When deer hunting and there is a possibility of running across one of these



it's important to have the right bullet. The best 30 cal deer bullet for South Texas - 200 gr TSX or 200 gr Accubond!!



Out of a 30-06 - a 200 gr Accubond @ 2700 fps.

You can eat right up to the hole anyway.

Proud member of the Heavy Bullet Mafia.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by woods:
When deer hunting and there is a possibility of running across one of these



Let me be the first to say "Holy Crap - I need a 416 Rigby"


Now back to the thread;

I like the 168gr TSX in my 300 wby for Coues deer.

My Dad has always used what he calls a "Remington Bronze Point". He bought hundreds of these in the 70s (150gr I think)and has had a friend reload them for him for years from an old 1960s loadin' manual. They have always worked in his old 03A3 30-06.

Scott,

I am with you that I won't shoot over 300 yds on deer. It's because I don't have too. However if one is on a big trip and spent a lot for a trophy a long shot may be all that you get.

In any case a deer may turn at the last moment and the bullet may have to penetrate deeper. A bullet may come close to a vital organ or artery and a smaller wound channel may not bag it but a larger wound may. Then the animal may run and a bullet that does not allow a blood trail may loose the game.

Thus an all around bullet is best. Most of time it's not needed but you asked and it's a very good point.

So I prefer big bullets that expand well or premiums that both expand and penetrate better than ordinary bullets.

Scott,
My opinion, for what it's worth, would be the 165grn Nosler Accubond. This will hold up for a little better penetration than a Ballistic tip. It will also shoot a little flatter and retain enough energy out to 300 to get a clean dispatch.
If you don't want to spend the little extra, my second choice is the Sierra's GameKing. Also 165grn. I know some prefer the 180 but, the 165 in my opinion is a much better round for the dirty-06.

Gerry said it all right the first time. Those 165 grain HPBT are pretty much the limit for the .30-06 and deer. Back when I hunted deer with a .30-06 I settled on the 165 gr Sierra and Hornaday slugs as the most accurate and deadly on a deer, then I realized how much meat I was chewing up and started backing off until I settled on the old fashioned 6.5mms with nearly zero meant loss.

LLS
Mannlicher Collector

i agree with smedley,that 165 accubond will smoke your big michigan whitetails they are BIG iv''e seen a few on the back roads around lake GOGEBIC,try the 165 interbonds also..... regards jjmp

I picked up a few boxes of 150 gr Lapua mega sp's from Midway a few years back as they were cheap and seemed to be a good bonded bullet. They are great deer bullets. Penetration is good but not exceptional, but the wound cavity is great. They mushroom 2/3rd of the way down the shank and I couldn't be more pleased. They are not a real long range bullet, but here in WI they do everything I need out of a 308 Win.

As I have often stated, I have been shooting Nosler Partition Bullets since Circa 1958.
I have used them in calibers from .257 Roberts to 375 H&H.

In all this time I have never had a terminal ballistics failure. They are not super bullets they don't do it all. However, when driven within their design parameters they will do what they say they will do very time!

Good enough for me!

I am now loading Accubonds for my 375 H&H and 9.3X62 Mauser. I personally have not killed anything with the Accubonds. I have friends who have kill a bunch of African Plains Game with the Accubonds. They are very accurate bullets.

Just my opine.

quote:

I am now loading Accubonds for my 375 H&H and 9.3X62 Mauser.

I dont see where the Accubonds come in .366"?

I've seen numerous recommendations for the Nosler Accubond. I don't want to start an argument-- and I am NOT making a statement or speaking from any personal experience-- but I've heard that they're a little "tough" for reliable expansion at -06 velocities.

Scott you are right. My mistake, they are Ballistic Tips in the 9.3

without reading all the posts--I suggest you try the hornady 180 round nose if your shot are close range on average, or the 165 spire point if longer range. The 180 Core-Lokt round nose would be hands down first choice if they were available to reloaders, but honady are a good second best...

My favorite has always been the Sierra 180 gr SPBT ahead of 59 grains of H4831 and a Federal Primer in Winchester neck sized brass.

