Your favorite Deer Bullet for your Favorite Deer Rifle

snake284

This subject has been covered in other ways, but this is for no certain cartridge. But this time what is your favorite bullet for your favorite deer rifle and cartridge that you will be using this year?

Mine will most likely be for my .270 a 130 grain SGK over 56.7 grains IMR 4831. I do have other powders that I have thougth about trying such as Reloader 19 and Reloader 22 for it. But the bullet is a dead issue. I have tried others and nothing does it on deer quite like the 130 SGK. I wouldn't mind trying some form of 140 grain bullet, but it's hard to get motivated to go to the trouble of working up a load since the 130 works so well.

If I use one of my 30-06s I will probably use either Remington 150 Core Lokt factory ammo, or hand load some 150 Grain Sierra GK. I have some 180 grains but I won't use them on deer.

If I use one of my smaller quarterbores, the .250 Savage or the .257 AI I will use the 117 grain SGK or the Hornady interlock 117. I haven't even shot the .257 AI yet but I'm thinking about so form of 115 grain bullet in it.

For my .22 centerfires, I will use the Speer 70 Grain in the .223 and 60 grain Sierra in the
22-250 because of the 1-14 twist in it.

U T

Hornady 50 cal. 250 gr sst low drag sabots in my CVA Optima Elite, 150 gr pyrodex pellets

Remington copper solid 2 3/4" 1 oz. sabot in my Mossberg 835 rifled barrel. (This is kind of a rifle, since it has a rifled barrel)

Ohio - no rifles for deer hunting.

Linefinder

Federal Premium 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip in .270 Win. I know this sounds strange coming from a handloader, but I've not yet concocted a recipe with this bullet that equals this particular factory load, and no more of them than I shoot, it's easier just to buy a box of these every couple years than do a full out load development.

This year, though, I'm doing something a bit different. Since I'm hunting deer and elk concurrently, I'll be loaded with 160 grain Partitions over RL22. I've never shot a deer with a Partition, but I figure it'll work.

Mike

beartracker

My favorite deer bullets in the following calibers, have produced in consecutive kills one shot DRT (none walking or running way).

260 Rem = 6 in a row

7mm-08 = 10 in a row

30-06 = 38 in a row

300Win Mag = 7 in a row

358Win = 4 in a row

35 Whelen = 2 in a row.

By the way in all cases above, the number of deer shot in a row was the number of deer I shot using these bullets. These bullets in the following cartridges are exceptional deer killing bullets as their use in the field has demonstrated.

260 Rem - 120gr Ballistic tip


7mm-08 - 145gr Speer SBT


30-06 & 300Win Mag - 165gr Sierra G/K HPBT


358Win & 35 Whelen - 225gr Sierra G/K SBT

wildgene

...for shooting deer w/the .25's, I use 120gr. Sierra HPBTs or Speer GrandSlams, since deer & elk run concurrently here, I usually use a heavier bullet in the 7mmRM, 160/175gr. GrandSlams or 160 HPBT GKs, 165 or 180grs. in the .300 WSM w/ the same bullets. Both have proven their combination of accuracy & terminal performance @ any distance/ angle I might consider taking a shot (see JerryBobCo's "Confidence"...

BPsniper

Hornady A-Max in any caliber they come in.

Uglygun

35 Remington 200g Sierra RN Marlin
8x57JS (8mm Mauser) 150g 0r 175g Spitzer or BT HP, depending on size of deer either Sierra or Nosler 98 Mauser
44mag 240g Hornady XTP Ruger

Jayhawker

110 grain Hornady BTHP in the 6.8 SPC
139 grain Hornady SST in 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem. Mag.
165 grain SST in .308
208 grain A-Max in .300 Win. Mag.

BPsniper

I wish Hornady made the A-Max in .25cal and .338cal. Then I would be complete and be able to use that bullet in everything I want it in. Hornady!!! Can you hear me!!!??? A-Max! .25 and .338 !!!!! Do it! Do it now!!!!!

JerryBobCo

I don't really think it matters. There are so many good bullets that are capable of performing well on deer sized animals, that it's more a matter of what my particular rifle likes.

For instance, if I were hunting deer with my .243, it would be a 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

My current choice for my .284 is the 139 grain Hornady Interbond.

If I'm hunting with my 7 mag, it would be the 175 grain Speer Grand Slam. That is not so much because I like that bullet for deer, but because I'd probably be hunting elk at the same time, and would be loaded for the bigger animal. FWIW, I've taken pronghorn, deer and elk with this bullet/load, and it has worked well on all three.

The same applies for my 338x284. For that, I'd go with the Speer 225 grain Grand Slam.

Ask this same question next year, and my answers may be different.

Jeeper

.308 = Hornady 150gr. SST - shooting 1/2 MOA out of my Ruger M77
.44 mag = Hornady 240 gr. XTP or 225 gr LeveRevolution
.45-70 = Hornady 325gr LeveRevolution

Luis

black mamba

165 gr Core-Lokts in 30-06. These are old stock, a bulk purchase from 15-20 years ago. They just work.

Weatherby

beartracker wrote: »

My favorite deer bullets in the following calibers, have produced in consecutive kills one shot DRT (none walking or running way).

beartracker were any Bang FLOPS ?

snake284

Almost every time I've tried to kill deer with a heavy for caliber or strongly constructed bullet, I've either lost the animal or had to follow it for a long time. I have always had better luck with Texas White tail deer with more frangible bullets. The Sierra Game King is perfect for deer here, as is the 130 grain Remington Core Lokt, and similar constructed Federal and Winchester 130 grain bullets. My son tried using some Speer Grand Slam 150 grain bullets once, and he had similar experiences. He gave me a box of them and I still have them. However, I may load some up and bring the .270 as my back up gun on the forum hunt. They may be just the ticket for elk.

justin10mm

I will be using the tried and true factory Winchester 130gr. Power Points in my M70 .270win. this year. This is my day to day, do everything load in my M700, so I expect the same performance from the new Winchester M70.



