Here's the deal: I settled on my load for Idaho Panhandle Elk way to early...gives me time to get the itch to try something else.

I've only shot one elk. Used a 300 Partition in .375. So I figured what, the hay, I'll do the same thing again.

Now I'm sitting here thinking I should try Woodleigh, Swift, TBBC and I even hear Steigers is still making some Bitterroot Bonded Cores. I couldn't get the Barnes to group, but at 50 yards, who cares??

I'm going to be in the thick stuff - short ranges only. What would you use (in .375, of course)???

Tim

I use the 300 partion it's hard to beat.

I would use a 285 gr. North Fork bullet, without a doubt. The toughest, on the same level as Barnes X, yet extremely accurate. The accuracy is very important when threading between the trees. Good shooting.

GS Custom 260gr HV.

After seeing how well the GS Custom's penetrated for Don G in Africa recently, I'm sold.

FWIW, Canuck

In my view, any 300-grain bullet out of the .375 H&H is perfect, and if you want more punch from it, use heavier than 300-grain pills. I believe that to shoot lighter than 275 to 300-grain bullets is much like shooting a .338WM.

No, I am not making fun of the .338WM. This is the cartridge I use in Alaska. A heavy-for-caliber bullet out of the .338 is also great medicine.

I assume you had good performance from the NP. The Swift is a bit tougher or the Speer GS. These are the only ones I have experience with. I would think any of these, including TBBC, GS, 'X', etc. would shoot thru any elf & the distances you are talking about.

Elf? With a .375?

Next we'll be hunting garden gnomes ...

Cheers!

Redial

The shot was 40 yards - I was about to be "made" by the lead cow as she was about to hit my scent trail. I only had a soccer ball sized opening on the bull, right on the liver. I cut his liver basically in half. He swappend ends, stood there swaying for 10 seconds and fell over. Of course, being that the liver is such a vascular organ, he was a swimming pool of blood inside. This was only a spike, so I would not speculate how this shot would have turned out on a larger bull. But it sure put him down.

Tim

Redial

I am going to guess you have never tangled with an Elf. They are bad medicine...

Tim

No, no elf experience but I have had to pull some pink flamingos out of the undergrowth ...

Sounds like you'll be hunting like I do, and not far away either. I can't see any reason not to use your trusted combination, really. A good shot with any reasonable caliber will do under those conditions. I use an '06 or .300 Winnie, both with Partitions FWIW.

Tiptoeing around the dark (really dark!), steep timber is my favorite way to hunt, despite a somewhat lower success ratio. Have a great time!

Redial

I love those 300 gr. RN an PP Woodleighs for Idaho black timber elk, but the partitions are great in 300 gr. also....the new Northfork 300 gr. should punch through one lenthwise and that is the criteria that you are looking for in a timber elk gun.....

BTW I am going to use the new 350 gr. woodleighs PP this year, that should punch them thru from any angle..

Thanks for the opinions, guys.

I think we all know that the range of suitable bullets is pretty wide if a fellow is willing to use sense. But I always enjoy hearing what other folks like to use and have found worthwhile.

I got a box of the 300 Woodleigh PP to try (as Mike375 says, I'll shoot some phone books!). I'll probably end up hunting with whatever I happen to have loaded up and zeroed on October 8th when I fly out, either the Nosler or the Woodleigh...or the Grand Slam or...

Redial - I think "our" way is more intimate. Ain't it great to smell elk you can't see? Besides, those lousy Swarovski binos give me a headache!

Tim

Use the same bullet that you did for open range shooting. All the premium 375 bullets should work well on elk.

Todd E

Since you will be hunting in heavy cover and all your shots will be close you still must choose the most accurate load your rifle will fire. You may be forced to put that bullet through a small lane to your target. At close range the weight of the bullet is not as important as the accuracy. Use a heavy constructed thick jacketed bullet that you can place into the middle of a 6" pie plate every shot at 75 yards. There is no compromise when it comes to accuracy in the field hunting big game. If you take the attitude what the heck accuracy is not important you will fail and wound a majestic animal that will get away to die a slow death. At this point in time you need as much work between your ears as you do on the load and bullet you choose to use on your Elk hunt..

Reloader66

I think you have misunderstood me. Or I just misunderstood you.

My rifle will not reliably beat 2" at 100 yds with the Barnes X. Noslers shoot 1.25" or so. I am saying at the ranges I hunt, this does not matter.

If you shoot through such small holes in brush that 0.75MOA off the bench matters, I think you need to reconsider your shot selection.

Perhaps you thought the Barnes were shooting 12" groups Or perhaps you mistakenly thought I was making reference to bullet placement, not inherent load accruacy? That would explain your reference to my needing work between my ears

Nah, I don't believe that. You said I need to choose the most accurate load my rifle will fire. That is nonsense! Terminal performance and bullet placement rule. 1MOA will matter not a whit under field conditions. These are elk, not chipmunks.

Tim

I have a friend who shoots nothing but a .375 H&H using a Barnes 270 gr. bullet for elk hunting. It does penetrate very deep and he has never had any disappointments using that bullet weight.

Now when I did use my 375H&H several years ago in the mountain, I too use the 300 grain bullet by Nosler. It blasted a nice hole right through the rib cage of the 5x6.