Hey guys, looking for input on best hunting cartridge for primarily Whitetail. This is in the Northeast and distances are really only 100 yards on average. Thanks!!
My votes for American whitetail 150 interlock. Love me an interlock for short range work. It's cheap, mildly accurate, and good combination of expansion and penetration
Not too many that wont do it at that range. If you want a flat shooting meat saver go for the barnes 130gr ttsx. Tracking jobs may be a little longer with ttsx though. Nosler has the Whitetail Country line, Federal has Powershock, Remington Corelokt. Hornady has a couple options. Buy a box of each and see what your rifle likes best. Lots of options.
If you dont reload, both my T3 and CTR 308 both shot fed blue box 150 from Walmart very well.
5 shots of walmart ammo
But I reload and use the 130ttsx. I too hunt 90% hardwoods so shots are 100 and in. But do have open areas for much further shots, but really any bullet at those ranges are fine.
My T3X 308 SL loves the Federal Premium 150gr ballistic tips, but they stopped making this load and I was lucky to stumble across 15 boxes yet last year.
This is a 5 shot group @ 100 with the rifle from a few years ago, and it wears a simple 3-9 Burris FF2 in modified Talley’s LW rings.
150 Interlocks/American Whitetail load will be great if your gun shoots them well. I have switched to 165SST this year as they shot better in new rifle, only 2 deer so far but it has performed great, seems to be slightly more expansion/bloodshot.
Inside 100 I bet most 308 loads will do well. Good luck.
I've had great luck loading the Berger 168gr Elite Hunter and some absolutely devastating wound channels to go along with it. Hunting here in the south Ozarks, most shot distances don't go for much longer than that unless you specifically plan for it. Even so, I wouldn't hesitate to use it for that. If you're spots are as thick as mine, you'd appreciate this bullet just in case you need to track it.
This ammo is sold loaded by Berger and you get Lapua brass. Be sure to keep that.
not necessarily in a tikka (but sure they will shoot great, it's a tikka), anything ballistic tip or ballistic silvertips if they still make, in either 150 or 180grain, worked great for virginia whitetail out of a 308 and 30-06,
I haven't ever tested any other ammo because my T3X Lite shoots these Federals well and they've obliterated the chest cavity of anything I hit with them.
Shopping for the Trophy Bonded Tip, 308 Win, 165 Grain, Trophy Bonded Tip, 2700 fps - Learn more about the latest Trophy Bonded Tip and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.