Reloading advice: bullets? Vary for target/hunting?

[cueva]

The Barnes lovers are proud so they have no problem telling you they're the best, the conflict arises when you start trying to define the metrics they do better than cup and core bullets. They produce drastically smaller wound channels, have lower BC, have much higher velocity requirement for optimum performance, are more temperamental to barrel fouling (I question this one but see it often), and are more expensive.

It also depends on how far you plan to shoot, do some research on the velocity needed for the Barnes to reliably upset and plug the numbers into a calculator to see the limitations. Most Bergers kill just fine, but a tipped cup and core is hard to beat for reliable performance on game.

I have heard this as well about the velocity requirement, which is why my plan was to shoot no farther than 400yds. It’s weird though cause I’ve also heard to shoot lighter loads but plenty say 168gr in a tikka 308 is good due to the 1:11 twist + they open up at lower velocities than the 130 & 150gr which confusing me lol (but that’s what a Barnes rep confirmed).
What’s the best tipped cup & core bullet you recommend? Thank you for your in-depth help btw

People run heavier bullets to get better BCs. I might agree out to most distances it really don’t matter. I won’t disagree that they kill, but I’ve yet to see a mono bullet or bonded bullet have exception tissue damage. Standard cup and core are far superior imo.

Agreed with the heavier bullets which is why I was thinking 168gr. I was wanting Barnes though so the tissue damage isn’t terrible + lead everywhere, for ex I’ve heard the bergers are lead grenades and do insane damage. Haven’t read much on other bullets yet as there’s so many, but trying. My wife ocd picky too and I know she’d be weirded out with lead in her meat, what cup & core bullet do your recommend? Keep hearing this as well. Ty!

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Any exposed lead tip like a btsp or sp, corelokt type bullet. Eldm, eldx, tmk, gameking, pro hunter, Speer has some offerings. I personally shoot eldm across the board.

 

[Harvey_NW]

Agreed with the heavier bullets which is why I was thinking 168gr. I was wanting Barnes though so the tissue damage isn’t terrible + lead everywhere, for ex I’ve heard the bergers are lead grenades and do insane damage. Haven’t read much on other bullets yet as there’s so many, but trying. My wife ocd picky too and I know she’d be weirded out with lead in her meat, what cup & core bullet do your recommend? Keep hearing this as well. Ty!

I would love to shoot mono's but the difference in performance and tissue damage is worth the trade off for me, but I also live out west and a lot of the shot opportunities are longer ranges. Shoot them in the vitals and you will mitigate the issues of lead touching good usable meat. Even with other shot angles any meat that was hit with lead or jacket will likely be bloodshot and unusable, and trimmed off.

The topic of residual lead in game meat is pretty controversial, and I have yet to see compelling evidence to substantiate either side. My goal is to get all the usable meat off the animal, so I personally shoot a tipped hunting or match bullet, and try my best to get a good clean shot at the lungs or clear entry into the vitals. I shot the Sierra TGK's last year in 2 rifles and they all performed perfectly as expected at ranges from 130-690 yards. The performance on a bull elk at 300 yards was about a 4-5" diameter hole of destruction with the base trapped under the offside hide.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I have heard this as well about the velocity requirement, which is why my plan was to shoot no farther than 400yds. It’s weird though cause I’ve also heard to shoot lighter loads but plenty say 168gr in a tikka 308 is good due to the 1:11 twist + they open up at lower velocities than the 130 & 150gr which confusing me lol (but that’s what a Barnes rep confirmed).
What’s the best tipped cup & core bullet you recommend? Thank you for your in-depth help btw


Agreed with the heavier bullets which is why I was thinking 168gr. I was wanting Barnes though so the tissue damage isn’t terrible + lead everywhere, for ex I’ve heard the bergers are lead grenades and do insane damage. Haven’t read much on other bullets yet as there’s so many, but trying. My wife ocd picky too and I know she’d be weirded out with lead in her meat, what cup & core bullet do your recommend? Keep hearing this as well. Ty!

