Drew Az cow elk tag. Will be shooting a suppressed rem model 700 SPS Tactical (16.5" barrel) chambered in 308

Currently have it sighted in for 168 gn Federal premium w/ Berger Hybrid Hunter projectile. Get abt 2500 fps out of it.

Is this a good bullet for this? Or should I use something like a 165 gn Barnes TSX instead?

Shot will be <300 yds.

In .308 right? The bullet you are using is good. Place the shot where you are supposed to and elk steak that night.
Thousands of elk have been taken for decades using regular old run of the mill Federal, Winchester or Remington lead tip spire point bullets…..with a lot less performance technology than your round. You're good my friend.

Yes .308- sorry forgot to include that in OP.

Would prefer to use what I have, I know this gun likes this stuff. With this shorter barrel I should still have no problems out to 300 right?

That bullet is just fine. Especially if your gun shoots it well and you shoot it well.

Yes sir. I personally wouldn't change a thing. You are comfortable with that load and have confidence in it.
Hope you get a good one Tandy.
We will expect a "going live" thread.

tandy miller said:

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Yes .308- sorry forgot to include that in OP.

Would prefer to use what I have, I know this gun likes this stuff. With this shorter barrel I should still have no problems out to 300 right?

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No issues. my girlfriend uses a similar rig and it took her elk and mulie down last year just fine.

It's just a cow tag. Got a good deal (free) at the place I mule deer hunt. Guy that owns the outfitter has brought his kids to tx a couple times to hunt with us so he's going to let me stay at his house and guide me for basically free. Will essentially be a day hunt. I'll make a little road trip out of it

Then will be headed back in jan (hopefully) for muley redemption w/ the bow.

As my grandpa used to say to say " you can't eat them horns"!
Nothing better than cow elk meat.
Excited for you sir!

I'm pretty excited also. Have never killed an elk. Wasn't honestly planning on doing it when I put in, but when I realized you pay as soon as you're drawn I figured I'd go and make a road trip out of it… don't really want to let a $650 tag go to waste

Heck yea! Sometimes those old cows are smarter than bulls and can be very aloof. Hope you have a great trip sir

What units? Just being nosy

Bring a big enough ice chest when you get one. Mule deer is a baby to an Elk.

Hoyt Ag said:

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What units? Just being nosy

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18B

drred4 said:

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Bring a big enough ice chest when you get one. Mule deer is a baby to an Elk.

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Put chest freezer in back of truck, dry ice, plug it in when you can.

I wouldn't take a freezer. Put it on ice, keep the coolers drained (three 100 or 120 qt coolers should be enough). If you put the ice in garbage bags then you don't have to worry about draining it as much but some water always leaks out. By the time you get it home it should be ready to process. I've found for elk letting them age at 5-7 days at around 35 deg. is about right. It really makes a difference in how tender the meat is.

On bullet selection Bergers are kind of frangible but at your velocity will work. I think I would use the TSX as it will improve your chance of an exit wound. Cow elk tend to stay in herds and can be hard to track in brush or timber. A good blood trail can help a lot. I offer this advice with all due humility. I'm no expert but have spent enough time looking for lung shot elk to have come by my thoughts honestly.

168 gr Barnes TTSX has always been nails for me. gun loves it and groups it better than most ammo.

Out of my Qfix 16" barrel with a supressor, it shoots 2545 fps so that still gives it plenty of energy at 300 for elk.

With that said your Berger Hybrid should be very similar velocity as you stated and with the cup and core design it should be plenty fine for what your're doing. If you're shooting good groups I wouldn't change it !!

168 accubond over 46 grains of varget kills everything in North America. Just my 2 cents

What ive been doing the last few years is brining a big cooler and taking old quart milk jugs and filling them with water and freezing them. Keeps the meat plenty cold without getting it soaked in ice water.

Re: Meat Care- I think some folks are a little too cautious about this. I shot a bull during NM archery season. It hung in the shade in game bags for 2 days before we could get it packed it out and it got to about what felt like 75 or 80 degrees during the day. Spent about four or five hours in paniers. Then once back at trail head, threw it into a cooler with bags of ice and drove it home refilling it once. No problems.

Just be aware of what distance your bullet's velocity drops below its upset threshold. IIRC Bergers are around 2000fps for reliable upset on the lower end.

NRH ag 10 said:

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Just be aware of what distance your bullet's velocity drops below its upset threshold. IIRC Bergers are around 2000fps for reliable upset on the lower end.

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Great point- I looked up bergers and they said 1800 or above. Which you should be in a good range at 300 or less.

Barnes for the 168 gr says can start at 1500fps but rather be 1800- 2000 preferable for proper expansion and i'm at 1995fps at 300 yards with 1485 lb*lbs

I'm not too far away if you need anything.

Appreciate it

How many 120-150 qt igloos will I need?

Gunny456 said:

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Nothing better than cow elk meat.

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Some truth in that. No better way to start a fall than a freezer full of cow elk. No need to mess with a bunch of deer at that point. The steaks are excellent on the grill.

Two, or three max if it's a really big cow. I have two 100s and one 120 and that's always worked for me.

The comment about people being overly cautious about meat storage is right on. Understandable for people who grow up hunting in Texas when the temperatures during hunting season can be in the 80s.

CS78 said:

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Gunny456 said:

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Nothing better than cow elk meat.

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Some truth in that. No better way to start a fall than a freezer full of cow elk. No need to mess with a bunch of deer at that point. The steaks are excellent on the grill.

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As I have gotten older, we have shifted to shooting cows only. Ive shot a lot of big animals, now we hunt for our food. With beef prices the way they are, we rely much more on elk and deer. Between me, girlfriend and her two boys, we shot 2 cows and 4 deer last year. My kitchen was a processing plant for like 1.5 months lol.

My last cow fit entirely in one 120 (boned out of course)

I think the Berger will do fine.

I don't think the TSX is better.

If I were to suggest any change, it would the Accubond (not ABLR).

Charismatic Megafauna said:

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My last cow fit entirely in one 120 (boned out of course)

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You said boned out lol

Ok serious note. If you are boning out (ymmv but check the regs but I could never get a straight answer from TPWD if it is against the rules by boning it and then moving into Texas - the regs make it sound like it is) you can fit into two 90qt easy. Or like CM said in one 120.


Edit: I think they changed the regs bc now TPWD reads that meat can't be processed beyond the whole muscles- used to read can't be processed beyond quarters.

Gets lonesome up in the hills

Stick with the 165 Berger Hybrid.

Charismatic Megafauna said:

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My last cow fit entirely in one 120 (boned out of course)

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I don't think it will be boned

That's west of Prescott near Bagdad isn't it?

jja79 said:

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That's west of Prescott near Bagdad isn't it?

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between Prescott and seligman I think

I think you shot a big elk calve!

I kid.