Jack O'Conner
New member
We hunt the forests and foothills with medium velocity cartridges and round nose bullets with great success.
Jack
Jack
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choosing a deer bullet
- Thread starter skoal3
- Start date
Boomer58cal
New member
FYI...If you're anywhere near Eugene/Springfield, Cabelas is stocked up right now. As are several other shops in town.
Good luck
Boomer
Good luck
Boomer
IME:
139gr Hornady Interlock, handloaded down to 2400 f/sec in my kiddoes' 7-08 Ruger Frontier ....... 4 1/2 year old whitetail buck, over 200 lbs on the hoof, 75 yards, quartering away. Bullet struck last full rib on the near side, traversed the top of the lungs, hit a rib on the far side under the shoulder blade, broke it and stopped under the shoulder ..... deer ran 50 yards or so and piled up. The recovered bullet retained most of it's weight, and the core did not separate from the jacket.
I've never used any of the bonded bullets on deer, nor any of the all copper/guilding metal ones. The one time I did use a bullet designed for penetration (170 gr Nosler Partition RN in .30/30) did not turn out so well, making a real mess out of what should have been a very tasty button buck.
My reasoning against these "modern controlled expansion" bullets is that many of my shots are short range with the deer facing me. If you have ever field dressed a deer that has a had a bullet pass through his guts, you will understand why I am not interested in them.
I have settled on Sierra's 150gr GameKing BTSP launched @ 2900f/sec from my .270WIN ...... It is a relatively fragile conventional cup and core bullet with no cannelure ("Interlock") ...... on those close (50 yards or less) frontal shots, the bullet has always entered the chest and come apart, making hash out of the heart and lungs, with no bullet fragments getting past the diaphram ..... yet at distance, has always held together well enough to pass through on broadside shots, leaving an exit wound that makes a blood trail a blind man with frozen hands could follow ......
Why do you not reload yet?
The very best reason to reload is that you will shoot your rifle so much more- competenc comes with familiarity, and having a couple hundred loaded rounds laying about begging to be shot is conducive to that......
139gr Hornady Interlock, handloaded down to 2400 f/sec in my kiddoes' 7-08 Ruger Frontier ....... 4 1/2 year old whitetail buck, over 200 lbs on the hoof, 75 yards, quartering away. Bullet struck last full rib on the near side, traversed the top of the lungs, hit a rib on the far side under the shoulder blade, broke it and stopped under the shoulder ..... deer ran 50 yards or so and piled up. The recovered bullet retained most of it's weight, and the core did not separate from the jacket.
I've never used any of the bonded bullets on deer, nor any of the all copper/guilding metal ones. The one time I did use a bullet designed for penetration (170 gr Nosler Partition RN in .30/30) did not turn out so well, making a real mess out of what should have been a very tasty button buck.
My reasoning against these "modern controlled expansion" bullets is that many of my shots are short range with the deer facing me. If you have ever field dressed a deer that has a had a bullet pass through his guts, you will understand why I am not interested in them.
I have settled on Sierra's 150gr GameKing BTSP launched @ 2900f/sec from my .270WIN ...... It is a relatively fragile conventional cup and core bullet with no cannelure ("Interlock") ...... on those close (50 yards or less) frontal shots, the bullet has always entered the chest and come apart, making hash out of the heart and lungs, with no bullet fragments getting past the diaphram ..... yet at distance, has always held together well enough to pass through on broadside shots, leaving an exit wound that makes a blood trail a blind man with frozen hands could follow ......
had planned to use Barnes TSX for deer this year in my 7mm08 but now I can't find any, don't reload yet,
Why do you not reload yet?
The very best reason to reload is that you will shoot your rifle so much more- competenc comes with familiarity, and having a couple hundred loaded rounds laying about begging to be shot is conducive to that......
tahunua001
New member
skoal.
actually it's called hell's canyon because once you drop down you never come back up, it is the deepest canyon in the US.
that said, any of the bullet options you listed are more than capable of taking deer, even a 250LB hells canyon mulie(I'm assuming that's what you're after).
I'm kindof partial to good ole fashioned federal powershok cup&core bullets but the vital shoks are good too. I just started getting into hand loading this year so now I hardly ever think about factory options anymore but I would recommend anything with federal on the side of the box.
you might look for some of their new camo boxed ammo, I think they are loading up speer deep curls in that(my 30 cal bullet of choice for elk).
actually it's called hell's canyon because once you drop down you never come back up, it is the deepest canyon in the US.
that said, any of the bullet options you listed are more than capable of taking deer, even a 250LB hells canyon mulie(I'm assuming that's what you're after).
I'm kindof partial to good ole fashioned federal powershok cup&core bullets but the vital shoks are good too. I just started getting into hand loading this year so now I hardly ever think about factory options anymore but I would recommend anything with federal on the side of the box.
you might look for some of their new camo boxed ammo, I think they are loading up speer deep curls in that(my 30 cal bullet of choice for elk).
I am currently loading the 150 grain Interlock boat-tail in 30-06. Based on what I've seen water jugs backed with plywood, they are expanding quite well at 300 yards when started about 2880 fps. Accuracy from my old Remington Model 78 is around 2" for three shots at 200 yards.
Saltydog235
New member
I shoot 150grn Nosler BT's in my 7mm08 for whitetails and the results are just devastating. I've had one deer out of about 25 that ran 30yds before piling up, the rest dropped in their tracks. The one that did run left a blood trail Ray Charles could have followed.
You can't find 150's loaded from the factory, to my knowledge, in a 7mm08 but you can get 140's.
You can't find 150's loaded from the factory, to my knowledge, in a 7mm08 but you can get 140's.
Boomer58cal
New member
Yep I love the 140g in my 7 mm mag. Deer drop in their tracks like you pulled their plug. I do slightly prefer the hornady SST's 139g. The SST's are slightly tougher and I've experienced better penetration.
Boomer
Boomer
ChasingWhitetail91
New member
My father and I have always used the Remingtons in 150gr with nothing but success at the range or in the woods.
silvrjeepr
New member
Ammo availability is exactly why I'm getting into hand loading this year. My son's rifle shoots federal premium 95gr ballistic tips exceptionally we'll. I can now find all of the components, but the factory ammo is non existent still.
I'm also skeptical of the controlled expansion stuff. I changed to ballistic tip after a core lokt slipped though the ribs of a 150lb doe. The shot was perfect, but there were pin holes on each side of the carcass when I finally found what was left the next day...
I'm also skeptical of the controlled expansion stuff. I changed to ballistic tip after a core lokt slipped though the ribs of a 150lb doe. The shot was perfect, but there were pin holes on each side of the carcass when I finally found what was left the next day...