.264 Win Mag for Elk

bulllet peformance

If that Berger round performed as you say on a light-boned deer, I have to say DON'T DO IT on an elk!!!! While I'm not a fan of .264 Mags because of the barrel length needed to actually achieve the published velocities, that's not the point. I'm sure that yours will do fine IF the right bullet is used. As many others have said, it's hard to go wrong with a Nosler partition.
That being said, I've killed elk with a round as light as the .25-06. Would I unconditionally recommend it to everyone? No. The animals that I've dropped with the .25-06 (love those things) were undisturbed, broadside shots where I was absolutely sure of the bullet placement, and those Noslers were deadly. But, I've also passed up a big bull that was quartering away, because even with Noslers I couldn't be sure of penetrating to the vitals through so much tissue and tough hide. My .300WM w/180's would have piled him up for a follow up, I'm sure.
In my long experience, there just "ain't no free lunch" when it comes to light bullets and big, heavy-boned animals.


Happiness is a steaming gut pile.
 
264 winchester Magnum

I never had a problem killing Elk with this caliber. I shot Elk from 50 yds up to 500 yds and never lost an elk. I use 140 grain XLC IMR 7828 65 grains getting 3,300 fps. I love this round the only thing is never recovered a bullet. I'm going to try the 130 Gr. Berger VLD this coming season see how they do.
 
Years ago the .264 Win Mag would burn out the barrel throats quickly so that is one of the reason it lost popularity. I'd bet, with the new powders out now, that it would be a fantastic round and not have the barrel issues....
 
I have an uncle that lives, sleeps, eats and breathes the 264 Win Mag. He has killed over 30 elk with it and I lost count of how many mule deer. He has and still uses 140 grain Partitions and Sierra BT and has never had a problem and I have never had to help him track anything.

As for Bergers they are made to break apart and make mush, just like the results you got, and many people use them on elk with great success. The school of thought is that all the bullets energy is transferred to the animal when the bullets does not exit. I am not a fan of that thinking but you'll need to make up your own mind on that.
 
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