Let’s talk bullets

[Wildstreak]

This will probably be a hot topic, what is your go to bullet for elk and deer? From in your face to 6-700 yards? Mono’s? Cup and core? Bonded? Why do you like that bullet?

 

[punklife505]

I've been shooting 174gr Hammer Hunters out of my 300WSM using Nosler brass, CCI 250, H4350, and getting 3200fps at sub MOA.

 

[huntnful]

Cup and core for the big wound channels

 

[handwerk]

Barnes LRX but I don't shoot much past 450.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

the more i've learned about bullets, the more i gravitate to fragmenting style tipped match bullets

Why Match/Target Bullets For Hunting

This is going to be a barrage of questions. It will help to view me as a skeptic relative to the matter at hand. I am going to do some load development for my new 6mm Creed. I live in the southeast where shots are rarely taken at more than 100 yards. But, I fancy that I will take a trip out...

rokslide.com

 

[can1010]

not sure there is a one size fits all answer.
tipped match especially heavy for caliber are great well past 700yds but in your face to explosive loose to much meat.
bonded bullets never seen one that held acceptable accuracy past 500yds but great up close.
copper mono expanding design like Barnes best under 500yds if you can still maintain 2000fps at distance.
so that leaves fragmentating copper bullets which most will function under 1800fps and with the right weight bullet gets your 700yds but and a big but to shooting heavy long range mono is having a gun with the twist to stabilize them which 99% of shooters don't have. heavy long range mono need faster twists to stabilize, function and track true after impact

 

[MT-nuffgun]

Cup and core for the big wound channels

This, and the match bullets ability to operate across a wide velocity range.

 

[TaperPin]

I was slow to upgrade from Nosler Partitions to the Accubond, and they are both quite good if fired from a decent sized cartridge and have decent velocity at impact. A 6mm from either is not an elk bullet unless you’re out in the open where it’s easy to recover.

What they do provide is good accuracy, they hold up in close shots and you can eat fairly close to the hole. 160 gr in a 7 mag kills anything you point it at with boring regularity.

I upgraded to the Accubond for higher BC, but have recently decided to revert back to the Partition just to poke fun at the younger generation in our family, and they work just fine. I love giving the younger generation a hard time while encouraging them to become accomplished shooters. When I’m able to outshoot them with a 50 year old rifle, 30 year old scope, and 70 year old bullet it makes me smile since it’s not going to be that way forever. I’ve often told a nephew his fancy new rifle better step it up if it can’t keep up with something older than his gramma’s first pair of underwear.

To old geezers it’s comforting to use a familiar bullet - we have history, and brings back memories of tough shots, easy shots, long shots, great hunts, the biggest racks, and most disappointing failures to get shots off in time. That’s worth giving up a little BC. Lol

 

[jfk69]

I’m a cup and core, and I’ve come to really like ELD-X(M)’s and Berger VLD’s. I like how easy they are to tune and their performance on game. Another vote for massive fragmentation inside the animal. Tough to survive a grenade in your chest. As long as I avoid bones up close I haven’t had issues or destroyed excessive amounts of meat.

 

[MT-nuffgun]

I don’t eat lungs, ribs, or head cheese so I’m not worried about eating close to the hole.

 

[JGRaider]

Since 95% of shots on big game are 300 yds or less, I'll stick with the proven accubonds, followed closely by the Scenar. I've seen many times what fragmenting bullet construction can do on behind the shoulder shots on game at closer range and I want no part of it.

 

[35WhelenAI]

TTSX in every rifle that goes big game hunting. From pronghorn to elk. Been using Barnes since 1994 and have taken one animal with lead in that time. Then went to Barnes in that rifle as well.

 

[Caseknife]

I've shot monos exclusively for over 30 years, but then again I have never shot anything over 300 yards. I primarily hunt closed timber.

 

[sololearn9]

I like coppers or bonded when going down the caliber power spectrum.

 

[35WhelenAI]

In disclosure, the longest shot I've had with a mono is around 375 yards. However the longest shot with lead is not even that far for the sake of discussion.

 

[FDme]

I’m considering using a mono metal bullet for the first time in a new 6.5 prc. Used nothing but the old soft tipped core lokt for probably 15 years. Went to core lokt tipped and like them quite a bit.

Thinking about trying Barnes LRX 127gr. Should be a nice deer and black bear rifle when I get to hunt open country.

 

[Sinistram]

 

[madcalfe]

elk, and black bears I run 180gr nosler accubonds cause i know shots will be in that 50–200 yard range but when I go sheep/ mountain goat hunting i use 178gr eldx. I've had 2 instances with eldx under 100 yards giving me poor performance. 1 on a white tail and another on a black bear.

 

[Quandary]

I've used Accubonds, Terminal Ascents, CEBs, Bergers they all kill Deer, Elk and Moose.

I have never used a Sierra bullet. Thinking about developing a load in 7PRC for the 175 GameKing or the 180 MatchKing. Which would be better assuming equal accuracy? How about compared to the Berger 180 VLD Hunter?

 

[24valve]

I've used Accubonds, Terminal Ascents, CEBs, Bergers they all kill Deer, Elk and Moose.

I have never used a Sierra bullet. Thinking about developing a load in 7PRC for the 175 GameKing or the 180 MatchKing. Which would be better assuming equal accuracy? How about compared to the Berger 180 VLD Hunter?

Make sure you use the right sierra bullet - SMK's are inconsistent and sometimes don't open up as shown in the post below. TMK's work very well...

Post in thread '.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.'

Apr 4, 2020

Found this on Sierra's website? WTF doesn't make sense at all does it?

"While they are recognized around the world for record-setting accuracy, MatchKing and Tipped MatchKing bullets are not recommended for most hunting applications. Although MatchKing and Tipped MatchKing bullets are commonly used for varmint hunting, their design will not provide the same reliable explosive expansion at equivalent velocities in varmints compared to their lightly jacketed Hornet, Blitz or Varminter counterparts."

The .223 77 SMKs aren't tipped like the 95 grain SMKs

I have shot a...

• Ryan Avery

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