Hey all,

I need some suggestions for a good low to medium velocity 30-caliber hunting bullet. I am talking Muzzle velocity between 2,200 and 2,000 fps and impact velocities down to say 1,700 fps.

I hunt Deer in the brushy Deep South - and we seldom can even see anything past 100 yards.... but I do shoot out to 200 yards - and I need to have a reliable performer out to that distance...

I have decided for the next few years to hunt with my CZ527 bolt gun in 7.62x39... While the 310/311 bullets are preferred - many folks do have good results out of 308 bullets... but I know I will need to stay away from heavily constructed bullets - there is just not enough energy to really open them up unless I hit bone..

So... What bullets do you guys consider to be fairly thin skinned/rapid expanding types that are suitable for this sort of hunting?

I killed a 100 lb doe this year at about 50 yards with the 150g Sierra Pro Hunter running ~2,200 fps - and the bullet did expand just fine...

A few I have heard about....
Hornady SST
Nosler Ballistic Tip
Berger hunting bullets
Most Any flat nose 30-30 bullet

And... of course, there's also cast FN bullets also... I do cast - but don't really have any suitable dies in the right diameter for this rifle....

Anyway - I would appreciate your input.

Thanks

you are in the 30-30 world right there.
when i down load my 0-6 or 308 i just use the 30-30 rn bullets they have worked for the last 100 years just fine.
or i just take my 30-30 and not worry about t.

Any of the 125-130 grain standard cup-and-core .30 caliber bullets should do fine. You won't find all that much difference between the Sierra, Hornady, or Speer offerings. The Nosler Ballistic Tip 125 may provide the best balance of quick opening at low velocities and deeper penetration due to its solid base of jacket material. But any of them will do fine in your 7.62x39 at a muzzle velocity of around 2400 fps.

That's not to say that one or two won't be significantly more accurate than the others, so pick one and try it to see how it does in your rifle.

I see Sierra offers a 125gr SPT for the 0.311" bores.

As Lamar said the 30-30 (flat nose) bullets are the only 308 dia bullet constructed for a particular cartridge because of the tubular magazines in these rifles. Your application duplicates 30-30 velocities so you should experience excellent performance.

My 7.62x39 CZ 527 shoots Hornady .312 diameter 150 grain interlock bullets into .6" groups at at bit above 2100 fps. I've never recovered a bullet from a deer (all shoot-throughs) and the exit holes are about 1/2" which (along with jellied lungs) seem to show reasonable expansion.

BTW, of the 8-10 deer (and a couple of hogs) I"ve shot with the little rifle, all were double lung shots and the animals expired within 5 to 100 yards with easy to follow blood trails.

Sounds like a need that is tailor made for a .300 Savage.

Have yet to try them, but what about the 160 grain Hornadys for the 30-30 that have the soft tip?

Hope to launch some out of a 30 Herrett and/or 30-30 Contender this year.

They are .308 as far as I know.

Too bad CZ did not make that gun with a .308 barrel

those should work fine.
hornady makes a 3105 123 gr bullet that is a spitzer,
and speer makes a 125 gr spitzer in 311 that will do the job too.


out to 100 yds a 160-170 will impact like a 300 yd shot at a higher muzzle velocity.
but will retain it's momentum better.
either way i'd keep shots in the 150 or so yd range.

Hard to beat a good old Corelokt for accuracy and effect on game within that velocity parameter.

A plain old 150gr round nose would work just fine,any color box would do!

quote:

I see Sierra offers a 125gr SPT for the 0.311" bores.

That's where I would start in a 7.62x39.

Actually I started with the 125gr BT, but my .311 bore didn't seem to like them. The Sierra is next on my list.

I have been using the Hornady 123gr .310 dia. sp interlock. Have only shot 3 deer, but all expired within 10 yards of being shot.

Like others have noted, it is hard to beat a Hornady. But then Speers, Sierra, or the factory bullets from Rem and Win would be just as good for what you are looking for. Pick one that groups well and get the skinning knife ready.

I'm with Biebs And they are cheap too.

That 150 Sierra would probably be as good as anything else you might try.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
you are in the 30-30 world right there.
when i down load my 0-6 or 308 i just use the 30-30 rn bullets they have worked for the last 100 years just fine.
or i just take my 30-30 and not worry about t.

+1 Can't go wrong with a 30-30 150g CoreLokt ...

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...150-grain-soft-point