Been having trouble with bullets in the last couple of years whitetail hunting. Shed jackets,extreme fragmentation. Lack of weight retention. I have been useing nosler ballistic tip 150gr with 49gr of W748 out of a custom .308 Ranges between 15' and 50 yards. I need thoughts on other bullets for this application. The guys I hunt with have been suffering some similar problems with barnes 150gr as well. Thanks.
Close range bullet performance.
- Thread starter dumprat
- Start date
Been using Nosler partitions for decades, never had a problem, short/long range, whitetails to moose.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Simply choose a heavier bullet so that the short range impact velocity is lower. You can stick with an inexpensive cup and lead core bullet if the impact velocity is around 2400 fps, and this is a gimme if your .308 loaded appropriately with 180-200 gr bullets. Heavy bullets often have thicker jackets.
If you insist on light bullets at high velocity the TSX is the best answer.
If you insist on light bullets at high velocity the TSX is the best answer.
I used TSX's for a while, wasn't happy with results. This year I switched to TTSX's, so far one mule deer hit twice first at 40 and then 70 yards, The first shot broadside on the shoulder the bullet did not enter the chest cavity it was against the ribs on the on side it did smash the front leg.
This bullet was picture perfect. The second shot in the hip, broke the upper leg, angled through and out behind the front shoulder. Both were from a 308 at about 2800 fps.
This performance is consistent with experience I had with TSX's. I know the Barnes fans will jump all over this but I'll say it anyway, I don,t think you can count on them and I've used my last one in my 308.
As much as I hate to I will be using two loads from now on, a 180 gr.Hornady for close stuff, and a 150 Hornady SST for longer shots. I know both work and work well.
This bullet was picture perfect. The second shot in the hip, broke the upper leg, angled through and out behind the front shoulder. Both were from a 308 at about 2800 fps.
This performance is consistent with experience I had with TSX's. I know the Barnes fans will jump all over this but I'll say it anyway, I don,t think you can count on them and I've used my last one in my 308.
As much as I hate to I will be using two loads from now on, a 180 gr.Hornady for close stuff, and a 150 Hornady SST for longer shots. I know both work and work well.
Nosler Ballistic Tips are renouned for their accuracy but the jackets are not constructed heavy enough to hold together at higher velocities or close range.
Nosler Accubonds are almost the exact same shaped bullets as BT's but are bonded I would just switch over to them.
Bonded bullets due to the heat process when they are made will also expand easier then standard bullets resulting in bullets that will expand at the longer distances/lower velocities but they are designed to retain 60% of their original weight.
I am using 140gr Accubonds @ 3000fps in my 280 Rem, 260gr Accubonds @ 2300fps in my 375JDJ and was planning on working up a load with the 260gr Accubonds for my short 21" barreled 375RUM for when I have the scope mounted.
Other than for hunting gophers/coyotes/wolves etc with my 223/22-250/6mm-284 I will never hunt with a Ballistic Tip again.
Nosler Accubonds are almost the exact same shaped bullets as BT's but are bonded I would just switch over to them.
Bonded bullets due to the heat process when they are made will also expand easier then standard bullets resulting in bullets that will expand at the longer distances/lower velocities but they are designed to retain 60% of their original weight.
I am using 140gr Accubonds @ 3000fps in my 280 Rem, 260gr Accubonds @ 2300fps in my 375JDJ and was planning on working up a load with the 260gr Accubonds for my short 21" barreled 375RUM for when I have the scope mounted.
Other than for hunting gophers/coyotes/wolves etc with my 223/22-250/6mm-284 I will never hunt with a Ballistic Tip again.
A couple two word phrases come to mind. Slower bullet, is the first one.
If you are not facing long distance shots, load lighter.
How close to a max load is the 49gr of 748? Velocity? Fast bullets at close range equals lots of bloodshot meat. Esp. when smacked into the front leg/shoulder area.
Did a quick look around the web and came up with info that showed a 47gr +/-load as max, with velocities in the 3000 foot range. No bloody wonder.
Take a good look at the velocities that the factory loads are loaded to. Even they are pretty fast for close in work like you are doing.
Bigger bullet moving slower, same bullet moving slower, or bullet designed for dangerous game (heavy jacket) and live with poor expansion at longer ranges. I suspect the selection of light bullets with heavy jackets is slim pickings.
Or start picking your shots better to avoid meat loss (rib cage, a little farther back to clear the front legs, from broadside, makes a right mess inside, but does not leave the front all full of blood, for example).
Under ideal circumstances, I like to aim just back from the point of the 'elbow' or a wee bit above that.
A bud of mine smacked a WT doe on the shoulder with a 300 Win. Mag. at 20 yards. What a mess.
Cheers
Trev
If you are not facing long distance shots, load lighter.
How close to a max load is the 49gr of 748? Velocity? Fast bullets at close range equals lots of bloodshot meat. Esp. when smacked into the front leg/shoulder area.
Did a quick look around the web and came up with info that showed a 47gr +/-load as max, with velocities in the 3000 foot range. No bloody wonder.
Take a good look at the velocities that the factory loads are loaded to. Even they are pretty fast for close in work like you are doing.
Bigger bullet moving slower, same bullet moving slower, or bullet designed for dangerous game (heavy jacket) and live with poor expansion at longer ranges. I suspect the selection of light bullets with heavy jackets is slim pickings.
Or start picking your shots better to avoid meat loss (rib cage, a little farther back to clear the front legs, from broadside, makes a right mess inside, but does not leave the front all full of blood, for example).
Under ideal circumstances, I like to aim just back from the point of the 'elbow' or a wee bit above that.
A bud of mine smacked a WT doe on the shoulder with a 300 Win. Mag. at 20 yards. What a mess.
Cheers
Trev
Or start picking your shots better to avoid meat loss (rib cage, a little farther back to clear the front legs, from broadside, makes a right mess inside, but does not leave the front all full of blood, for example).
Under ideal circumstances, I like to aim just back from the point of the 'elbow' or a wee bit above that.
A 15' neck shot broadside left the bullets jacket in the liver. Figure that one out. The load is an all purpose deer load. I shot a mulie at 200+ yesterday and it worked properly, downloading is not very practical. I tried the accubond and found them to be a waste of money accracy wise. Perhaps I will try some 165g softpoints.
Under ideal circumstances, I like to aim just back from the point of the 'elbow' or a wee bit above that.
A 15' neck shot broadside left the bullets jacket in the liver. Figure that one out. The load is an all purpose deer load. I shot a mulie at 200+ yesterday and it worked properly, downloading is not very practical. I tried the accubond and found them to be a waste of money accracy wise. Perhaps I will try some 165g softpoints.
Wrong Way
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I would definitely look at a heavier 180gr+ bullet....out to 300 the trajectory between a 150 and a 180 is going to be so close to be practically insignifigant. I would also look at an accurate bonded bullet....I'm a big fan of the 180 swift sirroco's out of the 308
- Location
- Ontariariario
This is a great explanation of the OP's problem.
You shouldn't expect acceptable bullet performance when using (basically) a lightly constructed varmint type bullet at muzzle contact range at maximum load and velocity levels.
The previously mentioned Nosler partitions or accubonds would be a much better choice.
HTH
Eric
