would you consider a 140gr Winchester Supreme Ballistic SilverTip in 7mm rem mag a good round for elk? the ballistics charts i've seen tell me that this is a great bullet. what do you all think?
question for gun huntin elk hunters
- Thread starter trophyhill
- Start date
Montana
Veteran member
My vote is no. Partition or Triple Shock. Something that holds together a lot better. At 300 yards, if you hit the front shoulder you might not ever find that elk. But I guess that leads to even a better question, what are your hunting conditions? If you are in the timber, bugling in bulls and your shot distance is 100 yds or under and you can guarantee shot placement, then you might be ok. But in general, it seems a bit light and really the wrong type of bullet.
thanks Montana, i've used them on many a mulie out to and a little beyond 300 yards with great success and wanted some opinions for elk. i have a cow elk rifle hunt coming up in a few weeks. i've been told to be ready to shoot at longer distances. terrain will be foothills as elk have moved down in elevation due to snow. i guess the same would hold true for the Hornady SST bullets in your opinion?
ssliger
Very Active Member
I shoot the 160 grain accubond out of my 7mm wsm. Dropped a raghorn bull with one shot at 300 yards.
dhershberger
Active Member
The main thing about rifle hunting elk is shot placement. The bullet type or grain is less important than if you put one through the lungs! I think the 140 gr. winchester will do great as long as you put it through one of the vitals!
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
I would also look at the "harder" bullets like accubonds, x-bullets, and partitions. 140 grains in a hard bullet will work fine for elk, but 160 grains will penetrate further.
For those softer bullets like the ballistic tip you reference, it would actually hold together better and penetrate further at a lower impact velocity, so it might not penetrate at 100 yards and in, but would penetrate better at extended ranges like 300+ yards. Accubonds expand quickly, but also hold together well, so they are good for impact veloicities from way out there (1800 fps) to right in front of you (3100 fps+).
Barnes also expand quickly, and they hold together even better than accubonds. I have shot bulls with accubonds and x-bullets and both have worked as advertised.
For those softer bullets like the ballistic tip you reference, it would actually hold together better and penetrate further at a lower impact velocity, so it might not penetrate at 100 yards and in, but would penetrate better at extended ranges like 300+ yards. Accubonds expand quickly, but also hold together well, so they are good for impact veloicities from way out there (1800 fps) to right in front of you (3100 fps+).
Barnes also expand quickly, and they hold together even better than accubonds. I have shot bulls with accubonds and x-bullets and both have worked as advertised.
Shoulder bladed a deer with ballistics and it blew the hell ouf of it but never made it to the vitals. Since then accubonds have done well and all recovered bullets mushroomed nicely. When I used to supremes didnt have to touch the scope to go between ballistics and ABs. Did have to start reloading since shooting winchester supremes are way too expensive.
I use 160 accu bond 7mm wsm. I think 140 is to small for elk. I killed an elk at 420 yards with pass thru in the lungs hitting ribs. 200 yards with 140 or less I think will do the job but minimum IMO is 160.
140s should be fine but to reiterate what Bitterroot Bulls said, use high integrity bullets like Barnes, Accubond, Partition, etc. I've killed many bulls with .270 130 grain Core Lokts, just to give some perspective. So as long as you're putting those bullets in the right spot, you should be fine.
ideally i put that shot right in the center of the ">" located directly above the center of the front leg about 1/3 up.
T43
Active Member
Another vote for the 160 Accubonds. I also shoot a 7mm WSM, no problem knocking elk down at extended yardage.
MOHunter
Member
I think just about any bullet will work with good shot placement. The question is will it work with poor shot placement. Nobody wants to make a bad shot, but they're a fact of life. I would want something bigger than a ballistic tip type of bullet. Others are correct, the worst penetration will be at the shortest ranges. I shoot a 7 mag and use the 160g. Accubonds.
buckykm1
Member
For Elk you really want a good bonded bullet, there are a bunch of them to choose from. I use the Hornady SST 180 grain in my 300 win mag.
Kevin
Kevin
ok so i went out yesterday morning on a late season rifle cow elk hunt. after your input and a little research i decided to go with the WS Accubonds in 140 gr. after seeing the entry hole and finding the bullet under the off side hide i will tell you that i will not hesitate to use this bullet on any North American big game in the future if i decide to rifle hunt ever again. the bullet shows no signs of coming apart. she did not go far. the shot was approximately 300 yards. thanks for the feedback everyone.
sidenote: i haven't rifle hunted since '07. i started bow hunting in '08 and this rifle hunt made me realize that i am a bowhunter thru and thru.
sidenote: i haven't rifle hunted since '07. i started bow hunting in '08 and this rifle hunt made me realize that i am a bowhunter thru and thru.
brandenbowhunter
Member
Old Hunter
Banned
Another vote for the Accubond. It's a great bullet. It took a lot for me to switch from the Partition, but the AB did it. I use the 140gr in a .270. Plenty for elk with proper shot placement.
Back in the 50-60's I used to kill elk with a 30-30, so it doesn't take as much as you think if you hit them where it hurts.
btw..First post here. Hi guys.
Back in the 50-60's I used to kill elk with a 30-30, so it doesn't take as much as you think if you hit them where it hurts.
btw..First post here. Hi guys.
HuntWYODon
Very Active Member
I've been using Barnes Triple Shoks for years and for last couple yrs. the Tipped Triple Shoks since the came out. I've shot plenty of elk,deer and antelope with them and to me, they are deadly. They are the most accurate bullet out of my 300 Ultra Mag and 7mm Rem Mag. I'd tell you the size groups I get with 100.0 grs. of Hogdon's Retumo and 180 gr. Triple Shok of either variety ,but you would think I was fibbing. The Accubonds are the 2nd most accurate bullet with the same load. I've only shot one antelope with it though. I'm sure the Accubond as well as a lot of different bullets will kill elk just as dead but for smashing bone or going through both side of animal including elk, I guarantee no other bullet will do it better than a TSX or TTSX. And no, I don't work for Barnes.