Nosler E tip for deer

I found out a few days ago I drew a CO muley tag in a unit that took a few more points to draw than I usually save up before burning them. My 264WM is at Manners getting a new stock and I don't think I'll have it home in time to re-shoot my loads at 300 and 600 yards plus get a new turret ordered, home, and thoroughly tested before my hunt. I got a new scope for the rifle also after the erector system fail on my old one and don't want to order a new turret until I've got everything perfect.

That leaves me taking my 300 win mag on the muley hunt. I have it shooting the Nosler E tip at 2896fps and have the scope all set up for that. I went to the tougher bullet for the moose hunt last year and also used it on my whitetail as did my wife. The buddy I hunted moose with used the E tip on his whitetail also. My buck dropped in his track on a quartering shot but the other two ran 100 to 120 yards before falling. I did not find much blood either time. The bucks were running hard and covered the ground quickly, but there wasn't much of a blood trail for pass through shots. The bullet I recovered from my buck shot at 379 yards weighed 179gr, only lost the plastic tip.

This leaves me a bit worried about taking a buck in the Colorado oakbrush. I'm debating if I should try going back to the AccuBond or another bullet, or just stick with the E tip. The E tip shoots excellent from my rifle, and this rifle will primarily be used on elk once my 264 makes it home. The other side of the argument in my head is that if I screw up and pull a shot a few inches a more aggressively expanding bullet might increase my margin for error. This bullet will punch through where a lead bullet will shed some weight and make a larger wound channel.

Anyone else using the E tip on whitetail or muleys? If so what ranges are you shooting them at and what results are you getting? Thanks.

I've used the 130 grain E-Tip launched from my 270 WSM on mulies. It dropped them right smartly. It is my preferred bullet in that particular system. I'm quite comfortable with the bullet.

Am wondering if with that tough, 180 gr E-Tip, maybe deliberately targeting the shoulder would be a good idea? Ya, it's likely to mess up some meat, but should provide a bit more resistance to the bullet, and maybe help it open faster?

I don't know, just thinking with the ol' keyboard, because I haven't shot any game with the E-Tip yet.

Best of luck on your hunt BTW!

Guy

I used a 150 gr Etip in my 30-06 with 61 grs RL19 Rem 700 BDL Shot a doe at 282 yds thru the shoulders complete pass through she went about 25 yds. The exit wound was about the size of a nickel with no blood trail from place of hit to where she fell. The inside damage to the lungs was pretty extensive but had I need to track her it would have been very hard.

My son used the Etip 130gr in his .270 Win with similar results at closer distance recovering one bullet. He posted his results here on the forum. Having seen the results we got on whitetails I believe it to be more bullet than needed. Plan on going back to PT , BT and the like. Dan.

If you want to use tough bullets on light game... put it on the point of the shoulder. More tissue will help the bullet expand all it can and will break the critter down faster. A buddy of mine hunts caribou with the similar TSX and purposefully steered clear of the "behind the shoulder lung shot" after several slow kills. A lot of the Africa guys shoot through to shoulders for that very reason- broken down game has a hard time getting away in the brush.

Personally, I'd opt for a softer bullet like a Partition or AccuBond if deer were the quarry...just more expansion and stil plenty of penetration for a mule deer from any angle.

Between grandsons and I, we have taken 9 or 10 whitetails with 130 gr ETips out of various 270s. This bullet has proven to be consistently accurate. I have used Partitions for many decades, and my experience says the ETips are just as deadly.
AS a side note, the ETips seem to produce significantly less bloodshot meat than other bullets. I view that as a nice bonus.

Thanks everyone. I will probably stick with them and try to break some bone if I can. Next year I'm going to AK after caribou and the year after will be elk, so it might be easier to just stick with the same bullet. I will be in bear country and want a tough bullet for those hunts.

I’d probably do as you are thinking, but I’d also consider opt’ing for a lighter stop and cranking up the V to drive more expansion. Great bullet choice.
Other options are solid too. pT and AB


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If I had all the load development, shooting to get data, turret purchasing, and turret testing to do over again I'd probably try the 200gr AccuBond. I've used a lot of Accubonds in a lot of weights. I have a good load with the 180gr AccuBond in this rifle, just don't have a turret built around it for the scope it's now wearing. The 200gr AccuBond I'd use on anything here or in Alaska without worry. I don't have any plans to hunt big bears, but I want a tough bullet in case a bear wants to hunt me. I think it would handle any angle at any distance I'd shoot at any game I'll hunt with that rifle. The BC isn't quite as high as the ELD-X or a few of those, but it's close enough that it wouldn't matter out to 600 yards which is about as far as I'll shoot even under perfect conditions.

The other bullet that interested me if I stay with the 180gr E tip for elk and anything in Alaska is the 165gr Sierra Gamechanger. With a .530 BC in a lighter bullet that can be drove fast, that should be a wicked deer bullet out of my 300WM. I just don't know if I want to go through the barrel wear and expense of setting the rifle up for another load.

I will probably shoot my 264WM for 80% of what I'd use a lighter deer load for anyway once I get it back. The only time I'd deer hunt with my 300WM then would be on Kodiak for blacktail (when I'd want the heavier bullet for bear anyway) or in steep enough country that I wanted the lighter rifle. Maybe in thicker timber country too when the 300WM with a 3-12x scope is a better fit than the 264WM with a 5-20x scope. In that scenario though I'm right back to wanting the heavier bullet for penetration on tough shot angles.

I'm talking myself into sticking with the E tip more and more......

Reading your post reminds me of the quote:
Of course I talk to myself - sometimes I need expert-advice!
;-)
Sounds like you thought it through and came out with a solution.

Concerning the game changer: I wouldn't want to try it on close ranges. Without ever firing it...

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I have to much time spent on a horse or tractor discussing stuff with myself. Sometimes I get advice from my horse or heeler dog. They are good listeners.

I'd try sticking a 180 BT on top of your current load myself. I know the ET's work fine but I'd be surprised if your current load with a 180 BT didn't shoot excellent and also match up well enough with your current turret..

And the 180 BT isn't exactly a soft bullet either.. Buddy uses them out of a 300 Wby at nearly 3200 and has yet to dig one out of an elk after many many attempts.

Not a bad plan at all, might have to try that. The only issue may be that I bought the factory E tip Nosler load instead of loading for the moose hunt, and then they shot so well I stuck with them. I'll have to slow the others down from my old handload to match the velocity of the E tip and do a little experimenting.

I shot a 3.5" group at 600 yards with 4 E tip bullets, one each from 4 different boxes of them. They must be loading them pretty darn consistent. They might be better at loading for my rifle than I am....

Some factory ammo is awfully good anymore...

Guy

Yeah I used to load for everything. As time gets harder to come by than a few extra dollars I have been shooting more factory ammo if I can find a load I am happy with. I load for my 25-06 and 264 win mags all the time. My 25-06 shot factory ammo well, but none of the 100 grain loads I tried were over 3050fps on the chronograph. I want a little more speed from that gun so I started loading and it really likes the 100gr Sierra Gameking at 3300fps. Not a whole lot of loads out for the 264's especially with bullets I want to use, so I load for them also. My 300 win mag, 243's, 223's, and 204 I'm good with factory ammo for now. I do a lot of my practicing from field positions with the 223's and remanufactured ammo. A local place builds a heck of a load that all my guns shoot well with a 55gr V max at 2964fps from a 20" barrel. Not a hot load but when all 3 of the ones I use them shoot it into a half inch I won't argue.