Which type of bullet do you prefer for whitetail to elk and why?

Question:
which one of the following do you prefer for hunting whitetail to elk?

Choices:
standard cup and core
bonded
Mono-metal

 

What happen to NP's??? They are cup/core, but they sure aren't standard!

DM

ain't never shot a whitetail but i have shot some elk.
two holes through the shoulders is enough and you don't need a fancy bullet to do that.
you don't need a magnum either.

Midminn....That's a pretty broad question.
Personaly I like to use the simplest bullet that fits my specific application. If you are shooting just deer, any NBT from 6mm to .338 will handle the job just fine, so long as you keep the impact velocity below 3k. If you expect higher impact velocities, then switch to a bonded bullet.

If you want one bullet to shoot everything fm mice to moose, in .30 cal+ the heaviest NBT offered will do the job nicely. Below 30cal, in the .264 to .284 range, the bonded bullet is preferable when elk and moose may be on the table. For rifles below .264, I don't really consider them Elk calibers, so stick to the cheap, accurate NBT and stack up the deer like cord wood.

Of course, that's must my opinion.

I don't need any stinkin PCBs(Politically Correct Bullets approved by schumer, boxer, brady, califoney, etc.)

I like Nos. Partitions for deer but I have used X-Bullets for Elk. Since it includes Elk and I dont have a 'Magnum' I would lean toward the mono X-Bullet for penetration.

I've been using Barnes TSX on most of my medium to large game hunts for the last few years and they have impressed me a lot.

I still prefer cup and core bullets for varminting.

For Mule deer and Elk***Cup and core but when I was into super velocity (3300fps+) I used the Barnes originals and some Nosler partitions. roger

so I use Accubond...


I prefer bonded

Use Cup & Core for the 450 Marlin and 480 Ruger

While I voted for the standard cup and core, I use the mono-metal where required or almost require.
If one does a Kaibab Mule Deer hunt, they ask you to voluntarily use mono-metals as the area if part of the condor flyway. I've been lucky enough to draw that area maybe 6 times in the last 33 years and I've never seen one of those overgrown buzzards yet.
As most of the rifles I hunt with have a muzzle velocity at 2800 FPS or less, I usually use cup and cores. The last time I hunted theKaibab though, the ame warden said there have been elk and bison moving into the area and the state did not want them there. We were told that if we spotted any, to see him and he would sell us a tag for the animal and we could hunt them. For that reason I had my .35 Whelen along loaded with the 225 gr. Barnes TSX bullet. Didn't see either unwanted animal. Even in my .270 using the Sierra 150 gr. GK at 2930 FPS I see no need for a premium bullet. But then again, I do prefer heavy for caliber bullets and try to get close enough to place the bullet where it will do the deed.
I hunt mostly deer anyway and i haven't seen any wearing Kevlar, at least not yet.
Paul B.

Have only shot cup and core and had no reason to look for anything else, they worked fine for me and the price point of the bullets is a big factor for me.

I load Accubonds for about everything now because all my rifles shoot them good to great. For that reason and that they have a good selection of weights available in the calibers I load for.
Favorite bullet of all time for deer is the old Winchester Silver Tip, the kind with the aluminum jacket over the tip. Wish Winchester still made it.

I almost exclusively use cup and core bullets, but I only hunt deer on a regular basis. For elk or bears, I'd probably use a bonded or monometal bullet.

Barnes all the time, for big game. I also use the Barnes 45gr XLC in my 22Hornet for coyotes.

quote:

Originally posted by midminnesota:
Which type of bullet do you prefer for whitetail to elk and why?

sorry about that, you are indeed correct, they are one of my favorite bullets to send at animals.
There is nothing standard about them, in most instances I prefer them over bonded bullets. Weight retention is not everything, partition = penetration.

quote:

Originally posted by Antelope Sniper:
Midminn....That's a pretty broad question.
Personaly I like to use the simplest bullet that fits my specific application. If you are shooting just deer, any NBT from 6mm to .338 will handle the job just fine, so long as you keep the impact velocity below 3k. If you expect higher impact velocities, then switch to a bonded bullet.

If you want one bullet to shoot everything fm mice to moose, in .30 cal+ the heaviest NBT offered will do the job nicely. Below 30cal, in the .264 to .284 range, the bonded bullet is preferable when elk and moose may be on the table. For rifles below .264, I don't really consider them Elk calibers, so stick to the cheap, accurate NBT and stack up the deer like cord wood.

Of course, that's must my opinion.

