hey guys, looking for any advice/personal experience hunting elk with a .308. its a long time before hunting season starts but id like to have all my data ready to go months before. I currently have some federal trophy bonded tip in 165 and barnes vor tx in 150. ive been looking at getting some federal nosler partitions in 180 aswell. ive been reading more and more about hornady due to a co worker and like what i hear but ive never picked a box up. any help would be greatly appreciated. i wanna shoot to kill with confidence.
BEST .308 factory load for elk
- Thread starter candham12
- Start date
- Location
- Rocky mountains
Hornady superperformance interbonds are my go to 308 factory ammo. The gmx doesnt leave a blood trail. Anything nosler is good by me as well.
If you don't know what load of those 3 your gun shoots best I say you need to try all 3. The most accurate one of the bunch should serve you well for tipping over elk.
The hornady loads would get the job done as well, but if you already have Trophy Bonded tips and TTSX's I would stick with those if they shot well.
The hornady loads would get the job done as well, but if you already have Trophy Bonded tips and TTSX's I would stick with those if they shot well.
You don't need to spend a fortune on premium ammo with the 308 Win. The standard Remington 180gr PSP CoreLokt and Hornady 180gr Interlock SP or BTSP will do the job everytime! Even the RN versions of the both those bullets will do the job out past 350yds!
factory stuff, im not set up for handloads yet.
last season i was using the winchester ballistic silvertips (nosler accubond) and both times they fragmented. i woudve swapped them out after the first one but i was quite close so i figured the bullet wasnt designed to hit at that high velocity however on the second the shot was 200 yrds and got the same result. i will say they both dropped, but the second was wounded for 4 hrs before he gave up. i can imagine an elk might walk that off for miles. Too bad cause my gun really liked them.
NOTE to poster.....the Ballistic Silvertip is NOT the Accubond!! The BST is not a bonded bullet, whereas the Accubond is.
The BST is, for all practical purposes, identical to the Nosler Ballistic Tip, sans the lubaloy coating.
The BST and Nosler Ballistic Tip are both somewhat fragile at high velocity.
Regards, Dave.
great information guys, thanks for clearing that up for me eagle eye. basically what the consensus seems to be is that i dont have to go out and look for anything in 180gr. anything bonded or barnes, and that is accurate out of my gun should be fine.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
your listed choices would be my choices as well. I have participated in a dozen or so elk shot with a .308 and another 50 or so shot with other calibers.
"federal trophy bonded tip in 165 and barnes vor tx in 150. ive been looking at getting some federal nosler partitions in 180"
Because I'm a traditionalist and like heavy for caliber bullets due to their consistent performance IN game, I'd go with the Federal partition 180 gr. But both of the others you listed will work.
"federal trophy bonded tip in 165 and barnes vor tx in 150. ive been looking at getting some federal nosler partitions in 180"
Because I'm a traditionalist and like heavy for caliber bullets due to their consistent performance IN game, I'd go with the Federal partition 180 gr. But both of the others you listed will work.
Yep Eagle Eye!! Them BST can go to hell for the bigger deer IME.
Does the XP3 come in .308 from Winchester? Man for Factory ammo for the Big critters....
Failing that lets be honest, Any number of the Premium 150gr -165gr stuff is going to work, Anything Bonded or Monometal...
Anything in 180gr is going to work too, Corelokts
SuperX and all the way up to Expecting better performance from the Premiums like Bonded an Monos....
FWIW- The accubonds #### all over the BST
WL
Does the XP3 come in .308 from Winchester? Man for Factory ammo for the Big critters....
Failing that lets be honest, Any number of the Premium 150gr -165gr stuff is going to work, Anything Bonded or Monometal...
Anything in 180gr is going to work too, Corelokts
SuperX and all the way up to Expecting better performance from the Premiums like Bonded an Monos....FWIW- The accubonds #### all over the BST
WL
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
I dont think you could go worng with a Nosler Partition
Any heavy hunting bullet (180 gr +) from a 308win. will work just fine on Elk at reasonable distances. An inexpensive Hornady 180gr cup and core bullet fired at 2500-2600 fps will produce a quick, clean, humane kill....That's been my observations anyways!
Last edited:
Hard to refute good results!! I have been a Partition fan for 40+ years now.
It is still the bullet I compare any others to when actually hunting bigger animals.
2 Years ago, I took my 260 Remington Deer hunting....the load? 125 Partitions, chased by a stiff load of W760 [SL10]
Result?....Two dead deer, a Whitetail at 160 yards, and a Muley at around 125. Shot 45 minutes apart. 1 shot each.
Works for me, Dave.
Another piece of sage advice - as always Eagleye.
