Matching the bullet with the cartridge

[bullet]

I like to have the following: Velocity-Accuracy-Energy-Momentum.

Now that said, the bullet construction needs to hold together up close or on long shots and fly well for the intended distance you can accurately shoot. The bullet must match the Velocity of the rifle. In other words there needs to be a balance in matching the bullet to the cartridge. One should try to have with the velocity appropriate construction, and a bullet that shoots great in the rifle with enough weight to provide energy and momentum for destruction of tissue and penetration to reach the vitals for a quick, humane and safe kill especially with dangerous game. I believe with the bullet selection today and the powder choices we have that this is more than possible with our rifles. Also, I believe that the proper bullet matched to the cartridge along with the proper caliber used on what ever the game being hunted, lends itself to consistent kills in the field and trophies not lost. How do you match your bullets to the cartridges you like to use? What are some of you ideas and theories as well as field experiences that have led you to your conclusions?

 

[Guy Miner]

Well... I used to get all worked up about finding the mythical "perfect" rifle, cartridge, bullet & velocity combination. Then I hunted a fair bit, shot a lot, reloaded a lot.

Found out that at least as far as deer are concerned, it just doesn't make nearly as much difference as I'd once thought. Looking back over the years I've taken deer with such a wide variety of pistol & rifle cartridges & muzzle loaders - that I've long since come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter too much. Hit 'em where they live with just about any doggone bullet and it's time to start making venison. Personally the lightest I've used is a .223/55 gr and the heaviest a .45-70/405 gr... Both those extremes and everything in between did just fine. The only combo that had a little trouble was the .45 ACP 1911 pistol. Even that wasn't tough, just took a quick follow-up after the initial hit. Have also paid a lot of attention to rifles & loads my hunting buddies use. Again, a wide variety. Just with my son and a couple of buddies for mulies last year we had a wide range of stuff on hand:

6mm Rem/95 gr, .25-06/100 gr, .30-06/165, .350 Rem mag/200 gr. All of 'em have done a fine job on mulies over the years, in the same area/conditions. We hunt together year after year, with about equal success.

Am also convinced that it likely makes more difference with bigger, tougher game and/or tougher conditions.

That said, yeah - there are some combinations that make a lot more sense than others. Hmmm. Not sure I've gone in the direction you wanted to take this discussion. I'll try a little harder:

1. I look at the game and the environment. Often for me it's mulies in fairly open country where a shot is likely from 50 - 500 yards. Either end of that is a little extreme, but has been done.

2. I select a rifle that will handle the game comfortably, with enough zip & accuracy to get 'r done. In recent years my mulie rifle has been the light kicking, kills-like-lightning .25-06 with 100 gr bullets at 3340 fps. Flat, fast, accurate, lethal and easy to shoot. Nice combo.

Am sorta rambling here. I'll stop before this gets any deeper! :grin:

 

[bullet]

Good post Guy, and you were right on topic. Good experience data in your post. :grin:

 

[tjen]

AND the way a gun handle is important too. Longer barrels for steady aim at long range, short and sweat barreled guns for close range.

I have a 336D in 35rem loded with 200gr Corelokts RN's at 2200fps for a very effective close range gun out to say 150 yards.

A 700 rem in 358win loaded with either 200gr spire points or 225 grain partitions and out to say 250 or so its a charm on deer trough moose.

My longer range guns are 700's in either 270win or 35 whelen and as the oridginal post points out loaded with the right bullet for the task they work great and all the mentioned rifles have aproperate scopes ranging from a 1-4x (35rem) to a 2.5-8x (270win).

 

[bullet]

Sounds like you have put good thoughts behind your equipment to met the need and different styles of hunting you do. I like how you have it thought out and the way you implement your methods and strategy. Cool. :grin:

 

[Ol` Joe]

Generally at a muzzle velocity under say 27-2800 fps I pretty much feel any good cup and core bullet will do for hunting in N America. Close range hunting like hogs in thick brush or elk in the timber would call for heavier for caliber bullet wgt. Over those velocities and the premiums such as the Partition or X bullet come in. Game size dictates bullet wgt here more then range or impact velocity. Moose or Bear for example would dictate a heavier wgt then deer or goats.
There may be a few variations such as a 35 Whelen or 9.3x62 and big bear. I`d likely want as tough and dependable a bullet as possible when the hunted can bite back.

 

[flashhole]

It's not just the cartridge it's the load too but here are my favorites.

Rem 700 VSF in 221 Fireball - 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip or Sierra BlitzKing

Kimber Longmaster Classic in 223 Remington - 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip

CS 550 Full Stock in 243 Winchester - 70 grain Speer TNT, 85 grain Sierra Hollow Point, or 105 grain Sierra Pro Hunter

Ruger #1V in 25-06 Remington - 100 grain Ballistic Tips or 117 Grain Sierra Game King

Sauer 202 in 7mm Rem Mag - 165 grain Speer Mag Tip or 175 grain Speer Grand Slam

Sauer 202 in 300 Win Mag - 220 grain Nosler Semi Spitzer

Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 - 350 grain Hornady Round Nose

 

[tjen]

Surprised there wasn't more posts on a get subject. I see a lot of posts where people clam exelent performance with their favorite bullet which they clam works on everything and in every situation. But the bullet manufacturer actual did design that bullet for a do all and by design it will fail if used so.

