7mm (.280 Rem) Elk Bullets/Loads?

[Prerylyon]

If I had my druthers, I'd prob use a 300 cal bullet/cartridge combo for elk-based on the recommendations of plenty of folks; but the budget is too tight this year for a gun purchase ( have a bad crush on a 300 Weatherby Mag, Mk V ). Meanwhile, there is talk about a leftover cow license this fall, if we go that route, I'd need something to shoot.

For rifles, I have a 30-06 & .280. The 30-06 is a carbine/pump, so not the best accuracy option at longer ranges on a western hunt and is rigged up right now with open sights anyway. The .280 is a model 70 and is plenty accurate with its glass eye.

If I were to go elk hunting with the .280 what would be a good (7mm) bullet/bullet weight to use? 160 gr Partition (if the rifle likes it) a good option to start with?

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[JimP]

That would be a good bullet for it along with a 140 grain Barnes TTSX bullet or even the Nosler Accubond. I have a nephew that has killed quite a few cow elk with his 7mm-08 shooting 140 grain Barnes TTSX bullets at around 2900 fps. And the .280 Remington should do the same thing.

 

[mcseal2]

I know several guys in Wyoming who use the 280 with 140gr Accubonds with success on elk and muleys. I shot my best elk with the 140gr Accubond from a 270 win which is darn close to the same thing. The 160gr Accubond is another really good choice. The Barnes bullets are all good, the Nosler E tip, Hornady Interbond or GMX, and Swift Scirocco II. The 150gr Swift is a great all-around 7mm bullet if your rifle likes them, I have yet to find one of mine that does.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Accubonds and Barnes are very good elk bullets. My rule of thumb is to limit your range to where you still have 1500 foot lbs of energy for elk, around 1200 for deer and 100 or above for antelope.


Just kidding on the antelope, but not too far off

 

[theleo91386]

I use 140 grain Accubonds in my 280ai and they do great. My dad uses plain old 140 grain Interlocks in his standard 280 rem and they've never disappointed for the past 20 years or so. 140's and 150's are what we prefer for cartridges smaller than the 7mm rem mag, and with a decently constructed bullet, they work great with almost boring consistency.

 

[Work2hunt]

I shoot a 280 Remington and have harvested several elk with it. My farthest a 1 shot kill at 291 yds and the elk did not take one step. 140 gr Nolsler Partition with 57.5 grs of R19 powder works well for me.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Shoot a 280 a bunch. If your rifle likes 160 partitions, they will work well. For elk I have used Rem 150 gr corelokts, Fed Premium 150 Nosler Partition, and Barnes 145 LRX, all worked well. Used some early Fed Fusion 140's with mixed performance, so am wary of them for elk, but understand they are working well for others now. If you feel you need 160gr + loads for elk and don't hand load, check DoubleTap ammo. They have a 160 Nos AB and 175 Nos Part.

But a good hunting 140gr. bullet will take elk just fine. I have yet to use a bullet of more than 154 grains in my 280 on game. Mainly due to the velocity I can attain. A 150 grain pill in .284 has almost the same SD as a 180 in .308, .266 vs .271, so can be expected to penetrate nearly the same all else being equal. My 2 cents.

 

[troybackman]

I'm shooting a 168 gr vld at max listed charge out of my 280 REM at 1/2 moa using imr7828ssc. This is a criterion 1 in 9 twist barrel.

 

[Bonecollector]

What kind of speed you achieving with load?

I'm shooting a 168 gr vld at max listed charge out of my 280 REM at 1/2 moa using imr7828ssc. This is a criterion 1 in 9 twist barrel.

 

[Slugz]

Load shoot and don't look back......plenty of elk have been put in the freezer with that gun. Partitions, Accubonds or Barnes have worked well for us here. Watch for compressed loads at the max end of the chart. The Accubond tends to want to be close to the rifling but our loads for the Partitions and Barnes liked more of a jump.

 

[troybackman]

What kind of speed you achieving with load?

Right around 2800

 

[6mm Remington]

I shot nothing but 140 gr. Partitions in my .280 Remington for years and took numerous elk with it. The 140-160 gr. Partition, Accubond, or E-tip would all work very well. I sold my .280 and now I have a .280 AI and shot my elk last year with one shot at 450 yards with a 140 gr. Partition. It worked very well and she only went about 30 feet. I really like the Accubonds too and am going to play with it some more this spring but it will be one of the three I listed in 140 or 150 gr. weights most likely.

David

 

[Prerylyon]

Thanks for shared experience all. It helps to know others have sealed the deal on elk with the .280. Sometimes we can over think these things and make things harder than they need to be. Sounds like if I do my part, the .280 will be up to the task.

(I still want that 300 Weatherby Mag-someday-does it come with a shoulder replacement? lol )



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[troybackman]

If you are interested in any of these for trial I can mail you a half a dozen.

 

[SansSouci]

I've one-shot killed a huge bull with a 160 grain Partition fired from my 7MM Rem Mag that stopped its heart from sending oxygenated blood to its brain. At one time, Partitions were the gold standard elk bullet. Now there are many that'll work.

Elk are probably the toughest big game animal in North America to kill. But if you stop topside oxygenated blood flow, they'll die just like any other animal.

Cartridge is nowhere near as important as what bullets destroy. A .300 mega magnum won't kill elk any deader than a .308 Win provided bullets from either stop topside oxygenated blood flow. Put a bullet through oxygenating blood pumping equipment, and any animal will die. Biology is controlling. Sans oxygenated blood to the brain, nothing living remains in that condition.

Mr. Heinz Naef killed the new world record Yukon moose, the largest of the the three species of North American moose, with a .303 British: http://www.boone-crockett.org/news/featured_story.asp?area=news&ID=186

BTW, I'm going back to my .270 Win for everything in North America, even moose if I'm drawn. It's all about what bullets destroy. That old hunter's saying of a .243 Win in the boiler room is a whole lot better than an '06 to the guts is still true.

 

[Bonecollector]

Sans, I agree with everything that you stated with the exception of I believe a p*ssed Grizzly Bear is the toughest animal to kill.
Just say'in....

 

[sheephunter]

I have killed 3 elk (2 bulls & 1 cow) with my model 70 .280; I shoot 150 gr Nosler Partitions with 55.0gr of IMR 4831. I do not have a clue about what the muzzle velocity might be. 1 of the bulls I shot twice, just because it was still standing. None of them went more than 20 yards. As with almost all make/model/caliber/load questions, bullet placement is everything. None of the dead elk came forward with the opinion that my rifle/loads were not adequate.
Kinda like the age old question--Which is better-blonde, brunette, or redhead?

 

[SansSouci]

Hi Bonecollector,

Thanks, and I'm certain that you're right about a p*ssed off griz. I hope I never have to find out first hand.

Best of luck to you on all of your hunts this year.


Take care,

Sans

 

[Prerylyon]

If you are interested in any of these for trial I can mail you a half a dozen.

Troy,

Expect a PM & TY!

Btw, I killed a big muley at 270 yrds with that 140 Sierra HPBT, thing fell over like it was hit with Thor's hammer. Just read the usu stories of those Sierras being weak for bigger stuff, so I'm hesistant to use them on elk-again-maybe over thinking it.

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[Bonecollector]

Just ribbing you Sans.
Like you, I hope to never find out!

Hi Bonecollector,

Thanks, and I'm certain that you're right about a p*ssed off griz. I hope I never have to find out first hand.

Best of luck to you on all of your hunts this year.


Take care,

Sans