180gr CT Ballistic Silvertip for Elk?

My dad has been shooting the 180gr CT Ballistic Silvertip out of his 300 Winchester Magnum since they came out in the factory Winchester Supreme. He loves them (at least for Mule Deer). I am curious to know this load is adiquate for elk.

He wants me to work up a custom load with them, and I am also curious if there is a certain FPS I should stay under. I have read that the regular Ballistic Tip has a tendency to become less stable over 3100fps in smaller calibers like the .270 Win. Do I have to worry about those same concerns with the Silver Tip in the 300 Win Mag?

Any imput for NOSLER is appreciated as well. Thanks,
8)

The CT Ballistic Silver Tip is a Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet. Impact velocity needs to be under 3000 fps. Elk are big and tough animals that require a bullet that will smash heavy bones and penetrate from any angle. I would suggest you look at either the 180 gr or 200 gr Accubonds or the 180 gr or 200 gr Partitions for the 300 Win Mag.

JD338

I (as usual) agree with JD 338. That said I have a buddy here that has killed many elk with a Ruger #1 in 300 WIN MAG and the factory 180 BST. Usually one hole in , massive destruction, and under the hide---jacket or jacket-core next to each other.
Me? I rather AccuBond or Partition an elk!

If the range is under about 150 or 200, you should place the bullet pretty good. Try not to hit any shoulder bone. At longer ranges where the bullet has slowed down, you can shoulder shoot them and anchor them on the spot. Quite a few in our camp use the standard 180g btip and have killed several elk from 150 yards to 750 yards. Elk did not go far when hit with those 180g btips. They were all shooting 300 WM's and a velocity of 3100fps, I know because I handloaded them for all the guys and got there leupold scopes set up with clicks. I would not hesitate to use them on any bull, but if your mor wanting sheer penetration, you might look at the AccuBond. Not saying the btip wont get the job done though, we have killed quite a few elk with them and none lived to tell a story.

There are a lot of people that want to bash the BT because it is not "strongly constructed". I have seen way to many Elk taken by Core-Lockts, silvertips, and gamekings to think that these are not stout enough. Shot placement is everything. I would stay away from chest shots and shoulder pinning shots.

moreloader":222pq5nb said:

There are a lot of people that want to bash the BT because it is not "strongly constructed". I have seen way to many Elk taken by Core-Lockts, silvertips, and gamekings to think that these are not stout enough. Shot placement is everything. I would stay away from chest shots and shoulder pinning shots.

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I concur but just in case you hit the shoulder or have a hard quarting shot,
I would use the AccuBond or the Partitions, 180 gr or 200 gr bullets. :wink:

JD338

I have a couple of boxes laying around in 300 Win mag 180 grain BST. Winchester rates them for elk and other large game.Myself i would be more comfortable loading the AccuBond or Partitions.

7 STW":2chrufol said:

I have a couple of boxes laying around in 300 Win mag 180 grain BST. Winchester rates them for elk and other large game.Myself i would be more comfortable loading the AccuBond or Partitions.

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Yup!
Like i said if you use them for elk ...pick your shots very carefully.

I too know of people using the NBT on elk, however I personally feel they are walking a tight line. IMHO their is no need to chance it when other better suited bullets are available to the hunter. If he likes the BT, then an obvious progression to the AB would be a great place to start. My experience is easily as accurate and works very similar but being bonded has insurance for those cases where the shoulder area gets crowded or higher MV shots. It has worked favorable for me with deer, elk and moose, much like the PT. I branched out last year but didn't get the result I have come to expect from Nosler on the deer so I will be back to running either the AB or PT for 06'.

I have had excellent results with IMR7828 and 180/200AB for a few 300 wm I load for.

I have killed a 390 pound hog charging me and hit him at 30 yards with a 180gr Ballistic tip from my 30/06 in the front left shoulder and the bullet exited out the back ham on the right side and he dropped where I shot him. Also, shot a quartering shot on a 250 pound hog and hit the last rib on the right side as it was running away from me and the ballistic tip passed out the upper left shoulder and he hit the ground and never moved. I have dropped now 38 deer in a row, in their tracks, using the 165gr Ballistic tip and the closet shot was 60yds and the furthest was 230yds. Also took a black bear in Arizona with 180gr Ballistic tip at 90 yds and shot up at him from the bottom of a canyon as he stood on a ridge and the Ballistic tip entered the lower chest on the left side of the bear and exited out of the upper shoulder on his right side. When the ballistic tip hit the bear he leaped up in the air and fell to the ground dead and rolled down the grade never moving. When we opened up his chest the lungs and heart were gone, they were blown out the exit wound and it looked like some one had taken a towel and wiped out the inside of his chest. Shot placement and a great killing bullet like the ballistic tip will do the job. Now on magnums I would use the LRAB or AB due to velocities, but with the 30/06 velocities a ballistic tip is a killer.

