Reloading 3 rifles for Elk loads..

[ReloadKy]

I have decided to wok on "potential" elk loads for 3 different rifles that I own. My question is what would you elk hunters recommend on obtaining velocities with the bullets / rifle calibers listed below:
I know the more velocity the better but I am trying to learn a lot here and want to leave no stone unturned. These velocities are for normal hunting distances under 400 yd. I believe I have a pretty good baseline knowledge of the ballistics of the rifles / loads but want to get some more input from experienced folks.
7mm-08 with 140 gr Barnes TTSX or 140gr Accubonds
308 with 150gr Barnes TTSX or 150gr Accubonds
30-06 with 165 gr Barnes TTSX or 165gr Accubonds

 

[6mm Remington]

In two 30-06 rifles I have owned, a Remington 700 and a Ruger 1B, both have really liked IMR4350. The Accubonds were not out yet when I owned the Remington 700, but the Ruger really likes both the 165 gr. Partition and the 165 gr. AccuBond. Seems like 56-58 grs. of IMR4350 is kind of a sweet spot. I also think that H4350 would be an excellent powder to try.
Here is my load but of course work up to it as you normally would. This exact load worked perfectly for both bullets also. I never had to change a thing.
30-06
57.4 grs. of IMR4350
Federal 210 primers

 

[TackDriver284]

I would go with Accubonds, they give sufficient expansion at short and long range with slow to medium velocities. The Barnes TTSX would need to be at a fast pace to expand to its potential at longer distance. TTSX will do the job well at short distances with slow / medium velocities. Both will do the job though. It's the " what if " the elk are at a longer distance.

 

[Blkram]

I will always pick an AccuBond over a Barnes (as I do not have to restrict my choices to lead-free bullets), as they are easier to find good loads for, whereas the Barnes are finicky; if your rifle likes them, it will love them. If not, you'll likely not find a decent load with them in that rifle.

Personally, I like either a little more bullet weight, or velocity for elk loads.
While a 7mm-08 with 140 gr ABs will certainly kill an elk, it better be an unwary animal feeding peacefully, broadside, within range where that bullet is still retaining a minimum of 1500 ft lbs at the animal. And you better not hit that onside shoulder bone where it is thick and heavy, as the bullet will not make it through to the vitals, and you'll have a wounded elk to try to finish off. (As this quite a different animal to shoot than the bugling bull, full of adrenaline that isn't broadside.)
(I made this mistake on a cow elk at 370 yards with the 6.5x55 and 140 gr Partitions many years ago. I got her, but it took a bt to get closer, a couple of follow up shots to do it, and she suffered needlessly until I got closer and finished her. Hope others can learn from that mistake)

In the 30 cals, due to the lower velocity of the 308, I would prefer the 180 AB, and limit shots to closer distances, and it will do just fine.
The 30-06 has an edge here, but I still like the 180 gr AB better for its extra weight and SD for better penetration. If these loads are specific to elk, opt for the 30-06 and 180 gr AB, and leave the elk work for this one rifle. If they are for the rare opportunity for elk that may come up and the rifles are primarily for other species, than restrict your shots to those where your likelihood of success is in your favour.

Another option is try the Federal Terminal Ascent ammunition in your 308 and 30-06. It comes with a 175 gr bullet that is designed to perform under higher, and lower impact velocities than other bullets, and may be just the ticket you are looking for. Components are available, but not yet as common in all areas.
I have good results to date in a couple of rifles, and on-game performance as been very good, with one-shot kills on several animals (red stag, fallow buck, arapawa rams and caribou) at distances ranging from 43 to 296 yards. (The latter, a red stag in the roar. While not as large or tenacious as a bull elk in the rut, a larger animal than the average deer, that weighed approx 450 lbs on the hoof. And the 6.5 CM ammo still retained approx 1650 ft lbs of energy, and completely passed through the stag on the quartering away double-lung hit. He took a few steps and fell just before I was about to pull the trigger for a follow up shot.)

