Best whitetail bullet.

[DustThroughaFan]

Whitetail aren't particularly hard to kill, but what bullets have you ever used that just flattened them like no other ?

I've actually killed more deer with a 22-250 loaded with a 55gr corelokt or a 55gr sierra spbt than all my other rifles/calibers combined. Always shot them high shoulder though. DRT every time.

A couple guys I used to know both swore by a 7-08 loaded with 120gr nosler ballistic tips. Both of them told me it beat all they ever saw.

Anyway, what's everybody's favorite cartridge/bullet combo for deer ?

 

[Dmagna]

50 bmg with 624 API round. Kills them dead

 

[Rodbolt]

17 HMR with 17gr polymer tipped bullet. Need someone to hold the spotlight.

 

[martyj]

I flipped one end for end with a 190 smk at 440 yards with a 300 rum.

 

[del2les]

Over the decades, we've used quite a few various cartridges and bullets, and for the most part, very good success with those choices. They have ranged from the 222 Rem up to the 444 Marlin and 12 gauge slugs with a lot in between. A lot of deer sized game have fallen to 243's, 6mmRem, 25-06's, 260's, 270's, 30-06's, 308's, handguns, etc, etc. Even a few fell to a 22LR... Bullets used have been Speer, Sierra, Nosler, Barnes, Hornady, Remington, home swaged, cast, etc, etc.

 

[DustThroughaFan]

17 HMR with 17gr polymer tipped bullet. Need someone to hold the spotlight.

A buddy of mine was fond of the 22 mag. He had a pretty good lease back in our highschool days. It wasn't real wide but it was miles and miles long.

 

[Kernal1984]

I’m looking for some 6mm bullet suggestions, I’ve got some 103gr eld-x and some 95gr lrx to try but open to other suggestions.

This is for an 20” 6mm creedmoor I just put together.

 

[std7mag]

Whitetail aren't particularly hard to kill, but what bullets have you ever used that just flattened them like no other ?

I've actually killed more deer with a 22-250 loaded with a 55gr corelokt or a 55gr sierra spbt than all my other rifles/calibers combined. Always shot them high shoulder though. DRT every time.

Interesting.
I've witnessed 2 different occasions where deer were hit in the chest with 5, and 6 Corelokts from 30 cals and both times it took me shooting it in the head with a 140gr Ballistic Tip to finish it.

My go to bullets are the Ballistic Tip and the Berger VLD.

 

[YZ-80]

I’m looking for some 6mm bullet suggestions, I’ve got some 103gr eld-x and some 95gr lrx to try but open to other suggestions.

This is for an 20” 6mm creedmoor I just put together.

I’m using an 85 grain Sierra BTHP Gameking in a .243. I know they are far from cutting edge but I have had spectacular kills with them in the 3150 fps range. So there is a 6mm option for you. Versatile and cheap too as they double as a great groundhog bullet. In 6.5 the Barnes TTSX (120 grain) bullet really does a job on whitetail. If there is a 95 or 100 grain offering in that in 6mm, I think it would be a good bet.

 

[338 dude]

Nosler partition

 

[Varmint Hunter]

By far, the most DRT whitetail kills I've experienced is when I was shooting a 7STW and the 162gr Hornady A-Max bullet. On the shoulder or behind, they were DRT or dropped very close.

 

[Jon Bischof]

I've used Sierra Gameking a lot. Many of the old cup and core bullets Corelokt, Powerpoints, Interlock, Nosler Ballistic tip, Hornady SST. Killed piles with Federal Fusion (Speer Gold Dot). Accubond works great too. Oh, and Norma Whitetail is also good.

 

[DustThroughaFan]

Interesting.
I've witnessed 2 different occasions where deer were hit in the chest with 5, and 6 Corelokts from 30 cals and both times it took me shooting it in the head with a 140gr Ballistic Tip to finish it.

My go to bullets are the Ballistic Tip and the Berger VLD.

The interesting part to me, was that in all the deer I shot with the 55gr corelokt, I always got a pass through. I don't recall a single time it didn't punch through. Southeast Texas whitetail aren't all that big, but still. Pigs would stop it though.

Funny you mention 30 cal corelokts. Shot a few deer and a lot of pigs with 150's out of a 300winmag. Seldom got a pass through on 150 plus pound pigs on shoulder shots. It was almost like an fmj on the deer.

I’m using an 85 grain Sierra BTHP Gameking in a .243. I know they are far from cutting edge but I have had spectacular kills with them in the 3150 fps range. So there is a 6mm option for you. Versatile and cheap too as they double as a great groundhog bullet. In 6.5 the Barnes TTSX (120 grain) bullet really does a job on whitetail. If there is a 95 or 100 grain offering in that in 6mm, I think it would be a good bet.

I to am a fan of the 85gr sierra bthp. Haven't killed any deer with it but it has done a number on a couple yotes and other varmints. Running about 3200 fire forming cases in my 243AI. 22-250 was my go to for a long time but I've really been enjoying the 243AI.

 

[DustThroughaFan]

By far, the most DRT whitetail kills I've experienced is when I was shooting a 7STW and the 162gr Hornady A-Max bullet. On the shoulder or behind, they were DRT or dropped very close.

Amax's are nasty. I think the only one they still make is the 168gr 30cal.