This is a great chance to education hunters on picking the right bullet for the cartridge, game, and distance they entend to use them.

 

[bullet]

Yea, this would be a chance to educate.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Well, there might not be alot of posts, but that's because there's already alot of wisdom in this thread, but I'll try to add my two cents. Growing up on the plains were 300 years meens "they are close", I've grown to love my high velocity rounds. For me, shooting starts at 2750fps, preferable 3000+. Yea, I've killed antelope with a 22-250, and it's fine if conditions are perfect, but when are conditions ever perfect? I HUNT ON PUBLIC LANDS. Buy the time us rifle hunters get out there, they've been shot at, chased, buggled and harrassed by every bow and muzzle loading hunter in the state. In at least one area I hunt, I suspect the ranchers shoot at the antelope year round, in season or not. So, when i go hunting, I don't want to worry about what happens if things are not perfect, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY WON'T BE. So when I put my crosshairs on that one small patch of fur, 300 yards throught the trees, that's the first one I've seen on day 9 of a 10 day hunt, I'm throwing a big enough, bad enough, fast enough piece of lead, that I don't CARE WHERE I hit it, just so long as I hit it. I want the bullet to do massive tissue damage, shoot all the way through the critter, REGARDLESS of angle, slow it down enough, and leave a big enough blood trail, that pretty soon, I'm going to be making venison. In practical terms, that translates to the biggest Nosler AccuBond, that a given rifle can throw around 3000+ For rifles where that's not really practicle, I'll settle for a heavier AccuBond at 2750+, but seldom less.

 

[Savage99]

bullet,

I don't agree with most of the replies thus far. While its true that a dead animal on the ground seems like an easy feat there is a great falacy in this thinking. Its that the ones that are not on the ground have run off wounded.

Many things can happen when you press off a shot at game and one of them is that the animal may turn or move some just as you shoot changing the path of the bullet. Small weak loads just don't get as much done.

I always strive to use the most effective bullet that I can handle for game. From actual experience the most effective bullet is not .224" in diameter nor even some 6mm's. A man should use the best load that he can handle and not shoot at game at all with weak loads.

 

[bullet]

bullet,

I don't agree with most of the replies thus far. While its true that a dead animal on the ground seems like an easy feat there is a great falacy in this thinking. Its that the ones that are not on the ground have run off wounded.

Many things can happen when you press off a shot at game and one of them is that the animal may turn or move some just as you shoot changing the path of the bullet. Small weak loads just don't get as much done.

I always strive to use the most effective bullet that I can handle for game. From actual experiance the most effective bullet is not .224" in diameter nor even some 6mm's. A man should use the best load that he can handle and not shoot at game at all with weak loads.

When it comes to big game I would have to agree that one should use the right bullet for the task and a good strong effective cartridge that if the animal should move just at the moment you pull the trigger that you have enough to get the job done quickly. Of course this comment of mine could really leave a lot of room for debate since so many of us like so many different cartridges and have had some success with them. I have shot many animals in my life using 22-250 up to a 45-70 and 458 Wim mag. After all these years I have settled in my mine on two cartridges that will handle anything I will ever hunt and with the right bullets more than get the job done. They are my 300Wby Mark V and a .375Wby. Now that does not mean I can't change my mind but these two are real knock them dead game getting cartridges. In fact I would be hard pressed to decide between the two which one I would pick if I could only use one of them. It is really hard to decide but I guess I would take the .375Wby to do it all if left with just one to use.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Savage, about 3 years ago I was in exactly the situation you describe. I was lined up on a speed goat 440 yrds out. About the time I pulled the trigger, she decided to take off running. Turned a clean heart shot into a just in front of the hind quarters high shot. With that 160gr AB still flying at 2720fps, and that lame hit, she went down and never got back up. Can't say I'd expect the same results from a .224.

 

[bullet]

Savage, about 3 years ago I was in exactly the situation you describe. I was lined up on a speed goat 440 yrds out. About the time I pulled the trigger, she decided to take off running. Turned a clean heart shot into a just in front of the hind quarters high shot. With that 160gr AB still flying at 2720fps, and that lame hit, she went down and never got back up. Can't say I'd expect the same results from a .224.

Very good example and that is Savage99's point and you illustrated it well. I had a big 190 pound Whitetail turn on me just as I pulled the trigger on my 300Wby. It was 290yds and when the deer turned it turned immediately away from me facing the opposite directions and my bullet (165gr Nosler) hit high on the right back quarter and passed clean up the length of the deer's body and ended up in his neck just past the left shoulder and he dropped like a sack of rocks. A smaller less powerful cartridge would not have done so nor could it do what he 300Wby did.

 

[tjen]

At 300 yards a 270win will drop any deer/antelope with a properly placed bullet. The 140gr works in my gun and out to 400yards I do not need more Velocity just the best accuracy. Thats why 308win shooters do get great kills at 400/500/600yards. Billistic tips /accubonds for long range and partitions and even round nose bullets for under 250 yards.

Some hunters can't see past 100 yards and some neaver shoot less than say 200 yards. Some game is big and some very small.

 

[bullet]

Ditto, 270,308 are great cartridges and can more than do the job with the right bullets.