wisconsinteacher
Handloader
- Dec 2, 2010
- 1,976
- 290
What 30 cal bullet
- Thread starter wisconsinteacher
- Start date
joelkdouglas
Handloader
- Jun 5, 2011
- 1,310
- 3
For deer? 165 Hornady Interlock, 165 Sierra Gameking, 165/168 Berger VLD
For elk? 165/168 Barnes TTSX, 165 Swift Scirocco
I'm sure the cup and cores would kill elk fine also, but I don't get to chase elk as often as deer. That's probably the most significant reason I shoot PTs or ABs at elk.
For elk? 165/168 Barnes TTSX, 165 Swift Scirocco
I'm sure the cup and cores would kill elk fine also, but I don't get to chase elk as often as deer. That's probably the most significant reason I shoot PTs or ABs at elk.
gerry
Ammo Smith
- Mar 1, 2007
- 6,824
- 1,561
The 165 Speer Hot Cor and Hornady Interlock for cheaper bullets and the 165 gr Swift Scirocco is where I would look at first. I don't know if Hornady makes a 165 gr Interbond, but after looking at the one posted in the 6.5mm bullet test section, it looks like a very good bullet too.
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,298
- 841
I favor the Hornady 165gr interlocks in my 30-06. I have only recovered one and that one was deflected by a branch and still traveled stem to stern in a big white tail doe after bouncing of a rib on the off side.
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,249
- 2,948
165 Hornady Interlock------ ALL THE WAY
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,741
- 5,772
Have seen excellent results with the 165 Sierras, both HPBT & SPBT versions. The HPBT is actually a little slower-opening, and "tougher." Both are good, accurate hunting bullets.
The 165 Sierra HPBT is in everything I have ever shot it in as accurate as the 168 Sierra Match King. It is as has been said a little tougher bullet than the 165 SP and actually works better on deer in the 300 magnums better than the SP. Over the past 43 years of deer hunting and after hundreds of WT deer killed I can tell you that it really does not matter what bullet you use as long as it gets into the vitals it will kill the deer. Some deer will run off a ways but they will die. Some bullets have a better reputation for killing deer in their tracks when put in the proper place. I have discovered that in the case of the average deer size game the 30 cal bullet that has dropped deer in their tracks 95% of the time for me from a number of different cartridges is the 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip if you keep the impact velocity under 3000 fps. The 125 BT is a thin skin HUNTING bullet not a varmint bullet. All BTs impact velocity should be kept under 3000 fps for best results. If you want to shoot 165 gr bullets just pick the one that shoots best in your rifle and then you do your job and put it where it is supposed to go and you will not be a vegetarian. I am told that vegetarian is a Cherokee Indian word that means POOR HUNTER.
Wondermutt
Beginner
- Jan 6, 2012
- 185
- 0
165 Interlock. Up until last year, its all I used in my older Remington 30-06. That bullet has harvested wild hogs, to Elk and a lot in between.
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,110
- 8,287
Elkman":ir5nclog said:
Good question Bill.
WT,
Are you hunting deer? What else?
JD338
tddeangelo
Handloader
- May 18, 2011
- 2,023
- 20
I used to use a 165gr BTSP Hornady in my 30-06, but between myself and my father, I saw a fair number fragment and/or separate core/jacket inside deer. To be fair, I know that because the deer were dispatched and dispatched quickly.
I have an extreme bias against Sierra GK's. I lost one deer over the years when using a rifle, and that was due to a complete failure of an SGK from a 6mm Rem. Perfect placement, just behind the shoulder, half-way top to bottom, 300 yard shot. The deer was killed a month later with an atrophied and infected leg and a wound an inch deep where the bullet failed to fully penetrate.
Hunting 2 years ago in North Carolina, I saw 4 deer killed with Sierra HP's, 165's, from 30-06s. None of the 4 showed anything but disappointing wound channels. All were shot under 100 yards, but over 50. One was shot nearly head one, three were shot broadside. One exited, and that was hit in the paunch. One shot square on the shoulder had no exit, a non-existent blood trail, and the deer made it over 50 yards before piling up. I found it by following thrown dirt/scuff marks on a trail and literally stumbling across her in the briars. Good shot placement, no exit, tiny entrance. My dad used SGKs in a 257 Bob about the same time as my debacle with the 6mm Rem, and had very similar results. 4 hits on one whitetail, three in the chest, and the deer still went 200 yards.
I've sworn I'll never touch an SGK again.
My dad used ProHunters in his 7-08 for a time and they seemed to do quite well.
If I were doing this, and I had to NOT use Nosler (that gave me a cold shiver), I'd look for a Speer HotCor, a Hornady Interbond, or an Interlock, but with the Interlock, I'd keep speeds south of 2800fps, for sure.
If shots won't be far, a 180gr RN from Hornady is a good one. I've used it with great results from a 30-40 Krag at a pretty pedestrian 2100fps.
I've not used Barnes bullets ever, but I know they enjoy a good following. I've used Hornady GMX's (165's) on deer, and I find them just too hard a bullet for deer. Very little meat was lost to damage from the bullet, and they did fine on the ones I shot, but entrance/exit holes were quite small.
If forced to choose just one bullet, I'd say a Speer HotCor.