Your worries about lead in the meat is a lil over the top IMO. While I have seen a couple animals that required a bit of extra cleaning on the meat. Most of the time, theres not much if anything lead wise to clean up.

 

[Bubbadoyle]

I thought the Barnes are some of the best out there though? I feel like I see tons of people shooting ttsx. Why eld-x? I’ve heard a lot on it too. Better than the berger hunting you think then?

The eld-x might work fine at .308 velocities but there’s a ton of people that claim poor performance on game. My personal opinion is that bullet is the reason the 6.5 creedmore has the reputation it has for poor performance on game. I’ve been told the eld-x is the newer version of the sst and that’s a bullet I’ll never shoot at game again after complet bullet failure in two instances using it. My personal suggestion from minimal experience personally and a lot of research online is to avoid both the sst and the eld-x for hunting. I know some have had good results but there’s just way too many examples of bullet failures in both of those for me to risk wounding an animal by shooting either one.


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[Bubbadoyle]

Any exposed lead tip like a btsp or sp, corelokt type bullet. Eldm, eldx, tmk, gameking, pro hunter, Speer has some offerings. I personally shoot eldm across the board.

I’ve heard as many great things about the eld-m on game as I’ve heard horror stories of the eld-x on game. I’m going to give the eld-m’s a try this year for sure.


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[Rich M]

See if you can get a load that saves you some money. Or if you hunt with say a Sierra Pro Hunter, then is will be as reasonable as it gets. We shoot the PH 150 out of 30-06. Shoots 1 inch at 250 yards. Hard to beat for $38/100.

I saw the lead-free part. Is that only hunting or do you need lead free for range?

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Eldm for both. Great on game, cheaper than berger, and shoot well.

 

[cueva]

Eldm for both. Great on game, cheaper than berger, and shoot well.

I’ve been trying to find the difference between eldx and eldm but am having tons of difficulty somehow online, any input you can suggest by chance? Been seeing a lot of reccs from both

 

[swavescatter]

Just shoot ELD-Ms.

Some of the best ballistics out there and also the deadliest.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I’ve been trying to find the difference between eldx and eldm but am having tons of difficulty somehow online, any input you can suggest by chance? Been seeing a lot of reccs from both

They are similar, with the ELD-X having a thicker jacket and an interlock ring for more controlled expansion and penetration. "Hunting bullets" still have a little bit of Fudd design in them, gotta punch through and have that perfect mushroom. But it is well known that tipped match bullets upset violently and create massive wound channels.

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Just shoot ELD-Ms.

Some of the best ballistics out there and also the deadliest.

147 eldm on an elk at 550 yards was the quickest kill and most violent wound channel I've had. Heart shot helps though.

 

[cueva]

147 eldm on an elk at 550 yards was the quickest kill and most violent wound channel I've had. Heart shot helps though.

Hey out of curiosity why 147g? Why not shoot heavier bullets, esp for elk? Sounds like you didn’t need it, but just curious

 

[swavescatter]

Hey out of curiosity why 147g? Why not shoot heavier bullets, esp for elk? Sounds like you didn’t need it, but just curious

There's not a heavier, hunting capable bullet in 6.5mm I know of that's heavier except the Berger 156EOL. But the 147 ELDM has a better BC and kills a little more reliably from what I've read.

 

[Mulyhuntr]

Hey out of curiosity why 147g? Why not shoot heavier bullets, esp for elk? Sounds like you didn’t need it, but just curious

Heavy as it gets for the creedmoor

 

[cueva]

Heavy as it gets for the creedmoor

Oh I’m shooting 308 not 6.5 ;(

There's not a heavier, hunting capable bullet in 6.5mm I know of that's heavier except the Berger 156EOL. But the 147 ELDM has a better BC and kills a little more reliably from what I've read.

oh I’m shooting 308 ;( so that’s why I’m unsure on what grain eld-m to go for, 168g or 155g or unsure

 

[wyosam]

All of my hunting rifles shoot non lead for hunting, but also shoot lead core, and even cast lead for practice/plinking. Shooting expensive copper all the time would not allow me to shoot as much as I like. Some rifles are a little picky about cleaning between different types. Not the end of the world.


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