Colorado Elk Hunt

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LOLBELL

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Going to try to ask a bullet question without starting a debate. I will be shooting a 280 Rem. I have accurate loads worked up in the 2900-3000 fps range for 150 grn Nosler Partitions and 139 grn Hornady Interbonds. Both work very well on Alabama whitetails, but which for a SE Colorado elk would you prefer?
 
I've killed 2 elk at close to 400 yards with a 7x57 imp. and 140 gr. Nosler Partitions .. also a kudu, zebra, gemsbok, etc.
They work!
 
Actually, this year I used a different bullet for my deer and this is the first year I recovered even a fragment of a bullet, I recovered 1 entire jacket and a small bit of lead. With the partitions, I've never recovered anything except my deer, all except 1 or 2 were 1 shot and DRT. so yeah, I'm going back to and sticking with my partitions. They're about 2x the price of this other bullet but if you only need one, then they're the same price.
 
Partitions are great, I can't say anything negative about them when it concerns big, big game such as elk. But I would also consider the Speer Hot Core, they are considerably less expensive too. I have taken numerous large game, including elk using a .270 win. 130 gr. Hot Core's. Currently, I am running the 145 gr, in 7 mag. and it has performed just stellar on tough shoulder shots.

Another good bullet for elk sized game is the Speer Grand Slam. I've used them before, but they lack a little bit of B.C., which is kind of important to me since many shots are at rather extended distances in my neck of the woods. This makes BDC applications harder to calculate and to correlate with my Leupold RF w/ TBR and the reticle configuration. No biggie, just easier to use a bullet with a more typical ballistic characteristic in this respect for me. But at distances of 250 yds. or less, it really doesn't make much difference.

BTW, a long time buddy of mine recently took a 333" bull in S.W. Colorado using the 145 gr. Hot Core also.

GS
 
I guess I'll go with the Nosler 150's. We will be in SE Co in units 85,140, and 851 on private land. Time is drawing neigh and I'm getting excited
 
I'd certainly go with the 150 gr Nosler Partition. I use Nosler Partitions and AccuBonds in my 7mmRM and my 7x57 Mauser. I have great results with them and great accuracy as well.

The attached is a five shot group of Nosler Partition 260gr bullets in .375 H&H that I just sighted in for late rifle season for Elk (After I shot this group, I gave my scope 3 clicks left to be dead on at 100. Eight clicks up and I should be good for 200 but I need to have another range session...BTW, I use shooting sticks or rest off my pack when hunting). This is a 2,700 fps load at 5,600' per my chronograph.

375HampH260grNoslerPartitions_zpsfcd35043.jpg

FH
 
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Elk can soak up multiple hits from 150gr. bullets from any caliber. When you are shooting light bullets at elk, do both of you a favor and make shot placement the primary concern. Fortunately you are hunting in Colorado for Rocky Mountain elk or I would say that you are a bit under gunned. I hunt Roosevelt elk in Oregon which are a full 30% larger than the Rocky Mountain version and live in the tangled rainforests of the Coast range where shots can range out to 500yds pretty quickly. Bullets must have the ability to penetrate a body that can be up to 1200 lbs, get past all the underbrush, and kill quickly enough that the elk doesn't end up in the bottom of a canyon with no road in it that a goat would have to eat his way out of. I have killed many elk in my lifetime, started with a 30-06 and 150gr.& 180gr. bullets, moved up to a 300 winmag and 180's and settled in on a 338 with 250gr. grandslams. Its the most deadly elk killer out to 500 yards I have ever had my hands on. No elk I have hit with it has gone more than 10' before hitting the ground and most drop in their tracks and never get up.

Now I know this thread is about a specific cal. and bullet, but really, what is important is to know your gun, keep your shots realistic and use a bullet with a heavy enough design that it can turn a less than perfect shot into a kill shot. I'm in the heavy for caliber camp and so like the 150gr. option for your hunt and would go heavier if it was available and just sight my rifle in for the drop I need. Heavy bullets and elk go together like peanut butter and jelly.....
 
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