150 gr for deer..i havent had much luck with core lokt..failure to expand at close ranges....silvertips or sst's work well in 150 gr out of a 30-06...for elk you need to seriously think about going larger than 180 though...elk are big..way bigger than most people realize...i would go with a 200 gr hard cast lead...good job on the rifle though..savages are hard to beat and for the money they are near impossible to beat...good luck and shoot often