Bear/White-Tail Bullet Selection

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Hoping some folks with more experience can chime in and help me make a final selection. I have been reviewing different ammunition types to decide what was the best fit for me and the situations I will be hunting over the next year. I will be taking 3 black bear hunts where shots realistically are likely to be 50ish yards in thicker timber but do have some areas that may will up to 400 yards and greater. I will also be using this same set up for white-tail which will be mostly bow range shots with some having a chance to stretch out to about 350 yards at the max. After shooting a few groups and seeing what was available in 30-06, I narrowed the options down to Hornady Precision hunter, Federal Terminal Ascent, Federal Fusion 165, and Barnes TTSX 168. Both Federal options and Hornady consistently group at basically 1 to 1.5 MOA at 100 yards, while the Barnes TTSX consistently has holes touching on target. My main issue I am running into on making a decision is actual performance on game. When I started really looking into each option I found tons of complaints for each one, followed by tons of praise. Usually the complaints are:
- The Barnes TTSX doesn't expand
- The Hornady Precision Hunter is unpredictable. It either grenades or mushrooms and no one knows which it will do at any given time.
- The Federal Fusion seems to be too soft and may not perform if I have to stretch the distant or get a thick hide bear.
- the Federal TA has had some complaints about pin holing at close range, but overall seems to have little data in general so it is hard to make an opinion.

For background information, the rifle set up is a Tikka T3X SS 30-06 and a Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10x44 scope. At my current skill level, I would keep shots at 300 and under, but do hope to get to being comfortable at 400 before my spring Idaho bear hunt as that hunt will have the options for longer distance shots. I have considered running a Nosler AB or Partition but am turned off towards them due to the high cost compared to other premium bullet offerings like the Barnes, Federals, and Hornady's which I seem to consistently find for $15 - $20 less per box.

 

[shax2lex]

I’d probably just shoot what works best.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I’d probably just shoot what works best.

Do you mean most accurate?

 

[shax2lex]

yes. All o those bullets seem to be fine for the scenario you put forward above. Just find what shoots the most consistent and move forward.

 

[Scdogman]

Not on your list, but 500 yards and in I would shoot accubonds.

 

[Taudisio]

I have no experience with the federal terminal ascent, but in my limited knowledge of the bullet, it would perform better in scenarios you need to penetrate deeper into harder targets than black bears and whitetail. I do not have a positive experience with mono-metal bullets and would not use one again unless I was forced to. I have killed 4 bull elk with the eldx in a 6.5prc, it will also do great in an ‘06. I wouldn’t hesitate to use either the eldx or 165 fusion on elk, less so, a deer or black bear. The fusion is bonded so I would expect it to penetrate more and fragment less. Of your list, the eldx would be my number one pick, the fusion second, the terminal ascent last. Barnes won’t make my list unless the law changes. The higher BC on the eldx will also help with wind drift/calls when you start shooting farther.

 

[rover95disco]

Unless you're planning on a LOT of practice, a box of premium bullets will likely be the cheapest part of your trip

 

[Drenalin]

I wouldn't be worried about the performance of Fusions out of a .30-06. The 150s I've shot animals with were devastating.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

30/06 is as standard as it gets. do not use a mono, do not use a bonded bullet.

any generic cup and core bullet 165 gr and up, with either a lead tip or a plastic tip, is going to do a great job for you. core lock, interlock, gameking (original, not the tipped), TMK, ELD-M, ballistic tip, silver tip, etc.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Deer and black bears under 300 yards? Anything. Literally anything will do. As for the barnes failures, make sure you understand the difference between TTSX and TSX. I've shot dozens of specied of big game from 40-2000# with the same rifle and 180gr bullet. everything died in 30 yards or less. 2 did not exit. But for your requirements, anything will work.

 

[buffybr]

Deer and black bears under 300 yards? Anything. Literally anything will do. As for the barnes failures, make sure you understand the difference between TTSX and TSX. I've shot dozens of specied of big game from 40-2000# with the same rifle and 180gr bullet. everything died in 30 yards or less. 2 did not exit. But for your requirements, anything will work.

