choice for a .308 Win. back-up elk rifle.

[FOTIS]

162 Absolute Hammer
150 TTSX

If you must use what you have on hand then 165 BT or AB. These fell to my 30-06 165 BT at 2900 fps

 

[DrMike]

That is a dandy deer, Jim.

Dan, I would imagine any of the bullets you listed will work quite well within the limits for which they are designed. I know that you are careful on your shots, and so the young man will receive some good tutoring, so I wouldn't imagine that he will attempt an outrageous shot. The 308 will work very well for the hunt, and any of those bullets will work. I don't know that there is an advantage to a bonded bullet over a cup-and-core at the velocities generated, so I'd be inclined to look at whatever the rifle handles best.

 

[TackDriver284]

I have never tried any bullets besides Ballistic Tips or the ELD-X /M in the .308 , as for a solid Premium bullet for elk in a back up .308, I would lean on the 165 AccuBond or Partition. Lighter than what you normally use in cup and core bullets, Barnes TTSX, E-Tec or any copper bullets will do as well. Good luck on your hunting endeavors.

 

[Bonz]

Let's think this through, for grins sake... Do not take the .308 or any back up rifle. That will guarantee one of you is gonna have to borrow the others rifle for a shot at an elk. With the .308 contingency, Murphy is going to leave you alone and you'll have to take your chances. Lol.

 

[michsteve]

Let's think this through, for grins sake... Do not take the .308 or any back up rifle. That will guarantee one of you is gonna have to borrow the others rifle for a shot at an elk. With the .308 contingency, Murphy is going to leave you alone and you'll have to take your chances. Lol.

When I went on a western Elk hunt I brought my .338WM and 9.3x62 as backup. Unfortunately it was in the 60s all week and no Elk in sight.

 

[BK]

I think the Ballistic Tip 165s would undoubtedly work fine. I'd feel happier with the AB, but I don't know if I would worry about it enough to work up a load and potentially screw up my zero of something that already works. Particularly in somebody else's gun.

 

[Alaska]

In the 308 Win big fan of 165gr weight of bullet.
I would suggest the 165gr AccuBond for Elk.

Big fan of Accubonds work up the same load with 165gr Ballistic Tip to zero 3” high at 100 yards then fine tune with your 165gr Accubonds.
45.5 of Varget or 45.0 of RL 15 in WW brass

 

[preacher]

My hunting buddy here in Utah has used the plain old 150 Corlokt ( factory or handloaded)for over 50 yrs in his BLR 308, from antelope to Bison, with wads of mule deer and elk in between, some really big ones too! ha
Way back in the 90s, when the Nosler Ballistic Tips were "soft", I loaded the 165 NBT in my Godson's Mod 70 Fwt .308 (less soft lead up front) on my first Axis Buck in Del Rio, Tx ( Lord it was hot! June!) 230 big steps. through and through, no big meat loss. I would think the newer Ballistic Tips are even better. Of course, "I feel" the 130-150 Monos are better (subjective of course) for those hard angling shots one can get on elk. Have a ball Pard!

 

[michsteve]

Another bullet is the Norma Tipstrike 170 grains. It's like a Ballistic Tip. It has a flat base and very accurate and nasty. I tried it last year out of my 30/06 and went 2 for 2 on Whitetail.

It works on Moose
https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com/blog/deer-test-norma-tip-strike-308-winchester Axis deer much smaller than an Elk

308 WINCHESTER | Reloading data for hand loading ammunition

www.norma-ammunition.com

With Norma 203B you can get up around 2700FPS. I got some going over 2900 FPS with RE17 out of my 30/06. Only issue is flat base bullets are not as great past 600 yards but 90% of all game kills tend to be under 200 yards so as a backup it would be fine. Norma 203B is almost Identical to RE15.

Norma has a sale code right now X2MDGNDP for 15% off.

Norma Reloading Brass for 308 170gr - Buy Online Today!

View our prices and deals on our 308 Caliber ammo. Free shipping on orders over $150.00. Shop with Norma Shooting online today!

normashooting.com

They were cheaper last year but with 15% not to bad and that's for 100 bullets. Free shipping at $150 so you could get 300 bullets for around $160 dollars. Cheaper than ballistic tips and you can never have enough bullet choices.

 

[PJGunner]

"Let's think this through, for grins sake... Do not take the .308 or any back up rifle. That will guarantee one of you is gonna have to borrow the others rifle for a shot at an elk. With the .308 contingency, Murphy is going to leave you alone and you'll have to take your chances. Lol."

