Hunting Bullets

[LuckyStrike]

I don't really know where to begin here, all I have reloaded so far has been Sierra Match Kings and when it comes to hunting bullets there seems to been tons of variety out there, Sierra, Nosler, Barnes, Hornady (and more I'm sure)... and each of these companies have all kinds of different tips and cores and bonds and jackets widgits and whatnot. So can anyone give me a crash course on hunting bullets?

What makes a good hunting bullet and why?

I would like to reload for basic hunting of coyotes, deer, pigs, varmits... that type of stuff.

I'm shooting a Rem 700 5r with 1:11.25 24"bbl

[saudst]

What caliber?

[Uncle Buck]

Keep in mind also "what am I going to do with the (animal type) after I kill it."
If you are hunting coyote and want to save the pelts you use a smaller type of bullet that won't tear the heck out of the hide and put an exit would in it. Deer, you'll want to have a little heavier bullet, but not so heavy as to ruin the carcass if you are going to be eating the critter.
...Hmm venison...

Most reloading manuals that I have seen have a wonderful section describing different types of bullets for different types of game. From there, you would really have to experiment and see what catches your eye and does the job.

[Unclenick]

In general, a match bullet has a thinner jacket than a hunting bullet because it is easier to make a thin jacket uniform all around. That thin jacket tends to break up in game and separate from the core. So, one drawback to hunting food with a MatchKing would be finding more metal fragments with your fillings at dinner time. There is some concern that they can penetrate through and through, but they will still kill things. And particularly, if you are hunting something light that you have no intention of eating, like a Coyote, they will put them down just fine and leave the pelt in good shape. The small hollow points in match bullets are too small to expand. They are only an artifact of way the match bullet manufacturing process works.

Modern hunting bullets are designed to offer faster and more humane killing of game. They're often quite excellent on accuracy. The match bullets will shade them on target scores, but the hunters produce faster knockdowns on average. The hunting bullet typically has a heavier jacket. The core may or may not be bonded to the jacket or may be held in place by a crimp or other scheme so it doesn't separate easily from the jacket. Most common designs expand on impact with a target, so they present a wide frontal surface area to give high hydrodynamic resistance to transfer energy rapidly from the bullet to the target and to maximize damage. Other designs are solid (no hollow point) for deeper penetration in thick skinned game, like cape buffalo. There is also a wide selection of cast bullets that are solid with a wide flat meplat (nose) that has a similar hydrodynamic effect to expansion, but over a longer distance so they penetrate more.

Most designs have one advantage or another under different circumstances, so you have to do some exploring to see what is appropriate to your typical hunting ranges and calibers and what the target is? Also, you want more than one suggestion to try for each purpose, because some guns just refuse to shoot some bullets as accurately as they do others. Since shot placement matters more than anything else to stopping game, you don't want to give up a lot of accuracy just because advertising says a bullet less accurate in your gun is the greatest stopper since sliced bread. You do want to understand what adequate accuracy if for your personal hold ability, and be sure your ammo works within that constraint. The impact on a deer at 75 yards isn't going to show any different effect from a 2 moa gun than it does from a 1/2 moa gun. On a prairie dog the same two accuracy levels could spell the difference between a hit and a near miss at that range.

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. with smaller lighter animals, use explosive style projectiles. As the animals get bigger, heavier boned, and/or like to roll in mud then you need to use a projectile that holds together for deeper penitration. Have a look at this thread for a little idea on 'EXPLOSIVE' projectiles.

[LuckyStrike]

Thanks for the info guys.

I don't think I need that hard of a bullet for Coyotes or smaller game, but for pigs I should probably go for a stronger bullet.

I know that each rifle is different but which hunting rounds have been most accurate from your personal experience?

