Beginner hunter.. what is the best bullet for whitetail deer?

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Odessit86

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Hi guys .. I have this kind of bullets ...
There is a list.. can you tell me which one are best and which one not great ..
Remington Core Lokt 150 and 180 gr.
Nosler Trophy Grade accubond 180 gr.
Federal premium Sierra gameking 165gr.
Winchester power max 150 gr.
Can you suggest which Grade and bullet for whitetail deer is the best ?
 
Have you herd of Berger Elite Hunter or Barnes Vor-TX? Are they for long range ?
I mean can you use long range cartridges under 100 yards ? Will it damage the meat or fo through?
I am sorry I never shot a deer ..neither the rifle ..
Just want to learn things ...to hunt
 
Pretty much any of the ones listed plus pretty much anything else. A good cup and core bullet will work just fine as will a solid copper. White tail are not armored. I've taken one with a 270gr Barnes TSX from my 375 H&H and three using 150gr solid copper Federal in 308. I'd figure out what your rifle shoots best and stick with that.
 
Inside 100 yards, deer aren't that hard to kill. Goes double with a 30-06. Almost any soft point bullet will do. I've killed one with a cast bullet in 30-06 at 80 yards.

More importantly is which of these options shoot accurately in your gun. If you don't hit the deer, doesn't matter what bullet you use.
 
Odessit86 said:
Hi guys .. I have this kind of bullets ...
There is a list.. can you tell me which one are best and which one not great ..
Remington Core Lokt 150 and 180 gr.
Nosler Trophy Grade accubond 180 gr.
Federal premium Sierra gameking 165gr.
Winchester power max 150 gr.
Can you suggest which Grade and bullet for whitetail deer is the best ?
Click to expand...
I've never shot a whitetail deer, but I suspect any of the bullets you listed (and many others) would work swell - especially with a 30-06. When I first started big game hunting close to 60 years ago, Dad and I both used Remington CoreLokts (150gr for mule deer, and 180gr for elk) factory loads in our 308 Winchesters. They worked swell too.:thumbup:
 
Odessit86 said:
There is a list.. can you tell me which one are best and which one not great ..
Remington Core Lokt 150 and 180 gr.
Nosler Trophy Grade accubond 180 gr.
Federal premium Sierra gameking 165gr.
Winchester power max 150 gr.
Click to expand...

From the list I would put the Nosler and Federal/Sierra offerings above the Winchester/Remington, in that order. That’s without testing all of them, in 30-06 on deer though.
 
All will get the job done if shots over 250 yards are possible I would recommend the Nosler accubonds. Are all these bullets spitzer ( pointed) style? If hunting thick woods with short range shots I prefer round nose bullets in 180 grain. Good luck with your hunting.
 
Deer ain't hard to kill at normal ranges. That means inside of 300 yards any 30-06 bullet will be just fine. I'd use the least expensive 150 gr bullet that shot well in my rifle. Heavier bullets might be needed for bigger game. If you're shooting a cartridge borderline too small for the game hunted some of the expensive premium bullets will help but aren't needed for your application. If you're planning on shooting at extreme ranges some premium bullets are designed with excellent aerodynamics to shoot flatter and hit harder at long range.

That said, if you just want to shoot heaver bullets, or more expensive bullets there is no downside other than cost.
 
Pretty much you need to figure that out yourself. The bullet is only one part of the equation. The bullets will do their job, which is kill. You need to buy at least 3 of the ones you mentioned and go to the range and shoot them. See which load shoots and groups the best for you and the rifle you have. The one that gives you the best group is your winner. The bullet will kill there's no doubt, the question is can you consistently put that bullet where it needs to be.
 
Odessit86 said:
Have you herd of Berger Elite Hunter or Barnes Vor-TX? Are they for long range ?
I mean can you use long range cartridges under 100 yards ? Will it damage the meat or fo through?
I am sorry I never shot a deer ..neither the rifle ..
Just want to learn things ...to hunt
Click to expand...

As the other's said, any of the bullets you listed will work. I prefer the 150s and 165s for deer, leaving the 180s for bigger stuff.

