Bullets for reduced recoil loads
- Thread starter StdVel
- Start date
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 18,074
- 7,602
I liked this from Sierra about the 150 GameKing:
"Good penetration and expansion are characteristic of these bullets even at the reduced impact velocities at long range. With the weight range available, at least one of these bullets will prove ideal for almost any 30 caliber cartridge. The 150 grain #2125 bullet is best suited to medium game at all velocity levels. In handguns chambering 30 caliber cartridges, prior to the introduction of the Remington Model XP-100 (and similar handgun designs) utilizing larger rifle cartridges, the usefulness of these bullets was limited. Now, these bullets have a very definite niche as superbly accurate hunting bullets. Previously considered “too hard” for expansion, they perform well at the 2500 fps muzzle velocities achievable in the 308 Winchester and larger cartridges."
BTW - have had excellent experience from directly contacting Nosler, Sierra, Hornady and Barnes with questions about their bullets.
I do like the 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip for whitetail. I loaded that for a recoil shy friend who was hunting with a lightweight 308 Winchester. Seems to me that they were getting around 3000-3100 fps and were extremely accurate. At 120 yard that bullet went through both shoulder blades of a fat young buck and dropped it instantly. A second shot was required to finish the buck, as often happens with higher hits like that. I recovered the bullet from just under the off-side hide, very flattened out. As Scotty mentioned the AccuBond should expand a bit more slowly, retain more bullet weight and maybe (maybe) penetrate a bit better. Accubonds also expand really well. I'd try the 125 AccuBond for sure if I was loading that light again for deer. With the 125 Ballistic Tip, her 308 recoiled lightly, was extremely accurate and worked very well on a whitetail buck. I think the 30-06 would perform the same.
It's a whitetail deer... How much penetration do we need?
Regards, Guy
"Good penetration and expansion are characteristic of these bullets even at the reduced impact velocities at long range. With the weight range available, at least one of these bullets will prove ideal for almost any 30 caliber cartridge. The 150 grain #2125 bullet is best suited to medium game at all velocity levels. In handguns chambering 30 caliber cartridges, prior to the introduction of the Remington Model XP-100 (and similar handgun designs) utilizing larger rifle cartridges, the usefulness of these bullets was limited. Now, these bullets have a very definite niche as superbly accurate hunting bullets. Previously considered “too hard” for expansion, they perform well at the 2500 fps muzzle velocities achievable in the 308 Winchester and larger cartridges."
BTW - have had excellent experience from directly contacting Nosler, Sierra, Hornady and Barnes with questions about their bullets.
I do like the 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip for whitetail. I loaded that for a recoil shy friend who was hunting with a lightweight 308 Winchester. Seems to me that they were getting around 3000-3100 fps and were extremely accurate. At 120 yard that bullet went through both shoulder blades of a fat young buck and dropped it instantly. A second shot was required to finish the buck, as often happens with higher hits like that. I recovered the bullet from just under the off-side hide, very flattened out. As Scotty mentioned the AccuBond should expand a bit more slowly, retain more bullet weight and maybe (maybe) penetrate a bit better. Accubonds also expand really well. I'd try the 125 AccuBond for sure if I was loading that light again for deer. With the 125 Ballistic Tip, her 308 recoiled lightly, was extremely accurate and worked very well on a whitetail buck. I think the 30-06 would perform the same.
It's a whitetail deer... How much penetration do we need?
Regards, Guy
Same here. The 95 BT usually blows through, anything more is just extra goodness.
- Thread starter
- #24
Thank you all for the good advice. I’m getting very acceptable recoil with the 150 grain bullets right now and will test them in different media to see how they expand.
I suspect that I may want to try the 125 AB or BT after expansion testing but hoping for the best with what I’ve got. Used to be able to go down to the store to buy components. Now I have to order online and paying shipping really chaps me. Maybe this is a good excuse to put together a free shipping qualifying order.
