Is a 30-06 150gr bullet enough for elk?

[Turtle]

It'll be fine.  I've had several guys along with that set up that have killed elk.  Now just do us a favor a post a picture of the big bull you bring down with it.

-turtle-

[teddy12b]

Well hopefully next year will be the year. 

I've tried loading the 150gr barnes triple shocks with IMR 4350 and went to the range only to see what how much powder I could put in the case before too much pressure became a problem.  I loaded in .5 gr encriments and went until I couldn't get anymore powder in the case.  Ever with the case completely full I didn't get any bad pressure signs.  Now I just have to check those loads for accuracy.

[crow_feather]

I and my wife were hunting deer, but we both had a cow elk tag.  Not expecting to see elk where we were hunting, I was carrying my 270 WSM with hand loaded Speer Grand Slam 150 gr bullets.  As you have probably guessed, I did drop a 700 lb cow elk that day.  One shot through the lungs would have killed it, but I put a finishing shot through the heart.

I still believe that a larger caliber and heavier bullet is better, but have to admit that the .277 diameter will get the job done with the right bullet.

C F

[supertodd]

I hunt Roosevelt elk and I have seen where 165 and 180- 30-06 not pass through. In fact a friend with a 300 unltra mag hit a cow in the shoulder with rem. 180 ultra bonds and it did not through.   For 30-06 I recommend 180-200 grn partitions or Barnes 3x- just my two cents.   My 35 whelen goes through everytime and Elk go down w/in 10 feet.

[BBF]

those 150 grainers, are they Barnes?

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  teddy, let us know how these work out for you. Over the years, I have shot a bunch of elk with std. bullets in 165 and 150 out of a .300,  but if I were hunting out of state or going for big bulls, I would use Nosler Part. The other bullets of this type will be fine, I just like Noslers. Now after all these years, I am leaning more and more to heavier bullets. I loaded 50 200 grain Nosler Part. for elk, moose, etc. A bad angle, or quartering shot the heavier bullet will penetrate a bit farther all else being equal. It just seems to me, and this is just an observation on my part, that a heavier bullet on the " average" drops game a little quicker.    I have dropped elk in their tracks with a 150 gr. Nosler BTBT, but it was a perfect broadside shot. And I was hunting cows in an area where they were thick. So I could have waited if need be. I think you 150's will be fine, but for my use, I am leaning to at least a 180.

[freddogs]

In my 30-06 I use 150 grain bullets. I've shot many deer and antelope with this load. That said, I used 165 grain partitions to shoot a couple elk. Elk are big critters and I feel a heavier bullet is called for. That's what I do. I agree with previous posts that accurate bullet placement is most important in hunting. I now have a 35 whelan that shoots 250 grain bullets very well and I may use that on my elk hunt this fall. I also plan to take the 30-06 because I'm so confident with that rifle. Use 150's if you want but you might want to try 165s or 180s.

[teddy12b]

Amazing to see such an old thread come back to life again.  I never did go on an elk trip.  Too much $$ for me at the time.  I haven't even really had that encore rifle out that much recently.  I appreciate all your helpful advice.

[lucky guy]

If you have something that will hold its weight like a partition, using those smaller bullets on large game gets even better.

Maybe the old partitions, not the newer ones with the partition lower in the bullet.  A current version 180 partition weighed 95 gr. or so when I recovered it under the opposite side hide from an elk in 2007.  Looks like it glanced off a rib on the way in, other than that all lungs.   I live near the Nosler plant and took it in to talk with them about it, that's exactly what it's designed to do according to them, shed 80 - 90 grains on the way in, they thought it performed just as designed.  For weight retention I think you need a Barnes X bullet or the Nosler etip or whatever the new copper one is called.   Just my experience with them. 

This big guy went right down and I wouldn't hesitate to use the partitions again, but you might call Nosler and talk about which of theirs they'd recommend for what you're looking for in terminal performance.  They're still a very user friendly operation. 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  lucky, that was interesting performance by a part. I shot lots of the newer ones and they all held their weight very well, but mine are .30 cal. or .338

[lucky guy]

lucky, that was interesting performance by a part. I shot lots of the newer ones and they all held their weight very well, but mine are .30 cal. or .338

Hey, as long as they fall down it's all good!!

Mine was a 308 too.  Here's a pic of the bullet.

It just occurred to me to ask, what are you calling good weight retention, if it's 50 - 60% then our experience is the same.