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opinion of Hornady .308 190 gr btsp for WT deer.
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I have to admit, I have developed an "itch" to use the Hornady .308" 190 grain BTSP for a 30-06 (10" twist) bolt action.

Quarry is whitetail deer ( big one up to 225+ dressed lbs, average is 160ish lbs)

I've read positive reports on this board about this bullet on elk. Any input about deer application? It just seems like a "good bullet."

I'll be mostly woods hunting, with a shot typically ~60 yards, unless I get to a field edge, then it's up to 400 yards (rare). Target MV will likely be ~ 2550 (2600 fps tops) fps.

I know, why a bt for 60 yards? I wish it were 200 grains, and flat base, but it isn't.

I know the answer is, "Just try it." and "No, you don't need a boat tail." My concern is that it may be "too hard" on deer to expand, if it is that effective on elk from 300 mags.

Anyone use it on deer from a 30-06 (2550 fps MV range)? Feedback?


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Posts: 624 | Location: Maine, ayuh | Registered: 06 March 2007Reply With Quote
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Don't know about the 190 grain Hornady, but I can vouch for the 200 grain Nosler Partition in .30-06. I used 52 grains of H4350 to push the NP. I hammered my first black bear at 200 yards with that load.
 
Posts: 2242 | Registered: 09 March 2006Reply With Quote
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190 grains is a little big for deer, but i imagine it would be great for elk, so it would be aq good choice on a combined deer/elk hunt.
 
Posts: 51246 | Location: Chinook, Montana | Registered: 01 January 2004Reply With Quote
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I've never found any deer -- whitetail or mulie that hard to kill. I've shot most of mine with a 117-120 gr bullet from my .257 AI, some with 150 gr spitzers from a .30-06, a few with a .22-250, and a few with a .22 LR.

I feel that a 150 gr spitzer bullet in a .30-06 (or .308 Win, or .300 WM) is an excellent deer load.


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Posts: 1632 | Location: Boz Angeles, MT | Registered: 14 February 2006Reply With Quote
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Been shooting the 190 Hornadys in my Remmy 700 308 for quite a while. I shoot 40.5gr of IMR-4064 in Lapua neck sized brass with Federal 210M primers. The bullets are seated very long to 2.905" and come nowhere close to the cannelure. No, you don't need that big of a bullet but it is the most accurate hunting bullet I have found for my rifle. The sure do "WHACK" when hitting meat and they are much easier on meat loss than a 150 grainer.


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Posts: 1652 | Location: Deer Park, Texas | Registered: 08 June 2005Reply With Quote
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I agree with 30378, that 190 BT works like a charm, and does not ruin a lot of meat.


Remember, forgivness is easier to get than permission.
 
Posts: 3993 | Location: Hudsonville MI USA | Registered: 08 June 2000Reply With Quote
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quote:
much easier on meat loss than a 150 grainer.


i haven't had this problem with 150 grains out of .30/06, .308 or .30/30; but then again, our deer are bigger up here.
 
Posts: 51246 | Location: Chinook, Montana | Registered: 01 January 2004Reply With Quote
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Know a Montana Boy who killed a hell of a lot of African antelope; kudu,wildebeest,eland, the big stuff. With the 190 BTSP in a .300 H&H mag.

And IIRC I've killed a few whitetail (maybe one?) and an elk or two as well with zero drama.

FN in MT


'I'm tryin' to think, but nothin' happens"!

Curly Howard
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Posts: 350 | Location: Cascade, Montana | Registered: 26 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Personally I think that it is a poor choice.
It is far more bullet than you need for deer, and at the far end of your aticipated possible range of 400 yards it is going to have more drop than you need to put up with.
A good 150 or 165 would be a far better choice in my opinion.


(When I was a kid my father used to tell me that God hated a coward, I finally realized he has even less use for a fool.)
 
Posts: 887 | Location: Northwest Az | Registered: 19 March 2008Reply With Quote
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It well kill any deer that you need to kill with it quite nicely.
 
Posts: 19443 | Location: wis | Registered: 21 April 2001Reply With Quote
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I don't know about the 190 in a .308, but the Hornady Light-Magnum with 165 Interbond is my load for Mulies.


John Farner

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Posts: 2939 | Location: Corrales, NM, USA | Registered: 07 February 2001Reply With Quote
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Your idea sounds wonderful...a long for caliber High SD non premium bullet at a sensible velocity that is within th ebullets performance envelope will most likely give you great penetration and moderate expansion...

Sounds like a recipe for venison regardless of the shot you are presented with and regardless of whether you hiut shoulder or ribs...

Please post picture of the hunt and the bbq


Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10096 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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The key is if the bullet is in the performance range of the 30-06 at all ranges. It might not expand at all at long range and just poke a small hole. For the 06, I would stick with 150 to 165 gr's. Some premium, heavy bullets will expand but hold together for penetration, other bullets need magnum velocities to open.
How does one know without actually trying them?
A sure bet is to call Hornady and ask them about it's use on deer.
I have done this many times and was told a certain bullet was NOT good for deer.
 
Posts: 4068 | Location: Bakerton, WV | Registered: 01 September 2003Reply With Quote
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I shot two So. Texas Whitetails with the 190 gr. Hornadys. IMO they are a bit tough and I had a couple of tracking jobs that got a little dicy, they ran about 200 and 300 yards..didn't open up well on these very small deer, both lung shots...

By the same token the 200 and 220 gr. Nosler put a big hole in some Impala and Springbuck that are about the same size..I used the 30-06 in both instances and later used the two Noslers in my 300 H&H with even better success..For what its worth the 200gr. is tougher than the 220 gr.??,, at least in the 300 H&H. The 200 gr. Nosler is all I use in my 300 H&H and the 180 gr. in the 30-06 and .308 seem about right.


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 41986 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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I have loaded that exact bullet in 30-06 and really like it. In a 24" bbl with a max charge of RL-22 it came close to 2800 fps and shot very nice groups. I have killed elk with that load but not deer. I suspect it will be just fine for deer hunting.
 
Posts: 662 | Location: NW Colorado | Registered: 10 December 2007Reply With Quote
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The 180 Hdys work like a champ, I would imagine the 190s would work even better, but agree with others that the are alittle overkill.

Good Luck

Reloader
 
Posts: 4146 | Location: North Louisiana | Registered: 18 February 2004Reply With Quote
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