Best Performing Deer Bullet

[uk roe hunter]

i like speer hotcore 150 gr from my .30-06. always gives full penetration and has been very effective for me up to now. I have tried 150 gr sierra gameking. The bullet fragmented and lost it's jacket. I was not pleased with that. I use hornady interlock 100 gr in 6mm for my 243. they seem good they stay together well but i am yet to recover one. I am using speer hotcore 130gr in my 7mm08 but i am yet to shoot a deer with it. I am very tempted to go with remmy core lokt for everything though.

steve

 

[Win75]

I voted for the Nosler Partition but I need to qualify my vote.

Partitions for .243 and smaller work very well. I have shot many deer with the 100 grain partition in the .243 and never had one go more than 10 feet before dropping. A friend shot a large doe with the 60 grain from a 22-250 and dropped it in its tracks. All of these were lung/heart area body shots.

I shot a small buck with my 6.5x55 and 125 grain partition. Had to shoot him twice. The first bullet went through him without opening at all. The second shot hit the shoulder blade putting a baseball sized hole on the entry side and a quarter sized hole at exit. He still ran 20 yards before going down.

I have shot deer with a 30-06 and all of them ran at least 75 yards no matter what bullet I was using. All of these shots were in the lung/heart.

My experience is that the partition is too heavily constructed to open reliably on deer in .264 diameter and above.

But, I still voted for the partition because in the caliber (.243) I will be shooting from now on, the partition is the best.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I've been deer hunting for about 40 years. I've shot most deer with a marline .30-30 and several with a .308. I used to use 150 coreloc with good results. I switched to w/w 150 hp about 15 years ago and have never looked back. I'm trying to convince myself into trying Hornandy's new lever load, but I have a lot of confidence in the w/w hp.

There are a lot of bullets out there. All will kill deer if you do your part. My son likes the w/w ballistic silvertip, but it destroys too much meat.

 

[GunTech]

Another vote for Barnes 168gn 308 TSX. Aside from excellent performance in game, they are extremely accurate. 5 shots, 100 yards, 0.221 CTC.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

Most are good bullets for deer, that said, I’ve never lost a deer here in the big woods where 75 yards is a long shot. So therefore my vote for Hornady Inter Lok in .308 and .270. I chased a few for a long way with the RP factory loads in .270.

 

[birdbustr]

bump

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I used to use remington's old corelock and never found it lacking. There is no excuse for poor shot placement. A .30-30 corelock thru a deer's heart or other vitals is dead. I have found that the w/w hp kills quicker than the corelock in the .30-30 and have been using it with great success for years.

My son's think w/w ballistic silvertip is the greatest thing since toilet paper. It's much too destructive even in the .243 loading.

I sugguest using the bullet that shoots the best from your gun and don't use bullets that are designed for heavier game as you won't get the expansion you need.

 

[jaholder1971]

Nosler Ballistic Tips in my .308 has been my most effective deer load. I actually use the 180's and I've never had a deer run past 15 yards when hit with this load.

Since I'm using my 7X57 Scout rifle this year I'm going to switch to 140 grain Cor_Lokt's as they seem to shoot the best from the rifle in Remington Factory loadings.

 

[birdbustr]

ballistic tips are showing well in the poll. I don't trust penetration with them. Broadside shots should penetrate adequate, but higher velocity loads and quartering shots make my confidence low in the ballistic tip holding together. I like exit wounds, and I steer clear of these.

 

[birdbustr]

bump

 

[jaholder1971]

I've never had a Ballistic Tip exit a deer, but i've never needed a blood trail to find one. They drop on the spot. Heart/Lung shots turn these tissues into pulp, literally.

Besides, these bullets and reloader 15 are the most accurate combination i've found for both of my .308's, my Remington 700 and my Savage 10FP.

 

[birdbustr]

bump. Last one. I'm sure there are more opinions from such a large group of shooting enthusiasts.

 

[birdbustr]

After taking 2 deer this past week with my 7mm-08, I've got a good review for the Corelokt 140gr @3005fps and a still undetermined for Barnes TSX 120gr @3070fps.

Corelokt took a 200# 12 point at 30yds quartering away. Entered the left side at the last rib (broke 2 ribs) and stopped under the right shoulder hide after breaking one more rib and going through the scapula. Massive internal damage.

Barnes TSX @175 yds 80# doe shot through the right side just behind the shoulder and exited left side. Heart was almost cut in half vertically and the bottom 2 inches of the heart was completely detached. Doe ran 40-50 yards.

Corelokt was very impressive. It did its job very well on a tough angled shot on a large deer. The Barnes TSX did not have quite the same tough test, but it did it's job also.