[TQ]

Something that won't blow up the deer, please. I took a doe at 140 yards last season and when I examined the exit wound, I saw that the bullet, a Winchester 150 grain Power-Point, had failed to expand. The shot was right through the heart (I was lucky) so she died instantly.
In retrospect, it was probably good that it didn't expand, as it might have been rather messy.
If anyone could suggest a 30.06 load for Central Texas whitetails, one that won't be too much bullet for a comparatively small animal, I'd be grateful.

 

[MikeG]

TQ,

No such thing as too much bullet!

If you hunt in TX sooner or later you are going to run across some wild pigs. Might as well be prepared.

I recommend the Federal Premium load with the 180gr. Nosler Partition.

Sounds like you are a pretty good shot - key to not ruining a lot of meat is shot placement, regardless of bullet construction.

Shoot pigs in the head, by the way.

Where do you hunt?

 

[IDShooter]

I have had good luck with both the Nosler 165gr Partition and the Hornady 165gr Spire point. When hunting both elk and deer at the same time I load the Partitions. When I am only hunting deer (or pronghorn) I like the Hornady. They expand readily and have completely penetrated each animal I have shot, including fairly large mule deer.
Like MikeG said, if you are including tougher animals like piggies, the Partition is worthwhile. IDShooter

 

[Charlie Z]

Since we've assumed you might be shooting pigs and grizzlies and could hunt in Roswell, NM, I don't think you have enough gun. However, if you insist on risking your life using that little 30-06, Nosler Ballistic Tips and Sierra Gamekings would suit your need.

These mundane bullets are not popular on most forum because of their tendency to shatter on the exterior walls of alien spacecraft and ricochet off of grizzlies. But, they would do fine on your Texas doe.

-Charlie

 

[Joel B]

You don't need premium bullets for those deer, their not that big. The Power Point didn't expand enough. I'd use Rem. CoreLokt's or Federal Classic's. The Rem 180 grain won't blow up. I've used them on Moose. The 165 Federal load will be more expansive. The lighter the bullet, the more expansive. Most premium bullets are designed for larger game, so they will expand but at a slower rate. Ballistic tips will expand faster. I've had Silvertips blow up before, so don't trust Win. bullets. There's a thread around here someplace about "bad" bullets.

 

[Joel B]

Here's that thread...

http://www.shootersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1738&highlight=Silvertip+BULLETS

 

[TQ]

TQ,

I recommend the Federal Premium load with the 180gr. Nosler Partition.

Sounds like you are a pretty good shot - key to not ruining a lot of meat is shot placement, regardless of bullet construction.

Shoot pigs in the head, by the way.

Where do you hunt?

I hunt in the Lampasas area. My boss has a ranch up there.
I have a co-worker that wants to take me pig hunting with handguns. He says that's loads of fun. I'll keep that head shot in mind when hunting them.

 

[TQ]

These mundane bullets are not popular on most forum because of their tendency to shatter on the exterior walls of alien spacecraft and ricochet off of grizzlies. But, they would do fine on your Texas doe.

-Charlie

Truer words were never spoken. I had a 30.06 Speer 180 gr. boattail just bounce off a UFO hide in the Pecos wilderness last fall.
Must've been that long-chain molecular durathineum hull that the latest models have been sporting.
Freaking spacers.

As far as hunting grizzlies I just use whatever pointed stick I can find laying around.

 

[TQ]

Here's that thread...

http://www.shootersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1738&highlight=Silvertip+BULLETS

Interesting read, JB. Thanks.

 

[IDShooter]

I know lots of people like the Ballistic tips, but I had one shatter on the nearly-bulletproof shoulder bone of a PRONGHORN (think China teacup!) without getting so much as a jacket fragment into the chest cavity. One failure like that and I don't use that bullet a second time. Period. ID

 

[Chief RID]

Great thread. Keep those experiences coming.

I used the 165 gr SP Hornady last year in my 30.06. The load was reduced and was suppose to be running about 2300 fps. I lost an animal and had to shot another several times at close range. I believe much of this was due to poor shot placement but can't help feel the bullet did not perform well at that velosity at close range.

I have gone to a top end load and the 150 gr SST this year in the 30.06. The .308 is fed the Nosler 125 gr BT. It should be zipping along in the 3000 fps range and should be lethal on 130 to 250 yd shots on our small S.C. deer.

