Cut my mule deer tag this weekend. 80 yard shot with Fox Classic all copper bullets. 8x57 with 160gr at 2860 fps. Deboned weight was 124lbs of clean meat, looking forward on having sausage made out of him.
Here's another bullet recovered from the weekend. My brother in-law tagged out on a rutting mule buck. 200 yard shot. 8x57 using my hand loads 180gr Nosler ballistic tip at 2630ish fps out of a 19" barrel. Bullet hit the shoulder, entered the diaphragm and did a sharp turn, went through the...
Any all around cartridge starting from 6.5mm with a good quality bullet would work with ease. Can you do it with smaller cartridges? For sure, but you'll be waiting for perfect broadside behind the shoulder shots. I'd rather have the extra HP/weight to get penetration in quartering shots...
Pictures of the recovered bullets are posted here if anyone is interested in seeing how the NBT's held up.
https://forum.nosler.com/threads/experiences-with-8mms.43212/page-2
Here's a couple Ballistic Tips recovered from a good sized moose bull. Estimated around 1100-1200 live weight.
Shot out of 8x57 with 19" barrel. 180gr starting around 2630 fps.
One bullet found with core intact and the plastic tip. 139.5 gr = 77.5 percent weight retention.
The other found...
I'd replace my scope. I've had issues with several Leupolds from poor tracking when adjusting and CDS vx3's that wouldn't hold zero. Sold most of my leupolds.
8x57 with 180gr Ballistic tips shooting 2630 fps out of a 19" barrel. Recovered two bullets, will post pictures soon. And an insurance shot from a 8mm-06 shooting 200 Nosler accubonds at 2790 fps. That one was a neck shot and passed through.
What type of powder you using? I've owned 3 325's and never could get one to shoot very well. Tried multiple loads and at best i'd get was 1.5-2" groups.
Here's a picture of an upset bear i took a few years back. I was packing a Ruger Hawkeye African in 338 win mag, shooting 250gr Nosler Partitions that day. Never felt under gunned :)
I finally had the time to look for a bear. I was out over the weekend and saw two bears. One stood out but i had no shot opportunity, went back yesterday for an evening stroll hoping to see if I could find that bear and low and behold it was in the same spot I saw it on Saturday feeding on...
I'm a firm believer in using what you shoot best for bear as-well. I personally use standard cartridges with heavy for caliber bullets. My guiding gun is chambered in 8x57 180gr TSX at 2780 fps and don't feel handicapped or under gunned even in remote British Columbia.
I've thought about the 338-06 and will probably end up with one in the future but at the time I went 8mm-06. Had one of my current 8x57's reamed out in 2021. Restocked, barrel band, banded front sight, and rear irons made up for it. Also re-blued. 23.6" barrel.
Shoots 200gr Accubonds at approx...
6.5x55 or 7x57 that's a toss up for my first option- flat shooting/low recoiling -with 140gr bullets with 3-9x40
8x57 JS- all rounder with 160-200gr bullets- straight 6x
9.3x62- For big game 250-286gr bullets- 1-4x20
Would prefer all of them to have control round feed, barrel bands, and iron...