308 and elk hunting

[GlennGTR]

Has anyone at this forum used the 308 on elk? Im curious as to the results you get and the type of bullit and load.

 

[sbisch]

Have not used the .308, but I have used the very similar 7mm-08 on elk. I got full penetration using a 140 grain Nosler Accubond at about 2,850 fps. The hit was right behind the shoulder at about 120 yards. The raghorn bull was down within about 60 yards, and the blood trail was very impressive. I've shot many animals with Nosler Accubonds over the past 4 or 5 years,elk, black bear, white tail). I think they're excellent! They're definitely my favorite hunting bullet lately!

 

[FryeGuy]

the 308 would be plenty on an elk. I also used the 7mm-08 and had a clean pass thru with a 140 sierra bt on a cow, she went about 20 yards. this past year i used a 257 roberts with a 117 sbt sierra on a bull that scored around 300 b&c. i put two in him, the second insurance. everyone tells me as long as they stand there to shoot them again, better safe than sorry. he fell about 30 yards away. I did recover the second bullet, and it left a heck of a mess thru lungs etc. the 308 is bigger than both of those so fire away and have fun!!!!!!!

 

[Clark]

My father shot an elk with a .308, and it was a tough old cow.

We ground up the steaks to make chewy hamburger.

 

[jb]

my 2 brothers and i have shot 16 to 20 head of elk apiece in the last 33 yr. and helped dress 3 to 4 times that many. a 308 is enough gun to 300+ yds. on broad side standing shots less on angled shots. the key to good kills is shot placement and bullet construction. we use barnes X other good bullets are swift and hornady interbond. other bullets break up on angled shots,damage large amounts of meat and can't be tracked down some times. the only draw back to the good bullets is on broad side lung shots you can kill 2 if there is another elk behind your target.

 

[MichaelN]

I am the oldest of 11 kids and all of us used my dads Browning BLR .308 as our first gun . I don't even want to hazard a guess at how many Elk have fallen to that rifle over its 30+ years in service . A good solid hunting bullet shot inside of 3-400 yards would be plenty . As per the norm shot placement is critical and no caliber is gonna ever overcome a crappy shot .

 

[shooterjon]

Has anyone at this forum used the 308 on elk? Im curious as to the results you get and the type of bullit and load.

I agree with jb the Barnes 168 gr Tipped TSX will kill your elk out to 350 Yds,prior to to the 308 I used a 270 w/150 grain Sierra GHame Kings it also was deadly on elk at least to 270 yds,I must admit I have switched to a 30-338 for Elk and love the gun,But my Deer and Antelope rifle remains the 308 with a 150 gr Ttsx Barnes bullet.

 

[FALPhil]

Remington 165gr Core Lokt broadside on a spike at 150+ yards on a broadside lung shot. One shot was all it took.

 

[NorthFork]

I use a 165 gr nosler partion, In a 308 0n elk, And i have never had any trouble. I also use a 300 win on elk.