That's all well and good until iy happens to you. When I went to New mexico to do a private land hunt out of Raton, I stopped at the NRA's Whittington Center to check my rifle's zero and do a bit of recreational shooting. Rifles were my custom Mausers, one a .35 Whelen and the other a 30-06.When checking the Whelen, the reticle on the scope dangled and swung back as forth aon the third shot. So much for my favorite elk rifle. Next up was the 30-06 and the scope didn't quit on me. Load was the 165 gr. AccuBond at almost 2900 FPS. The next day on the hunt I took a nice fat cow elk with one shot. You'll never convince me a backup rifle is not a good idea. I could have used the guide's rifle, a Remington M600 in .222 Rem. I don't think so.
Paul B.

 

[preacher]

I'm too far gone OCD to NOT take two rifles on a big hunt. If local ( within driving,) I have just taken one. Only other times I have just flown with one was when I knew the Outfitter's rifle in Texas was a good spare...since I always sold my rifles to him, ha, we even shot the same zero!
Same with my Pro Hunter friend in South Africa back when., or the spare 300WM I used in Namibia when my scope went sour on a 340Wby. It was a rifle I had set up/used in Utah and then gave to my friend who went with me, ha.

 

[Bonz]

"Let's think this through, for grins sake... Do not take the .308 or any back up rifle. That will guarantee one of you is gonna have to borrow the others rifle for a shot at an elk. With the .308 contingency, Murphy is going to leave you alone and you'll have to take your chances. Lol."

That's all well and good until iy happens to you. When I went to New mexico to do a private land hunt out of Raton, I stopped at the NRA's Whittington Center to check my rifle's zero and do a bit of recreational shooting. Rifles were my custom Mausers, one a .35 Whelen and the other a 30-06.When checking the Whelen, the reticle on the scope dangled and swung back as forth aon the third shot. So much for my favorite elk rifle. Next up was the 30-06 and the scope didn't quit on me. Load was the 165 gr. AccuBond at almost 2900 FPS. The next day on the hunt I took a nice fat cow elk with one shot. You'll never convince me a backup rifle is not a good idea. I could have used the guide's rifle, a Remington M600 in .222 Rem. I don't think so.
Paul B.

I thought it was simple to see my post was 100% humor and nothing to be taken seriously, unless you subscribe to Murphy's law . Just in case, I want to make that very apparent now if folks didn't or weren't able to read the room on that one.

 

[preacher]

I got it Bonz, I've actually seen as many superstitious guys hunting as those who watch/follow sports closely! You have a keen mind pard!

 

[Bonz]

162 Absolute Hammer
150 TTSX

If you must use what you have on hand then 165 BT or AB. These fell to my 30-06 165 BT at 2900 fps

Great picture! I am really interested how you got two elk underneath the meat pole and lifted right up. Obviously, didn't drag them back to camp... Lol.

 

[Alaska]

Great picture! I am really interested how you got two elk underneath the meat pole and lifted right up. Obviously, didn't drag them back to camp... Lol.

Winch or Horse with rope over pole then tie off.

 

[BK]

I'm too far gone OCD to NOT take two rifles on a big hunt. If local ( within driving,) I have just taken one. Only other times I have just flown with one was when I knew the Outfitter's rifle in Texas was a good spare...since I always sold my rifles to him, ha, we even shot the same zero!
Same with my Pro Hunter friend in South Africa back when., or the spare 300WM I used in Namibia when my scope went sour on a 340Wby. It was a rifle I had set up/used in Utah and then gave to my friend who went with me, ha.

Wait, you can get by with only two?

 

[Bonz]

Winch or Horse with rope over pole then tie off.

Most areas in Colorado (if that's where these were taken) ATVs are not permitted so thanks for sharing on the horse. Still wondering how they got back to camp in one piece. Must've shot them in the rut, the wheel ruts in the road.

 

[Alaska]

Those small portable winches come in handy too.
A lot use them here to get off sand bars with jet boats when hunting . Also come a long winch works good !

 

[PJGunner]

"I thought it was simple to see my post was 100% humor and nothing to be taken seriously, unless you subscribe to Murphy's law . Just in case, I want to make that very apparent now if folks didn't or weren't able to read the room on that one. "

I hear you on the humor. Guess I was a bit slow that day. On expensive hunts I've always taken a back up. You never know what the guide may or may not have. Sometime I'll even use the back up gun first, normally on the morning hunt the first day. Did that once with my .280 and got a shot at a cow about 300 yards out I plain flat out missed. Didn't see a thing the rest of the morning so in the afternoon I took out "Old Faithful", my .35 Whelen. That was the day I got my 350 yard cow elk with a scope that died. Saw the elk, took the shot a nd after the shot, no reticle in sight. Gone. AWOL! I held for the lungs and broke her neck at the base of the skull. Luckiest shot I ever made.
Paul B.

 

[clearwater]

180 grain at 2600 fps. Good penetration.