Just curious as to opinions on bullets for big game, deer and elk being the primary target. I was taught as a youngster to use a bullet that will expand well yet hold together and not destroy the meat as the main purpose we hunt these species is to eat them. I have tried a lot of bullets over the years and my favorites are the bonded bullets, the nosler accubond being my go to favorite! I have had mixed results with barnes bullets, I don't like them in my 7mag but absolutly love the little 80 grain ttsx at 3700 fps, its the only bullet I've found that will reliably hold together at that velocity, deer react as if struck by lightning. I have tried the berger vld hunting bullets, they shot superb in my 7mag but went against my hold together and not come apart rule, I tested them in a wood and they really come undone! The accubonds retain 80 percent or more of there weight when shot in the same wood. It definately explains to me why you see those big bull elk shot at amazing distances fold up like a chair, also most are high shoulder shots. I would love to see them peel the hide back and see the bloodshot damage and waste. I have great respect for berger the company as they state that the bullets are intended to penetrate 2 or 3 inches and then turn to shrappnel which accounts for some amazing camera footage of big game dropping like rocks. Anyway let's hear some opinions on your thoughts of good big game bullets
Bullets for big game?
- Thread starter solocam72
- Start date
I have shot the swift scirrocos and they are indeed excellent bullets IMO, but I stil choose the nosler accubonds, I use the same weight nosler BT for playing and the accubond for hunting, the B.C. is the same with the 140 grain bullets for my 7mag and they shoot exactly the same out of my rifle. I tried some 162 grain hornady sst bullets last year deer hunting and wasn't impressed, I shot a buck through the heart at 300 yards with an sst and somehow it bloodshot both front shoulders, the buck went down like a ton of bricks but what a mess it made. I tossed the rest of the bullets I had left in the garbage and went back to the nosler accubonds
m&p45acp10+1
New member
Strange but true. I have been using Remington CoreLokt for the past 29 years on white tail deer. They still work so I still use them.
Calibers I use them in.
.243 Win
.30-06 Springfield
.30-30 Winchester
None have failed to do the job.
Oh and I have more boxes then I will ever go though in this life time of them so reloading them is a moot point.
As far as how they group. I do not know. They all passed the minute of deer test at 100 yards or so.
Calibers I use them in.
.243 Win
.30-06 Springfield
.30-30 Winchester
None have failed to do the job.
Oh and I have more boxes then I will ever go though in this life time of them so reloading them is a moot point.
As far as how they group. I do not know. They all passed the minute of deer test at 100 yards or so.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
That they have. There may be some bullets that do the job better in some way or other. To me they work, and a dead deer is a dead deer. They do not tear up a lot of meat, and most of the deer I have hit folded at the knees not too far from where they were hit.
Oh I forgot to mention the 7mm Mauser as well. I have about 500 rounds of that left with a sporter Mauser that is like a lazer beam.
Oh I forgot to mention the 7mm Mauser as well. I have about 500 rounds of that left with a sporter Mauser that is like a lazer beam.
I tried to use 140 grain factory remington corelokts in a new 7mm-08 this year for my wife to deer hunt with, the gun simply wouldn't shoot them near my expectations, the best I could get was a 5 or 6" group at 100 yrds, I went home and pulled the rest of what factory stuff I had apart and starting reloading for it, the very first load I tried shot sub moa, I decided that was plenty good enough and quit 
flintlock.50
New member
I've had good luck with the 165 gr Hornady SST in my .30-06. I've hit deer and pronghorns from 50 to 402 yards and all but one dropped within 5 yards of where they were hit. They are very accurate in my rifle.
That said, I loaded 165 gr Accubonds for my elk hunt this past October because I was advised they were much stronger than the SSTs. (Yeah, I succumbed to the hype.) With the right seating depth they proved to be very accurate also. I didn't get a chance to test them because we managed to call the elk to within range of my flintlock.
When I compare total game weight harvested from different bullets, the lead round ball comes up the winner for me, having gotten a big boost from the October elk. But my round balls have also taken a couple black bears and deer.
