30-30 for elk?

[big johnson]

Hey captain obvious if I can kill a bull elk with a bow and arrow , I can surely kill a bull elk with a 30-30 . (If you plant corn , you get corn! ) Get my thinking

 

[akmtnhnt]

This is not based on experience just physics. A 30-30 is a 308 Win is a 30-06 is 300 Win Mag it is simple a matter of distance. X bullet traveling at Y velocity at Z distance doesn't care how it got to the elk, nor does the elk. Velocity at impact along with the bullet's construction characteristics are what matters.

Hammer bullets have a minimum impact velocity of 1800 fps and assuming a 2100 fps muzzle velocity your max range is about ~ 100 yards. Hornady does not list a minimum impact velocity but it could be less given the FTX tip and the Hornady has a slightly better BC so you might have a little more range. Based on your post though, 100 yards may be plenty.

The amount of people that don't understand this is baffling.

 

[DakotaRingo]

Hornady Leverations are better for lever guns as they give you slightly better velocities at the same ranges of the flat nose rounds. I bought my first lever gun at age 14, yes it was a day or 2 ago being born during WWII. The flat nose rounds harvested effectively within humane ranges. Lethality and common sense with a 30-30 will take an elk.

 

[Nimrod]

Elk size game require a minimum of 1500 ft-lb of energy in a projectile delivered to a vital area.

While I have read this many times over the years, and I have also read that deer require 1000 ft-lbs. Nothing could be further from the truth, there is no minimum energy requirement! The "requirement" is that a well constructed bullet is placed in a vital area with enough energy to get the job done. I'll bet there have been a pile of elk killed with cartridges that barely generate 1500ft-lbs at the muzzle. Are there better cartridges for elk, of course but that doesn't eliminate the others. Used within the parameters the OP mentioned the .30-30 will get the job done if the shooter is up to the task.