Here are some that I have recovered. Two on left were from hogs and the one on the right is from a deer. There not pretty but they get the job done.

snake284

Justin, that bullet has deer written all over it. Perfect. We including me always speak of Core Lokt bullets, and they are great, but we should remember that Winchester has some great offerings too. In fact I used to use Winchester Premium with power points (I think) and killed hogs and deer with them. To be honest back before I started handloading, when I went to buy ammo, I really didn't care what it was as long as it was the correct weight bullet and it was Winchester or Remington.

Jeeper

The last couple of guns we've tested ammo with, the Winchester PP has done better than Remington's Core-Lokt, and it only costs a buck or two more per box.

Luis

snake284

Hey jeeper, don't spread it around, but I remember one hog killed with my .280 Rem. and a 140 grain PP. That thing hit the ground right below where she was standing with her feet spread eagle under her. I think they refer to that as DRT on here. Some of us call that a Bang Flop Kill. Shhhhhhh don't tell BPS I said that. :rotflmao:

jbohio

beartracker wrote: »

My favorite deer bullets in the following calibers, have produced in consecutive kills one shot DRT (none walking or running way).

260 Rem = 6 in a row

7mm-08 = 10 in a row

30-06 = 38 in a row

300Win Mag = 7 in a row

358Win = 4 in a row

35 Whelen = 2 in a row.

By the way in all cases above, the number of deer shot in a row was the number of deer I shot using these bullets. These bullets in the following cartridges are exceptional deer killing bullets as their use in the field has demonstrated.

260 Rem - 120gr Ballistic tip


7mm-08 - 145gr Speer SBT


30-06 & 300Win Mag - 165gr Sierra G/K HPBT


358Win & 35 Whelen - 225gr Sierra G/K SBT

Wow, 67 deer shot DRT. That's gotta be some kinda record.
How many have run away?

beartracker

None with these bullets and the ones with the 30-06 were during a culling for the state over a two year period. I have had with the TSX and TTSX , TBBC and the Swift Scirocco deer run for a ways.

bisley

The only 'modern' bullet I have used since I've started hunting again is the Nosler BT, 165 gr. in .30-06. I've fired two at deer, and both worked well, inside 100 yards. One deer was DRT, and the other bolted and ran 50 yards before expiring, after a nearly identical shot placement to the first one, but at slightly longer range.

snake284

As for modern bullets, I guess you are talking about one of the new what I call fancy bullets like the barnes and
The likes of NBT or Nosler Partition or Accubond. Of course I realize the Ballistic tip and the Partition have both been around a number of years now. I have shot some Ballisitic tips in my 280 Rem. but about all I've killed with them is paper. I mainly use SGK which I believe used to be known simply as Sierra Spitzer Boat Tails. These and factory Remington and Winchester stuff is as modern as I'ver used mostly, but they get the job done.

NN

125 gr soft point

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.30-06.

sherwood

Winchester Model 70 in 270 Remington. Shoot great with off the shelf Remington 130gr PSp-Corelock.

timc

Well since my AR-10 is the most used gun I have for hunting I would say the Hornady 150 grain SST is my favorite bullet; not much moves very far after getting slapped with one.

Quinian

I havn't tried reloading my own yet but so far my 7mm mag seems to love the federal red box soft points and they worked wonders last year so I'll be using them again. I'm not sure (no longer have the box) but I THINK they are 150grn

I'm a big "if it aint broke, don't fix it" follower and these work so well I see no need to buy pricy stuff

Linefinder

jbohio wrote: »

Wow, 67 deer shot DRT. That's gotta be some kinda record.
How many have run away?

That's impressive, indeed, but I doubt it's a record. I don't consider myself a die-hard deer hunter, but I've had ~ 30 consecutive 1-shot DRT whitetail (no travel at all....unless you count a couple feet gained by flopping) ((I take that back, I did have one travel about 50 feet)). Shots ranged from 70 yards to 376, with the average being ~125. All were taken, believe it or not, with an A-Bolt in .270 Win, loaded with Federal Premium 130 grain NBT's, except for three, which were shot with H'Day Light Mags in 130 grain SST's. I know.....crappy platform, crappy chambering, and crappy bullets. For the deer, that is.:guns:

Mike

Buffco

I've only killed 5 deer, but they have all been bang flops. Remington CoreLokt, 150 grain, .270.

justin10mm

I guess I'm just unlucky, because out of the 12 deer I have shot, only two were DRT and they both were spine shots.

beartracker

It really has to do with shot placement as well as using the right constructed bullet for the task. Note the black dots on these different posses of whitetail deer. This is where I put my shots to get the results I have gotten for so many years and with the above mentioned bullets I posted that have made so many one shot kills. That is why I practice with my deer loads from 100yds to 600yds so when I range my deer I know I can put it in this spot.

BPsniper

What is the allure of dropping the deer right on the spot? All but two deer I have shot in my life have been one shot kills. Some ran, some didn't. I don't care if a deer runs. I can track them and they usually don't go far. A high shoulder (as pictured above) destroys, or severely damages the front of the backstrap, top of shoulder, and neck meat. That is not my preferred shot. I prefer low behind the shoulder to take out the top of the heart / bottom of lungs. Often, they run. But not far and bleed like crazy....................Either way, it makes no never mind to me. I just prefer more meat and a little tracking to DRT and bloodshot meat. I have been perfectly satisfied with lung and heart shots behind the shoulder or low behind the shoulder. When I did a bunch of culling, I used a .22-250 and made head shots or just below the head in the upper neck.