I have an extreme bias against Sierra GK's. I lost one deer over the years when using a rifle, and that was due to a complete failure of an SGK from a 6mm Rem. Perfect placement, just behind the shoulder, half-way top to bottom, 300 yard shot. The deer was killed a month later with an atrophied and infected leg and a wound an inch deep where the bullet failed to fully penetrate.
Hunting 2 years ago in North Carolina, I saw 4 deer killed with Sierra HP's, 165's, from 30-06s. None of the 4 showed anything but disappointing wound channels. All were shot under 100 yards, but over 50. One was shot nearly head one, three were shot broadside. One exited, and that was hit in the paunch. One shot square on the shoulder had no exit, a non-existent blood trail, and the deer made it over 50 yards before piling up. I found it by following thrown dirt/scuff marks on a trail and literally stumbling across her in the briars. Good shot placement, no exit, tiny entrance. My dad used SGKs in a 257 Bob about the same time as my debacle with the 6mm Rem, and had very similar results. 4 hits on one whitetail, three in the chest, and the deer still went 200 yards.
I've sworn I'll never touch an SGK again.
My dad used ProHunters in his 7-08 for a time and they seemed to do quite well.
If I were doing this, and I had to NOT use Nosler (that gave me a cold shiver), I'd look for a Speer HotCor, a Hornady Interbond, or an Interlock, but with the Interlock, I'd keep speeds south of 2800fps, for sure.
If shots won't be far, a 180gr RN from Hornady is a good one. I've used it with great results from a 30-40 Krag at a pretty pedestrian 2100fps.
I've not used Barnes bullets ever, but I know they enjoy a good following. I've used Hornady GMX's (165's) on deer, and I find them just too hard a bullet for deer. Very little meat was lost to damage from the bullet, and they did fine on the ones I shot, but entrance/exit holes were quite small.
If forced to choose just one bullet, I'd say a Speer HotCor.
big rifle man
Handloader
- Dec 21, 2005
- 850
- 0
I've used Sierra 165's (both the hollow point and soft point) for more years than I care to remember on Deer and have not had a complaint. I'm sure a cup and core from all the other companies would work as well.
6mm Remington
Ammo Smith
- Feb 27, 2006
- 5,239
- 518
JD338":n2h8su1g said:
Hear hear!!
How about really going different...... Try the 150, 168, or 180 gr. E-tip made by Nosler in your 30-060!!
dubyam
Beginner
- Nov 21, 2013
- 150
- 0
I'm kind of mixed here. I agree with Tom & others who've recommended the Speer Hot-Cor, but that's under the condition you can find them. Speer is in the throes of self-defeat and destruction over the past few years, so I don't know what's ever still available. The Hot-Cor is one of the best bullets made for deer and medium game in the smaller cals and for even the biggest stuff in the medium bores.
On the other hand, Nosler E-Tips are much easier to find, and if I don't miss my guess, the impending -06 should launch the 150s at about 3100-3200fps. My experience with the 180gr E-Tip launched at 3200fps from my 300Wby is excellent. Two "dropped in their tracks" kills, where tracking involved walking up to the deer where it dropped, and one hit far back and high on a quartering shot which did not leave a blood trail for the first 50yds, but then proceeded to leave an excellent trail for the next 75yds leading up to a down deer. Shots ranged from 20yds to over 200, and the close one is the one hit a little back. That shot went in just behind the last rib, gashing the liver and then the lungs, exiting just over the offside shoulder blade (uphill shot as I was coming out of a creek draw), and the deer bled immediately, it just took about 50yds for the blood to fill the cavity enough to start coming out of the entrance and exit wounds and leave a good trail.
Understanding that velocities would be good out to at least 300yds or more, I'd be inclined to try the 150gr E-Tip in that -06 if you just don't want to use a 168gr BT, which I believe to be the ideal deer bullet in a -06. That's the bullet which took one deer two years ago and two deer this year for me. (Of course, the E-Tip took two last year and one this year for me, as well, from the 300'bee.)
On the other hand, Nosler E-Tips are much easier to find, and if I don't miss my guess, the impending -06 should launch the 150s at about 3100-3200fps. My experience with the 180gr E-Tip launched at 3200fps from my 300Wby is excellent. Two "dropped in their tracks" kills, where tracking involved walking up to the deer where it dropped, and one hit far back and high on a quartering shot which did not leave a blood trail for the first 50yds, but then proceeded to leave an excellent trail for the next 75yds leading up to a down deer. Shots ranged from 20yds to over 200, and the close one is the one hit a little back. That shot went in just behind the last rib, gashing the liver and then the lungs, exiting just over the offside shoulder blade (uphill shot as I was coming out of a creek draw), and the deer bled immediately, it just took about 50yds for the blood to fill the cavity enough to start coming out of the entrance and exit wounds and leave a good trail.
Understanding that velocities would be good out to at least 300yds or more, I'd be inclined to try the 150gr E-Tip in that -06 if you just don't want to use a 168gr BT, which I believe to be the ideal deer bullet in a -06. That's the bullet which took one deer two years ago and two deer this year for me. (Of course, the E-Tip took two last year and one this year for me, as well, from the 300'bee.)
tddeangelo
Handloader
- May 18, 2011
- 2,023
- 20
That's a Nosler, dub. The game is "non-Nosler," remember? :lol:
tddeangelo
Handloader
- May 18, 2011
- 2,023
- 20
I have not tried them yet, but I have heard really good things about Swift A-Frames. That wouldn't be a bad one to try.
