300 yard eland shoulder shot with a .308 - would you take it?

[WAB]

Why are people digging up 6 year old threads?

I should say threads that haven't been posted on in 6 years.

Because we’re bored. No one will let us go to Africa and create new hunt reports!

 

[MS 9x56]

Mostly because the last year has been shall we say challenging! I think we all need the distraction. Boredom is becoming more dangerous than a buffalo. I still can't figure what caliber will work on that.

 

[MMAL]

Absolutely take the shot. The animal will not know the difference between a 308 and 375 when you double lung them. This assumes you are a good shot and know the gun. The only difference in either gun is when you miss your shot! With a 308 you have wounded an animal and will probably not retrieve it. With a 375 might be a chance.

With that said, I agree with all the posters that say get closer, I just know over 5 safaris that sometimes that is not an option and then a choice on you part.

But a 160 grain a frame will kill just as fast as a 250 grain a frame when both are shot through both lungs.

 

[CJW]

Because we’re bored. No one will let us go to Africa and create new hunt reports!

Fair enough.

 

[CJW]

Boredom is becoming more dangerous than a buffalo. I still can't figure what caliber will work on that.

Not going to touch that one.

 

[autofire]

i think 308 on Eland, especially at 300 yds not wise. Your PH should probably disallow that. But for a modest price your PH could rent you 375 for the day just to do the Eland hunt. That way you could take your 308 for other PG and still get your Eland.

 

[Tgood1]

I watched an enebriated ph use a 22.250 to put down a meat eland at about 150yards. Directly in the ear. No i wouldn't try it but it piled up nicely

 

[flatwater bill]

The new Hornady Revo load for a 30-30 develops about the same energy at 100yards as produced by a good 308 load at 300 yards. Both using 160-165 grain bullets........FWIW.....wonder if the OP of 7 years ago ever bagged his eland? If I have $35 grand riding on a 300 yard shot on a LDE, I might want a bit more.................but a fun question for us bored hunters...................FWB

 

[Tra3]

Mostly because the last year has been shall we say challenging! I think we all need the distraction. Boredom is becoming more dangerous than a buffalo. I still can't figure what caliber will work on that.

So true. Guys with nothing to do is a problem. I suspect many of us remember the younger years when a group of guys got together without a plan... things get humorous and messy.

As for figuring out a Buffalo caliber, just buy a few more and do various tests at the range. Then bring two on your hunt. The money you’ve saved on not going out to eat probably covers the cost of a new gun!

 

[IvW]

Why are people digging up 6 year old threads?

I should say threads that haven't been posted on in 6 years.

COVID....

 

[IvW]

The new Hornady Revo load for a 30-30 develops about the same energy at 100yards as produced by a good 308 load at 300 yards. Both using 160-165 grain bullets........FWIW.....wonder if the OP of 7 years ago ever bagged his eland? If I have $35 grand riding on a 300 yard shot on a LDE, I might want a bit more.................but a fun question for us bored hunters...................FWB

He may well be still waiting for the trackers to find it...and get sent the horns.....

 

[bruce moulds]

i know the difference in killing power between 100 and 300 yds when shooting camels with the 9.3x64.
i try to avoid 300 yard shots for this reason.
and eland are bigger and heavier.
the shoulder shot on big game like that at 100 yds is not a hard one to make offhand, and is harder kneeling or even sitting at 300 yds.
the 9.3x64 requires a little holdover at 300 using 286 gn bullets which have a s.d. of around 3.
an equivalent s.d. bullet from a 308 might require even more holdover.
flatter shooting 150 gn 308 bullets are not an option here.
judging 300 is not as easy as it rolls off the tongue.
it could be 250 or 350.
you owe it to the innocent to use something better than a 308.
bruce.

 

[Rick Cox]

Hello!

If all goes well, next year I might be going to South Africa with my dad for plains game hunting. I've been craving a nice, light .308 for about a year and I'm getting to a point where I'm feeling a firearm purchase might be justified. I live in Sweden and our unarmored moose are no match for .308 boomsticks. Neither are our brown bears. I want to get the 20" .308 to use as my "only" hunting rifle. It will be enough for all Swedish hunts, and this South Africa trip won't be a frequently reoccuring thing. I might get a .300 win mag in the future but it's not at the top of my "to buy" list. I don't want to have to buy two rifles, I'm on a student budget.