I will be using the 1894 with the 240 gr XTP most of the time in the swamp where we will hunt most this year. That should do the trick without any problems with bullet performance.

 

[Charlie Z]

ID,

What cartridge was used with the pronghorn BT and how far a shot?

Charlie

 

[m141a]

To echo ID and the Chief About the 165's. I use the Hornaday 165's to do the job. Plenty enough bullet for whitetail, and I load the 165 in .308.
Hand loading the 165 Hornaday on top of 42.5 grains of IMR 4064 for the .308 gives me about 2550fps that travels relatively flat and won't deflect in the NE hardwoods.


Chief: those SST's work really well, took a 4 pointer about 2 years ago with them.

 

[TQ]

This is good stuff, guys, keep it coming.

 

[Joel B]

Chief RID

I bet the problem was to low of velocity. Those bullets are designed to expand at normal .308 caliber velocities. If you slow them down too much, then you are in effect shooting the animal with velocities that you might have had at longer range. 45 cast bullets will punch a big hole, but a .308 bullet at slow speed just zips through with little expansion and no damage, unless you hit bone. If you are going to reduce your load, then use bullets designed for the 30-30. You will get better expansion but remember you have reduced your range.

 

[Joel B]

I've heard that 165 gr X Bullets in .308 at 3450 fps will bring down space ships, I just haven't found a way to get them to come into my decoys

 

[MikeG]

TQ,

You're just up U.S. 183 a few miles from me (Cedar Park).

By the way I once shot a doe with a .30 cal 180gr. Ballistic Tip, and the bullet didn't exit. She was all of about 90 lbs. Bullet hit the spine and you should have seen the mess it made. Instantaneous kill, to be sure.

BT's won't go through hogs - don't even think about it. One of the few bullets I have ever recovered came from the neck of a small hog - another 180gr. BT.

Don't know what handgun you are going to use on pigs, but if you have a choice I'd suggest starting out with a .44 mag or similar, and cast or jacketed soft points. Hollow points may not go through. If you can hit a pig in the head with a handgun, great, otherwise try to break both shoulders on a broadside shot.

Best of luck. Let me know if you have any more pig questions and let us know how it goes.

 

[IDShooter]

CharlieZ,
The cartridge was .243 and the bullet was the 95gr BT, which is marketed as a big game bullet. The load used later chronographed at a measly 2770 fps. The antelope was approximately 150 yds away. After it was hit we approached it, and it got up and ran. I wasn't able to hit it running (I was pretty rattled by now). So I waited til it layed down again, got as close as I could (about 50 yds) and shot it through the neck. That killed it, but even that bullet didn't exit.
It was an unpleasant experience to say the least, and I've never trusted those BT's since then. A gunsmith friend of mine had a 30 cal 165gr blow up on a deer, too. To me it is just not worth taking the chance when there are bullets available that will perform as I want them to.. ID

 

[TQ]

TQ,

You're just up U.S. 183 a few miles from me (Cedar Park).

Don't know what handgun you are going to use on pigs, but if you have a choice I'd suggest starting out with a .44 mag or similar, and cast or jacketed soft points. Hollow points may not go through. If you can hit a pig in the head with a handgun, great, otherwise try to break both shoulders on a broadside shot.

Best of luck. Let me know if you have any more pig questions and let us know how it goes.

Hey, Mike. When I asked my co-worker what handgun he intended to use on pigs he nonchalantly replied "Whatever I've got. Probably my 9 mil".
Keep in mind this fellow hunts grizzly with a bow.
Personally, I'd take my six inch S&W 686 to hunt pigs with. I'm not quite the barbarian that my friend is and would rather have something with a bit more punch than a nine.
If I were really smart, I'd probably just admit to cowardice (or prudence?) and take my Marlin lever action .44 mag.

 

[MikeG]

TQ,

For your first-ever hog hunt I think I'd go with the Marlin .44 Mag.

If you end up taking the 686 (which you probably should regardless) try to find some of the Federal CastCore loads or the Winchester factory ammo with the Partition Gold handgun bullet.

The Federal load is basically the same as my own handloads and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a pig. James Gates down in Florida has reported a lot of hunters having success with the .357 and hard cast bullets (WFN profile).

Have fun.