125 gr. Speer TnT in .308

I have hunted with folks who have used it on hogs and it worked fine. I realize deer are not hogs, but size/weight-wise the there is something of a reasonable comparison.

While it is marketed as a varmint bullet, it can certainly handle much larger game such as deer without much problem. HOWEVER, and this is a huge however, these rounds will come apart into a million pieces which means you will definitely be polluting the meat at and around the wound area with bits of copper jacket and lead particles. Wound channels may be quite large.

I would expect that the bullet, or parts thereof, will overpenetrate on smaller deer. On larger deer, the bullet is likely to be contained within the deer and if the deer runs, you aren't apt to have a good blood trail without an exit wound.

Double Naught Spy said:

I have hunted with folks who have used it on hogs and it worked fine. I realize deer are not hogs, but size/weight-wise the there is something of a reasonable comparison.

While it is marketed as a varmint bullet, it can certainly handle much larger game such as deer without much problem. HOWEVER, and this is a huge however, these rounds will come apart into a million pieces which means you will definitely be polluting the meat at and around the wound area with bits of copper jacket and lead particles. Wound channels may be quite large.

I would expect that the bullet, or parts thereof, will overpenetrate on smaller deer. On larger deer, the bullet is likely to be contained within the deer and if the deer runs, you aren't apt to have a good blood trail without an exit wound.

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^^^^^
This.

OP

I think this is exactly what you could expect. Especially if shots are under 100 yds.

I hand load a 140 gr. Nosler Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertip for my 7mm-08 and even it is pretty explosive under 125 yds. or so. Often times the jacket separating from the core and its supposed to be a fairly controlled expansion bullet.

The TNT is designed to be disruptive ( I use a 90 gr. in a 6.8) and while it imparts a lot of energy it literally comes apart in a bazillion pieces. Yes, you can kill deer with it...but I don't think you will like the results.

I bet I could kill deer with them but I’d aim soft. Sending 125gr shrapnel into the lungs is probably gonna be a bad deal for a small deer but is it gonna bust through a big buck’s shoulder blade? And if it does how much meat will it waste?

We’ve all got our schools of thought and preferences. A light varmint bullet for deer is lacking in a lot of areas I value but where it should perform well is in soft tissue on close steady shots on smaller deer. For example if I sat over a food plot and shot does in the ribs from a rested position at 150 yards or less I bet I could stack some deer with that combo

As a generic answer I’d say keep shooting 150gr Core-Lokts

i use them for fun in a PA-10 Gen 3, they shoot fine. One hole at 50 yards, but I don't normally have a scope, so I don't know how good they do at 100. I use H-335, because I have it, and get about 2800fps from a 18" barrel.

Flintknapper said:

The TNT is designed to be disruptive ( I use a 90 gr. in a 6.8) and while it imparts a lot of energy it literally comes apart in a bazillion pieces. Yes, you can kill deer with it...but I don't think you will like the results.

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Correct! They are great on accuracy, and will blow up a groundhog, or a coyote, on impact, which is what Speer meant for them to do.

LD

I could give you a list of deer shot with light for caliber bullets by me or my family that ran off with out a blood trail. We found most of them, some we didn't. I've become a fan of heavier bullets, 150 minimum for 30 cal. I actually use 165's for deer.

TNTs would not be my choice for deer, or really anything much over 50 pounds. Frangible rounds just have too many negatives with limited penetration though it might turn out to be the ultimate neck shot bang-flopper. Speer has made big game bullets in the weight range. The old flat base HotCor was made 125 grain in 308.

TNTs are varmint bullets,and not constructed for penetration on deer sized game. They might work with lung shots,but you’d likely lose a lot of meat or possibly wound an animal with a shoulder hit. I’d probably pass on them for deer,unless you reduced the velocity. I use 125 grain Ballistic Tips for deer, but out of a 30 Herrett at around 2200 FPS. With the lower velocity,the bullet holds together and gives workable penetration without blowing up on bones. For hogs,if you can make a broadside head shot,they should be fine,I’ve taken plenty with .22 rimfires.

osprey176 said:

TNTs are varmint bullets,and not constructed for penetration on deer sized game. They might work with lung shots,but you’d likely lose a lot of meat or possibly wound an animal with a shoulder hit. I’d probably pass on them for deer,unless you reduced the velocity. I use 125 grain Ballistic Tips for deer, but out of a 30 Herrett at around 2200 FPS. With the lower velocity,the bullet holds together and gives workable penetration without blowing up on bones. ...

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Light-for-caliber varmint bullets can work on deer and hogs, but as you say, only with reduced velocity. Guys hunting with 6.8s are frequently using what are meant as .270 Winchester varmint bullets, but that hold together and take care of deer and hogs at the reduced velocity they get from the smaller cartridge and carbine length barrels. No reason the same approach wouldn’t work in a .308 or other full power cartridge.

Encoreman said:

I usually load 150 gr. PSP core-lokt bullets but wondered if the 125 would perform okay. What are your thoughts.

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Use the the 150s. No, no, and no on the TNT varmint bullets!

Merry Christmas to you too.