7mm08 140BT for elk?

[Addicting]

I know this has been discussed as enough caliber. Not debating that part. I’ve run into an interesting issue and am wondering. This gun shoots the Nosler 140 Ballistic tip less than a MOA 5 shot groups. I’ve been practicing with it and it just plain shoots them well. They seem to be particularly nasty to the unfortunate woodchucks and crows that wander into a bullet.

I have 140 Accubonds that was the plan to switch to for big game. Killed plenty with accubonds and have complete faith in them. Problem is the gun just doesn’t seem to like them. I would have thought that they would have been like the BT but are far from it. Best I got at the range was about 1.5”.

Anyone shot an elk with them? How messy did it make it? Lots of bloodshot?

Thanks

 

[brockel]

Not the 140 ballistic tip but I used a 150 grain ballistic tip at 3250fps on a couple elk and I either got pass through or it was against the skin on opposite side. Wasn’t anymore of a mess than an accubond. In a 7mm-08 I’d absolutely shoot an elk with 140 grain ballistic tip

 

[rogerthat]

Yeah ballistic tip if sized for the game is a decent bullet and I have had good luck with them. I would use a 140 on elk for sure

 

[Dougfirtree]

Wouldn't be my first choice, but I suspect they'd be fine. I shot those for a few years and was impressed by the way they performed on deer.

 

[Addicting]

Wouldn't be my first choice, but I suspect they'd be fine. I shot those for a few years and was impressed by the way they performed on deer.

I am fine with deer / antelope with them. The thicker hide on an elk made wonder if they would expand too fast and create a large bloodshot section.

Level of mess is more my concern. It turned half a crow into a pink mist and feathers floating.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I am fine with deer / antelope with them. The thicker hide on an elk made wonder if they would expand too fast and create a large bloodshot section.

Level of mess is more my concern. It turned half a crow into a pink mist and feathers floating.

They might. If I were concerned about bloodshot meat, I'd use a mono. I shoot 140 E-tips in my 7mm-08 and there's a noticable difference from when I shot lead (though I've not shot an elk with them, yet).

 

[Addicting]

They might. If I were concerned about bloodshot meat, I'd use a mono. I shoot 140 E-tips in my 7mm-08 and there's a noticable difference from when I shot lead (though I've not shot an elk with them, yet).

I have some Barnes LRX to try next and that is what I use in my elk rifle. This one is my kids and I had some BT to break it in. They shot so well I doubled down on them and accubonds. Now I have a bench full of them.

 

[ImBillT]

Should be fine. The jackets on the Balistic Tip Hunting are reasonably thick. The main difference between them and ABs is the bonding of the core to the jacket. I don’t think jacket/core separation is a big deal if using an appropriate weight and SD for the animal in question.

I wish Nosler hadn’t made the jacket so thick when they made the Balistic Tip Hunting. I think the old BT that was more like today’s Balistic Tip Varmint was better on little dinky whitetails. I guess too many people making bad shots on big animals with 75gr BTs at obscene velocities from a 243Win made them look bad.

 

[old270hunter]

The velocity won’t exactly be extreme. I’d shoot it, but would stay off the shoulder. Lung shot only.

 

[std7mag]

I wouldn't hesitate to try them on elk.
I still get pass throughs on deer out to 400 yards. (I've never recovered a Ballistic Tip)
And I don't shoot at " the little dinky deer".

I have heard of people on here using the 120gr Ballistic Tip on elk.

 

[elkfanatic]

Shot placement over bullet selection for me. If you can place the bullet behind the shoulder it will do the job. I wouldn't hesitate to use it. Have a friend who swears by 223 with 68 grain bthp match bullets for elk in states where legal.

 

[std7mag]

I don't think I would hesitate to using my 257 Roberts with a 115gr Ballistic Tip for elk.
But a 223 Rem..

I'd prefer some more ompf.

 

[elkfanatic]

I don't think I would hesitate to using my 257 Roberts with a 115gr Ballistic Tip for elk.
But a 223 Rem..

I'd prefer some more ompf.

It's hard to argue with his results.He has yet to lose one. For me it's 300 win mag with 220 eld-x or 175 lrx. I leave the 223 for chucks and yotes

 

[Dan O]

I shot a cow once with a AR-15 223 loaded with the 69 grain Sierra MK. One round just behind the left ear at about 60 yards. It wasn't a cow elk but a yearly black angus with a busted up shoulder. Most importantly it was at the request of the Rancher for me to shoot it. It dropped instantly DRT and no exit wound. So it can be done but I don't recommend it there are much better choices.

 

[Lilly Mae]

I know this has been discussed as enough caliber. Not debating that part. I’ve run into an interesting issue and am wondering. This gun shoots the Nosler 140 Ballistic tip less than a MOA 5 shot groups. I’ve been practicing with it and it just plain shoots them well. They seem to be particularly nasty to the unfortunate woodchucks and crows that wander into a bullet.

I have 140 Accubonds that was the plan to switch to for big game. Killed plenty with accubonds and have complete faith in them. Problem is the gun just doesn’t seem to like them. I would have thought that they would have been like the BT but are far from it. Best I got at the range was about 1.5”.

Anyone shot an elk with them? How messy did it make it? Lots of bloodshot?

Thanks

I haven’t shot any elk but several mule deer. Close to partition on performance upon impact. Very accurate out of my .270. If handloading try upper end loads. The faster the better in my .270 for accuracy.

 

[MonsterElk]

I know this has been discussed as enough caliber. Not debating that part. I’ve run into an interesting issue and am wondering. This gun shoots the Nosler 140 Ballistic tip less than a MOA 5 shot groups. I’ve been practicing with it and it just plain shoots them well. They seem to be particularly nasty to the unfortunate woodchucks and crows that wander into a bullet.

I have 140 Accubonds that was the plan to switch to for big game. Killed plenty with accubonds and have complete faith in them. Problem is the gun just doesn’t seem to like them. I would have thought that they would have been like the BT but are far from it. Best I got at the range was about 1.5”.

Anyone shot an elk with them? How messy did it make it? Lots of bloodshot?

Thanks

Never used a 7mm08 but I have used the same brand and 140 with my 270 and killed that cow elk dead at 150yard and the daughter used my 270 set up at 80yards with the same results

 

[MonsterElk]

Do you hand load? If so have you tried different powder charge or bullet set depth. I had to on my 300 to get it dialed in just a thought

 

[CForest]

I would use that combo with a ton of confidence. I have shot a cow with that and worked just fine. I ended up switching to the accubonds just cause, but there was nothing wrong with the BT at those speeds. I'd rather use it in a 7mm-08 than a 140 bt in a 28 nosler for example.

 

[williaada]

I would try this for reloading for your 7mm-08 it my accubond and Barnes to group moa.

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One should stand out from the 24 rounds fired.

 

[Brian in Montana]

This is just one of things. You'd probably kill your elk under the right circumstances, but I'd suggest there are better options.