Elk hammer

[trphyhntr]

Bc this bc that, hit them in the vitals @ 600 and they'll die

[STOMP442]

Much easier to do with a good BC. Try it sometime. It's like throwing a frisbee in the wind or a football in the wind, one of them flies way better in the wind than the other.

[.270]

Whatever. Don't lecture me on elk hunting. If the bull I shot this year is my last, you'll never catch me. Seriously. And for every one that I've shot, I've "assisted" others with at least 10. I've shot multiple Bulls over 500 yards. The one this year was about 60 yards. But I'm real sneaky when I wanna be and had my elephant gun. My longest shot personally on a bull was 910 yds. .300 win mag that I put $thousands into. 165 gr btsp hornady interlock. Across a canyon, heavy crosswind, snowing. One shot. Been on a couple dozen others 500+ All the way to over 1000. Any condition you can think of. Any kinda bullet there is. I've seen Bulls run off after being shot at less than 100 yds with a .338/.378. Barely missed the heart. Ran over 1/2 mile. Using a real high bc barnes. A .243 Woulda put him down right there. Bc is important if you want it to be. Most of the Bulls I've had to track were shot with high bc bullets. And some hit real good. High bc doesn't mean a good hunting bullet. I understand bc and all that fancy stuff. It's useless if you can't hunt or shoot and if you're using a drill bit for a bullet. But again, if I decided I needed a new elk rifle to go with the dozen or so real serious elk rifles in my safe, it'd be a savage in .338 lapua. Really an incredible round and very accurate rifle. Lark

[STOMP442]

I have no interest in catching anybody, hunting isn't a competition except between you and the animal. Congratulations on making some long range shots good for you, they still would have been easier to do with a higher BC bullet. I understand that a high bc doesn't make a hunting bullet but the fact remains that there are some outstanding very high BC hunting bullets on the market right now. Not using the highest BC heaviest bullet that your rifle will shoot is leaving something on the table especially when talking about the big .30 cals and the ever-present possibility of a long shot. Shoot what you want I don't care, I am only trying to explain why I would choose to shoot a high BC heavy bullet and the advantages of doing so.

[.270]

On the list of things that an elk hunter needs, bullet bc doesn't even show up. Lark

[STOMP442]

If the hunter doesn't care about down range energy, retained velocity for proper expansion or minimized wind drift you are exactly right. We all know this just isn't the case other wise people wouldn't be hunting Elk with .338 Lapuas.

[.270]

I don't give one thought about down range energy or proper expansion or bc or fps. I use what works because I know it works. I don't use other junk because I know it doesn't work. Not because of numbers on a piece of paper. And With a lapua you don't worry about anything. You shoot it. Story over. There ain't a lapua bullet with a "bad" bc, whatever that is. The world record was killed with a lever action .308. By an Ol' cowboy hunting horseback in 1968 when there were few elk and you had to hunt your butt off to get one. But, did he have a sufficient bc? Hope so. You act like it's an unspeakable sin if you don't have a high bc. I know a guy that killed a 6x6 with a .17 remington. They don't have much of a bc. Bull bounced like he'd been hit by lightning. I don't even know how many my .270 has put under. Getting to where elk are and then getting them out are the most important parts of an elk hunt. You can kill em with about anything, if you're a hunter. I know, I've done it. I've killed elk as close as 3 yards with a bow to over half a mile with a rifle. Also killed a bunch with a muzzleloader. Bc never entered the equation. Folks keep talking stuff about this and that when none of it matters if you don't do the other, more important stuff. Again, if I was gonna get another elk gun, it'd be a lapua. Anything you put in it, as long as it ain't all copper, is gonna be fine. I kinda think most of the bullets you'd use in one have a "good" bc too. I know one thing, they tip a bull over like nothing I've ever seen. But so does a .30-30, if you're good enough. Lark

[AverageJoe]

Just learn to become a better hunter, then long range and BC no longer matter. Between 7 elk, 4 antelope, and 6 deer, I have never not been able to get within 600 yds of an animal. Anything further is because someone is too lazy, too impatient, or just not good enough...

[trphyhntr]

doesnt velocity and flat shooting count for anything anymore

[.270]

not if it doesn't have a high bc. Marksmanship don't matter neither.

Anymore, getting close is a lot more work than it seems like it used to be.

I understand balistics. Very well. But I'm like Bill. Minute of deer or elk is good enough. I also happen to feel that there are many variables in hunting that are much more important than theoretical numbers on paper. And if I was gonna get me another elk rifle it'd be a lapua. Screw bc, fps, all o' that crap. Just shoot it. It's an amazing round. Lark

[firstcoueswas80]

I've killed lots of, I mean truck loads, of elk with about anything there is. Lightest was a .30/30. Heaviest was a .375 h&h. And everthing in between. Never had even one of em ax what bc the bullet was. Being a hunter and marksman means more than anything else. That being said, if I decided I had to have a new elk gun, it'd be a savage in .7/08. Got to witness some really incredible results with one last year. Wouldn't even look at anything else. Lark

[.270]

I hate you. Lark

[lancetkenyon]

As much preparation, shooting, reloading, research, testing, and long range time I put in, I have never shot any big game at what some consider a chip shot, while others wouldn't even consider. Varmints are another story. But I believe both my equipment and I would be fully capable to double that distance or more if the need arose. I think there is a need to PRACTICE more than anything if you plan on shooting long range. Being able to put the bullet where it needs to go is priority #1. Whether that means high BC accurate LR bullets, or just getting closer.

[STOMP442]

So what your telling me is the .338 Lapua is shooting a bigger, heavier high BC bullet and its really working well. Seems like your proving my point to me.

[trphyhntr]

lol @ anyone not shooting 50 bmg at elk. just lol.