i am pushing 140 gr speer grand-slams at 2780 fps. i ranged the deer (which was bedded down) at 321 yds with my leica 800. wife held 3" high and a bit to the left to account for the 10mph cross wind. hit the deer in the humerous (destroying it) the bullet then entered the chest cavity towards the neck. lungs and the apex of the heart were lacerated with no exit wound. i could not find the bullet.

my deer was shot at 200 yds, quartering towards me a bit. bullet hit the shoulder (destroying it), entered the chest/exited the chest leaving a quarter sized hole. the atrium of the heart was hamburger.

with these results, i am a bit leary on shooting an elk more than 225 yds away. what are your thoughts?

Load it with 160 gr RN's and get closer? Just a guess.

Try something other than a Grand Slam!!! I had one totally disintegrate when I hit an elk with a .300 Mag. The pieces of lead I was picking out were the size of the head of a pin. I'll never use them again, I just don't trust them!!

bowhuntr

Why are you shooting at the shoulders? Shoot just in front of the shoulder blade or behind the shoulder into the ribs. Still it seems you got good results with downed deer. Anytime you hit bone generally you are going to get altered bullet performance.

If you are going to stay w/ the 140gr bullets for the COL in your 6.5x.284, then switch to a NP or Swift or BBC or NF. They will all hold up better than the GS.

That is great performance on deer with shoulder shots. If I was to go after elk, I would take the advise above and go with a Partition, Bear Claw, Barnes or such. The 140 will do fine.

I hit a big mule deer too far forward, misjudged the wind I guess, and the 145 gr Grand Slam left bits of bullet all through the lower neck and spine. He die instantly, however, at 324 yards form a 280AI I was surprized at the amount of shreaded copper I found.