What do you want your bullet to do?
- Thread starter FOTIS
- Start date
Powerstroke
Handloader
- Feb 24, 2006
- 1,799
- 58
I can't say there is a first, second and third area that I look for in a "big-game" hunting bullet. Two of the categories are lumped into #1. Accuracy & Performance that I am looking for. I have not jumped at the weight retention subject nor will I. I don't look for a bullet that is going to make an exit wound. I like a bullet that comes appart very quickly. I am not a shoulder shooter and have never worried about such. Growing up, we did a lot of informal 100yd benchrest and shot a lot of SMK. It was always one load one bullet. The SMK's have done well for me as have the B-tips @ elevated velocities. Most B-tips I've seen as good of accuracy as the SMK's.
The only big game I hunt for now is whitetail deer. I like a bullet that is...
#1 - Accurate. I like my rifles to shoot less then an inch from the bench if not better. Shooting in the field is not the same from the bench, however the more accurate the better once in the field.
#2 - Will give me plenty of damage going through the animal and hopefully an exit wound. I like the good ol' double lung shot if at all possible. Having two blow holes is better then one in my opion, especially if there is tracking to do. (guess I have bow hunted too much)
This will be my first year using nosler bullets on deer. I am curious and excited. So far the best bullet I have used for my purposes is the SST from Hornady in .308. Granted before the .308 I killed all my deer with power soft points in 30-30 :lol:
#1 - Accurate. I like my rifles to shoot less then an inch from the bench if not better. Shooting in the field is not the same from the bench, however the more accurate the better once in the field.
#2 - Will give me plenty of damage going through the animal and hopefully an exit wound. I like the good ol' double lung shot if at all possible. Having two blow holes is better then one in my opion, especially if there is tracking to do. (guess I have bow hunted too much)
This will be my first year using nosler bullets on deer. I am curious and excited. So far the best bullet I have used for my purposes is the SST from Hornady in .308. Granted before the .308 I killed all my deer with power soft points in 30-30 :lol:
dakotaelkslayer
Beginner
- Dec 1, 2006
- 75
- 0
Accurate, opens up, exits without destroying half the animal. Ballistic Tips have fit the bill perfectly for deer. Hoping Accubonds will continue the same performance on bigger animals.
Jim
Jim
I like a bullet that can be depended on to get to the vitals from any angle. That being said, The Partition has served me well for over 40 years on everything from deer to Bison. (Lots of Moose & Elk) I have been using the 140 AccuBond for a couple of years in my 270 for deer, and I am very impressed, so far 4 dead deer and no recovered bullet yet. None went more than 40 yards. FWIW, one shot on a muley in open country was just over 600 yards. Double lung shot, and deathinside of 20 seconds. Impressive indeed!, Eagleye.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,746
- 5,820
Good question and some great answers here. I liked longwinters; hit and kill answer - and most seem to be pointing in that direction.
Accuracy is very important to me. I spend a lot of time and money on my rifles, scopes, my loads and practicing my shooting. A bullet that's not accurate just isn't worthwhile.
Only in one instance have I seen a bullet fail to get to the vitals of a game animal - a wild hog many years ago. My buddy was shooting 210 gr hollow points from his .44 mag and they flattened out and stopped prior to reaching the vitals. It was an education. He was using the wrong bullet for the job; they had accuracy and expansion, but were sadly lacking in penetration. I've seen complete penetration on almost all of my kills, a good thing I think.
Accuracy, penetration and expansion. Quick results on game. That's what I want. The poor bullet makers must go nuts trying to provide new ways to do all that...
Regards, Guy
Accuracy is very important to me. I spend a lot of time and money on my rifles, scopes, my loads and practicing my shooting. A bullet that's not accurate just isn't worthwhile.
Only in one instance have I seen a bullet fail to get to the vitals of a game animal - a wild hog many years ago. My buddy was shooting 210 gr hollow points from his .44 mag and they flattened out and stopped prior to reaching the vitals. It was an education. He was using the wrong bullet for the job; they had accuracy and expansion, but were sadly lacking in penetration. I've seen complete penetration on almost all of my kills, a good thing I think.
Accuracy, penetration and expansion. Quick results on game. That's what I want. The poor bullet makers must go nuts trying to provide new ways to do all that...
Regards, Guy
Desert Fox
Handloader
- Aug 14, 2006
- 1,965
- 3
It's a tall order for bullet manufacturer to find perfect balanced between proper expansion and deep penetration when designing bullet. This is why the Nosler Partition set the standard by which other bullet are judged. It's a perfect compromised as far as bullet performance is concerned. When choosing a hunting bullet, one must understand the limitation of the bullet performance. I have a friend that I load bullet for, that insist on using the Ballistic Tip for his 257 Weatherby on deer. I talked him out of it. This was pre-AccuBond days, so I use Barnes X-bullet instead. Not as accurate on his rifle when compared with Ballistic Tip but, it's a compromised.
