Hunting Bullet Opinion
What are your opinions on the best round, reloads or storebought for deer/elk out of a .300 mag and why? I am asking for bullet weight also, blacktail and possibly elk at moderate range up to 300 yards. I have read some articles that knock the ballistic tips.[:)]
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I hunt with a .308. Haven't shot an elk, yet. Have taken mule deer past 400 yards. I used to use the 180-grain ballistic tip, then went to the 180-grain partition. What little you lose in accuracy you more than make up for in the deadliness of this bullet.
I recently switched, for last season, to the 165-grain Hornady Interbond SST. It did well but I only took a 100-yard shot on my "trophy doe". I suspect that a heavier version of the same bullet would work well in a .300 magnum.
I'd go back to a Partition in a heartbeat, though. I just wanted to keep my ammo separated by red tips from my dad's reloads for his .308 with the green and lead tips. Jerk had to beat me to it on the Partition. [:)]0 -
Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of balistic tip bullets. I have found Nosler BT's to be some of the most consistent bullets both in weight and bearing surface length, of any factory bullet made. The further the distance from the muzzle (to a point) the better the BT's perform. At 250-500yds,..they really shine. The only dig the critics find in the BT is that is has exploded on close range shots, when contacting bone etc,.. and that game was lost or had to be tracked. I have had the violent expansion situation present itself in one of my hunts last year (sika deer shot in the front of the chest at 10yds). The bullet opened the sika from shoulder to shouler,..with no exit on either side. The entrance "area" was impressive,..but it pointed to the fact that penetration was probably minimal. The bullet base and jacket (tip and core missing [30-06 125gr BT) were found under the hide in the rib secion on one side. The bullet may have made a spectacular fragmentation and not exited,..but the buck was set back on his haunches and dispatched as quickly as one could ask.[8D]
In finishing,....the nosler balistic tip is always a top performer.[:D]
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
I feel personally that the BT's are an excellent bullet, but with their light jacket might be just a bit too light for Moose and Elk...lots of tough hide and bone there! Sierra Gameking...Failsafes...Scirroccos;lots of good choices out there. I have a particular fondness for the Nosler Partition. It seems to provide good expansion and penetration and also has good weight retention. You will see a lot of differing opinions on this one, but that is my feeling on the matter.
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"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0 -
Noslter partition is the one for me. Just ask Zerodin [:D]
However, Sierra Game King, and Barnes X bullet are both touted as great as well.
The thing to always remember is the velocity together with the distance matched to the toughness of the game you are hunting for? But the most important key is what bullet can you put where you want it and then not take shots that you are not confident will land in that coffee cup size target you pick out on the animal.
Happy Hunting.
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
~Abraham Lincoln0 -
My brother hunts all over the west and Canada with a 300 win mag.He has taken everyhting there is to take, in big game except a grizzly, with Federal Premium amoo using 180 grain Nosler partitions.He even got one elk at an estimated 375 yds with them. He refuses to use any other bullet, every one has been a one shot kill! 0 -
i'll use any bullet as long as it's a nosler: my 2 cents 0 -
There is always a lot of discussion about what the 'best' something is and why people choose it. With as much innovation that is going on these days it becomes significant to look for the available alternatives to the tried and true just so that we are aware of their existance. We are extremely fortunate to be living and participating in this time period with regard to the hunting and firearms industry. Just think about all of the new components that we have access to.
Having said that, I still use the Nosler Partition a lot. It works for my hunting needs and is as accuruate as I require right now. But I am testing some of the other bullets that have come on the market in the last couple of years and I will be using some of them this hunting season.
In the order of my discovering their existence, I was able to get (afford) a small quantity of GS Custom bullets from South Africa in 6.5 and 30 cal. These are solids with the now more common 'grooves' cut into the shank of the bullet to reduce coppering and allow for higher velocities in most cartridges. These bullets are very accurate (at least in my rifles) and perform as designed in test media. The drawbacks are that they come fro S.A. and as a result can take forever to get here due to customs restrictions. They are expensive. Gerard has been having his troubles keeping up with the demand and falls behind. But they are worth the wait in my opinion.
http://www.gscustom.co.za/
NorthFork Bullets have been coming on for that last couple of years and from what I've seen and shot, they are worth the investment for any shot worth taking. The recovered bullets look just like the picture that I have posted.
http://www.northforkbullets.com/
Barnes Bullets has been working on reducing the coppering from it's premier line of X-bullets and has brought out the TSX line. Triple Shocks work great in conjunction with the hyper-velocity magnum craze that is generating so much copy these days. I have used them in my .257 WBY and my .300 RSAUM with results that look like the advertising and without the coppering that was so disturbing with the X bullets.
http://www.barnesbullets.com/prodtsx.php
The last one that I'll post about is Groove Bullets. It is the only company that I have yet to test anything. I just haven't had the time and somewhat important, the money to order some to try. But I will. The things that I read and discussed with others that have shot some, suggest that they will work with a similarity to the other solid 'grooved' type bullets.
http://www.groovebullets.com/
All of the companies that I have spoken with have been very nice and accommodating. Customer service is high on their list of things to concentrate on. Check out the websites and see what's out there and don't be surprised when the next batch of new components hits the market.
It's long but I hope that it's worth something...0 -
Thank you all for your input. That confirms what I had read about the BT. I think that I will either go with the partition or the gameking. Thanks again. 0 -
a lotta guys who seem to know(and i believe) are taking a try on accubonds this year. heavy for caliber. i believe that there isn't much that can stand up to a boiler-room hit w/ a 300 mag at that range, regardless of pill, tho(w/ the caveat that it isn't a non bonded ballistic tip).... 0 -
quote:In finishing,....the nosler balistic tip is always a top performer.
Amen0 -
i am suprised no ne has mentioned the trophy bonded bearclaw (i might have missed it though) . also a great bullet . i would not use a ballistic tip on elk . no matter what the caliber . to much of a risk . the gameking should do you very good . partition is an awesome bullet too !!!
good luck hope this helped . [;)]0
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