1176 yard bull

[chav0_12]

Only a failure at that impact velocity, and it sure didn't fail to kill the elk. Everyone expects different outcomes from a terminal ballistics perspective. Some want a mushroom found on the far hide. Some want an exit on a steep quartering angle or through dense bone, some want a Frangible bullet that shreds vitals, but we all want a quick humane death in a way that we can recover the animal. As such, complete failure it is not, although I do agree that it wouldn't generate confidence that I should take a 1100 plus yard shot again with that combo and impact velocity. I wonder how the 245 Berger would have fared. Or the 212 or heavier ELD-X. I just know I prefer impact velocities over 1800 FPS.

Yeah, I'd have a hard time blaming the failure on the bullet as it was admittedly well below 1800 FPS. I don't know that any bullet is going to perform as well as anyone would like at that speed and range, even the ones that make claims of performing down to 1300 FPS. As you said, the bullet did its job and killed the elk with a well placed shot, even if it didn't "perform" as expected.

 

[John Roland]

There's a canyon I hunt in every fall, but with the brush the options are sitting in the timber patches or long range across the canyon. One shot from my .300 WSM did the job on this bull. Rifle was built specifically for hunting this canyon by West Elk Precision in Grand Junction Colorado. Defiance Deviant Hunter XM action, Trigger Tech, Bartlien 3b barrel, Manners EH1 stock, Nightforce atacr 5-25x56 scope. Load is Berger 215 grain Hybrid over 65 grains RL26 amd Federal 215 primers. 2817 FPS. Last two 3-shot groups fired before the hunt to confirm ballistic inputs measured just under .5 MOA at 1317 yards. Kestrel 5700 AB says 1675 FPS and 1340 remaining energy. Shot was quartering and bullet entered behind the ribs traveling length-wise, going up through a rib and coming to rest in the forward end of a backstrap. Weight is 152.9 grains. The bullets are very accurate but I'm going to look for a similarly accurate load with a bullet rated for a lower impact velocity. Thinking 210 grain Nosler ABLR or 210 gr Berger HVLD
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Congratulations. Nice bull

 

[huntsman22]

nice poke, cobrad.

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

Only a failure at that impact velocity, and it sure didn't fail to kill the elk. Everyone expects different outcomes from a terminal ballistics perspective. Some want a mushroom found on the far hide. Some want an exit on a steep quartering angle or through dense bone, some want a Frangible bullet that shreds vitals, but we all want a quick humane death in a way that we can recover the animal. As such, complete failure it is not, although I do agree that it wouldn't generate confidence that I should take a 1100 plus yard shot again with that combo and impact velocity. I wonder how the 245 Berger would have fared. Or the 212 or heavier ELD-X. I just know I prefer impact velocities over 1800 FPS.

If you hunt in steep country and dont break em down withba shoulder shot or a heart shot...more often than not ghey end up dead all right- but at the bottom of the canyon 200 yards away. Elk are big tough animals and I'd rather not chase them.
You might get around better than I and dont mind a nice hike, only to see someone else tag your kill after they put the kill shot to it.

 

[Maverick254]

There's a canyon I hunt in every fall, but with the brush the options are sitting in the timber patches or long range across the canyon. One shot from my .300 WSM did the job on this bull. Rifle was built specifically for hunting this canyon by West Elk Precision in Grand Junction Colorado. Defiance Deviant Hunter XM action, Trigger Tech, Bartlien 3b barrel, Manners EH1 stock, Nightforce atacr 5-25x56 scope. Load is Berger 215 grain Hybrid over 65 grains RL26 amd Federal 215 primers. 2817 FPS. Last two 3-shot groups fired before the hunt to confirm ballistic inputs measured just under .5 MOA at 1317 yards. Kestrel 5700 AB says 1675 FPS and 1340 remaining energy. Shot was quartering and bullet entered behind the ribs traveling length-wise, going up through a rib and coming to rest in the forward end of a backstrap. Weight is 152.9 grains. The bullets are very accurate but I'm going to look for a similarly accurate load with a bullet rated for a lower impact velocity. Thinking 210 grain Nosler ABLR or 210 gr Berger HVLD
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Nice bull, great shot!

 

[OrionsStar]

Excellent on all fronts!
Hard work on the build. prep. load and shooting!
I love it when it all comes together!
Congratulations on the Outstanding work!

 

[ragsflh]

Awesome bull

 

[Montucky Roamer]

Good shot! For steel!

Better shot! For elk!

 

[Bob Wright]

Fantastic effort to build a great rifle, understand its potential, practice and study and finally anchor a long shot. Great job!

 

[Wyatt G]

Congrats! Takes a lot of time and effort to be able to take those kinds of shots.

 

[Nomosendero]

Outstanding!

 

[Danehunter]

Don't ya just love it when a plan comes together? Your "plan" was a great build, precise handholds and practice.
Congrats!