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300 Savage, bullet choice/cow elk
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A friend drew a cow elk tag (aprox. 400 lb. animal) and will be shooting a Savage 99, 300 Savage, with a 24" barrel. Bullets available are Hornady 165g interlok SP (2600 fps) or Hornady 180g interlok SP (2400 fps). Most animals on this hunt have been taken at between 150-275 yards. My concern is that the 180g at below 2400 fps might not expand very well. Which one of these two bullets would you choose?
 
Posts: 490 | Registered: 15 March 2004Reply With Quote
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Either one will be fine...the hornday will expand at either of those velocities.

Personally, I go with the 165s


Mike

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What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10164 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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I agree with Mike: The 165 grainer will do nicely on a cow elk at .300 Savage velocity.


Bobby
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Posts: 9438 | Location: Shiner TX USA | Registered: 19 March 2002Reply With Quote
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+3 - I agree with Mike & Bobby, use the 165's.


Cheers,

Number 10
 
Posts: 3433 | Location: Frankfurt, Germany | Registered: 23 December 2004Reply With Quote
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I'm a born again believer in heavy for calibre. use the 180. The trajectory isn't gonna be that much difference.
 
Posts: 1287 | Registered: 11 January 2007Reply With Quote
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Thank you all for the comments. I tend to prefer the 165g myself, but Stillbeeman has a good point. With a fairly large animal the extra weight/bullet inertia does make sense. But, as Mike says "either one will be fine". Now it's up to my friend to decide and load up some ammo. The hunt is only 3 weeks away. Thanks again..

Jon
 
Posts: 490 | Registered: 15 March 2004Reply With Quote
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He'll be fine with the Hornady's. However, a Nosler Partition 165 would provide a little more peace of mind. That's what I would choose if I were using either a .308 or .300 Sav for elk.
 
Posts: 13263 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001Reply With Quote
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What Mike said,
In my 99 Savage it shoots some older 165 grain Speer Grand slams very well and velocity is okay around 2600 fps. the problem with the 300 Savage is the short neck. I don't like to use boatails as I think they don't seat as well/solid due to the reduced bearing surface. I use the Lee Factory Crimp die just to be sure. Flat base Remington, Winchester, Barnes or a Nosler Partition will work too in the 150 or 165 grain weight. Any of these bullet in the boiler room will work. Don't try to stretch the Savage into to a long range cartridge and be careful not to hot-rod it. It will let you know by kicking the lever open ever so gently....a little bird told me that Wink
Good luck,
Paul


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Posts: 1026 | Location: Southeastern PA, USA | Registered: 14 February 2001Reply With Quote
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