^^^^This^^^^
I've only hunted 2 black bears, both were one shot kills with cast bullets from my .45 acp and .44 magnum pistols.
I've shot dozens of deer and deer size critters, most with standard cup and core bullets, but many with Both TSX and TTSX bullets. Of the 8 TSX/TTSX bullets that I have recovered, all mushroomed perfectly, and the only way that I can tell what the recovered bullets were is that the TTSX bullets have a + stamped on the base of the bullet.

 

[2531usmc]

Get some Nosler Partitions and call it a day

 

[flathead#2]

Partitions, Interlocks, Fusions,

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I have no experience with the federal terminal ascent, but in my limited knowledge of the bullet, it would perform better in scenarios you need to penetrate deeper into harder targets than black bears and whitetail. I do not have a positive experience with mono-metal bullets and would not use one again unless I was forced to. I have killed 4 bull elk with the eldx in a 6.5prc, it will also do great in an ‘06. I wouldn’t hesitate to use either the eldx or 165 fusion on elk, less so, a deer or black bear. The fusion is bonded so I would expect it to penetrate more and fragment less. Of your list, the eldx would be my number one pick, the fusion second, the terminal ascent last. Barnes won’t make my list unless the law changes. The higher BC on the eldx will also help with wind drift/calls when you start shooting farther.

Gotcha. The main issues I read about with the ELD-X, and the main thing that has made me have caution in using it is I have seen reports about very little penetration and the very short ranges (50 yards and under) which would be a strong possibility for some of my hunts. Do you foresee any issues at the extreme short range with the ELD-X? It is one option that I can find readily available at local stores so I would appreciate being able to pick up in person versus always ordering online.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Unless you're planning on a LOT of practice, a box of premium bullets will likely be the cheapest part of your trip

Definitely planning on a good bit of practice but you're definitely right. Cost just pile up when you start traveling out-of-state for these hunts!

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Deer and black bears under 300 yards? Anything. Literally anything will do. As for the barnes failures, make sure you understand the difference between TTSX and TSX. I've shot dozens of specied of big game from 40-2000# with the same rifle and 180gr bullet. everything died in 30 yards or less. 2 did not exit. But for your requirements, anything will work.

I was listening to the Vortex Nation podcast where they had some guys from Barnes on. They gave a general summary saying that the TSX is good for 0-300 yards. TTSX lets you stretch out to about 500 yards. LRX extends past that. Of course all that depends on the caliber itself as well. I was trying the TTSX out over the TSX to provide room for longer shots as I improve as a shooter. Which 180 gr where you using?

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Get some Nosler Partitions and call it a day

Partitions and Accubond are definitely a recurring theme on Rokslide. Any benefit to a Accubond over a Partition? and have you seen any difference between Federals Partition loading vs the Nosler Partition loading?

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Partitions, Interlocks, Fusions,

Any preference or pro's/con's for either of the 3?

 

[Taudisio]

Gotcha. The main issues I read about with the ELD-X, and the main thing that has made me have caution in using it is I have seen reports about very little penetration and the very short ranges (50 yards and under) which would be a strong possibility for some of my hunts. Do you foresee any issues at the extreme short range with the ELD-X? It is one option that I can find readily available at local stores so I would appreciate being able to pick up in person versus always ordering online.

It could be extreme velocity cases that would be doing that, think if you put that 178gr in a 300rum/30nosler type case. Your 30-06 should not be able to produce enough velocity at close range to make it blow up. Those two cases will produce muzzle velocities 3200+fps. Deer and bears are not very tough and a more fragile bullet is a good thing. Guys are killing bigger animals, farther out than you plan to, with a match style 77gr 223. There is a very extensive thread that explains how/why fragmenting bullets are a good thing in the 223 for everything. Give some of it a read and you will feel better about a bullet twice the size and same velocity shooting smaller game than they have.

 

[flathead#2]

Any preference or pro's/con's for either of the 3?

Partitions are good for anything, but stupid expensive.
I've used em for "bigger" stuff like Aoudad and Gemsbok
but for Whitetail and Black Bear, good ole Core Lokts will work
just fine.
Got to where I just load or buy Hornady Interlocks.
I've killed with all of them and honestly cant tell the difference.