.338 for deer - heavy and slow vs light and fast?

[Maplicito]

I'm going deer hunting for the first time later this year, so I'm starting on my load development now. I'll be using a .338 win mag - yeah, I know that's pretty heavy for deer, but it's what I have, so part of my load development is trying to find the bullet that's going to do the least meat damage.

I've seen two lines of thought. I've seen it suggested that a deer hunter using a .338 should use the lightest bullets possible. The other line of thought I've seen is that it's the speed of the bullet that tends to influence the meat damage more than the weight of the bullet. If this is true, then using a heavier slower bullet would make sense.

So far, the limited evidence I've seen seems to dictate that the heavy and slow theory is more accurate, but I thought I'd pose the question to people with more experience, and see what you guys have to say.

So - for less meat damage, am I going to do better with a light bullet, or a heavy one that's moving slower? I currently have 180gr Nosler Accubonds, 215gr Sierra - Gamekings I believe, and Hornady 250gr SP bullets. I find my gun already quite likes the Hornady's, so if heavy and slow is the better option, I'm already set.

 

[BENELLIMONTE]

Maplicito,

I own and will use my 338 Win. Mag on bull elk in Idaho. I know an old timer who uses his .338 on all his hunts for elk, deer, bear and even antelope. He uses 225 grain Hornadys for all of 'em. Therefore bigger and slower would be my theory.

Good Luck

 

[Maplicito]

Thanks Benellimonte. Unless I hear a compelling reason to do otherwise, I think I'm going to be using my Hornady's.

 

[skinewmexico]

I'd say slower, but I have absolutely no data to back that up.

 

[Maplicito]

The most compelling comparison I've seen so far is the 45/70. Of course, that's really muddying the waters up by comparing rounds of different calibre, but my understanding is that the 45/70, while firing a significantly heavier bullet on average, is going to cause less meat damage than the significantly faster .338.

Once again, different calibers, different bullets, so I don't know if the comparison stands up - but it's what I'm using

 

[Art Eatman]

About the only probable way any meat would be hurt would be a butt- or backstrap-hit. A neck shot or a cross-body heart/lung shot wouldn't hurt a thing, IMO. Been doing that for forty forevers, myownself.

You don't "shoot a deer". You shoot at a specific small place on a deer. So find a picture of a deer which shows how he's all put together, and study it.

 

[Maplicito]

Thanks Art. My understanding is the lung shot is probably the one I should be trying take. I'll be with someone else who's more experienced than me, so that should help too. 40 years beats my experience by well... 40 years - thanks, I appreciate it.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

A heart-lung shot should hit just behind the front leg, about 1/3 of the way up from the belly line. An ideal shot will merely penetrate ribs going in and out, which have little meat on them, anyway.

Of course, there is no guarentee you will get an ideal shot.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I vote for accuracy...
Your rifle will tell what you should use.

I have a .338/06 that I've shot several deer with. Bullets are Hornady 200grPtSpt, Speer 200grspt, and 210gr Nosler Part.

The worst shot up deer I've had except for one shot with a .300RUM with a 180gr CorLokt, was with the .338" 210gr Nosler Part. That bullet expanded quick, and made a total mess of a 130lb doe. Impact velocity was about 2,600fps (75yd shot). 8" exit wound from a shoulder/spine shot. Lost both front shoulder quarters. Deer was Boom/flop (not just a bang, you know!).

A smallish doe (90lbs) was properly "wopped" by the Speer 200gr Spt. good initial expansion, not excessive however. Good blood trail, about 30yds long. Very dead deer at the end. Just about perfect, and what the .338/06 is "reputed" to do to deer. The 200gr Hornady Interlok was even less expansive, but then, I put one through the lungs of an elk at 250yds, and never recovered the elk due to lack of expansion, so no suprise there. Deer ran ~ 125yds and collapsed.

With good accuracy, you can precisely place the shot to hit spine/brain which will result in immediate kill, and if bullet doesn't expand too much, won't tear up too much deer.

However, I hope to find out how well the discontinued 180gr Nosler BT performs, (bought a lifetime supply before prices went up from Georgia Arms). Also, I bought some of the Sierra 225gr Prohunters that Graf and son's had on special. These are exceptionally accurate and should be a good compromise bullet from the .338/06. (under 1moa from a 2moa rifle !!).

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The Nosler PJ isn't necessary for deer, and it's expensive. I shot both legs off an elk and took out the heart and lungs with a single 225 Nosler PJ from my .35 Brown-Whelen. That's one hell of a bullet!

 

[Shawnee]

Are there any .338 bullets that are actually designed with deer in mind ?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Nope. It's strictly a big game round. Doesn't mean you can't use it for deer, but it has power to spare for that use.

 

[koja48]

A little "stout" for deer-sized critters . . . I'd use a slower/lighter bullet & would most definitely shoot "boiler room." A heavy round will likely "walk right on thru" without imparting much in the way of energy-exchange/expansion.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

As a previous poster noted, a Nosler Partition Jacket will do enormous damage. Nosler PJs always open up -- the front section has a thin jacket with a very soft lead core.

 

[Eric F]

If I may add my opinions to the pile.

This is a case of bullet selection and shot placement. FMJ would cause the absolute least meat damage. I dont think I would use it though. I might look into a lead flat nose and shoot it in the 2000fps range. then make head/neck shots or a lung hit.(I try to avoid the heart) if you must use a sort of high expansion bullet they tend to work based on bullet speed and depth of penetration. so experimentation is a must also.

All in all a heavy bullet at or around 2000fps will do the trick out to 300 yards

 

[Maplicito]

Huh... more information than I was expecting... gives me plenty to think about!

Anyone have any ideas for simple trials to test expansion? I'm still leaning toward my Hornady 250 gr Interlocks just because I already know I can hit an appropriate sized target with them.

 

[Water-Man]

Slow & Heavy! Break the front shoulder!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

FMJ would cause the absolute least meat damage. I dont think I would use it though.

FMJ is illegal for hunting in most states.

 

[CoRoMo]

heavy and slow vs light and fast

What about light and slow???

 

[Eric F]

Try shooting through wet phone books????

 

[Vern Humphrey]

What about light and slow???

Or the Elmer Keith approach, humongous bullet at Warp 9.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Use whatever load hat shoots best for you that is also the most cost effective.

 

[Cypress]

Take whatever bullet shoots best and put it through the lungs and/or heart and you will be fine. I hunt with a 45/70 some and it does very little meat damage. Often the animal runs 50 yds or so but if you punch the vitals you won't have a problem. Even if you take out a shoulder the heavier slugs do the same or less damage than a fast expanding bullet.

 

[Maplicito]

What about light and slow???

I had thought about that, but I phrased it as heavy and slow vs light and fast just because working with the published loads I have available, the lighter bullet is virtually always faster.

 

[ranger335v]

".338 for deer - heavy and slow vs light and fast? "

Nothing beats heavy and fast.