I think the lesson is that if you put the projectile in the right spot, most will do the job, even the lowly round ball.
That said, I loaded 165 gr Accubonds for my elk hunt this past October because I was advised they were much stronger than the SSTs. (Yeah, I succumbed to the hype.) With the right seating depth they proved to be very accurate also. I didn't get a chance to test them because we managed to call the elk to within range of my flintlock.
When I compare total game weight harvested from different bullets, the lead round ball comes up the winner for me, having gotten a big boost from the October elk. But my round balls have also taken a couple black bears and deer.
I think the lesson is that if you put the projectile in the right spot, most will do the job, even the lowly round ball.
reynolds357
New member
I used to hold to the controlled expansion theory until Berger came out with their hunting bullet. Now, its Berger for me.
I tried the bergers and with some tlc i got them to shoot really well in my 7 rem mag but when I tested them for expansion they came undone turning to schrapnel which is what they were designed to do, I ceased production of them and gave the rest of what I had to the guys at benchmark barrels, they have there place and IMO its long range target shooting. I personally want a bullet that will dependably expand and retain most of its weight, the nosler accubonds have worked really well for me
reloader28
New member
Right at the moment my favorite for 44mag is an RCBS 250gr gas checked SWC cast from 50/50/2% alloy. Dont even need to be HP. Does a very nice job.
The wife would probly say her favorite for 30-06 is an RCBS 185gr semi-point with 1/16" HP 1/4" deep made from 50/50/2%. Also does a very nice job.
OH, did you mean those copper patched things?
Flintlock, shame on you. Dont ever, ever mention SST's around here. Everyone will think your the devil and start screaming at you for being an idiot. (But I'm with you)
The wife would probly say her favorite for 30-06 is an RCBS 185gr semi-point with 1/16" HP 1/4" deep made from 50/50/2%. Also does a very nice job.
OH, did you mean those copper patched things?
Flintlock, shame on you. Dont ever, ever mention SST's around here. Everyone will think your the devil and start screaming at you for being an idiot. (But I'm with you)
I use 150grSierra Game Kings in my .270WIN. They work well from 15 feet to 460yards .....
I have not made the transition to the "Bonded" or all copper/guilding metal wonder bullets for two reasons-
1. Several times in the last few years I have shot deer comming down a trail toward me at fairly short range (under 50 yards). There is just not an option- that trail comes up out of the creek 50 yards from the best vantage spot on the property, and goes right to it. If I wait for a broadside shot, the deer will run into me and spook before that happens, and I don't want to shoot at the back end of a fleeing deer. A slow walking/stationary target facing you is a chip shot...... but I would not take it with a bullet that will make field dressing a "crappy" job.... I'm in the game to put good meat in the freezer, and scattering fecal matter through the body cavity is not conducive to that, IMO ..... I know that a 170 gr .30/30 Partition will go through a whitail lengthwise at that range ...... and that a 150gr SGK will penetrate a few inches, and come apart, with none of the parts getting past the diaphram. The same bullet will go through a broadside whitetail's chest out to 460 yards, where there is plenty of time to wait for the animal to turn whichever way you need him, put his head down to feed, etc.
2. What I use works well ..... it performs well, groups well, is fairly low cost. Why would I change for something else (the Hornady SST looks like it would work similarly, with a slightly better BC, and slightly lower cost)..... when I'd have spend the time and $$$ for load development again?
I have not made the transition to the "Bonded" or all copper/guilding metal wonder bullets for two reasons-
1. Several times in the last few years I have shot deer comming down a trail toward me at fairly short range (under 50 yards). There is just not an option- that trail comes up out of the creek 50 yards from the best vantage spot on the property, and goes right to it. If I wait for a broadside shot, the deer will run into me and spook before that happens, and I don't want to shoot at the back end of a fleeing deer. A slow walking/stationary target facing you is a chip shot...... but I would not take it with a bullet that will make field dressing a "crappy" job.... I'm in the game to put good meat in the freezer, and scattering fecal matter through the body cavity is not conducive to that, IMO ..... I know that a 170 gr .30/30 Partition will go through a whitail lengthwise at that range ...... and that a 150gr SGK will penetrate a few inches, and come apart, with none of the parts getting past the diaphram. The same bullet will go through a broadside whitetail's chest out to 460 yards, where there is plenty of time to wait for the animal to turn whichever way you need him, put his head down to feed, etc.
