Target bullets for deer

[gbflyer]

what I often wonder about , I call the miss match of hunting bullets . why would a guy want , or choose , to shoot AccuBond long range bullets when you know you would not shoot past 100 or 200 yards ? why would you choose one of the toughest bullets on the market when you're only hunting deer or antelope ?

Agree. I don’t think anything other than a mono is going to hold up out of a laser magnum at normal range.

I buy into the theory that if you’re going to use a target bullet on game, make it a heavy.

 

[jimbires]

what I often wonder about , I call the miss match of hunting bullets . why would a guy want , or choose , to shoot AccuBond long range bullets when you know you would not shoot past 100 or 200 yards ? why would you choose one of the toughest bullets on the market when you're only hunting deer or antelope ?

Agree. I don’t think anything other than a mono is going to hold up out of a laser magnum at normal range.

I buy into the theory that if you’re going to use a target bullet on game, make it a heavy.

I didn't get wrote down exactly what I was trying to say in my last post .

I guess I can sum it up by , use the right bullet for the job . don't get caught up in marketing . keep in mind your impact velocity , and how heavily built your game animal is . there are a lot of good pictures in the bullet test section that will give you an idea how these different bullets work .

 

[SJB358]

what I often wonder about , I call the miss match of hunting bullets . why would a guy want , or choose , to shoot AccuBond long range bullets when you know you would not shoot past 100 or 200 yards ? why would you choose one of the toughest bullets on the market when you're only hunting deer or antelope ?

Agree. I don’t think anything other than a mono is going to hold up out of a laser magnum at normal range.

I buy into the theory that if you’re going to use a target bullet on game, make it a heavy.

I didn't get wrote down exactly what I was trying to say in my last post .

I guess I can sum it up by , use the right bullet for the job . don't get caught up in marketing . keep in mind your impact velocity , and how heavily built your game animal is . there are a lot of good pictures in the bullet test section that will give you an idea how these different bullets work .

I would like to try and get the 147's into the jugs again. Tried them once before but I lost it out the side. I have plenty of jugs so I might get one set up this evening if I can get home with enough light outside.

 

[preacher]

I had an uncle (my favorite, he recently passed away) who used a Mod 742/30-06. We were on an evening hunt (East Tx) and we were back in a part of the lease that was acres of "yaupon thicket. We just eased down the old jeep roads/trails, still hunting. I heard him shoot and worked my way over to himbefore dark. He had shot a big doe ( a full 125 pounder! ha) in the neck at about 20yds. It had made a saucer sized "splash wound", no deeper than 1/2". It killed the doe just from shock as it had hit nothing lethal. I asked what round he was using and he showed me a handful of "reloads so & so gave him". They were 168 Match bullets. Ha My uncle was a character, big jovial fellow, he just laughed it off.
My Marine SIL was with 3rd Force Recon in Iraq...they used the Black Hills 77gr HP Match. He said they worked "plumb wonderful" on those "dangerous game" they were hunting!

 

[IdahoCTD]

I use "target" bullets on everything I shoot now. I usually kill 2+ elk per year with some other animals mixed in. For the last 3-4 years I have used 215 Bergers from various 300 magnums with a few 140 Bergers out of a 6.5x47L thrown in there. My dad has used the 147 ELD-M's out of a 6.5 Creedmoor for elk the last couple of years and he wants me to build him a 6.5PRC for this year. Before that I shot quite a few elk with Amax's. With Amax's I never had a animal hit in the ribs go more than about 10yds. With Bergers I've had several go 50yds. Both of the cow elk my dad has killed with the 147 ELD-M's dropped at the shot and didn't go anywhere. This year I will probably try 208 Amax's (since I have 500 or so) or 225 ELD-M's. I'm building a light 20" barrel 300WSM that I will run suppressed and probably use the 208's in plus a 300RUM and/or 300 Norma Imp to shoot the 225's. I think as long as you use the heaviest for caliber bullets and don't drive them too fast they will work for most any animal we hunt in the lower 48. I shot a moose in AK this year with the 215 Bergers. One shot through the front shoulder at 250yds and it destroyed the lungs. The bullet never made it out of the chest cavity but there was a 5 gallon bucket of blood around the lungs.The moose collapsed at the shot, kicked 3-4 times and was done. Dropping a moose without a spine shot doesn't happen often and having one die that fast is even more rare.