I suspect that I may want to try the 125 AB or BT after expansion testing but hoping for the best with what I’ve got. Used to be able to go down to the store to buy components. Now I have to order online and paying shipping really chaps me. Maybe this is a good excuse to put together a free shipping qualifying order.
- Nov 4, 2004
- 26,181
- 11,592
Keep an eye open for Nosler seconds. Sometimes you can catch them on sale. That's a good time to stock up on them. If you have a buddy or two that's interested, place a bigger order and share the shipping costs.
JD338
Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 3,039
- 3,439
The SGK is a great bullet and typically performs well on deer sized (and larger) big game, at all ranges. Expansion is reliable down to around the 1900 fps velocity. The Pro Hunter has also performed well, with it main difference in being a flat base bullet vs a boattail in the SGK (which sees an increase in performance beyond 300 yards as compared to a flat base). With the intended velocities, I wouldn't hesitate to try the Pro Hunter. Your one experience with the SGK that took a turn inside an animal shouldn't deter you, as this happens from time to time on all types of game, in a wide variety of bullets (and caliber, bullet weights, and velocities). While it can sometimes be explained because of contact with bone, or was the bullet deflected by unseen twig enroute to the animal??? this isn't always the case, and there is no readily apparent answer for why it happens...it just does...I have seen it too.
The Nosler Partition's advantage is the controlled expansion due the Partition as you are already aware, and is a great bullet, and again will expand reliably down to the 1900 fps velocity range.
The AccuBond is a great bullet, and is easy to find good loads for, accurate, with great on-game performance.
The Ballistic Tip is a great bullet designed for more rapid expansion than the AB. Early bullets had some issues with too rapid expansion, but were redesigned with a heavier jacket that improved on-game performance and eliminated that bullet blow up on contact that resulted in some early nasty wounds and limited penetration on game. Again, both of these bullets will expand reliably down to the 1900 fps velocity range.
At the reduced velocities, I think you are on a good path with choosing the cup and core bullets for good performance all around. Bonded bullets are great and do perform reliably, but are not really needed on deer within this performance range, but if that is what the rifle prefers, than do it. Monometal bullets are definitely more finicky when it comes to getting good accuracy in many rifles, and unless he must use lead-free would be the last option to pursue.
Heck, if you can find some, I would even try the Winchester 150 gr Power Point bullets in the 30-06 at these reduced velocities...they have been performing great on deer from the 30-30 (and other cartridges) for decades, and is always a reliable performer on game.
WIth deer, you are not getting into a big and heavy boned and/or thick skinned animal, and are not overly big and heavy (unless your friend will be hunting some of our northern monsters that can grow close to the 400 lb mark on the hoof), so any of these bullets will work just fine at the velocities your friend should be taking their deer at.
Best of luck in your quest to find a great load in his rifle
The Nosler Partition's advantage is the controlled expansion due the Partition as you are already aware, and is a great bullet, and again will expand reliably down to the 1900 fps velocity range.
The AccuBond is a great bullet, and is easy to find good loads for, accurate, with great on-game performance.
The Ballistic Tip is a great bullet designed for more rapid expansion than the AB. Early bullets had some issues with too rapid expansion, but were redesigned with a heavier jacket that improved on-game performance and eliminated that bullet blow up on contact that resulted in some early nasty wounds and limited penetration on game. Again, both of these bullets will expand reliably down to the 1900 fps velocity range.
At the reduced velocities, I think you are on a good path with choosing the cup and core bullets for good performance all around. Bonded bullets are great and do perform reliably, but are not really needed on deer within this performance range, but if that is what the rifle prefers, than do it. Monometal bullets are definitely more finicky when it comes to getting good accuracy in many rifles, and unless he must use lead-free would be the last option to pursue.
Heck, if you can find some, I would even try the Winchester 150 gr Power Point bullets in the 30-06 at these reduced velocities...they have been performing great on deer from the 30-30 (and other cartridges) for decades, and is always a reliable performer on game.
