338 win mag bullet choice for elk

[PAshooter20BR]

Can some elk shooters help me out? I am planning to load the 250 grain Berger elite hunter in a 338 win mag for an elk hunt next year. not sure if anyone has used this on elk or not and what their results were. Not sure if I should go the bonded bullet route, looked at the 225 and 250 accubond as well but chose the Berger based my good experiences with other Berger varmint and Hunting bullets and the very high BC. shots could be from 50 to ?? Yards, hopefully keeping shot to 600 and less and more hopeful for a solid 100-300 yard shot. Any real life elk experience advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Brandon

 

[rifleman700]

I used the Berger 250 EH in 2014 for my AZ elk hunt shooting a 330 Dakota. It took me 4 shots to put the elk down at 850 yards with two of them penciling right through with no jacket fragmentation / disruption. This issue has an easy fix - trim the meplats. You will lose a little BC but it will help the bullet open up and fragment. Would I use them again? Yes, other than I like trying different bullets and I have now migrated to the Hammer Bullets and hope to test them with my next elk tag.

 

[MTlager]

I've seen bad results with the 7mm 195 EH. 2 deer at 720 ish no exit. 2 shots to put down. Elk at 300 behind the shoulder it didn't even flinch like it didn't get hit!! Put another one behind the other shoulder and it stood there like nothing happened ! Loaded 3rd round and it started to wobble and finally fell over. No blood on the hide or the snow. Found one very small fragment of bullet boattail on rib. No penetration, like the jackets are too fragile?? 7 Saum pushing them 2970. Shoot awesome out to 2000 yards on steel but not working for hunting!! Always had good luck with the accubonds. Never had to shoot anything twice, but like the way the Bergers shoot past 1000.

Lonnie

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Can't account for the actual shot placement other folks use, but this is my bull elk from this year. He went down with one shot at 311 yards using the Berger 250gr Elite Hunter from my 338-375 Ruger at 2900 fps MV. Hit him perfectly in front of the right shoulder, aiming through his vitals, when he was quartering hard towards me. Not a trophy bull, but the freezer is full

This is the 3rd animal I have shot with the 250gr EH and all DRT with one shot. Other two animals were a large mule deer buck at 408 yards and a large mule deer doe at 265 yards. I've NEVER had an animal get away from me with Berger bullets of any kind, but I've always been able to deliver excellent shot placement, save for one shot where a buck almost got away from an accidental liver shot. That story is below...



As far as other kills with Berger bullets, I have accumulated 20 big game kills using the 140gr Berger Hunting VLDs from a 6.5 Remington Magnum. All one shot kills except for one large whitetail buck that I accidentally hit back in the liver area with a 100 yard off hand shot. He humped up and stood there for a few seconds, then took off running. Finished him with a second round on the run with high shoulder shot and he instantly dropped dead skidding across the grass. It was a close call and a good chance I would have lost him had I not hit him again, but when I placed the second shot on the money, he dropped dead like all the rest

As for elk taking 3 or 4 shots and standing there, I have NEVER seen nor shot an elk that instantly went down with a shot placed behind the shoulder. Only a high shoulder shot will drop them instantly. But all experienced elk hunters know that no matter what the shot placement is, you instantly reload and keep firing until they go down. They are very tough and can eat a lot of lead. Sometimes they go down with one shot if hit right, like my bull this year did. But on one occasion, I pumped 3 rounds into the kill zone of a bull elk at 400 yards with a 300 Win Mag using 180gr Accubond at 3230 fps. All kill shots, but that sucker just wouldn't die. He finally went down after the 3rd shot, but was still kicking and trying to get up when I got to him. Had to shoot him one more time at point blank range to put the lights out. All of the first 3 hits were good lung shots

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Here's a pic of my bull that took four 30 cal 180gr Nosler Accubonds to finally die. He was one tough critter!
The Accubond is a good bullet, and I killed a decent amount of animals with that bullet, but I personally have experienced better penetration, terminal performance, and long range accuracy using the Berger hunting bullets in my rifles.

 

[th82457]

Elk are tough, but keep your shots under 400 yds. Maximum and you will retain more energy and likely will have a better chance to make a vital shot on the 1st shot. In 338 I have used 210 Nosler. Partitions, 225 Barnes X and both bulls went down quickly, but shots were 200 & 300 yds. I have also shot one with a muzzleloader and one with a bow. Neither of them went over 60 yds, but both were double lunged. I am not familiar with the Berger's you are trying, but I would guess if shot at a reasonable range they should perform just fine with accurate shot placement. Just my two cents !

Good Luck

 

[CaptainMal]

Only ever hunted them once and shot one with my 338. Just used a 225 Hornady Interlock. they are a relatively inexpensive cup and core bullet but it works. Shot was 440 yards and the small bull did a little circle and fell in it's tracks.

