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southdakbearfan

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After 19 years of rejection I finally drew a south dakota black hills any elk tag for this fall. I have hunted in the past with others that have had tags and drew a couple leftover cow tags over the years but this will be my first bull hunt of my own. I have been the muscle and assistant on 4 others the last 10 years.

My muzzleloader may take a bit more of a break this summer to fine tune my 300 win mag. Bullets are scarce here but I have 30 180 gr accubonds loaded (those have harvested 3 elk for my family members in 3 shots total) and I have 75 180 grain speer grand slams and 100 - 200 grain speer hot cors on the reloading bench if the need arises. Plenty of powder and primers so I should be set. I have my 270 sighted in with 150 grain partitions and 40 loaded for a backup in case something would happen with the other gun during the hunt.

I have been a nosler fan my entire reloading/hunting life (30) years so I guess besides being stoked for the hunt anyone have any experience with the grand slams or heavier hot cors on elk sized game. I know the grand slams should be fine but the BC sucks on them, which really doesn't make a lot of difference out to 300-350 yards. The hot cors should be heavy enough and going slower so I think they would hold together as well.

Chrono'd I am running just at 3000 fps with 180 accubonds and no pressure signs out of a M70 with a VXIII on it and can do sub 1" groups at 100 yds.

I will probably hold the accubonds, work up a load with the grand slams and see how much of a sight in difference there is and how they shoot, then decide what to do.
 
Congrats on finally getting picked. I put in for the Maine moose hunt for 15 years. Never drew a tag and gave up. I guess persistence paid off for you. Hope you knock one down.
 
Congrats! Hope to see some pics after the season. Can’t speak for the other bullets but I have had great success with accuracy and performance with 180 accubonds out of my 300 wm, including the bull in my avatar.
 
Congratulations on the draw! One day I will get out for an elk. As for Nosler, look at the Accubond LR. They have the higher BC and still retain their weight well. If you can find them, Barnes LRX are great too for longer range and high BC.
 
Congratulations! I am 10 years on a few tags but 19 years is persistence. Good luck and I hope you you have a great hunt.
 
That's like putting in for antelope in NM. I was drawn in 1990, and never since. When I mentor young hunters, I tell them persistence is the key. I've shot more game on the afternoon of the last day than on opening day. Good luck on your hunt. Since you've tagged along 4 times, you should be golden.
 
I've use 180gr Grand Slams on European Wild Boar out of a 30-06, no problems, they should do the job. But like you, I'm also a big Nosler fan, and out of my 300WM also use the 180 Accubonds. If you want a serious bullet, 180 or 200gr Swift A Frames will stay together and not separate. I used them for many years also in an '06 out of a Drilling for Ansitz night hunting. Good luck and Waidmannsheil in SD!
 
Years ago I was camping in a tent 50 miles west of Loveland Co. My hunting buddy and I awoke to multiple elk bugling around us. Kids in a candy store I understand. The next day I killed a very nice 6 x 6. Its your time. Get out early, be patient, shoot true.
 
Success, I could smell him before I saw him as I had about a 5 mph wind in my favor. He bugled 3 times and I tweeted on the cow call and he came dead for me. Rested on a huge granite Boulder, ranged him and waited for him to turn as he was facing me. It was a stair down as he saw me but couldn’t make out what I was. He stepped into an opening at 325 yds, one shot and both front shoulders were gone. Accubond passed through breaking both.
 

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