WIth deer, you are not getting into a big and heavy boned and/or thick skinned animal, and are not overly big and heavy (unless your friend will be hunting some of our northern monsters that can grow close to the 400 lb mark on the hoof), so any of these bullets will work just fine at the velocities your friend should be taking their deer at.
Best of luck in your quest to find a great load in his rifle
reduced recoil can be made in many forms! powder and bullet weights are the biggest 2 that WILL have a reduced effect. a lighter faster moving projectile will do this as a heavier bullet moving slower with the SAME m.e. has a reduced effect on recoil. faster burning powders that produce less gas volume within the same bullet weight also has a reduced effect. all in all if there is less exiting pressure there'll be less felt recoil.
TRUTH!
TRUTH!
clearwater
Handloader
- Feb 5, 2005
- 634
- 569
If you are getting very good accuracy with the Sierra, I 'd stick with that for deer. My dad and grandad took a lot of elk with the 180 grain Game King and deer and antelope with the 25cal Game King.
Another 30-30 bullet is the Hornady 170 grain flat point. Hornady told me they expand at 300 yards when started at 30-30 velocities.
Another 30-30 bullet is the Hornady 170 grain flat point. Hornady told me they expand at 300 yards when started at 30-30 velocities.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,810
- 7,516
Quite obviously enough bullet. A fine buck. Your son did well.
Joec7651
Handloader
- Apr 7, 2019
- 1,067
- 1,627
Your friend will be well served with just about any reduced load you come up with for the ‘06. A magnum isn’t required at all.
I’d recommend focusing on marksmanship that’s repeatable every time from shooter. It doesn’t come up often but I’ll admit to it. Buck fever is a very real thing especially for newer hunters, and it can strike even harder when that old mama doe sneaks up and you see her for the first time 5 yards behind you. (I may or may not have had a stick of pepperoni in my hand at the time) The excitement of hunting is always there, we learn to control it somehow with time. I still get excited. When I don’t anymore, I’ll stop hunting.
I’d recommend focusing on marksmanship that’s repeatable every time from shooter. It doesn’t come up often but I’ll admit to it. Buck fever is a very real thing especially for newer hunters, and it can strike even harder when that old mama doe sneaks up and you see her for the first time 5 yards behind you. (I may or may not have had a stick of pepperoni in my hand at the time) The excitement of hunting is always there, we learn to control it somehow with time. I still get excited. When I don’t anymore, I’ll stop hunting.
- Thread starter
- #32
I think I’ve got my load: 42.5 grains of H4895 under a 150 grain Sierra or Partition for 2,390 fps. Lower powder charges are giving erratic velocities but this load stays within 20 fps. It’s recoil is similar to a mouse fart so if it will penetrate a few jugs it ought to do the trick.
While I know milk jugs aren’t an analogue for tissue and bone, I have shot my hunting loads into jugs for a benchmark of penetration and expansion. I have some with Sierras and some with Partitions loaded up and I’ll see how they compare to my personal preferred load.
I do think that a 125 grain bullet is probably a better choice but this one doesn’t look bad so far. Basically a 30-30 with a little more aerodynamic bullet.
While I know milk jugs aren’t an analogue for tissue and bone, I have shot my hunting loads into jugs for a benchmark of penetration and expansion. I have some with Sierras and some with Partitions loaded up and I’ll see how they compare to my personal preferred load.
I do think that a 125 grain bullet is probably a better choice but this one doesn’t look bad so far. Basically a 30-30 with a little more aerodynamic bullet.
Nosler Partition 170 grain round nose works great in a 30/06 at reduced loads since it was designed for 30/30 velocities.
I also have Norma 170 grain Tipstrike bullets that could be slowed down.
I have one rifle set up to shoot both these bullets and point of impact is exactly the same at 100 yards so I can use either bullet
I also have Norma 170 grain Tipstrike bullets that could be slowed down.
I have one rifle set up to shoot both these bullets and point of impact is exactly the same at 100 yards so I can use either bullet
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,608
- 4,050
125 NBT
