Help me pick a bullet to hunt with this year

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dand883

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As i get more into shooting i have been putting much more thought on the bullet i am using, but i recently switched hunting locations and i have to rethinkmy whole process.

Before i was hunting in a field/farmland area, longer shots, deer only, although i do have a bear licence, but i never seem to really do much bear hunting. Shots would typically be 75-150 yards from a bipod or tree stand rail. I started to lean more towards using an SST and (ideally) not having to track them as far. I have also been gravitating towards 6.5x55 from the .308 i always used to use. I also have a .270 and an avilable 30-30, but tend to leave it at home in favor of the other 2.

This year though i am in a much more wooded area and the distances have been cut down to anywhere from 5-75 yards and although i am mostly looking for deer, i've had a few pictures of a black bear on the trail cam and have noticed some bear crap around the area. In the reading i have done it seems that the SST's are better at a bit longer ranges and tend to fragment most easily at closer ranges, which makes me think i should be moving back to a normal cup and core bullet, that the SST isn't my best choice in this area and perhaps going back to the .308 from 6.5x55. My thinking is that if a bear does wander through i know a 6.5x55 can take a bear no problem, but the .308 just gives me a bit more peace of mind.

Am i over thinking things and anything i use at that range will do?

Let me know what you guys think, SST, plain jane cup and core, or i was thinking of giving the new winchester deer season XP ammo a try this year and what caliber you would take with you.
 
If there is a possibility of bear then I'd personally go with a sturdier bullet.

I've always been a fan of Partitions, they cover most bases quite well. I have a .308 that I'm trying to work a load up for right now as well, and I'm tossing the idea around of 130gr TTSX's. Get them cookin' along at around ~3200fps and I'm thinking something cool might happen!
 
Deer and black bear at short bush ranges, you will not notice any difference in performance of your 6.5 vs .308 with the same brand and model of bullet. Use the rifle you like the best and don't over think cartridge choice. At those ranges and for those critters nearly anything will do OK, but you asked .... I'm not a fan of the SST at any range, just too frangible for me because I like eating game meat. Standard cup and core like Fed blue box, Rem core-lokt, and Win PP will all do the job better than SST in my opinion, with less meat loss and better penetration. If you really want to improve your performance IN bears, Nosler partition, Accubond, Swift A frame, Barnes TSX etc. will not only open well but penetrate deeply and often make exit wounds (which are unimportant for deer, but I really like when hunting bear). Choose 140's in 6.5 or 165-180gr. in .308 and all will be well.
 
Hey OP - haven't shot anything with it but it worked well on paper in 30 06. Three groups of three with scope adjustments after the first and second groups.

 
OP,

The 308 would be my first choice for the conditions you state, even the 30-30 would do well. A standard cup/core load in the 165-180gr range would be just fine for either.

Personally I would use a 165gr Partition or AB in the 308 just to cover your bases. A premium bullet is not required, but for what?.... an extra $1.50, it seems like a no brainer.

A box of ammo is about the cheapest part of hunting season.
 
That winchester deer season XP looks like an even more rapidly expanding bullet than the Hornady sst - made to give "massive energy transfer" on itty bitty american whitetail deer. Why would you choose such a bullet for hunting bear?
from a Guns and Ammo review: "The bullets incorporate a redesigned polymer tip with a larger impact diameter than conventional polymer-tipped and softpoint bullets, translating into rapid expansion and increased impact trauma for larger wound cavities." and the 30 cal only come in 150 grain.
 
dand883 said:
As i get more into shooting i have been putting much more thought on the bullet i am using, but i recently switched hunting locations and i have to rethinkmy whole process.

Before i was hunting in a field/farmland area, longer shots, deer only, although i do have a bear licence, but i never seem to really do much bear hunting. Shots would typically be 75-150 yards from a bipod or tree stand rail. I started to lean more towards using an SST and (ideally) not having to track them as far. I have also been gravitating towards 6.5x55 from the .308 i always used to use. I also have a .270 and an avilable 30-30, but tend to leave it at home in favor of the other 2.

