Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: rebal69972 on November 01, 2010, 12:21:40 AM

Title: what grain is the best
Post by: rebal69972 on November 01, 2010, 12:21:40 AM: I'm back looking for advice. I'm taking my wife out for her first elk hunt, she is using a 30 06 and i wasn't sure what round would work best. she usually uses a 150 grain soft core honady. I'm not sure if this size of round will b big enough. should she up to a 180 grain or will 150 do the job for a quick clean kill? that you for your oppion.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: carpsniperg2 on November 01, 2010, 12:27:49 AM: lots of elk are taken each year with 150g bullets or less. the 150's will kill the elk just fine. bullet placement is always the key. i like the bigger 165's 180's but she should do just fine with the 150's :tup:
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: D-Rock425 on November 01, 2010, 04:46:33 AM: 150 should be just fine with proper shot placement
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: coachcw on November 01, 2010, 08:16:27 AM: .30 cal then 165's are your best bet , look for some in a x bullet fedral premiums have shot well for me.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: KimberRich on November 01, 2010, 08:21:40 AM: 150 is fine.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: C-Money on November 01, 2010, 08:30:07 AM: The 150 will be deadly! My little bull fell to a 150 grain Hornaday interlock, which is a soft point, from my 30-06. He only took a few step's after the shot.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: Hunterman on November 01, 2010, 08:35:34 AM: All of my elk have been killed with 150gr hand loads,,plus a few others that I know of..Put the bullet in the heart and he'll be in your frezzer..

Hunterman(Tony)
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: rebal69972 on November 01, 2010, 09:25:03 AM: thank you and good luck to all this season
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: bobcat on November 01, 2010, 09:38:30 AM: 150 grain is fine but I'm not sure the type of bullet you're using is the best. For the perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder it will work, but if shot placement and/or the angle isn't ideal, you'd be better off with a "premium" bullet. Something like a Nosler Partition or any of the bonded bullets would be great, even if they are in a lightweight 150 grain. If you do use the standard 150 grain bullets just be very careful about shot placement. (You probably don't want to try shooting through a shoulder)
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: wastickslinger on November 01, 2010, 09:43:02 AM: Quote from: bobcat on November 01, 2010, 09:38:30 AM
150 grain is fine but I'm not sure the type of bullet you're using is the best. For the perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder it will work, but if shot placement and/or the angle isn't ideal, you'd be better off with a "premium" bullet. Something like a Nosler Partition or any of the bonded bullets would be great, even if they are in a lightweight 150 grain. If you do use the standard 150 grain bullets just be very careful about shot placement. (You probably don't want to try shooting through a shoulder)

:yeah: I wold look into a premium bullet. You pay a little more but its worth the money to have your bullet stay together.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: jackelope on November 01, 2010, 09:44:32 AM: Quality of the bullet is a lot more important than the grain choice.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: bucklucky on November 01, 2010, 09:48:45 AM: My prefernce would be a 165 grain Hornady Interbond or Nosler Accubond for a 30-06, but thats just preferance. You will be ffine with that 150 though. Like stated before, as long as the bullet is placed where it needs to be (preferably broadside and right behind the shoulder ) your good to go. Just dont be flingin hell marrys out there at 500 yards.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: wapiti hunter2 on November 01, 2010, 09:53:54 AM: My 30-06 loves the 165 grains. It is all I have used since 1977. Currently the 165 grain solid copper Barnes.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: C-Money on November 01, 2010, 11:04:09 AM: Hell marrys! LMAO! :chuckle:
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: 724wd on November 01, 2010, 12:09:50 PM: shoot, i killed an elk with a 140 .270... and 150 Fusion 30/06. 150 is fine. and before you go shooting 165's, check them out in your gun... my 06 wont shoot them. :bash:
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: Curly on November 01, 2010, 12:20:23 PM: Kind of close to elk season to be switching bullets, but if you have the time to go sight in, I'd consider trying Federal Premium with Barnes bullets in 150 gr. Link (http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=891122)
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: charlesbearden1 on November 01, 2010, 10:07:40 PM: winchester has a 30.06 168gr. accubond with ballistic tips that are amazing. . . .they are a lil pricey but fly like a dream. . . .I will be using just some remington corelokt 180gr. my self to pack the punch
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: bobcat on November 02, 2010, 07:49:18 AM: Yeah, core-lokts come apart on impact so it is smart to use the heaviest weight available.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: KNOPHISH on November 02, 2010, 11:32:20 AM: Sure 150's will kill elk all day but the topic is Which is Best & my vote goes for 180's just for those less than perfect angled shots. We'll see tomorrow. ;)
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: Curly on November 02, 2010, 11:43:37 AM: Yep. I wouldn't use anything less than 180gr if using crappy bullets like Core-lokts in a 30-06. If you go with a Barnes bullet, then it is whatever shoots better groups...........the 150 Barnes or the 165gr Barnes; so my vote would be for 150gr Barnes if it will shoot decent groups.

