Question on bullet selection

The Oregonian

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This question has a specific need that I am trying to fill, but at the same time it is broader than that.

I am looking for a 300-500 yd bullet for elk, coming out of a 28 Nosler. Not having owned a 7mm gun before I have no first hand experience with any of the bullets. I have experience on game with a Nosler AB and BT in 180 gr out of a 30-06, but all 300 yds and in.

I am not looking for 'the best' bullet as that is subjective and everybody has a different view. I want a bullet that will perform on high shoulder shots but also on vitals if i don't hit exactly where i am aiming, As I read about different bullets, as expected, everyone has a different favorite. What is concerning is that it seems that just about every bullet has a crowd that says they perform poorly.

I like the idea of the 195 Berger, the 175 ABLR or ELD-X, or even the Partition. But each of the first three have a camp that says they failed to perform on game. The Partition seems like the safe choice but low BC and soft point can impact accuracy or be susceptible to larger wind drift.

Maybe it comes down to one bullet can't do everything and people blaming the bullet for poor placement or the wrong application, but it leaves me less than completely confident that if I do my part with placement, the chosen bullet will perform.

So my general question is, how to select a bullet given almost too much info out there? And my specific question is around a 300-500 yd elk bullet, knowing that it isn't impossible that a 50 yd shot presents itself (although unlikely).

Thx
 
Your idea of the partiton isn't that bad. I killed a lot of elk with a 6.5/140 partition out to 600 yrds. You might also look at the Accubond or Swift scirrocco Some of the monos would work well; like Steve's Hammer bullets.
 
I have had great success on elk from 75 to 662 with the Berger 180 Hybrid from a 7RM @ 2996fps. I know some others that use the same bullet in 28 Noslers @ 3200 with great success as well.

Barnes LRX will hold together at extreme velocities, and if 500-600 is your max, you will hardly notice a difference in BC.
 
Run a ballistic check with a low vs high BC at 500 yards and see if it really helps to go with a higher BC. I usually don't care much about BC at those ranges. General rule of thumb, higher velocities require stronger bullets. I've heard the 28 Nosler has some good speed to it. At longer ranges, the speed drops and you need a more frangible bullet.
I usually shoot more cost effective bullets at shorter ranges. Hornady Interlock or larger weight Nosler BT. You can always switch down the road.
 
Thanks...it comes with a recipe for the 195's. I think my next load to focus on will be the 175 partition. If that gives me good accuracy and I am happy with the ballistics chart that would be my go to for somewhere around 500 and under.

If that won't shoot as I would like I would probably go to the 160 AB. Then the 175 ABLR as well.

I can also use some of the other bullets on does to see what the terminal performance is at various ranges. For my bull elk and Kansas whitetail hunts this fall I want a proven bullet as both have a likelihood of a big animal.
 
I like partitions if you aren't running a calibers maximum velocity. If you are on the extreme fast end - The partition will work awesome at distance and most close shots, but if its a big bull busting away from you in the timber, I would not trust the partition to penetrate into the vitals if you run into heavy bone 1st. I would put my money on the stronger Swift A-frame or a copper solid in that scenario. A Scirocco is a good choice, but I've heard some say they turn into a big flat non penetrating disk when slammed into a big animal at very high speeds.

This isn't an issue for most, but I find 90% of my elk in THICK north facing lodgepole, and they flush like pheasants and offer the same shooting angle.

Look at the velocity your bullet will likely impact at say 3,200 - 2,500fps - then look at performance of your bullets at those velocities. I've found Swifts images of their bullets to be spot on with their published speeds.
 
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