Bullet design for modest hunting distance on all game

[Erussell01]

I'm a big fan of Accubond for do it all projectile. Anybody have any thoughts on that compared to the Norma Bondstrike considering OP's criteria?

I don't know why Norma seems like a sleeper to me. I never see factory loaded Norma on the shelf around here so ai just don't even think about it.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Killed the elk in my profile pic last fall with a 175 TA .308. Shot was steep downhill and broadside around 80 yards. Bullet hit behind the shoulder, a hair above halfway up the body on near side and exited a few inches below halfway on the far side. A rib was smashed on both sides and the lungs were destroyed.

At the shot, the elk dropped down on both front knees. He staggered back up, turned around and limped about 40 yards before going down for good.

Shot placement was on the money with a high quality and extremely accurate bullet. The terminal damage was severe. However, he was fired up, coming in from over 500 yards away to aggressive bugles. Elk are big, tough, animals, and when they’re pumped up on adrenaline they’re even stronger. I’m not sure that any other bullet at that range in those circumstances with that POI would have changed the bull’s physical reaction to being shot.

 

[MeatMissile]

I have a “beater” rifle in 308 (Ruger Hawkeye Stainless) that I keep around because it’s economical to shoot, bomb proof, and has a level of recoil that most people can tolerate. I have taken blacktail, whitetail, mule deer, and Roosevelt elk with it. All with a 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip over 45gr of Varget. No fancy brass, just Winchester with a CCI 200 primer. It gets a pedestrian 2750 fps guaranteeing the bullet holds together no matter how close I am. I can hold minute of pie plate out to 420 yards with it.

At medium ranges (350 yards is my furthest shot on game with this load) the bullet expands predictably and doesn’t come apart. The one elk I shot with it was a cow, but I got an exit at 200 yards on a broadside shot.

Of the rifles I own, the 270, 7mm-08, 7x57, 280, 308, 30-06 are all in the same category. Not flashy, but easy to feed and versatile.

 

[prm]

Staying inside 400, I’d likely use a 165 or 180 Partition. They blow up somewhat like a cup and core and also make two holes. win-win.

 

[6mm Remington]

165 gr. Accubonds. Sounds like your rifle likes the 165 gr. Accubond. Trust me you need to look no further. It will open up close and expand nicely just as it will way out there, and retain a lot of it's weight. Great bullets that I have used on a lot of game. My grizzly bear in Alaska was one shot with a 140 gr. Accubond out of my 280AI.

A Partition is never a bad choice either, and the 165 gr. would work very well for you.

If you want to go to a mono bullet and your rifle shoots it, the 150 gr. Nosler E-tip would work great too.

 

[roosiebull]

Haha no wonder I can't find any! They're all in his gun safe!

they have reliably been easy to find local to me... about every store that sells ammo has had .308 TA, probably the most consistently in stock besides the blue box cheaper federal, which i have a few boxes of as well... they are another one that have been accurate out of most rifles, so i'm buying some of that for "plinking" and building a pile of brass.... this is exactly why i'm getting this .308, it's been readily available through all of this recent BS, it and .223/556 have been the only readily available ammo, that made it attractive to me, and i have always avoided the boring, dated .308..... i have gained appreciation for it in many regards recently, it will be great for any animals i'll be rifle hunting, and will remain good at any ranges i will be shooting at critters personally, and mellow recoil.

with the current ammo/reloading supply issues, i have not had the freedom to shoot my hunting rifles as much as i want, the .308 i will be able to shoot, and shoot a good amount.... our creed has not had that effect, and i overpaid on reloading components so i could at least shoot some.... plan on mainly reloading as i build components/powder, but it's nice to have a reliably available factory ammo too.... lot easier right now than trying to run down reloading components that aren't saving any money vs factory ammo, and the time consumed shopping for primers or powder that are in stock is way better used behind a rifle getting better

 

[roosiebull]

Will do! Thank you! 88 pages might take me a minute lol

it's worth it.... like Form pointed out, though it's a thread based on the .223, there is a ton of excellent information about how bullets do work, i learned a lot reading that thread, and connected a lot of dots.

my theory on bullets was not that great when compared to real life, i have used a lot of different bullets on game, and have seen a bunch more used on game.... i knew what i liked and didn't for the rifle hunting i do, but i didn't know how the bullet performed on game before i shot them (by design)

like i said, it connected a lot of dots reading that, and is an entertaining thread too, i thought i understood bullets pretty well.... same stuff with arrows, we find the right compromise for the hunting we do and we know it's strengths and weaknesses before we ever nock an arrow that year in the woods

 

[Antares]

I have such a hard time shooting deer in the shoulder. I need that meat to cook into delicious meals for mt family so for me, shoulder shots are not the first choice.

I hear you, bud. I like a braised shoulder more than most. I’ve had to make my own peace with this. You know what ruins a lot of meat? Losing a deer. Shoot shoulders, do a little trimming, and feed the dogs.

 

[zion zig zag]

Any love for the SST? They’ve been really easy to find lately. I think they are a cup and core with interlock ring.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Couldn't agree more. I have hunted since I was a little kid, but rifle hunting is new to me so I have a lot to learn. When I was a kid I believed a 30-06 was a lightning bolt from the heavens that would just smite the deer in its tracks.