After seeing the destruction of the 180 BT from a 300 Wby I’d not worry about killing elk a bit with it. If I’d use an AccuBond the BT isn’t going to be any less of a performer. They are thick jacketed and usually very accurate.

Been loading 300 Weatherby for a great friend for over 10 years now. He gets an honest 3200 from them and accuracy is very very good. It’ll hammer elk. If they shoot I wouldn’t worry a bit about them.

If the AccuBond gives you piece of mind then use them but since they shoot so well I’m thinking he has high confidence in them and that counts for more than a little.

In my M48 30 Nosler I drive a 210gr LRAB at 3002fps using IMR7828 SSC and the LRAB is perfect for the 30 Nosler at this velocity and it is a killer. Not sure I would ever use a Ballistic tip in the this rifle but in my 30/06 the ballistic tip is one of my go to bullets.

I read somewhere that Nosler purposely beefs up the 30 cal 180 gr BTip because they know people will use it on elk.

Yes

I was in Elk Camp a few years ago with a guy from Maryland. He killed a 5 x 5 Bull using 300 win Mag. with 165 Nosler BT. 300 yd shot through the lungs DRT. He said you can't argue with dead!
It would not be my choice for Bull Elk but then I killed my first 5 x 5 Bull, same distance, with a 7 Rem Mag using 154 Hornady Interlock with same results. :shock:

Both situations didn't encounter heavy bone, but got the job done non the less. I can't imagine the 180 CT not working for Elk. The 180 BT/CT is more stout than the 165 BT I hear. My experience using the 180 BT in my 30-06 has been very good so far shooting Whitetail Deer.. :wink:

Don

I'm with all the folks in the 180 gr. AccuBond or Partition camp. They just work and you never have to worry that they will not perform as expected. Just very good bullets. Nothing wrong with the 165 gr. E-tip in the 300 Winchester either. It would get pretty good velocities and shoot flat but still hit hard as it holds together so well. Might be worth trying some of them in the 300.

My son shot his first elk which was a nice big cow at 350 yards. One shot behind her right shoulder and it exited the off-side center of the left shoulder. She made it about 20 yards and tipped over. Excellent penetration and expansion by looking at the damage. This was with a 90 gr. E-tip in my sons 6mm Remington at about 3150 fps if I remember correctly.

The Ballistic Tips today are very tough bullets.I think they make a little bigger wound channel than the AccuBond and I've never recover one,always complete pass through.From what I can tell,they have the same construction as the AccuBond of the same caliber and weight,just not bonded.I think the 180gr will work quite well for elk,but I would rather shoot the 180gr AccuBond simply because elk are big heavy boned animals.If you hit a lot of bone,the AccuBond will stay together and give you better penetration.

iamanoak,

I would adhere to JD338's recommendation to keep impact velocity around or below 3000 fps. Personally I use Nosler Partitions and Accubonds for most of my big game hunting and I keep velocities between 2700 and 2900 fps (30-06 speed range).

I have seen Rocky Mountain Elk killed by 165 grain SST's and I have seen SST's and other cup n core bullets not punch though to the vitals on smaller game. Shot placement and not pushing the bullet too fast can make any bullet a humane option, violate either and you will allways have problems.

Keep in mind that jacketed bullets were pretty new 100 years ago and the 30-06 had a tarnished reputation of not putting down game humanly as the bullets were perceived as being to fast and not depositing their energy or exploding. Magnums and bullets going at ever higher fps brought about the premium bullet push.

The ballistic silvertips can work, especially on smaller Elk like: the Tule species you have in California or cows and smaller bulls with the bigger species. I would not expect problems if shots are taken deliberately (comfortable coming home without taking a marginal quartering away or shoulder shot) and the velocity isn't pushed.

Only second-hand experience with the 165 BT on African game from a 300 wsm. Shots were somewhat longer and you could see them if they went a bit - which they didn't. Exits on zebra and bigger antilopes with good results. He wanted more damage, that's why I chose the BT, not the AB.
Having said that, I would still take the AB...
NP

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