I've collected over 30 deer with this load, and it never failed to pass through leaving a grapefruit sized exit wound and dropping the critter on the spot. (This is a max load, over max in some books, so if you decide to try it, work up slowly and follow all the load work-up rules..) Where I hunt in Pa., if a deer runs 50 yards, chances are good that someone else will be tagging it, so an assured "drop on the spot" shot is required.

Any 130-180 grain hunting bullet will do. Pick an accurate one in your gun and go hunting.

I shot the 165 grain Hornady BTSP interlock for 21 years in a 308.

I don't know too much about how the bullet expanded because I never recovered one and never lost a single animal that I shot with it from antelope, to whitetails, to muleys, to pigs, to elk.

I see a lot of mention of hornady, sierra, and some higher end bullets, but what about speer? Right now Im leaning towards buying a few boxes of 165 accubonds and 165 hpbt sierra gamekings.

If you get your hands on 170gr Grom's from Highland, see if your rifle likes it. It is a soft nose with a solid shank. At low velocities it will mushroom perfectly and at high velocities it act as a flatnose.

quote:

NOBODY makes a 180grain bullet that is designed to expand on deer.

I beg to differ.

Winchester makes a 180gr power point that opens well on deer. It's not one of the sexy high dollar bullets ($13.00 per 100)and comes in a zip bag instead of a plastic box.
I have a load that consistantly groups at about 1/2" at 100 yds.

Scott,

I've hunted the UP for a while, and pretty much everything mentioned will work. I had really good results with the 165gr gamekings when I shot them, and I'd imagine you will too. If you're leaning that direction, they'll do just fine.

150-165 gr Accubonds.

quote:

Originally posted by Pathfinder:
I don't use premium bullets for whitetail deer. Deer are fairly easy to kill and even the big ones aren't very big. I shot many deer with power points, coreloks, hornady and some speers and never felt that any of them weren't enough bullet. I use to shoot 150 gr bullets out of the 06 and 308 but now use mostly 165 gr bullets for no particular reason if I can get them on sale.To be completely honest I handload for just about everything except whitetail deer (Coues deer excepted). I buy whatever is on sale and whichever is the cheapest.In the 50+ years I've hunted and shot whitetails I only shot one at 200+yds, all the rest have been shot around 100yds or less.

Amen, me too.

I ended up ordering Sierra 165gr HPBT and 165gr SBT Gamekings to try out. Im sure I made the right decision seeing as 5 out of 6 places I checked were out of the 165 SBT Gamekings right now! Will keep you posted on how they group. Thanks for all the input!

For Whitetail deer here in Texas I use a 168gr A-max and have had some great one shot kills the only think I don't like is you have to be over 75yds away or they blow up to much.

I also us a 165gr. XBT before they discontinue it
Doc

quote:

Originally posted by Scott:
Im looking for a 30 cal bullet to hunt whitetail with this fall out of a 30-06. Im leaning towards either a 165 to 180 grain bullet and was wondering what everyone can suggest.

I skimmed the thread and could be wrong but let me be the first to ask, where do you put the bullet? Mostly aim for soft stuff or ever try for shoulder/spine, ie. bone?

That would be something I'd want to know for a good suggestion.

For heart/lung shots, I don't think you'll find a 'bad bullet' in 30 cal from 150-180 grains. I also don't think you need anything bigger than 150 unless you just want it, or find that your rifle prefers heavier bullets.

I've been very fortunate to have taken a large number of small and large deer with various bullets. Any Speer, Sierra, Hornady, Nosler, Winchester, Remington, bullet will kill a deer and kill it quick.

However since your goal is accuracy, try the Btip. I find them very accurate and they kill just fine. I've taken a couple of deer with the Speer flat base spitzers in 180. Took a Doe once with a 165 Hornady Boat Tail.

300 yards and under, any 150 that shoots well will not let you down. If you like to take out the framework on a deer, lean towards the tougher bullets, like the Partition, TSX, or some bonded bullets; for penetration insurance.

I guess it kinda depends where your Hunting. Up here in Alberta 300+ lb. Deer are walking the fields. If I were to use an '06 up here for Deer, I would load up some 165 Interbonds and never look back!

Best bullet for Deer in the 308 or 30-06 is the 165 Nosler AB....less meat destruction than the Nosler BT and just as accurate!

The Sierra 165 BTHP is also a very good Pick!