[bullspotter]

For hunting loads i run 130 grain nosler ballitic tips in my 270. Acuracy is not spectacular but its pretty good, mostly hunt deer with it, only had a few deer run a small ways before tipping over, pry 95% have dropped in their tracks, shots out to 340 yards, been using this load for deer for many years and i think the bottom line is they are some major deer stoppers!!! However a pore shot will make a mess out of some meat. I have yet to recover one from an animal, always a hole in and one out. I tried some hornady and barnes bullets in it and just couldnt get a decent group, the barnes were the worst, tried many loads couldnt get under a 3 inch group at 100 yards. I tried some speer bullets before i started using the ballistic tips, they shot good, but the 3 deer i took with them i had to chase down and use 2nd and 3rd shots, they were all with in 100 yards. not sure what was up with those, all i know is i wouldnt shoot anouther deer with them. The rest of those were taken apart and discarded, and reloaded up with nosler bullets.

Now my 300 RUM loves the barnes. All my test loads for this were awsome, and i had a hard time picking 1 of the 3 that were the best, so i made 5 more of each and took them back out and reshot them with once again the same results. They all 3 shot under a 2 inch group at 200 yards, they are near max loads. I have yet to take anything bigger then a deer with this load, but it thumps them pretty good LOL 180 gr bullet at 3300 fps will take a does head clean off at 100 yards...... Im sure they felt no pain. I mainly wanted this for elk, but havent had the chance as i mostly bowhunt now.

Dont forget what works in my guns may not work well with yours, Im sure all the bullet makers have a good hunting bullet nowdays, I personaly would pic 2 or 3 and load them up and try them, pick the one you like best. Maybe you have some freinds or buddies that hand load and would be willing to sell you partial boxes of a few to keep the cost of your testing down.

[LuckyStrike]

LOL bullspoter, I can't imagine what a 180gr bullet doing 3300 would to do a deer but it sounds like a great elk round. I'll try the bullets you listed, do you think that 168gr ballistic tip noslers' would be too much for a coyote?

[jamaica]

There are some High dollar hunting bullets out there. I guess I am too cheap. I have used lots of Hornady 130 Gr. pointed soft points in my 270. I have never had to shoot a deer more than once. These are very effective on deer sized game. A hit in the head scatters brains all over the mountain. A hit in the boiler room usually goes clear through. I don't need any high dollar bullets for deer. The accuracy is good too with these bullets. They would mess up a coyote skin pretty badly though.

You didn't say what caliber your gun is?

[Old Grump]

You were shooting Matchking bullets because you have a match grade long distance rifle. Rifle Bullets, 180 Grain Spire Point, InterLock will give you moa or better out to 300 yards and take anything from pig to bear to moose and it won't cost you an arm or a leg to do it. With that fast twist it likes bullets weighing 178 gr or better.

[Shoney]

Lucky Strike

I have not commented in this thread yet for two reasons:

1. Although you were asked to identify the cartridge you are shooting, you have not answered that question, so only general comments can be made; and

2. because Unclenick gives such a comprehensive analysis, it's hard to add much.

However, I was fortunate to live in a place and time where game was plentiful, and within the extended family large numbers of animals were harvested, and we cut all of them up ourselves. I paid close attention to wound channels produced by various bullets. I was also a shooter to cull deer for depredation on livestock ranges when the cattle were present.

Although the bullets I used then have been joined by many other good bullets, I still have opinions from extensive field experience on what I think good hunting bullets are from .223 to .375.

So what cartridge are you shooting?

[LuckyStrike]

Its a 308

[Old Grump]

He did say it was a Rem 700 5r and to the best of my knowledge they only come in 308. That is why he was using match King bullets, because they are match bullets for a match grade rifle. Not to sure I would have the guts to haul it out into the woods but it will make a dandy hunting rifle.

I could be wrong, often am.

[LuckyStrike]

Well, its heavy, especial with the scope thats on it. I wouldn't mind taking it out though.

[James R. Burke]

For deer I aways I had good results with the Nosler Parititons. I reload The Nosler ballistic tip for a freind for deer, and they seem to work just has good for him. I know with both of us they all went down. No tracking. But you might need to try a few to find that special one. Pretty hard to add much Unclenick covers it very well.

[GeauxTide]

150 Game Kings and 150 Hornady SP have paralyzed deer up to 300 yards in my 788 with 22" barrel.