ISO bullet weight recommendations for Elk

I finally got drawn for an Arizona elk tag this fall. I currently use a 3006 and normally use 150 grain PSPs for deer. Been hunting for more than 50 years, so I’m not a newbie. I’m a decent shot out to 300 yards. Would 150 grains be sufficient to kill an elk or should I go up to 180 grain? At my age and health concerns, this is a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. I’ve only lost 1 deer in my life due to a poor shot. I do not want to screw this one up. Any help is appreciated thanks

I’d do at least 165 grains, but a 180 would be better.

What Tom said. Did my first Elk hunt last year and bought a .30-06 for it. 150 is plenty with proper shot placement, but 165/180 is preferred among most Elk hunters. I ended up choosing a 180 grain myself. Goodluck on your hunt and have fun with the research that will go into it! Google earth and Onx maps outta be your best friends!

With how many elk that have been whacked with 130 gr bullets out of 270’s, my opinion is that if you are comfortable shooting your gun/bullet combo, then go for it. If you wouldn’t have got it with a 150gr, it’s doubtful that a 180gr would have dropped it…..

More important than the difference in grain is type of bullet. Only bullet the guys I hunt with and myself use is the Barnes TSX. Soft points are high expansion and don’t carry the energy through like controlled expansion bullets.

Rare to recover Bullets as they pass through with such devastation. But here is a bullet that passed through the neck, re-entered along the back and went into the hip. Best part was NO Lead fragments anywhere in the meat

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Agreed on the copper bullets. I would stick with 150 or maybe 165.

Are you a reloader George? If not, do you know one that loads your caliber? The solid copper bullets really are coming into their own right now and offer superb long range accuracy but the big factor with elk is retained energy and since there’s minimal loss of bullet weight with the coppers there’ll be minimal energy loss. Plus its an environmental thing with copper bullets. If at all possible I’d study up on the different copper bullets offered in 30 cal, chose one in the 160+ grain range and do some shooting with several different bullets to determine the best accuracy between the 100 and 300 yard pins.

The Barnes bullets Randy mentions are dandies. Personally I shoot all Barnes copper bullets in my muzzleloaders and can speak first hand at how well they perform.

Whatever your rifle shoots the best in more important than the bullet weight. My father passed his ‘good rifle” a Browning he loved. I wanted to carry it on a moose hunt and thought I should use 180g bullet for moose. That was too heavy for the twist that rifle was built with. Using the logic that copper bullets retain all their weight thus energy I ended up with a Barnes 150g bullet shooting best. I dropped a moose in its tracks at 200 yards, and retired dads “good rifle”.
Confidence in your rifle and load is most important.

150 is not recommended. For elk 165ish can work if you have the ++fps, otherwise 180ish is probably your best bet. The difference is always the energy carried down range.

Go light (150, 165) if you are going to go monolithic (Barnes) as their expansion is primarily dependent on projectile speed, and keep in mind that these will be retaining a MUCH higher percentage of their weight (95%-99%) of their weight vs. most lead-core bullets (say…75% weight retention). If you are set on running a bullet with a lead core I would highly recommend one of the higher end bonded bullets (Nosler Accubond, Swift Scirroco) as they will expand more reliably at longer ranges (400 yards plus) and still retain most of their weight. However, if you don’t plan on shooting anything over 350-ish, then I would give the Barnes a very long look.

I’ve currently got some Barnes TTSX’s and Nosler Accubond handloads for my 270 waiting for a day I can get to the range and gather some data.

find the best grouping 160-180 grain controlled expansion bonded bullet that your gun likes and practice out to 400 shooting off your pack or sticks. Good luck on the hunt!

Timmy wrote:

If you wouldn’t have got it with a 150gr, it’s doubtful that a 180gr would have dropped it…..

Totally agree. Accuracy, bullet construction, and speed are what kill.

I always say let the rifle decide. You can certainly narrow down to some bullets to try, but at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how well they work in your rifle and what you are confident shooting.

Get some test ammo and start shooting. Usually, the decision makes itself because the preference of the rifle becomes clear.

Grouse

You are comfortable out to 300 now. What range are you planning to practice and be comfortable out too? Energy at distance is also a big factor. Some bullets loose energy alot faster then others.

I agree with everyone above on the copper bullets. I have not had a chance to kill to many animals with them yet but 100% agree that is an excellent choice.

I use Berger VLD’s and some accubonds. I watched my buddy drop a large mule deer buck at 524 with a 308 168gr VLD and dropped it in its tracks with the bullet going out the opposite shoulder. (3006 you will have some more energy and velocity as well.)

The last elk my grandpa shot was with a 30-06 and 165 gr accubond at just a touch over 500 yards and did its job.

Congrats on the Arizona tag as well!

I shoot 200gr out of my .338 WM, deer and elk!

Add another vote for Barnes. Shot elk, pronghorn, and lots of whitetail with 168gr TTSX from a Tikka T3 lite In -06. Recovered one from a whitetail and it weighed 167gr.

I’ve found blood trail takes a while to get going sometimes but they don’t go far with a good shot anyway. Devastating wound channels.