Eland, is the .308 Winchester enough gun?

[Jon Glajchen]

The average mass for a Common Eland male is 700 Kg (1540 lbs) and some get as big as 900kg.
The average mass for a Blue Wildebeest male is 245 Kg (540 lbs).
A large and mature male Eland is truly an impressive animal. They also have an amazing ability to soak up lead from poorly placed shots !

 

[shark_za]

A Blue Wildebeest is generally around 200kg , some Eland Bulls can be over 900kg.
They get MASSIVE.

You would be well served by a 300WM shooting 180gr or 200gr bonded bullets.

 

[Shootist43]

Quaticman, so what are you going to tell your friend? To me it looked as though your original thoughts were spot on. Possible at best, better if bigger.

 

[Henrique Maia]

Contact me for an excellent old trophies, one you will love it and rare.
Maia

 

[IvW]

Contact me for an excellent old trophies, one you will love it and rare.
Maia

I want ten....where they are?

 

[fourfive8]

Will a 308 work? Of course... IF everything is just right. I too am curious about what the OP passed on to his friend. Such questions are pretty common here. Personally, a 375 HH with a good tough bullet is about perfect for eland. Most who have no experience with them, simply don’t appreciate their size! And those who have never experienced lost animals or tracking lost animals don’t appreciate the theory of “use enough gun”. Not every shot under field conditions will be perfect. Always good idea to plan for the worst.

 

[Timbo]

I used a 338win mag with 225gr A-Frames for a one shot kill on my Eland. "Personally" I think under certain conditions the 308 would work. BUT I want my choice to work in all conditions.. View attachment 328066

That's a very nice eland!! Look at that "rug" - or should I say "shag pile carpet"!!!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Will a 308 work? Of course... IF everything is just right. I too am curious about what the OP passed on to his friend. Such questions are pretty common here. Personally, a 375 HH with a good tough bullet is about perfect for eland. Most who have no experience with them, simply don’t appreciate their size! And those who have never experienced lost animals or tracking lost animals don’t appreciate the theory of “use enough gun”. Not every shot under field conditions will be perfect. Always good idea to plan for the worst.

Fourfive8
No such thing as to much gun but there sure is the theory of not enough gun
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Divernhunter]

That's a very nice eland!! Look at that "rug" - or should I say "shag pile carpet"!!!

Thank you. He was big and I like the mount

 

[Bruce]

Have hunted and dropped eland with a270 W, 30-06 and 375H&H.
I now only hunt them with my 375, purely because it reduces the risk factor IF shit placement is not 100%.
I use Swift A-frame 300g in the 375.

 

[WAB]

I’d hate to see what happens if your shit placement is not 100%!

 

[Von S.]

To answer the OP's original question I would have to say that for him maybe, but for me absolutely not.

The 308 was designed for and does one hell of a job killing human beings......... especially ones that are short and stink worse than smelly animals.

My choice for something to kill an Eland is something of a more robust variety, say starting with a 458 and working up on the power level from there and leave the 308 to more much smaller and fragile targets.

Of course should be ever find ourselves in mortal conflict with a race of giant 1500 pound humans I am pretty sure that someone in power will get the genius idea to start issuing something that fires 500 grain projectiles to the boys kicking ass.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

To answer the OP's original question I would have to say that for him maybe, but for me absolutely not.

The 308 was designed for and does one hell of a job killing human beings......... especially ones that are short and stink worse than smelly animals.

My choice for something to kill an Eland is something of a more robust variety, say starting with a 458 and working up on the power level from there and leave the 308 to more much smaller and fragile targets.

Of course should be ever find ourselves in mortal conflict with a race of giant 1500 pound humans I am pretty sure that someone in power will get the genius idea to start issuing something that fires 500 grain projectiles to the boys kicking ass.

VonS
Yeah the 458 will work but isn't it a but like cracking walnuts with a sledge hammer. Is there anything wrong with the good ol ough 6 and a good 180-200 grain bullet.
Just my thoughts. I don't like getting beaten up by big toys.

 

[Timbo]

Thank you. He was big and I like the mount

I plan to get one on my next hunt! (...and a waterbuck and a golden wildebeest and a black hyena and ...!!)

 

[MarkB]

After reading 6 pages on this post I still stand by my original thoughts. Yes I have killed eland, not with a 308, 2 with 375 while on buff hunts. If I were booking an eland hunt (any variety) I would NOT choose to use my 308, for all the reasons listed in prior posts. Now if I was going on a PG hunt and eland was available or an opportunity arose I would not hesitate to shoot one while carrying my 308 with good bonded bullet. No eland on the planet will survive a good bullet in the correct place, now many eland would run away to be tracked or lost if shot by any large magnum in the wrong place.

MB

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I’d hate to see what happens if your shit placement is not 100%!

@WAB
If you shit placement is of things can get very messy very quickly.
Ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[Joker12]

If you put the bullet in the right place a 308 is absolutely enough gun and if you don't put in the right place a 375 isn't enough.

 

[IvW]

@WAB
shit placement
Bob

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen Shit placement is always a problem......well said......

 

[VertigoBE]

Well, I shot an eland with a 7x64. Would not recommend the caliber for an eland. But still down within 30m of the shot. Bullet was found inside the heart

 

[EXECUTIVE HUNT AFRICA]

I've taken one with a 7mm Mag and the other with a 30-06 (partition bullets both times). Both one shot kills and furthest went 40yds. I think you'd be fine with anything .270 and larger.

Shot placement is the key, it only needs a small hole in the heart.