The Best 'Realistic' Rifle Hunting Cartridges for Elk Success

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The two bulls battled all morning. The smell of estrous was draining from the October air; only a cow or two in the area had yet to breed. The cedar-sprinkled terrain was sparse, but every thunderous crack that would echo down the canyon put us on the move. The bulls were warring, and you run to the sound when autumn battlers clash.

It wasn't ideal. The rangefinder read 357 yards to the cross-canyon 6x6. I couldn't get prone, so it was the sticks or nothing. The bull stopped his cows briefly, peering back, expecting another sudden charge from his sparring partner. The charge came, but the bull was dead before it happened. A perfectly placed 300 PRC 212 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter struck the bull high in the shoulder. The bullet's thick jacket shank and InterLock ring held the core and jacket together, causing rapid expansion that shattered bone, sending shards into the spine and lungs. The bull was dead before he hit the ground.

After reading the article's title and this lead, I'm sure you think the 300 PRC 212 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter is my number one go-to elk cartridge. It's up there, but I've learned you don't have to hit high shoulder to put elk down. You don't need a long-action monster propelling a 200-plus-grain bullet. Here are several cartridge and bullet choices that will anchor the monarch of the mountains when you hold center lungs.

The .300 Winchester Magnum 190-Grain AccuBond LR

The .300 Win. Mag. is a Western staple, an elk-killing legend, and a favorite of mountain roamers. Brought to the market in 1963 based on the design of the .375 H&H, Winchester Repeating Arms wanted to create a caliber that could send a 180-grain bullet at or around 3,000 fps with pinpoint accuracy. It’s not a tweener, but I can’t pen an elk caliber/cartridge article without paying homage to this kingpin.

I spent the latter part of June 2024 chasing plains game in Africa, using Winchester's .300 Win. Mag. 190 Grain AccuBond LR ammunition, which proved hyper-accurate and devastating. I sent two rounds—an inch apart—into the lungs of a magnum-sized Cape eland. The 1,500-pound bull staggered forward, took two steps, and crumbled. The shot was 334 yards. Both bullets flew flat and highly accurately, precisely as they did during testing. The bonded lead core ensured uniform, controlled expansion as I dug both bullets out of the bull's offside skin. 

I shot a 330-pound red hartebeest in the heart two days later from 564 yards. The bullet impacted directly above where the reddish/black line that comes up the front leg ends, crushing the bull's heart. The gray polymer tip helps the bullet maintain a high BC and initiates immediate expansion, even at lower velocities. With my short-barrel setup, the bullet drop at 500 yards was 40.1-inches.

When I returned stateside, I spent the summer banging steel with this cartridge between 500 and 1,000 yards. Its boat-tail design with a solid base boosted accuracy, and when fired from an 18-inch carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel, I still obtained an average speed of 2,878 fps.

That fall, I put a single .300 Win. Mag. 190-grain Nosler AccuBond LR in a high-shoulder impoact on a 313-inch bull at 304 yards. The bull had one of the most impressive body sizes I've seen, and the bullet ate him up. One shot. One kill. The wind was blowing 16 miles per hour from left to right. I did make a slight wind adjustment; however, heavy, high-BC bullets do a remarkable job of not giving in to Mother Nature's breath. If you're a .300 Win. Mag. goer, this 190-grain bullet will do the job. The bullet will punch the heart and lungs but has enough energy, depending on distance, to crush the shoulder.

6.5 PRC Federal Terminal Ascent 130 Grain

It's quite a swing, touching on the .300 Win. Mag. and then moving to the Hornady-designed 6.5 PRC. Here's the thing, though. I shot many bulls through the lungs with a sharp piece of carbon. Most double-lung skewered bulls go less than 100 yards before piling up. If you're looking for a long-range tack driver that will be hellish on pronghorn, mule deer, and tip elk over when shot distance and bullet placement are considered, the 6.5 PRC is a winner.

I got lucky in the fall of 2023. I harvested three bulls with all three of Hornady's PRC calibers. One was the bull mentioned in this story's lead. That bull taken with the 300 PRC was the final bull of the year. The first bull was a public-land 4x5 crossing an open meadow between pine blocks with the 6.5 PRC.

The shot distance was 354 yards—a tad further than the 300-yard goal I'd set. Still, Federal's Terminal Ascent 130 Grain sizzling from my 24-inch barrel at 2,994 fps punched both lungs and exited. I've had remarkable results with Terminal Ascent ammo, as it gives hunters the long-range match-grade accuracy in a bonded hunting bullet with a top-tier BC (.532). Unlike some bonded ammunition I've shot, the copper shank and bonded lead core retain weight to ensure deep penetration at any range.