Turns out that was not the case and rifle hit deer can run, sometimes don't bleed well and often are dead but hard to find.

I have such a hard time shooting deer in the shoulder. I need that meat to cook into delicious meals for mt family so for me, shoulder shots are not the first choice.

The terminal ascent seems to get a ton of love from a lot of guys who take a variety of game. I need to find more for sure!

I hear ya. But with monos you won't lose as much meat loss as ya think. I don't throw trim away my hunting dogs eat it. No waste.

Partitions. 1" MOA bullet in most cases which is fine at reasonable hunting ranges. You will get more fragments.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

I hear you, bud. I like a braised shoulder more than most. I’ve had to make my own peace with this. You know what ruins a lot of meat? Losing a deer. Shoot shoulders, do a little trimming, and feed the dogs.

You can close the thread with this statement. Pick a mono or bonded bullet and accept some meat loss or try for a very tight meat saver shot.

 

[amassi]

Any love for the SST? They’ve been really easy to find lately. I think they are a cup and core with interlock ring.

Great bullet, similar to noslers ballistic tip.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

You know what ruins a lot of meat? Losing a deer.

That right there... You gotta get them on the ground AND find them first. I'm taking my daughter to WY on a cow hunt in October. I know the 175 TA shoots lights out in my gun, however, after reading the .223 and .243/.25-06 threads on here, I'm also going to see how the Browning 168 grain TMK and Hornady 168 grain ELD shoot. At the ranges we plan to shoot, inside 400 and preferably inside 300, the upsetting/disrupting properties of the aforementioned bullets may be the ticket for a fast kill.

EDIT- I meant to add that that 175 TA shoots 2" at 200 out of my Ruger American. The 180 TBT shoots around 2.5". I've also tried the Winchest 180 white box PSP with horrendous results. The blue box Federal 180 PSP shoots 3-4" at 200.

In preparation for the fall hunt, we'll be sighting in the SWFA at 100 and ensuring the dials are good from 300 and beyond with whichever round we decide on for the hunt.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I use NP in my 308 150, 165, and 180s. Also have 150 and 165 accubonds. I find myself loading up the the 180 NP the most. They also seem to be the most accurate. YMMV

 

[Erussell01]

I hear ya. But with monos you won't lose as much meat loss as ya think. I don't throw trim away my hunting dogs eat it. No waste.

Partitions. 1" MOA bullet in most cases which is fine at reasonable hunting ranges. You will get more fragments.

So you recommend monos? Any flavor specifically?

 

[Erussell01]

Killed the elk in my profile pic last fall with a 175 TA .308. Shot was steep downhill and broadside around 80 yards. Bullet hit behind the shoulder, a hair above halfway up the body on near side and exited a few inches below halfway on the far side. A rib was smashed on both sides and the lungs were destroyed.

At the shot, the elk dropped down on both front knees. He staggered back up, turned around and limped about 40 yards before going down for good.

Shot placement was on the money with a high quality and extremely accurate bullet. The terminal damage was severe. However, he was fired up, coming in from over 500 yards away to aggressive bugles. Elk are big, tough, animals, and when they’re pumped up on adrenaline they’re even stronger. I’m not sure that any other bullet at that range in those circumstances with that POI would have changed the bull’s physical reaction to being shot.

Man that's an awesome experience. And one heck of a bull man. Sounds like you might be sticking with the TA! I need to find more of them for sure! Would you hunt antelope with them?

 

[Erussell01]

I have a “beater” rifle in 308 (Ruger Hawkeye Stainless) that I keep around because it’s economical to shoot, bomb proof, and has a level of recoil that most people can tolerate. I have taken blacktail, whitetail, mule deer, and Roosevelt elk with it. All with a 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip over 45gr of Varget. No fancy brass, just Winchester with a CCI 200 primer. It gets a pedestrian 2750 fps guaranteeing the bullet holds together no matter how close I am. I can hold minute of pie plate out to 420 yards with it.

At medium ranges (350 yards is my furthest shot on game with this load) the bullet expands predictably and doesn’t come apart. The one elk I shot with it was a cow, but I got an exit at 200 yards on a broadside shot.

Of the rifles I own, the 270, 7mm-08, 7x57, 280, 308, 30-06 are all in the same category. Not flashy, but easy to feed and versatile.

Interesting! I hear mixed reviews on ballistic tips, but it sounds like they don't stay together with high velocity impacts. Sounds like you found a bullet that works well for you. Do you take shots on the shoulder or do you prefer to stay off the shoulder?

 

[Erussell01]

Staying inside 400, I’d likely use a 165 or 180 Partition. They blow up somewhat like a cup and core and also make two holes. win-win.

I don't know why I have always thought 180 was a bit big for 308. When I first got the gun I shot some really cheap 180 ammo that kicked like a mule for my 12 year old frame haha. I should revisit that for sure

 

[MeatMissile]

Interesting! I hear mixed reviews on ballistic tips, but it sounds like they don't stay together with high velocity impacts. Sounds like you found a bullet that works well for you. Do you take shots on the shoulder or do you prefer to stay off the shoulder?

It depends on whether the animal will be hard to recover if it runs. At the mild velocities generated by a 308, bullet performance was always good.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

99% of people who post on rokslide (myself included) will never shoot anything far enough away to really need to worry about what bullet they use. Pick one that shoots well out of your gun and go hunt.