180 in Barnes would not be the best because the velocity would be relatively slow out of a 30-06 because the copper bullet would be so long that it would take up too much room for powder in the case.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: Cootkiller on November 02, 2010, 01:28:29 PM: the most accurate I have found is the Barnes TSX in my 30-06 it clocks in just under 3000fps and will shoot less than quarter size groups as long as I don't touch the gun. For the 30-06 the Barnes TSX in 180gr is probably your best option though a lighter bullet will work, I have loaded the 30-06 180gr to around 2925fps and they shoot very tight groups with good downrange energy.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: bobcat on November 02, 2010, 01:42:07 PM: If I were to use an all copper bullet like the Barnes, which retains at least 90% of its weight, I sure wouldn't use a 180 grain. I'd want the 150 grain for the most speed possible and better expansion, and you'd still get more than enough penetration. You also get the added benefit of less recoil. To me that is one of the great advantages of using a Barnes bullet, is that you can drop substantially in bullet weight and still get more penetration than you would with a heavier bullet of a conventional design.

I do think a 180 grain Barnes would be great in a 300 Ultra Mag or equivalent. But even for 300 Win Mag and 300 WSM's I would not go any heavier than the 168. :twocents:
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: Curly on November 02, 2010, 02:35:23 PM: Quote from: Cootkiller on November 02, 2010, 01:28:29 PM
the most accurate I have found is the Barnes TSX in my 30-06 it clocks in just under 3000fps and will shoot less than quarter size groups as long as I don't touch the gun. For the 30-06 the Barnes TSX in 180gr is probably your best option though a lighter bullet will work, I have loaded the 30-06 180gr to around 2925fps and they shoot very tight groups with good downrange energy.

Your barrel must be a uniquely fast barrel to be getting that much velocity out of a 30-06 and 180 gr TSX. I would expect the vel to be closer to 2700.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: bobcat on November 02, 2010, 02:45:39 PM: Quote from: Curly on November 02, 2010, 02:35:23 PM
Quote from: Cootkiller on November 02, 2010, 01:28:29 PM
the most accurate I have found is the Barnes TSX in my 30-06 it clocks in just under 3000fps and will shoot less than quarter size groups as long as I don't touch the gun. For the 30-06 the Barnes TSX in 180gr is probably your best option though a lighter bullet will work, I have loaded the 30-06 180gr to around 2925fps and they shoot very tight groups with good downrange energy.

Your barrel must be a uniquely fast barrel to be getting that much velocity out of a 30-06 and 180 gr TSX. I would expect the vel to be closer to 2700.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. That's the kind of velocity you'd expect out of a 300 Win. Mag. not a 30-06.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: DoubleJ on November 02, 2010, 02:48:52 PM: Quote from: bobcat on November 01, 2010, 09:38:30 AM
150 grain is fine but I'm not sure the type of bullet you're using is the best. For the perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder it will work, but if shot placement and/or the angle isn't ideal, you'd be better off with a "premium" bullet. Something like a Nosler Partition or any of the bonded bullets would be great, even if they are in a lightweight 150 grain. If you do use the standard 150 grain bullets just be very careful about shot placement. (You probably don't want to try shooting through a shoulder)

Will the 165gn Nosler Accubond go through an elk shoulder if the shot is a bit forward??
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: Wyoming08 on November 03, 2010, 12:06:53 PM: I absolutely love the Federal Fusions in 150 Grain. :o Every animal that I have shot (7 of em) with them have went down really quick. :chuckle: They should be just fine if shot placement is correct... :hello:
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: codylane20 on November 03, 2010, 12:21:08 PM: Im going hunting a 308 win. Going with federal premium 168 gr TSX. Thinkin it will do the trick no problem. Although the 150's (cheaper brand/bullet) shoot alot tighter out of my rifle (DPMS LR-308) this is first time for elk and dont want to short change it. Its good to here that yall have had good success with the 150's on elk though. I really like them better at the range. Thanks for all the input.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: bobcat on November 03, 2010, 01:17:59 PM: I would use the 150's in a TSX over the 168 grain in a 308. Especially when you say they are more accurate in your rifle. With an all copper bullet you don't have the problem of them coming apart on impact. I would want the higher velocity of the 150, you will get more reliable expansion and slightly better trajectory. Pretty much NO downside to going with the lighter TSX in a 308.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: PNWsportsman on November 03, 2010, 06:24:55 PM: 165 grain federal premiums shoot the best out of my gun! It seems to like the hotter loads.
Title: Re: what grain is the best
Post by: DRDANTDC on November 03, 2010, 08:56:04 PM: Quote from: rebal69972 on November 01, 2010, 12:21:40 AM
I'm back looking for advice. I'm taking my wife out for her first elk hunt, she is using a 30 06 and i wasn't sure what round would work best. she usually uses a 150 grain soft core honady. I'm not sure if this size of round will b big enough. should she up to a 180 grain or will 150 do the job for a quick clean kill? that you for your oppion.
I think 165gr are perfect for the '06. The TROPHY BONDED BEAR CLAW shot great and was deadly.