In 2022, I shot a bull at 54 yards with my trusty .280 Ackley (more to come) with Terminal Ascent ammo. I smashed the bull's shoulder, and when I dug the bullet out, though it had fragmented a bit, most of it was intact and mushroomed out. That bullet was cruising out of the muzzle, going at top speed, when it made contact. Keep that in mind.

While I wouldn't push the limits on elk beyond 400 yards with these 130-grain beauties, you can't beat their accuracy. Always be mindful of the wind; a lighter bullet will get more drift, but Terminal Ascents with the Slipstream polymer tip and low-profile design cut the air like a knife and help with wind drift. If you spend time at the range, learn your wind calls, and remain calm and confident, you can hit the tuft of hair you aim for and the animal. The Terminal Ascent 130 Grain 6.5 PRC is an excellent low-recoil elk killer.

6.8 Western 175 Grain Long Range Pro Hunter 

My friend Brad Fitzpatrick said it best on a 2024 October elk mission in the Land of Enchantment: "Buddy, I don't know how to explain it. I get the high BC and remarkable speed with a heavy-for-caliber bullet. Mostly, though, the 6.8 Western paired with the 175 Grain Long Range Pro Hunter has 'THE IT' factor." Fitzpatrick didn't need to say anymore. I'd watched my friend and Leupold marketing team member Kayley Anderson dump her first bull at just a tick under 500 yards.

Five hundred yards is a long-range shot, and the 6.8 Western 175 Grain Long Range Pro Hunter ate the bull up. I was 1,000 yards from the bull, heard the hallow thump—like someone splattering a ripe watermelon—and watched the bull take a few steps toward his cows and tip over. During the bull's short walk, Anderson sent another. The shot was quick. The 6.8 Western is a short action, and her placement was perfect. Upon inspection, the first round would've done the bull in. Still, elk are big, tough creatures. If a bull is on his feet, I keep slinging lead until he's not.

This bull was a unit! His horns were regressed to short points filled with mass. I guessed him at 8; the guide looked at his teeth and body and said, "I think he's 9." Regardless, his body was colossal, and one well-placed middle of the lungs round put the pull down in seconds. The 175 Grain Long Range Pro Hunter showcases an uber-accurate Sierra Tipped MatchKing boat-tail bullet. The yellow polymer tip melds into a long, sleek, bonded bullet that promises flat shooting at long distances. I've harvested Southeastern Ibex, Iberian Mouflon, and two gagger black bears with the 6.8 Western. This fall, it will be my go-to elk caliber, and the 175 Grain Long Range Pro Hunter will be my ammo of choice.

One knock on the 6.8 Western is the lack of ammo options. I get it. However, there are ways around everything. I save my pennies yearly, visit a local dealer, and have him order me 10 boxes. That's 200 rounds. I've done this for three years, and even with extensive range testing, I have enough 6.8 Western ammo to last me a lifetime. If you handload, check out our Shooting Times article on the new 6.8 Western brass offering from ADG here.

280 Ackley Improved 160GR AccuBond Trophy Grade

Nosler makes excellent ammo, and though I've dropped a few bulls with Federal's 168 Grain Berger Hybrid, I prefer the added speed of Nosler's 160gr AccuBond Trophy Grade. Yes, Federal's 168 Grain Berger Hybrid has a slight BC advantage—.566 compared to .531. Still, I like the extra 128 feet per second with the 160-grain bullets from my Kimber Mountain Ascent.

This past fall, after my buddy missed a 300-plus-inch public land bull at 90 yards, I lined out on the bull offhand, running full tilt away. I knew the shot distance was within 150 yards, and I knew the shot would be an instant kill or a clean miss. With so much confidence in my caliber/cartridge selection, I centered the crosshairs on the back of the bull's neck and sent it.

"Whammy," was the response from my buddy. Aside from his confidence, I also saw the bull crumble in my scope. The .280 Ackley Improved is a flat-shooting 500-yard and in elk killer that produces minimal recoil. It's an outstanding all-around big-game caliber I rely on often. I know several sheep guides that brand the .280 Ackley with 160gr AccuBond Trophy Grade the deadliest sheep pairing ever created.

Loaded with Nosler AccuBond bullets, the white polymer tip ensures smooth sailing accuracy and flawless chambering. Like many bullets designed for precision accuracy, these Nosler bullets boast a boat-tail base to allow for expansion. Big mushrooms make big holes.

Final Thoughts

I love elk! My fall revolves around them, and while it's OK to go big, it's OK to go the tweener route as well. There's nothing wrong with a 375 H&H, 338 Win. Mag, 300 PRC, etc. These calibers and the right cartridge will help you hit elk pay dirt. However, if you want to save some shoulder abuse and go with an elk killer that will work remarkably well for pronghorn, mule deer, white-tailed deer, black bear, and other medium-sized game, consider the caliber/cartridge options above and stay shooting all-year-long!

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