due to limited finances i wasn't able to replace my main deer rifle that i had sold earlier in the year, so it looks like i will be using my .358 Norma as my open country gun. a little heavy for deer i know, but with proper shot placement i shouldn't have all tha much excessive damage. just going through my bullet selection an trying to decide what to use. would like to hear the opinions of those who have used a bigger caliber on deer.

Question:
which bullet to load?

Choices:
Nosler 225gr Ballistic Tip
Remington 200gr Pointed Core Lokt
Speer 180gr Hot-Cor
Hornady 200gr SP Interlock
other-please explain.

 

The one with the best trajectory will be the best choice, whitetails aren't very tough. I'd try the 200gr. bullet with the highest ballistic coefficient.

I shoot a .350 RMag - in the ballpark but a few hundred fps shy...

Speer 180 HC - it's a tough bullet driven at around 2400fps but beyond that and you really start pushing the capacity of the design. I wouldn't drive it beyond 2700fps and even then the BC of the bullet is the worst of the bunch.

Nosler 225 BT: Well, if you throw enough lead at something it's gonna die even if the bullet doesn't hold together. Heck, if half the bullet disintigrated mid-air, 110gr at 2900fps will kill a deer just as dead. Pretty much best BC of the bunch you've listed. Personally I like the 225gr Sierra GKing - the Nosler's too long to load in the Rem-Mag.

Rem Core-Lokt: The best of the budget bullets. Excellent design but lacking BC. Still, it's only gonna drop what, 8-9" at 300 yards...you'll suffer drop beyond that.

Hornady Interlock: Same dimensions and BC as the C-L but a tad tougher by most measures. Not my top choice.

So, of the bullets you've listed I'd go with the 225 Nosler.

In my own .350 I really like the 250gr. Speers. I get sub 3/4" accuracy at 100 yards with the std. HotCor at 2500fps. Moreover, the .446 BC of the 250gr bullet proves to be better beyond 300 yards than any other bullet I've found. Mind you, the .350RM kinda limits me a bit on OAL issues...

kevin.303,

I have extensive experience with the 180 Speer on whitetails out to 200 yds from a .358 Win. that starts them at 2700 fps. The bullet is superb on deer and my all time favorite for 'woods' hunting.

However you mention that your .35 is going to be used for open country and therefore a bullet a higher Ci is wanted.

I suggest the 225 gr Ballistic Tip.

The 225 gr BT would have been a good choice but I'm not sure where you are going to find some. I have a 35 whelan imp that shoots the BT very well and when I tried to pick up a couple boxes of bullets this summer I was told at several stores that Nosler has discontinued the BT and now makes a 225 gr Accu-Bond to replace it. I then tried several mail order suppliers and was unable to locate any.

Now you have the best of both worlds. With the 225 Accubond, you have the combined attributes of the partition and ballistic Tip. You can't go wrong. Lou

If you are worried about excessive meat damage, use the toughest bullet you own.

I personally, would lean towards a TSX.

If you are not worried about meat loss, any of the above bullets will work. I think the 225gr BT would suffice.

I'd go with the 225gr B.T,I've shot caribou with that bullet in the norma with good performance.When loaded to 2850-2900fps it will be good out to 350yds

quote:

Originally posted by snowman:
The 225 gr BT would have been a good choice but I'm not sure where you are going to find some. I have a 35 whelan imp that shoots the BT very well and when I tried to pick up a couple boxes of bullets this summer I was told at several stores that Nosler has discontinued the BT and now makes a 225 gr Accu-Bond to replace it. I then tried several mail order suppliers and was unable to locate any.

i bought the last 3 boxes that wholesale sports had on clearance, still got box and a half left.

Kevin You should be in business. The BT will work on deer and when you run out of them you should be able to switch over to the Accubonds real easy. You won't even have to adjust your seating die. Good Luck.

quote:

Originally posted by SDhunter:
If you are worried about excessive meat damage, use the toughest bullet you own.

I personally, would lean towards a TSX.

TSX or the 250 Hornady or Speer SP

Woodleigh 250 gr.
The big Norma really shines with 250 gr bullets.
I have used the 250 Woodleigh on moose, no meat damage to speak of...

