What bullet to reload for whitetail?

[snuffy]

What bullet to reload for whitetail?

None of the above!

To the people that say don't use premium bullets, I say the bullet is the cheapest part of a hunt, why not spend a few cents more for it? C.comet is probably going to spend thousands of bucks on a Canadian hunt. A box of ammo is a tiny percentage of the total cost.

My vote would be a Hornady interbond in 165 grain weight. It'll expand at low velocity, but hold together with 85% weight retention, and deep penetration.

If you don't like Hornady, then the Nosler accu-bond is another good choice. The accu-bond will shed more weight, but penetrate further will less expansion.

 

[paperpuncher49]

Of the 7 game animals (deer and hogs) I have shot since using Barnes TSX, none has taken a step after being hit. No tracking, no wounded animals lost. Can't say that about any other bullet I have hunted with.

 

[Walkalong]

To the people that say don't use premium bullets

I consider the Core-Lokt a premium bullet because it provides premium results. I do understand the logic though. Don't spend a lot of money to get to that point and then fail with a cheap crappy bullet.

 

[cheygriz]

"Premium" is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

I've been using Speer 150 grain boat-tail soft points from a .30-06 on pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and elk in the rocky mountains for years.

Haven't lost one yet. Never had to "track" one over a hundred yards.

I know a lot of folks are more comfortable with the big heavy 180 grain "bowling balls" especially on elk, but I've never seen the need for them. Put that little 150 pill in the right spot, at reasonable range, and down they go.

And with one single load for all big game. I never have to re-zero during hunting season.

(One disclaimer though. I don't try to snipe at animals a half mile away! )

 

[crimsoncomet]

Thanks a lot guys! Right now i have 150g hornady soft points, 165g sierra gamekings, and 150 barnes ttsx (got a deal 19 bucks). I MAY get some accubonds or partitions and will start some load development! Varget and 8208 is on hand!

 

[courtgreene]

the ttsx is an awesome bullet, if only i could find a load for it that my mauser liked, i'd be in business. My loading equipment just arrived today so now that I'm not dependent on friends maybe I can find one that it likes. good luck to you, hope you have faster luck finding a load than I have.

 

[Walkalong]

The last deer I killed was with a .22 LR to the back of the head. Lights out. Just sayin'. Deer are not hard to kill with the right shot placement. Most any decent 150 to 200 Gr bullet located properly will do the job.

The Nosler Partition is a premium bullet by the way. Always has been, it's just not the latest to come along. Still works as designed though.

 

[Hunt480]

I consider the Core-Lokt a premium bullet because it provides premium results

Core-Lockts used to be the the premium bullet. Thats all i load for hunting.

 

[GURU1911]

My preferred bullets for deer

Personal preference: .30 cal---165 gr. Nosler ballistic tip
.24 cal----95 gr. Nosler ballistic tip
.44 cal---240 hornady xtp / nosler jhp / sierra jhp

 

[winchester1886]

For Texas whitetails I have used Hornday 150gr. SPBT Interlock since the 90's.I use 4895 or 4350 with CCI BR primers. I have taken deer at 300 yards with this bullet,and it has never let me down.

 

[GaryL]

I started handloading my hunting ammo to get a heavier bullet and better accuracy than I could get with Fed Premiums. I prefer 180gr Nosler BT. There may be better bullet choices, but I get everything I want with these - accuracy, knock down power, and enough weight to leave an exit wound. We have large bodied deer up north, and without the exit wound, it can be very hard to find a deer that only went 30 yds into the brush, which is only a couple leaps for a large buck, which I'm convinced they can do while dead.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

It's not always "overkill" when using a premium bullet on a thin skinned animal like a whitetail. Sometimes it's actually "underkill". Not all, but some premium bullets are made to expand slower for use on heavily muscled a large game like moose or grizzly and will zip right through a whitetail without expanding fully, leaving an exit wound about the same size as the entry. Now if you make a really good shot, it shouldn't matter that much. A deer with a hole through both lungs isn't going very far, but if you make a marginal shot, which everyone has done if they've hunted very much, you want all the expansion you can get to create a larger wound channel.

Just my 0.02

 

[cougar1717]

I wish there was a fourth option in the poll for "whatever bullet your rifle shoots the best." They're just deer - it's not like they're wearing kevlar. An good shot in the vitals will most likely go right through. In .308, most would suggest sticking with a 150gr-180gr. bullet, but as for manufacturer, I wouldn't limit yourself to just those three bullets.