What are your preferred bullets for deer? (Ballistic Tip, TSX, Accubond, etc.) Any bullets you won't use for deer? Why?

[MLH]

What are your preferred bullets for deer? (Ballistic Tip, TSX, Accubond, etc.) Any bullets you won't use for deer? Why?

[steve182]

I think it depends on the caliber. I shoot ballistic tips in my '06 with great results. The bonded bullets also seem to be very good.

[bonnier-admin_2]

Just shooting “MOP” will pretty much do the job alone! I prefer Hornady soft point bullets all the way around including SST’s. The best bullet for deer in my 30-06 is the Hornady 130 grain soft point with 54 grains of IMR4064 with a Federal 210 primer cranking out about 3300 fps. With just 20 grains less bullet weight there is less kick than the 150 grain and I’ve noticed I’m getting the same penetration as the 150 with increased hydroshock!

There is nothing mystical about having and must have “NUCLEAR TIPPED BULLET” to get the “BANG FLOP” as one of the guys put it. If shooting “MOP” with a 22-250 with a 55 grain soft point to down the biggest mullie, then why do you need a Barnes or Partition bullet!

ken.mcloud said it best!

“So, I think that the superior killing power of larger rounds is largely in our heads.(likely testosterone induced) A flat-shooting round that you can accurately place will produce as many if not more "bang-flop" kills as a heavy caliber round.”

[teufelhunden]

I shoot the SST as well, but mine are 129gr. from my .264 Win Mag. with about 64 grains of reloader 22, and a federal 215 primer. It is a load I found on a reloading site and has worked well for me. It is pushing around 3350 fps.

I will shoot just about any soft point or ballistic tip. None of the fmj or surplus military ammo will be fired at any animal from my rifles.

[buckhunter]

100 gn Thunderheads do the trick for me. At 270 fps it'll pass through any game animal in North America.

[rezavoirdog]

I would say 140 grain Accubond .270 Winchester could take big bucks and elk down with ease. And the new Trophy Tipped (Trophy-Bonded BearClaw) from Federal at 140 or 130 pills for .270 Winchester would be just as deadly. I WOULDN'T shoot a monster buck or bull with a .223 FMJ.

[hjohn429]

Depends on grain weight, caliber, velocity. I use 240 JSP,s in my 44 magnum (at about 1700 fps) and they work great on deer.

[shane]

Honestly? For deer, I use the cheap stuff. When you're using a .300 savage or .30-06 on deer, you don't need premium ammo. Just premium shot placement.

When I'm really worried about using a good bullet, I go with Fail Safes, but my supply is dwindling, they don't make them anymore, and it makes me want to cry. They are deadly on just about anything, and what they do to deer is pretty dramatic. When I run out of Fail Safes, I think it's going to be TSX all the way.

My father used to use Black Talons on deer. Talk about overkill...

[buddyboy564]

soft points and barnes hollow tips

[ishawooa]

VLDs, XXXs, Gamekings, Partitions, Hornady DG and hollowpoints, Woodleighs, & Scirrocos depending on the rifle and what I want to kill

[Jim in Mo]

I'll never use Federal Fusion again. I have a box with 19 cartridges left. Make an offer.

[steve182]

Jim, haven't bought any, but i'll take your word for it. Thanks. Tempting though, to save a few greenbacks.

[Beekeeper]

I load all my ammo and have become partial to Nosler Accubonds for most of my hunting. One reason for this is I'm very likely to encounter a large feral hog and I like the penetration and performance I've seen from the Accubond. They give very good accuracy in most of my rifles also. I also use Barnes TSX's in a couple of rifles that seem to have an affection for them. I do load the Hornady Interlocks in my .338/06 (200 grain)

For years I loaded 165 grain Remington Corelokt's in my '06 deer loads. Still a very good bullet.

[shane]

What caliber, Jim?

[Jim in Mo]

shane, steve182,
30-'06. Four years ago my then 14yr old son shot a yearling doe. Yes, his first deer. 70lbs at best at 15yds. The 150gr Fusion blew up upon entering the on side hide. Luckily the bullet did enough damage to a lung that we found the deer.
Upon cleaning the deer I found nothing but bullet fragments inside. It blew up! What if that deer had been a large tough buck? He would have ran off and died a miserable death from infection.