Elk cartridge question

[Mr. 16 gauge]

What is everyone's opinion of using a .30-06 with 180 grain spizter (Sierra) bullets for an elk gun? Is it enough to do the job?

[Trapper7]

I used a 30-06 for elk for quite a few years until 3 years ago when I won a 300 WSM in a gun raffle. My feeling is that a 180 grain Sierra Spitzer would do a decent job of dispatching an elk. I used 165 grain Barnes bullets in my 06 loads and they did a good job. I never had one not pass entirely through any elk I shot. Several elk dropped when they were hit with the 06, but I don't think any went farther than 100 yards.

Since I started using the 300 WSM, I've shot 2 elk using the Barnes 165 grain TSX and both ran off. They were both lung shot and went less than 100 yards after they were hit. So far, I don't see much difference in the killing power of either caliber when it comes to elk.

[skeet]

I'm going to the 06 with 165 gr Barnes x bullets Good combo I think. The 180 gr almost any bullet in the 06 will do for elk. I bought an old Win 54 carbine in 06 and it looks and feels so good I'm gonna use it..hapefully after I replace the trigger

[muledeer]

It will do the job. A better alternative would be a Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame.
muledeer

[skeet]

I'm partial to the Partition too. Most of the other bullets are expensive..and like Fabs..I'm cheap. Most of the Barnes and Partitions I have I got at estate auctions and yard sales so they didn't cost all that much.. But those A frames and some others are expensive. Hard for me to shoot a dollar bullet down range to sight in. LOL..10-20 cents is much better..hehehe

[Dan Morris]

I use a 180 Hornady BT in my 06.....no problems. If I grab the 270, it likes 140 Noslers. Bullet placement downs more of em and reasonable ranges....I don't shoot over 300yds.
Dan

[bigbrother]

The "plain" old Sierra, Speer, and Hornady soft point killed tons of elk before all copper, super bonded ballistic testicled magnasonic triple hollow tungsten core bullets were even thought of. So yeah they'll be fine. Like Dan says, shoot them where you're supposed to and you'll have no worries.

Of course if you want to shoot one like they're not supposed to show on TV you'd be better off with a tougher bullet for the insurance.

[buckhunter]

Having an option I would put Sierra's last. Now I have never shot an Elk but have shot a few moose and some big deer. I had a Sierra BT blow apart on the leg of a deer but that is one deer and one bullet. I feel if handload use the best bullet you can. I pretty much use nosler part. for my hunting. Seems to work for me. I'm lucky because most of my rifles shoot Hornady's at the same point that the partitions shoot. So I pratice with the cheap bullets and hunt with the partitions. Like Skeet sez hit them where you are supposed to and they will go down.

[Larryjk]

Now that we have grizzles around, the .338 Win does give me comfort as I hunt. I know the elk go right down (if bullet placement was specific) and I feel anything that tries to put teeth and claws to me will also stop quickly. I have heard that I will really be in trouble if I shoot a grizz. I have also been told it is much better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

[grayghost]

No problem with the '06, but I would use a well constructed bullet. Several are listed and good choices.
grayghost

[skeet]

Well I have had my comeuppence on elkie calibers. My friend just shot his elk with a 243..guess it boils down to bullet placement. Actually his elk was a combo of good bullet placement and absolutely perfect conditions. I had one walk past me at a range I know I could have made a killing shot with my 45 auto and I had it with me. Changed the scope on my old M-70 30-06..Been shooting a few reloads with the 150 Nosler partition and it really shoots them well. The old 54 shoots the 165 Sierra BT best over 57.2 gr of IMR 4350. The 54 is more comfortable to shoot as it has a recoil pad..the 70 has the checkered steel butt..but that is going to be my elk rifle next week...either one