.308 kill an eland?

[Pirate]

@pdh: comment noted, but there's a big difference between at 150gr at 2800fps and a 200gr at 2200fps. I doubt the latter would fail.

@Messor: lol, I was wondering how you were going to disagree with me so to spite you, I'm going to agree wholeheartedly with you that a mono is not a hard requirement. I like your idea of the 200gr Rhino, but half of that's a mono anyway I do think a heavy mono will give just that little bit more margin...

[janfred]

Problem is that a heavy mono is a very long bullet. Few barrels will stabilise that at normal velocities.

Heavy,lead and slow, or mono light and fast; your choice.

[Pirate]

Problem is that a heavy mono is a very long bullet. Few barrels will stabilise that at normal velocities.

Heavy,lead and slow, or mono light and fast; your choice.

Look at my previous post. I did the calcs a 1:12 will stabilase the 180gr and even 200gr VRG3 just fine. Remember those are flat point bullets

[Brenneke]

Check out this app for R160

http://www.africahunters.co.za

There is also a book available -- it is expensive though ...

Here you go -- Dr Kevin Robertson

https://www.shakariconnection.com/ke...son-books.html

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/the-perfect-shot-ii-from-dr-kevin-robertson-other-books-dvds.39722/

[Bosvark Kzn]

I’m also planning to take an Eland bull down, first week of June. I only have a .308.
Using Sierra Gameking 165g SBT. I prefer to go headshot. Do you think it’s a safe shot, for example behind the ear? Or better to go bladskoot?

[TStone]

I’m also planning to take an Eland bull down, first week of June. I only have a .308.
Using Sierra Gameking 165g SBT. I prefer to go headshot. Do you think it’s a safe shot, for example behind the ear? Or better to go bladskoot?

I have seen more eland wounded and lost with head shots than with shots hitting any other part of an eland's anatomy. There is a place for brain shots, it is mainly for people who cull as a profession. Should you mess up a head shot on a large eland, that 165 gr Game King is not going to give you enough penetration on an angled shot, and you might not get any other shot. A wounded eland can cover huge distances in a very short time. Do you really want to risk condemning an animal to a death horrible beyond description because you tried to save a few kilos of meat?

Eland can vary a lot in size, mature bulls can be twice the size of mature cows. If you are going to shoot a cow, or a cow sized, sub adult, bull, a 165 gr Sierra Game King will work if you wait for a broadside shot and place the bullet in the lungs behind the shoulder or in the vital triangle on the shoulder (avoiding heavy bone) but again, if you wound an eland it is not the bullet you want. If you are going after a mature bull, I would really not recommend your bullet of choice at all.

I would suggest the following, buy a box of factory ammo loaded with a good premium bullet. First choice would be Barnes TSX/TTSX, Hornady GMX or Swift A-frame. Say you use ten rounds to sight in and check the trajectory, you still have enough ammo left, even if you do make a mistake with your first shot. Before you start the hunt, have a look at drawings illustrating eland anatomy, there are good books but the internet will also help.

Enjoy your hunt, eland are a challenging prey, and make for excellent eating.

[Messor]

I’m also planning to take an Eland bull down, first week of June. I only have a .308.
Using Sierra Gameking 165g SBT. I prefer to go headshot. Do you think it’s a safe shot, for example behind the ear? Or better to go bladskoot?

Look, one of 4 things is going to happen.

1: You try for a headshot, you hit the brain and it falls down dead.
2: You try for a headshot, you are slightly off and wound and now cannot down the animal in the body because you lack penetration with that bullet.
3: You go for a body shot, you hit the lungs, the animal runs a bit and topple over.
4: You go for a body shot, the bullet doesn’t make it to the vitals, now are back to number 2.

Eland bulls are massive things(and expensive), can you not just buy a little stronger bullet for that hunt?
Surely a gunshop near you must have something like 180gr Pro-Amms at the very least, they are cheap.
Most big gun shops have Federal fusion for very reasonable prices, buy one pack of 180gr ammo and bobs your uncle, no need for load development or nonsense.

[MyLani]

I shot an Eland Bull in February. Got myself into a good spot behind a bush before he had seen me. He fed past me at about 80m.
Hit him on the shoulder with a 150GR swift Scirocco at a modest 2600fps.
He did not go far.
From 80m,i was very tempted for the head shot, but was not lus incase it was a kak shot. He was in a recoverable place. If he ran too far from a behind the shoulder shot or a messed up brain shot, the meat would have spoilt in the February sun.

I can tell you one thing though, it's the last time I shoot an Eland by myself. Gutting and loading was not a fun job

[treeman]

A big Eland is not a fun job for even 3 people in the bush, there is a lot of everything and if the animal is not right where the vehicle can get to – hard times and bad language are moments away. The gutting is a massive job and even when gutted a good winch and loading ramp is a must.
Skinning the beast is journey into "will it ever end?" Have a lot of good knives and an oil stone + a step ladder helps.
I really never object to staff skinning an Eland[IMG]file:///C:\Users\Treeman\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif[/IMG]
The real respect the Elands size comes when you get to the butcher and have to unload the beast, yusslike! dunno if I am just very weak after a hard hunt, but moer!!!!! That hind quarter is heavy and the neck just so unhandleable - just cannot get it off load body onto shoulder.
That said even tackling a big water back is quiet a task when alone or with less than qualified help.

[Bosvark Kzn]

Thanks for the good advise so far. It’s my first Eland, and I honestly don’t want to mess it up by leaving an injured animal in the bush. I always try kill as quick and efficiently as possible, that’s why I normally shoot head shot, but I’m willing to go engine room if it’s a “safer” shot in this case, and will look at getting heavier ammo.