2. What I use works well ..... it performs well, groups well, is fairly low cost. Why would I change for something else (the Hornady SST looks like it would work similarly, with a slightly better BC, and slightly lower cost)..... when I'd have spend the time and $$$ for load development again?
For MANY years I used Speer, Hornady, and Sierra standard game bullets without failures on deer, antelope, bear, sheep, goats, and a few exotics.
I agree that a premium bullets, do a bit better on heavy game, but I neve felt that I needed the premium bullets so touted today. On Alaska Bear I did use Nosler Partition. Today I would probably use Barnes.
Frankly, I think shooters are somewhat brainwashed today for financial reasons. No doubt modern premium bullets do some things better, but what do you need?
For deer and similar size game I would still use standard bullets that shot best in my rifles.
Jerry
I agree that a premium bullets, do a bit better on heavy game, but I neve felt that I needed the premium bullets so touted today. On Alaska Bear I did use Nosler Partition. Today I would probably use Barnes.
Frankly, I think shooters are somewhat brainwashed today for financial reasons. No doubt modern premium bullets do some things better, but what do you need?
For deer and similar size game I would still use standard bullets that shot best in my rifles.
Jerry
5R milspec
New member
With a Berger VLD hunting bullet you just need to slow it down.Thats if you do not want it to blow up like it will.I did this last year with great results,the 168gn VLD just went right through the deer.The shot was at 150 yards away broad side,and through the heart lower lunge.It turned them into mush.My load is 43gn of Varget with a case over all length of 2.995.If I haven't forgot it is running around 2550 at the muzzel.
I will add that most of my shots are no farther than 200,so the amount of speed I went with works for me.If you are wanting to try a Berger VLD at longer ranges then adjust the FPS to your ranges.You can all so do this with an A-max to keep it from blowing up like it will.
I will add that most of my shots are no farther than 200,so the amount of speed I went with works for me.If you are wanting to try a Berger VLD at longer ranges then adjust the FPS to your ranges.You can all so do this with an A-max to keep it from blowing up like it will.
reynolds357
New member
The Berger is made to "blow up." Thats why I like them. The difference in them and other match type hollow points is they are designed to penetrate a sufficient amount before they explode. Everything I have shot with them (except the intentional lung shots to bleed the animal out and have better meat) has dropped like a ton of bricks fell on them.
Reynolds357, you are VERY correct!! The berger vld hunting bullets were designed to penetrate a few inches and BLOW UP sending shrapnell in every direction which is exactly what they do! My experience with shrapnell from bullets that 'fail' leave a serious bloodshot MESS! I enjoy eating the deer and elk I shoot and that's why I choose a premium bullet that WON'T blow up and make a bloodshot mess that I would end up having to trim and throw large quantities of the animal away, I've seen both shoulders totally destroyed (unedible) on deer from poor bullet performance and to me that's a real shame and a heck of a waste! I will say the bergers make good tv, most animals hit with them fold up like an accordian which looks cool but to me personally means diddly nothing! It would be a different picture IMO if they skinned one of those high shoulder shot animals so you could see what you WON'T be eating. To each his own! It would be a boring world if all they made were white shirts, I wear black
I am not knocking berger bullets, I have a great deal of respect for that company as they state exactly what there bullets do! That gives us a choice to decide if we want that kind of performance or not! I tried the 168s in my 7 rem mag and after some tinkering with seating depth I was able to get them to shoot very well from my rifle, but after my expansion test I decided they weren't for me and I went back to the nosler accubonds. I think the bergers are a superb target bullet but IMO they are a POOR big game bullet IF you plan to eat what you shoot