As stated above, it is not what your cartridge/bullet combination will do under perfect circumstances, but what it can do when everything does not go as planned. Chasing wounded elk is no fun, as they can go miles even when severely wounded!
Worse yet, is losing that animal because you didn't account for less than perfect scenarios, and take a shot that probably should never have been taken in the first place. This is not a lesson you want to learn first hand!

 

[salmonchaser]

Been loading 180 partitions for elk since about 1967 in the 06. I killed upwards of 20 with that combination, most well inside 400 yards. H4350 or Rl 22 worked just fine. I then switched to a variety of cartridges having settled on a fast 33 for elk.
My brother is still hunting with an 06. I load for him and the last, well since the AccuBond came out, he's been shooting Accubonds.
He's been shooting 61.5 gr. Rl 22 to great affect.
I know a number of guys who use 165s out of the 06; it'll work.
I load 140 Accubonds in my 275 Rigby (7x57). For deer and elk. I'm getting 2950 out of a Ruger #1 using Rl 17; but it's an awful hot load. Grand daughter uses it for elk.
I carried a 308 as a duty rifle but never hunted four legged critters with one. Seems at its best with 165 s.
With your criteria and rifle battery I would pick the 06/180/2850 + velocity @ 1moa.
After that get off the bench and shoot. If at any time you are faced with the decision, go shoot or go for a run, go work out.
Pushing 60 years of elk hunting and most of the tags I've seen go unfilled were due to poor condition not poor shooting.

 

[RL338]

Barnes need speed to work. Out to 400yds in the calibers you listed the AccuBond will serve to better.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

I can personally vouch that the .30-06 with 165 grain AccuBond is a great elk load!!

 

[jjs405]

I would have to pull my load data for the exact powder weight, but I hunted with my 30-06 on elk for decades using Nosler's Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertip's in 180gr with around 54.gr's of 760 which in my rifle gave me great accuracy & chrono'd in at about 2700 fps.

Personally I did not like partitions because too many were having core separation and I settled on regular silvertips but switched to Nosler's Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertip & never looked back.

When the 30 Nosler came out I switched to that set up & after a few years of confidence building it's now my go to rifle.

 

[TexasLife]

I have decided to wok on "potential" elk loads for 3 different rifles that I own. My question is what would you elk hunters recommend on obtaining velocities with the bullets / rifle calibers listed below:
I know the more velocity the better but I am trying to learn a lot here and want to leave no stone unturned. These velocities are for normal hunting distances under 400 yd. I believe I have a pretty good baseline knowledge of the ballistics of the rifles / loads but want to get some more input from experienced folks.
7mm-08 with 140 gr Barnes TTSX or 140gr Accubonds
308 with 150gr Barnes TTSX or 150gr Accubonds
30-06 with 165 gr Barnes TTSX or 165gr Accubonds

140ab in 7-08 is what a friend of mine used to kill his elk (not sure how many). i'm sure it was inside 400 yards.

 

[300WSM]

I will always pick an AccuBond over a Barnes (as I do not have to restrict my choices to lead-free bullets), as they are easier to find good loads for, whereas the Barnes are finicky; if your rifle likes them, it will love them. If not, you'll likely not find a decent load with them in that rifle.

This statement was dead on two-three decades ago.

Barnes are as good as any other top bullet out there.
Any rifle can like bullet A over bullet B and that's just how that is but to say Barnes will have you smiling or chasing your tail more than other bullets is not being fair.

At one time...yes. Same with their hardness.

 

[diverdown]

A lot of good information for Elk Loads. My only thought would be when you're out over three hundred yards you are stretching it for the 7MM-08. A good friend of mine shot a nice Bull Elk at 346 yards using a Partition and the performance wasn't what he expected. The Elk was hit in a good spot but lacked sufficient penetration. We had quite a lot of tracking work prior to successfully taking the elk.

 

[HeathSexton]

I carried 140 Accubonds in my 708 on my elk hunt. 48grs of h4350 in ww brass and cci200’s.


Mine was under MOA out to 600yds.