 

[HTDUCK]

One of my shooting/hunting/reloading buddies bought a Tikka T3 in 22-250 with an 8 twist barrel.
He's running 75 grain Amax's out of it at around 3k FPS.
So far he has killed 4 Texas whitetails that were relatively smallish (125 lbs live weight ) and none of them has taken a step after impact.
This was at ranges of around 150 yards.
He's also killed four Auodad sheep with the same set up.
3 were 200 lbs or so and also at 150-175 yards.
The fourth was a big son of a gun, 350 lbs at about 425 yards. That one made it 20 feet.
He's never recovered a bullet, all have exited.

Personally I wouldn't shoot target bullets at game animals.
Too many things could go wrong.
I'll stick with Ballistic Tips and Accubonds for filling tags.

 

[RL338]

Years ago I used 208 A-max bullets in my 30-378 at the time Hornady listed them for deer size game. Well I learned that they may kill deer but they also destroy them as well. This was just over 100 yards.
They do work good in my 308 Win on deer just not anything faster. Berger 230gr target hybrid is all I use in my 30-378 now and they work well , no excessive damage.

 

[SJB358]

Here’s the ELD X and M side by side. Muzzle velocity was 2753 for the X and 2775 for the M.





I don’t think any of us could ever see the difference on game.

 

[Guy Miner]

"Years ago I used 208 A-max bullets in my 30-378 at the time Hornady listed them for deer size game. Well I learned that they may kill deer but they also destroy them as well. This was just over 100 yards."

A 30-378, at about 100 yards on deer, with a fairly fragile bullet...

Yup. About what I'd expect. Ya got him though!

 

[SJB358]

"Years ago I used 208 A-max bullets in my 30-378 at the time Hornady listed them for deer size game. Well I learned that they may kill deer but they also destroy them as well. This was just over 100 yards."

A 30-378, at about 100 yards on deer, with a fairly fragile bullet...

Yup. About what I'd expect. Ya got him though!

Oh yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Been shooting a few of the 200 ELD X’s from my 300 and I have a sneaking suspicion they might not be the best pick for it at 3100.

I’ve got some 230 Berger’s as well. If I get around to shooting them I’d love to stuff one into the jugs just to see what happens. They are some long devils.

 

[FOTIS]

Accubonds and Barnes TTSX/LRX cover my every need for big game hunting.

 

[MZ5]

I've seen _many_ pics and reports of Lapua's Scenar bullets on deer and a bunch of other game, mostly from a person I trust. I have zero issue putting a Scenar (or ScenarL) on game.

 

[Songdog]

We’ve shot deer, elk, and antelope with several different “match” bullets over the past 5 or 6 years.... including: 123 Amax, 123 Scenar, 130 VLD, 139 Scenar, 140 Amax, and 147 ELD out of the .260/Creed/PRC.... 162 Amax and 168 VLD out of a 7mm Rem Mag.... and the 105 Horn HPBT, 105 Amax out of the .243. So, I’ve got a fair sample size. During that same time, we’ve also killed with the 130 AccuBond (6.5mm), the 160 AccuBond (7mm), 127 LRX (6.5mm), 140 TTSX (7mm), 143 ELD-X (6.5mm) and 90 Sierra GameChanger (6mm). The Accubonds all exited, and game was recovered fairly quickly.... but they are tougher to make hits with than their slicker “match” counterparts. The ELD-X and the Sierra GC seem to be an excellent compromise of match-type accuracy, high BC, and on-game performance. I presume Nosler’s ABLR is similar... but I’ve never been able to get them to shoot worth a crap in any caliber/chambering.

Out of all of them, I think the Scenar acts most like a “game” bullet, and is by far the most consistent performer. If you stay heavy-for-caliber, and keep the impact velocities down between 2800-2000 FPS, the plastic tipped “match” bullets seem to act just like any other “cup & core” bullets. The VLDs have performed well, but they seem a little erratic to me.

I’ve gone back and forth on the Amax/ELD.... but wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a deer or Pronghorn with one... I remain a bit dubious about their use on Elk.

I will say, I’ve yet to find a Partition, AccuBond, SST, etc.... that can hang with the “match” bullets in regard to true accuracy in the field. The fact is, they’re easier to make hits with when the ranges get beyond about 250 yards. Those “minor” differences you see on paper, show up in spades in the field. I know that’s hard for guys back East to believe.... but I’ve seen it manifested again and again when the wind is blowing, the heart is pounding, and there’s fur (or $$$) on the line.

