best bullet for deer hunting...

[Carbon_15]

What are the performance differences between the various polymer tip bullets. what is the best choice for medium range 30-06 on deer. I have been using the accubond, but am consered it is designed more for heavy game such as Elk. Would I be better served with a faster expanding bullet?

Which polymer tip bullets are designed for Whitetail?
Jason

 

[BsChoy]

What wieght bullet are you using? The 150's and 165's should open fine..I use 150 sst's in my '06 and 308. Haven't shot anything with them yet but have no worries about it

 

[LeonCarr]

For strictly deer, the 150 Nosler Ballistic Tip in .308 or .30-06 has been a reliable stopper for me over the years. Match grade accurate and hard hitting.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[DogBonz]

+1 for the Nosler BT

Although the "Accubond" is susposed to be an improved take on the BT. Its bassically a BT with a bonded core for more controled expanssion.

 

[Jet22]

I shot a deer 3 years ago with the then new 130 grain 270 cal SST. Ruger 270 Winchester No. 1A 22" barrel, about 3000fps. It was at about 350 yards and the performance was unbelievable. It made a fist size hole going in and a 00 buckshot size hole going out. They (Hornady) claim it fully expands on impact and I believe it did!! I shot one other at about 150 yards. The gun was sighted high at that range so I held low and hit lower than I would have liked. Still, the bullet worked well. It blew the throat apart, never hitting a bone! BIG pool of blood.

I thought that this bullet was a little explosive for game, so I have switched to the Hornady Interbond. It is supposed to open just as fast but stay together. I shot a deer last year with a 130 grainer but it was in the neck also, close range, and just blew a 2" hole through.

I have some 165 grain 308 Winchester Interbonds put together also, but no meat yet. I also have some 270 cal 140 grain Accubond bullets but have not put together a load yet. I use lots of Nosler Ballistic tips but use them mostly in a 7-30 Waters Contender Carbine or the 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm TCU's or 30 Herrett Pistols. With the deer we have taken with them, they seem to work very well at the reduced pistol velocitys. I heard that Nosler started making them tougher a long time back so they would work on deer at rifle velocitys, but they seem too explosive to me at higher velocitys. The bonded bullets should work much better!

 

[Lennyjoe]

Though not a polymer tip, I've shot 3 deer and my buddy 1 with the 165gr Sierra Gameking and they all have went down in their tracks.

I use 57.5gr of IMR 4350 under the 165's and WLR primers. Both of our Savage rifles (110's) are uber accurate with the load.

Of the 4 deer, 2 were Whitetails from Missouri and the other two were Arizona Mule Deer bucks.

I like the soft points better than the hollowpoints. Shot a doe with the hollowpoints in Missouri as well and it tore a gaping exit wound where the soft points opened but didnt do as much damage.

 

[critter]

Don't think you'll ever find out which bullet is the "BEST" for deer. That said, I'm with the guys who use the Nosler BT's in .30 caliber. They are VERY accurate in my guns and are very, very effective in my experience on small to medium whitetail. The accuracy and effectiveness give me enough faith in them that I don't need to look for anything better.

Now, if I were hunting heavier game (muleys, bear, elk, etc), I'd probably look for something tougher such as a Nosler partition or some such.

 

[Holshot]

My desire has always been to use the appropriate bullet on a specific animal. Deer are indeed soft targets and rapid expansion with the majority of the bullets energy expended inside the animal is my goal. That being said, I like Nosler Ballistic Tips and Sierra SPBTs. Each have performed flawlessly and cause massive organ damage. As far as size, that's up to you, your gun, and the place you're hunting.

I think a bonded bullet puts more energy in the ground. I use them for bigger animals.

 

[Hazzard]

I would concur with the nozler BT's. It's my preferred bullet for whitetail loads (although 7mm is my preferred caliber). I have found that they perform very well. Good expansion and energy transfer at the ranges that I hunt. The premium bullets, as you have alluded to, are probably overkill on whitetails. In factory loads, however, the tried and true remington core-loct really is all you need.

 

[Jet22]

The premium bullets, as you have alluded to, are probably overkill on whitetails

I have to agree with that 100%. The vast majority of deer my kids and I have killed have been with the 150 grain Speer SBT and the Hornady 150 grain Spitzer out of 308's and 30'06's. In fact, I had to back the velocity off some on the 308 150 Speer (chronographing 3025 out of my Sako) because the bullet was exploding and causing extensive damage to the meat with less than perfect shots.

I started playing with Nosler 140 grain Ballistic Tips with the 7-30 Waters in the Contender Carbine. Very impressive results. I then tried 125 Ballistic Tips in a 10" 30 Herrett. Good there too. I am going to try a 12" 6mm TCU and a 10" 6.5mm TCU with Ballistic Tips this year. With the lower pistol velocitys, the polymer tip bullets are excellant!!

I also have some 357 Herretts loaded up, but am using the 200 grain Remington Core Lock in it. It is chronographing 2000fps out of a 10" barrel and at 35 cal I don't think it will need to expand much to work!

 

[Clark]

http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/methods.html