It looks like Nosler BTs are winning this one with flying colors

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by SDhunter:
If you are worried about excessive meat damage, use the toughest bullet you own.

I personally, would lean towards a TSX.



TSX or the 250 Hornady or Speer SP

Yep, that would work too. Especially at a lower velocity.

quote:

so it looks like i will be using my .358 Norma as my open country gun.

But he stated an open country rifle, so he could go with the lighter 200gr TSX for flat trajectory and not get the damage of a high velocity lead core bullet. I would have to look at the numbers but the 225 will probably shot almost as flat. Actually not enough to make a difference.

It's all opinion and worth every cent it costs you!

My opinon is that premium bullets are useful and worth the expense only when the shooter is pushing the envelope on normal expectations for a given cartridge and the intended game.

Your game is so far inside the envelope for the .358 Norma that using anything more exotic than the Remington or Hornady 200 gr. slugs is wasted money.

Seeing that I am in the process of scoping a 358N for just this purpose.....

Either a 250 grain Speer, or a any TSX. When I kill the deer, I intend to reduce it to posession, and proceed to EAT IT.

The Accubond might work, but I'm not taking any chances with venison. That stuff is far to expensive to turn into a bloodshot mess. JMO, Dutch.

quote:

Your game is so far inside the envelope for the .358 Norma that using anything more exotic than the Remington or Hornady 200 gr. slugs is wasted money.

Right on, you don't need a premium bullet for deer. I did not suggest NP, A Frames, or any other premium lead bullet.

The reason to use the TSX is for meat damage.

I have shot a bunch of critters with the Barnes and they just do not destroy as much meat on average compared to a lead bullet that tends expand violently. Some people like that kind of performance, I don't. Barnes goes in and destroys absolutely everything in it's path, without blowing up.

I also don't like finding lead fragments when I am processing my venison. I promise you that any of the above listed bullets pushed to standard velocity out of that cartridge are going to expand violently on deer.

I switched to all copper bullets about 5 years ago for all my hunting.

I still use lead to play around at the range.

Whatever is most accurate so you can shoot em in the head.

The Nosler BT is very accurate in my Whelens. Also, it has the best BC by far and the bullet is extremely tough. If you section one of the now discontinued Nosler bullets, you will find that the jacket is extremely thick.

I would use TSX or Accubonds. And please dont aim for the head.

I'd download it and use the ballistic tip...

as you said, a 358 norma is a little much for Bambi..

but loaded down to Whelen speeds or 358 Speeds, at least that would be a little more sanity..

I have extensive experience with the Norma on Mississippi deer. For long range the 225 Nosler is the best. It will not blow up. I push it to a little over 2900fps with a heavy dose of H-4350. My McGowan re-barrelled Ruger 77 will shoot this load under an inch. Three hundred yard shots are definately not out of the question. If you can not get anymore BTs then try the Accubonds, thats what I am going to do. Also, do not sell the 225 Partition short. It kills well also.

Based on my experience with the .358 Norma on Caribou, I recommend the 225-grain Partition. Excellent ballistics out to 400 yards, and tough enough not to do too much meat damage. The TSX shoots well in my rifle, but the Partition seems to do less collateral damage to meat.

Dave

For deer in .358, I would use the Sierra 225 gr. BT

I would use the toughest bullet I could find, I wouldn't want much expansion because of the high velocity and termenal damage your going to get you will have a bloody mess on your hands. by using a tough bullet you can deter that problem and save a lot of meat, if thats important to you and obviously it isn't to some..

I use the 300 gr. woodleigh or 250 gr. Noslers in my .338 win for deer and elk as there are both where I hunt, and it just knocks a big hole in them with a great blood trail, they sometimes run 50 yards but you can follow the excess of blood very easy..I still try to keep the shot BEHIND the shoulder on deer. All my elk are shot up the keyster as thats the only shot you get were I hunt them, the deer usually just stand up and look at you in that black timber, but not always and the heavy bullets in .338 and your 358 will punch through them lengthwise and that shot really piles them up.