 

[IdahoCTD]

My dad just crushed another huge cow with his 6.5 Creedmoor and 147 ELD-M's yesterday. 250yd and it collapsed at the shot. We shot 3 elk and I don't usually gut them so I didn't do a autopsy. My buddy and I both shot cows with our 300wm's and 215 Bergers. Mine was 1081yds and his was 250yds. Mine collapsed and his ran 40yds and fell over.

 

[IdahoCTD]

Over the last 8 years I've shot 15 elk, 2 moose, 3 antelope, and 3 deer with vld type bullets. My biggest bull went 60yds before he piled up but that is the longest distance traveled by any of the animals I've shot and further than any my wife, my dad, or my buddy have shot in the vitals. My dad shot one across the bottom of the belly/chest that was quartering away. It went 150yds or so before I caught it and finished it. My buddy has shot 8 elk, 1 antelope, and 1 deer with Berger 215's in the last 4 years. My wife has shot 2 elk and a moose with 140 Bergers out of a 6.5x47L in the last 4 years. My dad has shot 5 elk, a moose, and 2 antelope in the last 4 years. Most were shot with 147 ELD-M's out of a 6.5 Creedmoor but some were 162 Amax's from a 7-300wm. I've used 140 Amax's from a 6.5-300wm, 162 Amax's from a 7-300wm, 210 Matrix from a 30-8mm mag, and 215 Berger's from a 300wm. That is 44 animals and the furthest of those shot in the vitals went 60yds. That is a lot of proof VLD type bullets work, and work well. BTW very few of those elk shot had exit wounds. I was very worried about that when I started shooting VLD type bullet and I was always of the mindset that bullets needed to exit so you had 2 holes to leak blood. I could care less about having 2 holes now with the performance I get with VLD's. They devastate vital organs when they get inside.

 

[RiverRider]

what I often wonder about , I call the miss match of hunting bullets . why would a guy want , or choose , to shoot AccuBond long range bullets when you know you would not shoot past 100 or 200 yards ? why would you choose one of the toughest bullets on the market when you're only hunting deer or antelope ?

Jim...I was searching for info on using Nosler RDFs for hunting and I ran across this thread. You pose an interesting question, and I have one answer to it.

When I was playing with the 6.5 Grendel in an AR a few years ago, I did a little searching and researching and stumbled upon the 129-grain LRAB. It is supposedly effective down to around 1350 fps and more than capable of withstanding impact velocities well above those the Grendel can produce. I think it may be THE perfect hunting bullet in the Grendel owing to its limited velocity potential. I'm not a 6.5mm fan, per se, but I suspect it may be a very good bullet in some of the older and smallish 6.5s out there. I have no idea how it would stand up to .264 Win Mag or 6.5 PRC impact velocities up close, but the Nosler website shows expansion examples at both 1350 fps and 3000 fps.

 

[Joec7651]

I for the most part don’t use target bullets for hunting. Now, with that being said I have no reservations using 7mm 180gr Berger’s on game, although I’ve always used hunting bullets. Any .284” bullet that is that long will get deep enough to wreck the boiler room due to sectional density. Bryan Lytz has stated he wouldnt hesitate in using180gr hybrids for hunting because the jackets are thicker than their VLD hunting bullets. Berger Hybrids kill a lot of game very effectively every year. Use common sense though, don’t set out after a rinoceropotamus with VLD’s.

 

[hunter24605]

Ive never used a target bullet for hunting, for no other reason than the fact its designated as target, even though there's plenty of anecdotal evidence that they perform well under certain criteria. Every summer while browsing the bullet selections I make a decision that this is the year I'm going to try something different, but usually come fall, I've circled back to my old standbys. Although the way those 150gr Scenars shoot from my 7-08 ,has me thinking about using them for long pokes at deer across the crop fields.

 

[RL338]

I can recommend from experience that Berger Hybrids do work well on whitetails. Nosler’s Custom Comps looked good in jugs I tested also.

 

[TKessel]

With all the good hunting bullets out there why mess with target bullets


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100% agree, I’ve had hunters try target bullets on Antelope and it was a mess. Too many good premium options out there.