The only reason the question is so broad is because my buddy usually gets running shots at 30 yards average up north at sometimes some very large deer. My experience is shooting them at 100 yards average up north, there is a vast difference in our hunting situations. If I were hunting up by him I would choose my bullet differently than if I was going hunting in my more traditional hunting location. What I am getting at is my buddy is in my opinion going to be using a bullet combo suited better to elk than the traditional deer hunter, and yes to some it may seem to be a broad spectrum, especially if you are shooting deer down south at small bodied deer across bean fields.

I only shoot deer with monometal bullets anymore. They just flat out work and shoot very accurately. They always go through. They go through more consistently straight than anything else I have ever shot. They tear up what they go through.

I voted cup and core because I only hunt deer and black bear. I have never shot a bear yet though but feel assured the 180 grain Hornaday Interlock will do fine out of my 30-06 for them if I do my part. I have just started using 140 grain original X Barnes bullets in my .308 and killed a doe at 250 yards with that rifle this year. It worked fine but no better than NBT's I normally use for deer. If I started hunting larger game though I would use them more.

I've been using Partitions and bonded bullets for quite awhile. I like both real well!

I've been using Partitions and bonded bullets for quite awhile.I like both real well

You missed an obvious choice.

All of the above.

I have used and like them all.

I have a soft spot for Hornady Interlock bullets, killed two hogs in TX last month with 150gr out my 270.

Shot two deer with monometals last fall. One. a 338 210gr TSX and the other with a 270 130gr GMX. My son shot his deer & antelope with a 270 110gr TSX and my Dad shot his with 270 130gr Interlocks. Good friend shoots 150gr Nosler Ballistic Silvertips out of his 300WSM and will never change.

Year before I used 270 130gr Nosler BT's. Not to mention the pile of deer we have killed with 224 53gr TSX's.

Depends on the game. Deer almost anything depending on what the rifle I'm taking happens to shoot well. For Elk the rifle I usually take happens to shoot Barnes Xs really well (2" at 300 yards).

Often use Partitions ... especially with the 9,3x62.

I've never hunted elk, only Deer, goats and pigs so I voted cup and core. If I was going to spend $$$ on an elk hunt, I would go Accubond or Partition. I personally wouldn't use mono-metal but that's only because I don't own a magnum and anything I have for elk is going 2500-2700 FPS at the muzzle.

On Deer sized game any bullet will do. On game larger than Deer I use North Forks, Nosler Partition or Accubond, then Barnes X, SLC or TSX. My rifle dictacts what it likes and that is normaly the North Forks, however I have some old tried and true Nosler Partition loads I don't monkey with. Good shooting.

130gr TSX. Most accurate hunting bullet I have loaded out of MY 6.5mm. I don't have to worry about the green dorks hastling me either. Partition is now second choice. But either one is bang-flop. If I can be milked for $4/gal by the camel jockeys, I'm not whining about the cost of premeium bullets. Keep shooting!

looking at my reloading desk....done lots of shooting/killing with them all a time or two or more. seems like Nosler Partitions are 1st choice, Barnes next and both Hornady & Sierras are limited in number. I've some rare Swift A's and North Forks lying around but not used much at all.....just no need.

Rem CoreLocts, Ballistic Tips and the like work great on deer. I wouldn't use them on elk if something harder was available.

I didn't vote in the poll because I use all of them.

For over 40 years of Western big game hunting with primarily a .30-06 and a .257 Ackley, standard cup and core worked just fine for a pile of deer, antelope, a few bighorn rams, and about a dozen elk.

When I converted my .30-06 to .30 Gibbs I found that I got better penetration on elk and moose with Nosler Partitions, and used them exclusively in that rifle.

When I booked a Cape Buffalo hunt, I built a new rifle, a .375 RUM, decided to try TSX bullets in it. They worked great on two African hunts on critters from steenbok to buffalo.

A few years ago, I built a .300 Wby, primarily for elk, and because the TSX bullets worked so well in my .375 RUM, I decided to try them in the .300 Wby. I've only shot 4 animals varying from Blackbuck to elk with this combination, but again, they worked great.

I also have a stainless 7 mm Rem mag that I've used in Africa, the Arctic, and is my foul weather rifle for here at home. My standard load for it for everything from Duiker to elk is 160 gr Accubonds.

quote:

The only reason the question is so broad is because my buddy usually gets running shots at 30 yards average up north at sometimes some very large deer. My experience is shooting them at 100 yards average up north, there is a vast difference in our hunting situations. If I were hunting up by him I would choose my bullet differently than if I was going hunting in my more traditional hunting location. What I am getting at is my buddy is in my opinion going to be using a bullet combo suited better to elk than the traditional deer hunter, and yes to some it may seem to be a broad spectrum, especially if you are shooting deer down south at small bodied deer across bean fields.

for ALL the years I lived in Minnesota, I admit that I carried one of two rifles afield..with factory ammo..

a 444 Marlin with 240 FN...

or a 30/06, with 180 or preferably 220 grain RN's... never EVER had a performance problem..

