Is a 100gn spitzer bt good for deer?

generally, yes. but there are a lot of variables. what bullet (Speer, Sierra, Barnes TSX, partition?)...makes a big difference. What size deer (50lbs Texas doe or 350lbs Canadian buck?). What range? What velocity?

Not a yes or no answer....need more data.

quote:

Originally posted by AS64:
Is a 100gn spitzer bt good for deer?

Yes, but I'd sure rather use a 120. The 100 grainers work fine too.

I have shot 11 bucks with the Sierra 100 grn spitzer at ranges from 80 yards to about 350.

All but one, a head on shot, expanded as advertised and exited. The head on shot was at about 90 yards and the bullet expanded and penetrated about 2 feet. That buck was shot at last light and I could not find the bullet in the mess. I checked the next day but some critter had dragged the remains off.

I have done some of my best wounding with a 25-06 IMP and conventional cup and core bullets. You probably might gleen that I'm not a strong advocate of such. This is truely an area that should be served with a well designed premium bullet. And that's why I got rid of that rifle. roger

Here's a general rule:

Cup & Core bullets: 2,750 fps mean operating velocity.

Premium bullets: 3,000 fps +, or, "challenged bullet placement". Aka, blasting through heavy bone.

Cup & Core bullets (Speer HotCor, Horny ILock, Sierra GKings) were simply designed with an operating speed of around 2750 fps. Max of 3,000. Pushing beyond that envlope leads to bullet failure.

So in the .25-06, if you insist on a using a Cup & Core bullet, stick with the 120gr. bullets and keep the velocity in the 2750-3000fps range. Closer to 2750...

IF you want to push velocity over 3k with a relatively light 100gr bullet, go with a Barnes TSX or Nosler Partition.

32 years of shooting the Sierra GameKing 117's out of 25-06's, several differnt rifles, a lot of different distances. Enough deer shot with them to "call the shots" as far as reaction to the shot. Had a friend here a couple years ago over Thanksgiving and he'd been Iraq, just wanted to kill some edible meat, so I let him shoot some deer at my place. After his third deer he said he wanted to see the 25-06 that he'd read about do a number. I told him no problem! Another one would amble out prety soon. And SHE did! 305 yrds. I asked him if he wanted to see the "GHD, DRT"(dead right there) or the "GHD, Through the Engine" shot.(DRT would have been a head or neck shot) He said "Through the Engine!!" I said, "No Problem! She's going to take about 10-20 steps, stop, shake and fall over!" He said, "BS"! then the STEVENS 200............(you all caught that........the STEVENS!! Not the Sendero, Not the BDL, Not the Kimber, not the whatthehell ever.......THE STEVENS 200) spoke! 20 steps, stop and shake and fall over!!! Heart and lungs a myriad of tissue, blood and gore!! Bottom line, same as has been for a long time, another dead varmint(deers is varmints aren't they???) falling to the 117 grain SIERRA SPITZER BOATTAIL from a 25 caliber rifle!(.250 Savage, .257 Roberts, 25/284, 25-06) same result! DRT or call your shot! Cheap, come in 100 round boxes, don't have some fancy colored tip stuck in them.............just work! Time after time! Ask me about other calibers using Sierra GameKings! Same story! THEY WORK! Don't cost an arm and a leg and WORK THE SAME WAY over and over again! Unlike some of the "premium plastic tipped bullets" that tend to perform erratically from one deer to another!! SIERRA 117 grain SPBT is all you need to know for whitetails!!............and probably a bunch of other stuff too! That bullet and GOD'S chosen caliber.............25-06!GHD

Roger, You should have been told.............you can't IMPROVE a 25-06!! Now Mr. Ackley himself would tell you his most notable accomplishment as far as re-engineering cases and chamberings was the .257 Roberts Ackley Improved but all the other "improvements" amounted to increased case life and reloadability! GHD

quote:

Originally posted by Preacher:

Ask me about other calibers using Sierra GameKings! Same story! THEY WORK! Don't cost an arm and a leg and WORK THE SAME WAY over and over again! Unlike some of the "premium plastic tipped bullets" that tend to perform erratically from one deer to another!! SIERRA 117 grain SPBT is all you need to know for whitetails!!............

LMAO! I have found my best loads in my .257 Bob with Sierra GameKings. I load them to 2750 fps and have absolute faith in them...IF I do my part appropriately.

To echo what has already been stated: One of the best bullets for deer in the 25-06 is the Sierra 117 grain, be it in GameKing or Pro Hunter format. I personally prefer the flat-based Pro Hunter, but either will do the trick quite nicely on deer.

I have had great luck with 115 grain NBTs and am looking forward to trying the new 110 grain Accubond. Lou

In the 243 I use 100 grain sierra prohunter bullets and they leave the barrel at 3050 fps or thereabouts. Shot big red deer, tahr, whitetail, sika deer, goats and all sorts of other unlucky animals. They are very accurate and kill very well in my opinion. AND they are relatively cheap...

117 gr. sierra B.T. will take any whietail deer. all you need is good bullet placement.. that is the number one key..

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
Roger, You should have been told.............you can't IMPROVE a 25-06!! Now Mr. Ackley himself would tell you his most notable accomplishment as far as re-engineering cases and chamberings was the .257 Roberts Ackley Improved but all the other "improvements" amounted to increased case life and reloadability! GHD

First of all I don't hold much care for AI cartridges. The 25-06 IMP was given to me.
Using winchester 120 gr. 25-06 ammo in the IMP. The deer was hit just behind the front leg in line with the heart. The 33" spread mule deer rack hangs in my shed. The buck was not found for more than 6 hours and was still alive.When the bullet hit a rib it came apart and made a horible wound and the bullet didn't go beyond an inch and a half.

Some cup and core bullets in the 25-06 may do the job but when dealing with high velocities the added insurance from a better desgned bullet is what I would advocate.

In my youth I hunted and kiled large deer with the 22-250 and my 6mm X.270 IMP.To my dismay I found that only well designed "premium",if you will, bullets were a must.

Had a real bad day with high velociy, cup and core on Elk. Slow learner back than, I guess.

As it was in the past, (me) it seems there is a thing with varmint guys trying to push their hardware and expand the envelope.

Today I see this as sending the wrong message to newbies as did the rag writers of the 50s and early 60s. JMHO, GHD and others. roger

I hunted deer and antelope 6 or maybe 7 years in a row in Wyoming with a friend of the family that owned the ranch.
He had 3 sons, who them and their girlfriends all used the 25-06.
Even a couple of my group started using them.
They all used the 100gr Sierra.

The sons even killed their elk with them.

This was in open country.

If I was hunting in thicker stuff with a 25-06 I would use a bullet like a Nosler Patition, or other premium bullet.

i have killed several with 100gr bt and like was said before a few steps a shake and down they go.
Its all about the shot.
A few years ago I chased a doe for over a mile after a hit from the 270 140gr it was standing about 100yrs broad side I thought, light snow falling. but after I caught up to her she was hit just behing the left sholder and the exit was through the gut and came out in front of the right rear. now that was a bad shot.