To me an elk is just a big deer that could have big horns. They get taken all the time by archers, muzzleloaders and a large variety of "deer" caliber rifles. Don't make too much out of bullet selection. Make much out of bullet placement. Shoot lots from a variety of positions at many ranges. Cheaper bullets make practice more reasonable and kill, kill, kill.

 

[mmcu]

My experience..... Don't make this too complicated, stick with a 225 grain Partition and call it a day.

I've killed more than my fair share of elk with this bullet / caliber combo and have never had to shoot them 3+ times like I'm reading in this thread with other bullets. Where I hunt, they'd be out of sight WAY faster than I could work the bolt and put that many rounds into them - maybe I'm just old and slow.

 

[fastarget]

Elk are tough, but keep your shots under 400 yds. Maximum and you will retain more energy and likely will have a better chance to make a vital shot on the 1st shot. In 338 I have used 210 Nosler. Partitions, 225 Barnes X and both bulls went down quickly, but shots were 200 & 300 yds. I have also shot one with a muzzleloader and one with a bow. Neither of them went over 60 yds, but both were double lunged. I am not familiar with the Berger's you are trying, but I would guess if shot at a reasonable range they should perform just fine with accurate shot placement. Just my two cents !

Good Luck

This.....and, match up your skills and go for a humane kill, do you have the right optics for a 600 yd shot, or will 400 be the most comfortable shot. Shoot a proven quality hunting Bullet your rifle likes, try a few, find accuracy. Just yesterday I tried 185 Gmx through my xbolt 338, they actually shot well, I have some 225 ttsx to try next, I doubt a heavier bullet is needed here in the conus, speed=flatter trajectory. Practice with that rifle, 338 is an awesome round.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I do agree that there is no need for a 250gr bullet. Many of the well constructed 210gr to 225gr bullets for the 338 are more than adequate for elk when the shot is placed correctly. My father in law has a 338 Win Mag and shoots the 210gr Partitions. It's a hammer.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Ledd Slinger is right.. If ya wanna drop an elk where he stands break a shoulder. Otherwise he will stand there and seem unhurt.. At least for a few minutes.. Lung shots take a bit but will kill.. As far as 338 bullets, I can't help ya .. My wife and I have killed a lot of bulls using only a lowly 270 and 130 Nosler Partitions.. I am looking at tryin the Barnes TSX next year as they seem to perform even better then the partiton..

 

[wboggs]

That long range shooting (over 350 yds or so) takes precise bullet placement. I have had good luck with Nosler Part. and Barnes TTSX in 225gr.

 

[SheepDog]

Elk are big but they are hard to kill with a well placed shot. I have only taken three elk but all of them were taken with a 180 grain Nosler Partition from a 3006. The go down and stay down. Lets face it, hunters have been killing elk since the muzzle loaders using round balls. I wouldn't take a shot at the distances you are talking but if you can read the wind, compensate for the altitude and all the other variables then have at it. You are using the caliber and have gotten good advice on bullet selection. Don't wound it and let it get away - that's disrespectful to the animal and it gives hunters a bad reputation.

 

[jfseaman]

For that 338 WM, IMO, you will be happy with Swift A-Frame 225 or Nosler Partition 225.

I would not go higher in weight.

If you want lead free, go Barnes 185 TTSX.

 

[spencerhenry]

i don't hunt elk with a rifle, i prefer to throw pointy sticks at them. BUT, i have used my 338 on bears, moose, and some others. 225gr hornady has performed extremely well for me, high weight retention, over double caliber expansion, great penetration. i have never had one fail. last bear i shot with a rifle was well into the books, at 40 yards i put 3 into his chest, everyone performed perfectly.

 

[Shaggy357]

Nosler Partitions get my vote. I have 225s and 250 loaded. My buddy has a nice elk hit with the 225. DRT on the spot.

Steve

 

[Lapuatom]

Can some elk shooters help me out? I am planning to load the 250 grain Berger elite hunter in a 338 win mag for an elk hunt next year. not sure if anyone has used this on elk or not and what their results were. Not sure if I should go the bonded bullet route, looked at the 225 and 250 accubond as well but chose the Berger based my good experiences with other Berger varmint and Hunting bullets and the very high BC. shots could be from 50 to ?? Yards, hopefully keeping shot to 600 and less and more hopeful for a solid 100-300 yard shot. Any real life elk experience advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Brandon

Brandon, I use a 338wm for elk and shoot the Barnes Tsx 225gr at about 2900fps. Always pass through, haven't recovered a slug. They shoot well also. I have killed with this combo to 400yds successfully. Also use a 338Lm w/300 gr SMK @2730fps out to 1100yds(so far). Always a pass through,expansion is good,huge exits. The 300 grainer has a lot of anger in it when it arrives on target.