Best hunting bullet???

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Mikeyman

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Hope this hasn't been covered...

So as a relatively new reloader and hunter I find myself very confused about the type of bullet to use for big game animals? (deer/elk/moose/bear etc..)

I understand that you want a bullet that will expand but remain largely intact. What I cant seem to figure out is which type to get? Thus far I have only used hornady SST 140gr out of my 6.5x55 which worked well for small island deer and one bear. Why this bullet? Its the manual I had and the only ones WSS had when I was in the store - very scientific right?:p

My head spins looking at the manufacturer web sites like hornady - full of nice pictures and tons of meaningless acronyms AMAX, VMAX, XTP, MONOFLEX,INTERBOND,INTERLOCK etc with crappy explanations that leave me more confused.

What do you reasoned hunters/reloaders use for big game and why. Thanks guys...

And yes I could just use SST all my life but I always feel like there is something better that I need to buy - it's a sickness....
 
98% is placement, 2% is bullet. As to which is best, that depends on the application. I use partitions or TSX for most big game hunting, but interbond and accubond work well too. SST's are pretty destructive to meat when driven at magnum velocities, so I don't use them for anything but practice. I use VMAX for gophers and varmints
 
Like a lot of other guys, I've been using the TSX bullets for quite a while now. I know I don't need something like that for deer hunting, but I like the idea that I can use the same bullet for elk / moose if I want to.
 
I agree with prosper. Bullet is a result of accurate shot placement.
For 6.5x55 I will stick to Nosler Partition
 
If you want a quality Big Game bullet that is dependable, and can
be counted on to get to the vitals even if it has to break big bone
then you have several choices, but a few are more popular.
1. Nosler Partition [two cores, front and rear, with gilding metal partition in between them]
2. Barnes LRX, TSX or TTSX [Solid copper bullets that expand into "petals"]
3. Nosler Accubond [Lead core is bonded to the jacket material]
4. Hornady Interbond [Same as the Accubond]
Find the one that shoots best in your rifle, and go hunting.
Eagleye.
 
I 'm sure there's better out there, but Nosler Accubonds are the only bullet I use for hunting and are dead accurate in any rifle I have loaded them for. 7mm Rem Mag 160 gr, 30-06 165 gr, 6.5-06 140 gr, 6.5x55 130 gr, 300 Wby 165 gr... All produced groups well under an inch at 100 yards and awesome performance.
 
I have used a Hornady Interlock in every gun I have owned right from a 240 Weatherby to a 378 Weatherby, at all velocities and on most species of our North American game for the last 25 years have never been disapointed with the performance. I have tried the "premium" bullets, and for the most part there was no discernable advantage. In fact, there were instances of poor performance (pencilling). I am a broad side or slight quartering away shot kind of guy, so I want the bullet to expend all of its energy in the chest cavity after encountering a rib or 2 at most of resistance. I do not ever take marginal shots, or "anchoring" shoulder shots. If I did, I would probably shoot at the least a partition bullet, and quite likely a bonded or monolithic bullet. Decide what kind of shot you are going to make, and pick a bullet to match your style. Just be sure you can put it where you need to and it will be all good!
 
140 sst's aren't too explosive at 6.5x55 velocities. That's what I shot my deer with last year. 1 in the lungs. I actually went down to the 129gr sst and a bit faster this year for a little more reaction.
 
For standard velocity guns I would use Horn Interlocks or rem Cor'locs every time. For 100yrs standard bullets been killing game in NA, their not any tougher now, & at 1/2 the cost of premiums you can shoot a ton more which always helps your skill level & confidence. All IMHO of course....other not-so-experienced guys may differ :nest:
 
senior said:
For standard velocity guns I would use Horn Interlocks or rem Cor'locs every time. For 100yrs standard bullets been killing game in NA, their not any tougher now, & at 1/2 the cost of premiums you can shoot a ton more which always helps your skill level & confidence. All IMHO of course....other not-so-experienced guys may differ :nest:
Click to expand...

and for 10,000 years before that, a sharp rock attached to a stick has been killing game in NA.

Just because it's worked in the past doesn't make it the best choice now.


Still, we're discussing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. The differences are TINY compared to the difference that skill makes...
 
The short answer:
  • Trophy Bonded Tip (simply the best design)
  • Nosler Accubond are better at long range (very accurate and high BC)
  • Barnes TSX are bulletproof for large game (expand well and can't blow up)

Overall, the best bullet design is Trophy Bonded Tip and is available in Federal ammunition but I don't know if it's available for reloaders.

Alex
 
Its pretty easy to get pulled into the logic of choosing premium bullets. The cost of these bullets per animal shot over cup and core bullets is irrelevant, they might penetrate a little deeper or expand a little bigger, and they will almost certainly retain much of their original weight. The question is however, does the hunter armed with a rifle chambered for a moderate 6.5 or a 7mm cartridge benefit from using premiums? If he is a deer hunter, does the premium kill any quicker compared to the claims we hear that the best kills occur when a bullet penetrates into the lungs, then grenades?

I think premiums have their place, and I have a bunch of them on my loading bench from Barnes, Rhino, Swift, Matrix, and Woodleighs. But I also have Remington Coreloks, Winchester Power Points, Hornady Interlocks, all manner of Sierras, a few Speer, and a whole bunch of cast bullets that in some cases work better than jacketed bullets.

If you are contemplating a once in a lifetime hunt, by all means choose a premium bullet. If you are using a marginal cartridge for which premium bullets are available, choose a premium bullet. If your cartridge has an impact velocity in excess of 3000 fps, choose a premium bullet. And if you just like the idea of using a premium bullet, then you should.

But, if you are a hard core rifleman, who burns up hundreds of rounds of 6.5, 7mm, or .303 per month, you might find the cost of premiums intimidating. If you shoot cup and core bullets for recreation, you just might prefer to use that familiar bullet when a deer or a caribou is your target. That choice is certainly not unethical. That choice is as viable for you as it is for the guy who has to sweat to put enough cash together for the blue box Federals he needs for this year's deer, bear, caribou or moose. Sure, I like premiums, but I doubt that I would hunt with any bullet or load that I hadn't shot extensively, and there is a price tag associated with that familiarity.
 
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I just started reloading not long ago and use Sierra Gamekings. Shot four deer so far and all were bang flops. Have heard a lot of buzz about the Barnes TTSX and wanted to try them, but at $16 more a box I am to cheap to try them.
 
If you are going to shoot small deer like you're doing, the SSTs that you are useing is about as good as anything. Price doesn't determine suitability for purpose, and a bullet that is optimum for shooting through a buffalo will leave a smaller wound channel on a 100 pound deer than an ordinary cup and core bullet of suitable weight. That's the trade-off for more penetration, worthwhile for some applications and a disadvantage for others.
 
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