I believe in volume practicing and marksmanship. I often hear people say any caliber is good enough for any animal, only to find out they are talking brain shots. I'm not comfortable with brain shots, to me shot placement means lungs and/or shoulders and lungs. The heart is a bonus.

I know this subject is old and rehashed, but would you consider the .308 enough for eland, even at a range of 300 yards, even if you were intending to go for the shoulder?

Would I be fine hunting Eland with a 20" .308 that I had practiced a lot with?

Thank you.

No. Too far. Too little gun. And honestly, it wouldn't matter what gun for me.... Bigger gun, say .35 Whelen or bigger and under 200 yards is about as far as I would push it. But then I have never in more than 50 years of hunting big game in North America shot farther than 200 yards.

 

[johnnyblues]

Big tough animal! Premier bullet is a must. I’ve taken lots of game at that distance and greater, but if possible get closer. No one likes to track a wounded animal ,and in the event you don’t recover him your still on the hook for payment.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Your chances of a 300 yd shot are slim. Every PH I have hunted with has never put my sticks up for a 300 yd shot. They all want to get closer and usually can. That said, my partner 2 years ago, shot an eland at 240 yds with a 308 but using NORMA 180 gr ammo Shot was right on the shoulder and penetration was not too good. It got into first lung only. We had a fun couple of hours tracking it for the finishing. I was not impressed with the Norma bullets. On skinning only small fragments could be found. Even with premium bullets I would be hesitant to do a 300 yd shot on an eland with a 308. Your 308 will be fine for everything you hunt but try to keep the shots to 225 yds or less and I'll bet you a beer you can keep them to 225 or less with no problem.

Hi Cliffy,
I know you were kidding when you said you and your partner spent two hours having fun tracking the wounded eland. One thing is for sure the eland was not having fun. We all have a responsibility to see that our kills are as quick as possible. I would allow a 225 yd shot. Probably not a 300 yd shot unless I really knew the shooter and his capabilities, and to be quite honest I would be a lot happier with a .338, .300 Win Mag class cartridge or bigger.

It sounds like your buddy made a proper shot, but the bullet was lacking.

Gunshot Injuries, La Garde is a excellent reference book on gunshot wounds for those who have not had the chance to read.

 

[colorado]

300 Win Mag probably a much better choice. 200g bullet at 2900 fps

 

[RayAtkinson]

The 308 with a 165 or 180 gr. Nosler partition or Accubond is a 300 yard gun on big game including Eland, if the shooter is careful and a good shot. I would take the shot, but keep in mind if you mess up the shot you still have to pay the piper, a good reason to use a .338 win, a much better Eland caliber, they are big and they are tough. I shot one 5 times with a 375 H&H and 300 gr. bullets at 150 to 400 yards before he went down and they were all killing shots three in the lungs , one a gut shot and a spine shot ended the melee, he also ran a tree branch in his chest about 10 inches when he went down and he was down but looking at me when we closed on him and a finisher was used in the neck..Phillip Price PH, swarktkei Safaris also put a 243 rem corelokt in his chest...This sort of thing can happen and does on ocassions and light calibers can ruin a good hunt. By the same token many elephant have been culled with the 308s.

Its good advise to use all the gun you can handle on an expensive hunt IMO.

 

[Longwalker]

It's so interesting how so many people's ethics are determined by their wallet. I try to do the right thing despite what it may or may not cost. Far too often, I'm not up to my own personal standards. I try to do better. But I am disappointed by the reasoning of so many hunters visiting Africa who think there is a difference in how they should act based on whether or not some one is watching, or if there is a bill to be paid. If a shot is likely too far for ones abilities, or their equipment, or otherwise unlikely to result in a clean kill, it should not be taken. Full stop. Putting a $$$$ figure on the decision is missing the point. Or has modern hunting ethics devolved to what a person can afford, instead of what's right?

 

[bruce moulds]

a good point well put longwalker.
the bottom line is the humane aspect.
bruce.

 

[Buffalo1]

I'm not supporting a 300 yd shot on an eland. I would advise getting closer.
With a .308, I would give the Sierra GameChanger 165 gr. ammo a try in your rifle. If the gun likes that bullet- good deal. Would also consider a 180 gr. bullet.

I finished off a bad bow shot on an eland with a Brit .303 at about 50 yds- DRT ! The are large animals, but considered "thin skinned", buy African standards.