Suggested Proven 7mm Rem Mag bullet recommend for elk.

[mnoland30]

I started using Barnes bullets because my butcher would put recovered bullets in a pan on the counter. Every Barnes looked just like the pictures IdahoLewis posted. I shot my first bull with the 140 gr. bullet, and the elk died within 35 yards, but the bullet did not exit. Poor shot placement ran the bullet through some gut before hitting the liver. I switched to 160 gr. bullets after that, and didn't recover the bullet on the second bull I shot. I've switched to 168 Bergers, and have shot two bulls with them. Those elk just went a few steps. I'm a big believer in a sectional density of around .280 for elk. You get .271 with 180 gr. in .308 cal. and .283 with 160 gr. in .284 cal.

 

[yoyodoc]

The last time I used Partitions the bull took 9 hits, 7 through the boiler room, none of which expanded. At 200 yards. I never had green box NOT expand. Partitions gave me great accuracy but lousy terminal performance. (30.06, 165 grain loaded to 2850 FPS)

It was my first guided elk hunt.

So, thanks, but no more partitions. Except maybe for .22 Hornet

 

[southdakbearfan]

The last time I used Partitions the bull took 9 hits, 7 through the boiler room, none of which expanded. At 200 yards. I never had green box NOT expand. Partitions gave me great accuracy but lousy terminal performance. (30.06, 165 grain loaded to 2850 FPS)

It was my first guided elk hunt.

So, thanks, but no more partitions. Except maybe for .22 Hornet

Thats just flat out weird.

I have never seen a recovered partition (estimate that between me and my father we have recovered at least 20) that still had the front half of the bullet attached. If anything I found the front half to be a tad too fragile, but the back half always held together to drive through. I shot them for many years in 257 ackley, 270 win, 30-06 and 300 win mag - deer, antelope, coyotes, elk all were harvested with them.

Could never get past my concerns with the lead tip damage and it’s affect on accuracy, so I switched to ballistic tips and accubonds.

Tried Barnes but had severe fouling issues in several rifles so I never went back.

The only similar experience I have had was an accubond on deer. The standard accubond in my 300 just whistles through deer with minimal expansion. On elk they work well for me. Ballistic tips in the 300 work well on deer.

Sierras I have had severe expansion using gamekings and pro-hunters on deer and antelope in 257 and 270 so I quit them.

Speers never gave me the accuracy I wanted and I have used Hornady varmint bullets but never big game bullets so I couldn’t comment on them.

 

[Widude]

Every bullet mentioned in this thread is more than adequate for elk. I’m more into the shot placement factor than relatively minor differences with bullets.

If the big bull runs off when you shoot it in the bum, don’t blame the bullet, the gun, or chosen cartridge.

I used a simple 165 grain gameking out of my 300WSM on this elk, one shot in the neck, close range.

 

[DANNY-L]

I've never been on an elk hunt but even with deer I think once my nosler supply is gone I'll be loading the TTSX for my 270wsm. I have yet to see anyone disappointed in them.