This year though i am in a much more wooded area and the distances have been cut down to anywhere from 5-75 yards and although i am mostly looking for deer, i've had a few pictures of a black bear on the trail cam and have noticed some bear crap around the area. In the reading i have done it seems that the SST's are better at a bit longer ranges and tend to fragment most easily at closer ranges, which makes me think i should be moving back to a normal cup and core bullet, that the SST isn't my best choice in this area and perhaps going back to the .308 from 6.5x55. My thinking is that if a bear does wander through i know a 6.5x55 can take a bear no problem, but the .308 just gives me a bit more peace of mind.

Am i over thinking things and anything i use at that range will do?

Let me know what you guys think, SST, plain jane cup and core, or i was thinking of giving the new winchester deer season XP ammo a try this year and what caliber you would take with you.
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6.5 x 55 with a 140gr bullet like a Nosler Partition or a 120gr Barnes TTSX / 130gr TSX.

I reloaded my dad a 165gr Nosler Partition in 308 and that took down a bull moose (617lbs dressed) @ 227 yards.

No matter what you use shot placement is key. If there is any chance of encountering a bear I would recommend using a Premium bullet in any of the calibers you listed.
 
I'm playing around with Barnes 150gr TTSX right now, I like the idea of a bullet that will stay together close range but still open up when it gets out there a bit, had decent expansion, and excellent penetration. I'm hoping they'll be a do all type of bullet.
I've tried working up loads with the SST's, I couldn't get them to group for ####, I think ~4" at 100 yards was the best I could get with them out of my old .30-06.
 
VanIsleCam said:
Hey OP - haven't shot anything with it but it worked well on paper in 30 06. Three groups of three with scope adjustments after the first and second groups.

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From my one personal experience with this ammo last fall.....DO NOT USE IT!

I've hunted with a 7mm-08 for over twenty years, and never wounded an animal. Last year I picked up one of those $400 flame camo vanguard s2's in .308. I didn't have much time to start reloading so I picked up three boxes of Winchester Power Points just to blast off at the range and have 60 brass to reload. Well it turns out one of the boxes of ammo is Winchester .308 150gr Deer Season XP with that Xtreme Point bullet. I think to myself, "yeah I thought the bill was a little more than it should have been." So I shoot a group of 5, and low and behold it's right around an inch at 100y. Well, nuts to it, I'll use this ammo if I decide to take this rifle out and that way I don't have to try and do load development in a few days.

I won't get into the sad details, but near the end of the season I had about a 70 yard shot on one of the biggest whitetail's I've ever shot at, and the poor animal got away. I am certain the bullet blew up on its shoulder, as it went for miles dragging it's front leg and coughing blood every so often. I won't ever forget that, nor will I ever quite forgive myself for using ammunition that didn't do the job properly.

As GMC403 says, a box of ammo is about the cheapest part of the hunting equation, so don't cheap out.
 
OP, all of the arguments to choosing something other than your 6.5x55 are just fluff and semantics when it comes to use in the field and the difference in effect on game animals. I can tell you from experience, as many others can here, that none of the animals you mention and even larger like Moose and Elk will notice the difference as long as you do your part properly and place the bullet where it will achieve the cleanest kill possible. I'm not saying it is just adequate either. The Swede round is more than adequate for any animal in North America.

It doesn't matter if you gut shoot an animal with a 6,5/308/30-06/7 rem mag/338 mag etc. A gut shot or shot of jaw will lead to a lost animal. Shoot the rifle you are already used to. It's a bit late to start fooling around developing loads and playing with something new.

If you are really looking for an excuse to purchase or acquire another firearm then just go get and don't even bother trying to justify why. That's what it's all about. Have fun but do it right.
 
As bearhunter stated, its is a little late to start developing loads & playing around with something new. Shot placement IS paramount. Speed & energy does not make up for a poor hit.

From your post:
dand883 said:
I have also been gravitating towards 6.5x55 from the .308 I always used to use.......but the .308 just gives me a bit more peace of mind.
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Stick with what you know and are comfortable with. Experiment after the season is over for you.
 
StoneHorse said:
As bearhunter stated, its is a little late to start developing loads & playing around with something new. Shot placement IS paramount. Speed & energy does not make up for a poor hit.

From your post: Stick with what you know and are comfortable with. Experiment after the season is over for you.
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saskcop said:
Either caliber will fit the bill - and an Accubond or Interbond will suffice nicely in each.
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This is what i'll probably do, stick with the .308 and not use an SST.
 
It will make no difference at all in real life, no matter which of the many choices you already have available to you. There was no need to "re-think" anything from the start.
 
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