I will be hunting elk in Colorado next year with my 338 WinMag. I have decided on using Accubond bullets as my gun shoots them very well. I really don't know what kind of distances to expect as far as shots but I was wondering what guidance I could get from all of you. For general all around elk hunting, would you use a 200 or 225 grain bullet?

Which ever one shoots the best out of your rifle. Either bullet weight is sufficient.

I have used 200 and 225 gr. bullets on elk and they both work. I have found that the 250 gr bullet works better though. I use 250 gr. bullets on everything.

quote:

Originally posted by mustbhuntn:
I have used 200 and 225 gr. bullets on elk and they both work. I have found that the 250 gr bullet works better though. I use 250 gr. bullets on everything.

I had the same comments on the 200/225 question - Why not go with a 250 AccuBond?!

When to Nosler's website and found they will introduce a 250 grain .338 bullet this year. See:
Noslers new 250 Accubond for 338

Either would be fine, but my personal favorite is the Nosler Partition 210 grain bullet. Either of the three will do the job.

Yep, which ever one your rifle likes the best. I shoot 225 grain Barnes TTSXs out of my 338-378 Wby. It seems to like them best. I haven't tried the 250 grain TSX or Partition bullets but I've heard of very good results on game with them.

Ken....

Well I have killed a few elk with my M77 in 338win. I have never tried the 200gr. I have had such good results with 225 Barnes X that I have never strayed.
I think however that 200grs would be more than enough bullet. I know that my rifle loves 250gr Siera's for accuracey.
MM

I would much prefer the 225 or 250 grain bullets if they shot well in your rifle. Sometimes penetration is a real plus. If they don't shoot well in your rifle use the 200 grainer, provided it shoots well and don't look back. Good shooting.

Either will work fine if you have a broadside shot through the lungs. If the trophy bull-of-a-lifetime only presents you with a quartering away shot, you'll wonder why a 200gr deer bullet was even a consideration.

SST said it all. I'll add my take....WHY bother to take a .338" when all You shoot out of it is a bullet (200 gr) that would be better shot out of a .308" ??

Use the 250's. UNLESS you can pass on less than perfect shots, have several days to hunt in an area FULL of elk...etc. WHY limit yourself even by a little bit??

FN

I kinda agree with FN. When I used a .338, I used the 225. When I used a 200, it was with a .300WM. If I were gonna shoot a 180, I'd use a 30-06.

I used a 200 Accubond 2800 FPS from my 338-06 last year for my 5X6 bull in NW Colo. Range was 241 yds first shot he was quartering toward me. Took him in the chest and broke the off shoulder. Last shot was broadside hit him behind the front leg with full penetration. He dropped there and never got up. My wife was cooking a roast from that bull this year and we found a bullet in the roast. It's a 180 gr 30 cal win. XP3 bullet. This year I'm using a 225 gr Accubond just cause I want to not because I need to.Good luck with whichever you chose.

ACCURACY what ever shoots best both will work just fine.

I will second the 210gr NP my first choice heck my only choice.

REMEMBER IT'S THE FIRST SHOT THAT COUNTS...

225 minimum for that cal. and bullet type.

I have used most of the 225 gr. bullets on African plainsgame and elk but they are not my choice, as I see them as neigher fish nor fowl..I have yet to try the bullet you mention.

I shoot two bullets for elk in my .338..the 210 Nosler at 3005 FPS and the 300 gr. woodlieg at 2400 to 2500 FPS depending on which load..

The 300 gr. Woodleigh heavy bullet is a great black timber bullet where the elk are always going away from you unless you get really lucky...It just sticks there nose in the dirt.

The 210 Nosler partition shoots flat and is effective at extended ranges and yet it will not come apart up close..I would use it under about any conditions.

Ray!
Now I know why I liked you the first time I saw you at the Dallas Safari Club show last year. We use the same .338 bullet!

This poor elk took a 200gr accubond behind the last rib, breaking the off side shoulder and resting under the hide in the neck. Distance was 150-175 yards, shot out of a 338-06AI. I know I should have waited for a better shot. I did manage to take out the liver heart and one lung in the process though.

Luckily I avoided the 300 pounds of wet grass and water in the paunch. Surprised that a deer bullet could do so much damage.



personally if I was chasing big bulls and could only use one of my 'elk' rifles, it would be a 7mm with 160gr bullet of some sort. Course this little bull didn't like being shot in the front of his chest and having a bullet 'stick' in his sirloin (ya know that steak located on the very back/top of the round steaks)... stupid deer bullet Accubond only penitrated about 3.5' of elk including a 'full' paunch. Distance was about 65 yards in the timber.



You guys really need to get out and kill a few more bullet proof elk. When the day comes that a 200gr bullet out of a 338 win isn't enough to kill one of these every increasingly difficult to kill animals, is the day I quit hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
.

I shoot two bullets for elk in my .338..the 210 Nosler at 3005 FPS and the 300 gr. woodlieg at 2400 to 2500 FPS depending on which load..

I agree with Ray. I shoot 210 Partitions in my .338 Mag. They leave my 26" barrel at 3050 and I have never seen anything kill an elk quite as dead so fast !!! I think your Accubonds will work for a lung shot but might be a bit light for bone.

Its been proven time after time after time... Accubonds were designed to perform EXACTLY like a partition. Weight retention and final diameter are virtually identical, as is penitration, not to mention they shoot better in every caliber/rifle I've tried them in.

Ivan,
Your posts on this thread are in direct conflict to your posts on the other thread wherein you felt no need and didn't use big calibers...Now the 338-06 is just for big elk, I never really know what size elk I'm going to kill so I try to be ready for whatever shows and I also notice your apoligizing for taking a lenghwise shot and in your other posts you condem anything but broadside shots...

Also, I will bet you dollars to donuts a patition will out penetrate an accubond bullet..as the accubond with have a larger cross section of expansion thus less penetration, and you can take that to the bank.

Man, you can't have it both ways..

Both weights (200 & 225) will work fine but my theory is go with the heavier bullet. Why not use a 250g bullet?

You won't be dissapointed.

I recommend the 225 gr, but would prefer the 250 gr. My 338's shoot the Woodleigh 300 gr well.

The well experienced please learn me here,
The 210np oftens seems to be the experienced guys pick for 338/06,.338win, now would not 225np be the ticket for .338win?, just like to know why it isnt, what makes the 210np kill better than 225np in .338win, at any range?
are they of different toughness?
based on 225/2900mv, 210/3050mv
..at 300yds they strike with about the same energy and within about 90fps of each other, 225gn/2316 vs 210gn/2405 fps.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Ivan,
Your posts on this thread are in direct conflict to your posts on the other thread wherein you felt no need and didn't use big calibers...Now the 338-06 is just for big elk,

quote:

Originally posted by Ivan:
personally if I was chasing big bulls and could only use one of my 'elk' rifles, it would be a 7mm with 160gr bullet of some sort.

I don't see any contradiction. I see an old man that can't read.

I believe what I actually said in the other post is that I would be happy with a rifle shooting a 140+ grain bullet. Never said I didn’t shoot a big caliber, nor condoned it. I said that a lot of the elk I've seen shot with big calibers tended to run quite a ways, but ended up dead.

quote:

I also notice your apoligizing for taking a lenghwise shot and in your other posts you condem anything but broadside shots

I apologized for taking a quartering away shot, and was being a smart azz.

I condemned THS or a hard raking shots, don’t recall condemning any others? Maybe you could point it out? I said I had no problems getting broadside or facing shots on public ground, which you apparently only get running away shots.

There is a 250 Grain accubond now?

Damn I am in!