What is the max range of my elk hunting load?

[Korhil78]

Any of those bullets are awesome choices. My 25-06 shoots the 100 gr TSX .5 moa all the way out to 500 yards. I imagine that the TTSX would open up better at lower velocities because of the tip helping expansion.

If it were me, I would go with the 100 gr TTSX. It has a BC of .357, not impressive but it will have more velocity and about the same ft lbs of energy at 400 yds than the 115 gr TSX will have. I have shot many mule deer at ranges varying from 200 to 350 yards. All shots were complete pass throughs.

The only reason I would keep it at 400 yards or less is because that small bullet is going to get blown around by the wind. In and around mountains, wind can be pretty crazy at times. If you put that bullet right behind the shoulders or even in the shoulder, I have no doubt that that solid barnes will do the job.

Man, I wish that I lived close by. You are going to have a lot of fun developing these loads and practicing at the different ranges that you want to shoot at. Gonna have a blast if you down a nice bull elk knowing that you loaded those rounds and they worked for you. Good luck!

Just saw the BC of the 100 gr. ETip. .409 is pretty good for a .25 cal solid. I would give those and the Barnes 100 gr TTSX a try and see which one shoots best for you.

 

[Top Cat]

If you put a Berger in the boiler room above 2000fps you are going to have a very dead Elk on your hands, quicker than you might think...a small entry perhaps, but jello inside.

As long as the shot sees an exposed chest cavity from not too great an angle and no bone in the way, I would prefer the Berger.

If the right angle doesn't present itself and need to drive through the shoulder the TTSX will be just as effective...but so would the Accubond.

Bullet choice is important...caliber less so, and all those bullets are excellent choices.

Either way, the Quarter bore is good to go.

TC

 

[jrg_80]

120gr Nosler Partition is what I shoot out of my 257 Weatherby. Bad medicine my friend

jrg

 

[longrangefreek]

I agree and disagree with some of the comments. I now shoot a much larger rifle for the knock down power at long ranges but I would never underestimate a 25-06 with the right reload that caliber will knock the **** out of and elk at 5 to 600 yards. I only say this cause my first elk killed at the age of 12 was from a 257 roberts and my next 7 elk were killed with a 25-06. from as close as 80 yards out to just under 600 yards. the gun does perform. I upgraded calibers to further the distance. but by no means will i ever say that a 25 cal is not an elk caliber. It has been fun reading all the responces that is for sure and by no means am i implying that any of you are wrong. it is just my two cents from past successful hunts with the 25 cal rifle in hand.

 

[25 Otter]

Well,my screen name here is a bit of a give away. I obviously have and enjoy a 25/06. I voted for 450yds. Here are my thoughts,based on my own somewhat biased opinion. I want to see at least 1,500 ft lbs of energy at the targeted range. Bare minimum,no less. Personally I wouldn't choose that particular bullet,but it does hold it's goodies as well as anyother and better than most. VLDs are nothing if not efficient. The scenario would be as close to ideal as you are likely to get. I'm going to add the elk was relaxed,un aware of any potential threat,and in the wide open prarie. Under those conditions I would take the shot. Now,I'm totally comfortable with my 25 Otter. I regularly shoot it to 400yds and given a solid rest in the field 450 on the above described elk would be my effective limit. I'm holding a Colorado Bull tag right now for this fall. Will I take my 25/06? Not likely. If all I had was this particular 25/06? You bet. As it stands I'll be taking 2 rifles. A primary 300 RUM and a back up 30/06. My brother in law and partner in crime will be packing a 300 Weatherby and 270 WSM. He also owns a 257 Weatherby by the way. I love my 25, but a man has got to know his limitations.

 

[Top Cat]

Gotta love the 257 Weatherby...

If one pays attention to bullet choice for the game involved, pound-for-pound for the recoil price, there is no deadlier gun in the woods...the 25-06 AI or 25-284 are right on it's heels...all 3 are hammers.

TC

 

[raisincenter]

I see bullets being mentioned in the 100-120 grain range to kill elk. How small can you go? Not trying to question anyone's skill, just always heard you need to be up around 30 cal.

 

[hmbleservant]

I think this turned out to be a pretty successful and informative thread. I appreciate all the input. I learned a lot in the past couple of weeks between this thread and a few others.

Thanks everyone!

PS:

Raisincenter,

I think the reason you didn't recieve a very quick response to your question is because you're not asking a very specific question. Just giving you a hard time. Seriously though. I'm sure you've heard the old line of how the biggest animals in the world have been shot and killed with 22 shorts, blah, blah, blah...right? We'll, it's probably true, BUT, that doesn't mean that it is a good idea to set out on an elk hunt with the smallest rifle you can find! The bigger the rifle (without getting silly) the more shot oportunity you will have without compromising the ethics of a particular shot. In other words, you don't kill an elk with a .22 by taking a quartering to, 500 yard shoulder shot! But you can with a handful of .30+ cal. bullet/rifle combinations.

So, there is no correct answer to your question, you can go as small as the regulations in your hunt area will allow, but the smaller you go the more shot opportunities you can count on giving up...be it range, angle, wind etc.

I plan on being very selective with my shots in order to ethically take an elk with a 100-120 gr. bullet, but I don't think I'm being unreasonable either.

I hope that helps a little.

Good shooting.

 

[bigngreen]

I see bullets being mentioned in the 100-120 grain range to kill elk. How small can you go? Not trying to question anyone's skill, just always heard you need to be up around 30 cal.

I've seen a half dozen done in rather well with a 52gr 22cal bullet, some were shot in the ear other through the heart. I know of more elk cleanly killed with sub 30cals than with 30cal or larger but in normal ranges, LR is a different ball game!

 

[Boss Hoss]

Edited

 

[Korhil78]

WOW--the only thing scary about this was your attitude BOSS. Pretty evident that your cocky, rude attitude comes from being in your mom's basement reloading all day and night to get that .25 MOA at 1000 yards that he gets at 250. Maybe if you got out once in a while you would realize that your inability to properly socialize with people in a decent way could be fixed. I just hope that your rifle of yours is as big as your ego to get that .25 MOA!

A person with your shooting experience should be a tad bit more encouraging and helpful, I would think. Maybe you could have explained why he needs to limit his range because of his cartridge choice instead of bashing him into the ground. IF you actually have the shooting experience that you say you have (which I am sure you do), maybe you could be a little bit more helpful to us peons next time.

And personally, I could give a crap that your gun at 1k shoots better than his at 250. What he, others and I are interested in is about getting better at what most of you are already good at and that is shooting LR.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Edited

 

[Korhil78]

All that I am saying is that maybe you could be a benefit to us all and enlighten us with some of your knowledge on shooting instead of bashing people and there threads. I am always on here trying to learn something new so your statement of me not having a clue may hold some weight but not much.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Edited