30 yds or 250 yards..( with the 06) 175 yds with the Marlin..

Biggest Buck I ever took north of Hibbing was field cleaned at 265 lbs... 444 Marlin dropped that one..at about at 150 yds rocketing out of a swamp kicked up by a deer drive...

quote:

The only reason the question is so broad is because my buddy usually gets running shots at 30 yards average up north at sometimes some very large deer. My experience is shooting them at 100 yards average up north, there is a vast difference in our hunting situations.

Ok. Now that you are telling us about hunting conditions, we are getting somewhere. The difference between 30 and 100 yards isn't that great. 30 and 300, that's a little different.

Ya still haven't told us what kind of bullet launcher the two of you are using?

Barnes X in any form....cause I am a shitty shot and they dont bloodshot meat.

I voted for cup and core. I only hunt whitetail, and a standard bullet, going fast has killed quicker for me. I like light for caliber bullets.

i voted cup and core. me my dad and brother all took elk last year with 2 7mm rum and 1 300 rum using hornady sst bullets. all but 1 bullet exited. and it entered the left shoulder and was found under the hide in the right quater. as for deer id just use whatever the gun shoots best.

I wish I could get accubonds for my 450 Marlin...

I know I can get Barnes but they just cost to much.

It's like they used the Jedi mind trick on me

Lead core all the way.. I have no use for monolithics. I do like accubonds though..

I voted for cup and core. Accuracy and shot placement kill game.

I think our views depend greatly on what we have in mind as the launching platform. The higher velocity rounds vs. standard, light for caliber, middle of the road, or heavy?
I haven't been amazed by any mono-metal bullets and until recently was forced to use them due to location. Now I can choose and mono's won't be used for much. In fact I'll be selling most of what I have left over.
My successes have been fine with cup and core bullets, and at standard velocities my preference has been Hornady or Sierras but quit using Speer for anything but varmints. I have used the Partitions and they definately work better for higher velocities.
Hands down fav for my .338 WM has become the 250gr Woodliegh PP. They shoot like The Nosler BT, but hold together and mushroom better than anything else I've tried.
The only mono I'll keep using is the 53gr TSX in the .22-250. My 7mm RM will be back to Hornady 154gr. SST's or Interlocks, and I'll pull the rest of the 100gr. TSX from the .25-06 and go back to Sierra's 120gr HPBT if it can be had.
I have little love for the Mono's and hope we don't get backed into using them evrywhere.

I voted for cup'n core, because I have never found them lacking.

As to penetration, I shot my first moose with the old Hornady 139 grain .284" diameter spitzers from a 7x57. Shot him twice, though I didn't need to. BOTH penetrated completely and may still be flying somewhere in orbit as far as I know. How much better penetration could anything have given me?

Did shoot my next three moose with NP 200 gr. RNs, but that is because I was using my '06 on those hunts, and that is the only bullet I use in my '06 for game animals.

(I like to do my hunting before I shoot, and have never had to shoot a "dinner table" animal at a distance over 200 yards.)

Shot my first antelope with a 240 gr. Hornady from my Ruger Redhawk at a measured (afterward) 197 yards. Again, C 'n C, one shot, DRT.

I HAVE used mono bullets some times, just to try them out. (Local gun shop back in Oregon had a clearance on Barnes X at $12 per box, so it was cheap education.) Found them good bullets...accurate, did NOT copper my bores, and obviously they hung together.

But, for me, I still like the simple, inexpensive, available anywhere, unbonded cup 'n cores.

I shoot all my rifles at less than hell-for-leather speeds and with the lead cored bullets I can afford lots of practice. Lots of practice has improved my ability to put the bullets where they need to go on animals, and that keeps the roaster filled.

Why mess with that just because Nancy Pelosi and Arnold want me to?

(Hell, I've been thinking of trying condor stew as a cheaper cat food...bet C 'n Cs would work well on them too. 'Cept I figger my kitties have better taste than to eat Kalifornia Turkeys.)

N.B.: It would have been interesting to have "Cast Bullets" as a choice too. We might have all been surprised one way or another at what that might have yielded by way of info.

This is interesting. At this point, some 51% of us like our bullets simple, equal to the combined others who lack our confidence!

I’ve used 180 grain TSX in 300wm on roe deer to red deer with great success