The bullets designed for LR hunting "can" be a different animal all together depending on design. It's hard to make a bullet that does everything well, up close, rapid expansion, deep penetration etc. Since expansion is related to velocity, some of the LR bullets are designed to expand at lower impact velocities. Depending on where you hit with them up close (read higher impact velocity) you can cause excessive meat loss.

Generally, a double lung shot wastes little to nothing in meat regardless of bullet type. Hit shoulder/bone at closer ranges with a thinner jacketed bullet design to expand at lower velocities and you can end up with more bloodshot burger.

I'm trying to find Berger Hunter Elite's now in 6mm for a specific purpose. My neighbor has a 600 yd open cornfield that the does frequent in late season. It's not a bullet, cartridge, or rifle I'd use for general deer hunting, but will work well for this application. If I was looking for a bullet for all around, with potential for longish shots I'd probably go with a Nosler ABLR.
 
It doesn't take a high dollar super bullet to kill a deer. Just about any cup and core (cheap bullet) will work fine. The Cor-Lokt has been around for decades and kills deer as well if not better than bullets that cost twice as much. I have used Accubonds, Accubond LR, Hornady ELD-X, Hornady Interlocks, Sierra TGK, Ballistic SilverTips, and all worked well. Pick a mid-weight bullet that shoots well in your gun, put it where it needs to go, and don't worry about it.
 
Odessit86 said:
Have you herd of Berger Elite Hunter or Barnes Vor-TX? Are they for long range ?
I mean can you use long range cartridges under 100 yards ? Will it damage the meat or fo through?
I am sorry I never shot a deer ..neither the rifle ..
Just want to learn things ...to hunt
Click to expand...

Most states require a hunter safety course. I would start there, then see if you know someone who already hunts. The class should indicate where to shoot a deer, or google it, as well as some basic techniques and safety considerations (a must). There can be a lot to consider before taking that first shot since it’s not like target practice and you can’t always determine where the deer will be, it’s position or what’s behind it.

The bullet will go all the way through (depending on distance and location of the shot.) For beginner distances, it will go through. Being new I would wait for a broadside shot just behind the shoulder. As for meat, how much meat is damaged depends on where you hit it. If it’s a shoulder shot you’re going to damage some good meat.

I’ve taken several white tail with 30-06. As others have said, any bullet that shoots well at the distances you plan to shoot will work. Deer drop with much smaller bullets.

welcome to Hunting. It’s a great experience, a lot of learning and one that always challenges you.
 
Last edited:
Odessit86 said:
Have you herd of Berger Elite Hunter or Barnes Vor-TX? Are they for long range ?
I mean can you use long range cartridges under 100 yards ? Will it damage the meat or fo through?
I am sorry I never shot a deer ..neither the rifle ..
Just want to learn things ...to hunt
Click to expand...
Have you hunted small game with a shotgun?
 
Odessit86 said:
Hi guys .. I have this kind of bullets ...
There is a list.. can you tell me which one are best and which one not great ..
Remington Core Lokt 150 and 180 gr.
Nosler Trophy Grade accubond 180 gr.
Federal premium Sierra gameking 165gr.
Winchester power max 150 gr.
Can you suggest which Grade and bullet for whitetail deer is the best ?
Click to expand...

The one in the heart.
 
Pretty much what everyone else said. With whitetail it’s not about the bullet or caliber or cartridge. It’s about shot placement. I’ve taken plenty of deer with .22wmr back when that was legal so I’m sure any of your bullets will do the trick if you can hit what you aim for.
 
I would suggest you get yourself a 22 rifle a box of shells and find a woods with oak trees and start hunting squirrels. By next deer season you will be a better shot and have some idea of how to stalk game in the woods. Squirrels are the best practice I know of for deer hunting.
 
9x56MS said:
I would suggest you get yourself a 22 rifle a box of shells and find a woods with oak trees and start hunting squirrels. By next deer season you will be a better shot and have some idea of how to stalk game in the woods. Squirrels are the best practice I know of for deer hunting.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Squirrel uses all of the skills you need for deer hunting. Learn stealth, scouting, marksmanship. Even dressing squirrel is a lot like dressing a tiny deer.
Bonus - they are excellent table fare
 
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