Bullet selection is driving me nuts....

[Brad Norman]

From what I read in your original description you like cup and core bullets like the nosler ballistic tip. Just want something with higher bc. If you want a similar tipped bullet I would look at the sierra tipped gameking or the hornady eldx. Bergers are also similar but not tipped. I personally run the eldx and have no worries about it. Also with cup and core the typical recommendation is to run heavy, it will reduce impact velocity and increase the mass of the bullet.

I've personally had very good luck with Sierra Game King bullets over the years on Pronghorn and big Mule Deer. With the exception of their stubby low-BC hollow points, which are quite tough in my experience, I will say Sierra GK's are on the fragile side. I've recently taken two Pronghorn and was present on a Big Horn Sheep hunt with the Sierra TGK (175 grain in an 8-twist .270 Win.) and that bullet has certainly performed. My experience with the TGK or "Gamechanger" is very limited so far though.

My Son and I have gone to "dual loading" when using Sierra or Hornady ELD bullets and it seems to be working just fine for us. For shots less than 200 we use heavily-constructed bullets such as the Partition and switch magazines to our high-BC long-range-accurate bullets past 200 or so. Once they slow down a bit, the Sierra GK and Hornady ELD-M bullets perform very well terminally with fast humane kills way out there. We try to avoid striking the heavy shoulder bones going in (quartering to) but have had impressive results breaking the off shoulder on the way out with quartering away shots.

I seldom see Game Kings mentioned on this forum but I don't know why. They are some of the most consistently accurate and deadly bullets I've used in a variety of rifles and different calibers. I'm certain they'd also work fine with proper shot placement on Elk but I feel they're a bit soft and there are better choices on those big beasts. My best luck with Elk has been with Partitions.

Best of luck to you on all your hunts Sir!

 

[dogz]

Good points Brad, especially regarding the Sierra's.

I've seen a ton load of elk taken via the Sierra BT's and their HPBT (which aside from a lesser BC is one heck of a bullet!)

Over the years I've watched one of my best friends take 17 head of elk with 18 rounds. One took two rounds because of a botched first round.

Despite people's best efforts killing just isn't rocket science no matter how hard they make it it just isn't tough.

 

[cajun]

I've personally had very good luck with Sierra Game King bullets over the years on Pronghorn and big Mule Deer. With the exception of their stubby low-BC hollow points, which are quite tough in my experience, I will say Sierra GK's are on the fragile side. I've recently taken two Pronghorn and was present on a Big Horn Sheep hunt with the Sierra TGK (175 grain in an 8-twist .270 Win.) and that bullet has certainly performed. My experience with the TGK or "Gamechanger" is very limited so far though.

My Son and I have gone to "dual loading" when using Sierra or Hornady ELD bullets and it seems to be working just fine for us. For shots less than 200 we use heavily-constructed bullets such as the Partition and switch magazines to our high-BC long-range-accurate bullets past 200 or so. Once they slow down a bit, the Sierra GK and Hornady ELD-M bullets perform very well terminally with fast humane kills way out there. We try to avoid striking the heavy shoulder bones going in (quartering to) but have had impressive results breaking the off shoulder on the way out with quartering away shots.

I seldom see Game Kings mentioned on this forum but I don't know why. They are some of the most consistently accurate and deadly bullets I've used in a variety of rifles and different calibers. I'm certain they'd also work fine with proper shot placement on Elk but I feel they're a bit soft and there are better choices on those big beasts. My best luck with Elk has been with Partitions.

Best of luck to you on all your hunts Sir!

From my experience there is a big difference in different caliber game kings. Even within a caliber different weights are different. Nathan fosters data backs this up. Some are very frangible others tougher. You get some of this variance due to sd, caliber etc but it seems more pronounced with game kings. Just my experience.

 

[Calvin45]

Used to hunt with a Browning 1885 Win. In 405 , 300 grain bullet at 2450 FPS. Recoil was substantial. Old age sent me to a 7-08 and A CM. But it was a deer thumper.

And I bet not much meat damage despite the overkill factor.

I have some lovely and long discontinues projectiles, 270 grain Winchester power point round nose, for my .358 Norma. Everything about them says "thump"! I drive the 280 a frame to 2800 so these might be just a tad faster but don't matter really.

That 405 is a real classic! Now I want one haha

 

[dogz]

From my experience there is a big difference in different caliber game kings. Even within a caliber different weights are different. Nathan fosters data backs this up. Some are very frangible others tougher. You get some of this variance due to sd, caliber etc but it seems more pronounced with game kings. Just my experience.

Cajun--what in your experiences were the big differences that you experienced? I'm assuming you're meaning on game.

 

[Calvin45]

Cajun--what in your experiences were the big differences that you experienced? I'm assuming you're meaning on game.

Can't speak for Cajun but I know not all bullets in a given product line behave the same.

The 180 Nosler ballistic tip (30 cal) is a TOTALLY DIFFERENT beast than the 168. 12 grains of bullet weight don't make a huge difference but the 180 is an elk penetrator no worries at all and the 168 in a magnum would not be something I'd EVER advise. The jacket on the 180 is waaaaaaay stouter.

By that same token out of the .308 win the 168 is a much more emphatic killer of deer size game.

 

[Hard rock]

Killed a lot of critters with Bergers, just couldn't find them! That's when I switched to Hammers.

They are kind of hard to find when they run with the bullet still inside them , with a little entry hole and no exit .

 

[Hard rock]

I've personally had very good luck with Sierra Game King bullets over the years on Pronghorn and big Mule Deer. With the exception of their stubby low-BC hollow points, which are quite tough in my experience, I will say Sierra GK's are on the fragile side. I've recently taken two Pronghorn and was present on a Big Horn Sheep hunt with the Sierra TGK (175 grain in an 8-twist .270 Win.) and that bullet has certainly performed. My experience with the TGK or "Gamechanger" is very limited so far though.

My Son and I have gone to "dual loading" when using Sierra or Hornady ELD bullets and it seems to be working just fine for us. For shots less than 200 we use heavily-constructed bullets such as the Partition and switch magazines to our high-BC long-range-accurate bullets past 200 or so. Once they slow down a bit, the Sierra GK and Hornady ELD-M bullets perform very well terminally with fast humane kills way out there. We try to avoid striking the heavy shoulder bones going in (quartering to) but have had impressive results breaking the off shoulder on the way out with quartering away shots.

I seldom see Game Kings mentioned on this forum but I don't know why. They are some of the most consistently accurate and deadly bullets I've used in a variety of rifles and different calibers. I'm certain they'd also work fine with proper shot placement on Elk but I feel they're a bit soft and there are better choices on those big beasts. My best luck with Elk has been with Partitions.

Best of luck to you on all your hunts Sir!

I stopped using them a long time ago after hitting a shoulder blade on a deer to watch him try to run off, with no penetration beyond the shoulder blade . A neck shot with my 270 finished him off .They are accurate just not good on bone ,in myexperiences too frangible for a not so perfect shot.

 

[dogz]

Can't speak for Cajun but I know not all bullets in a given product line behave the same.

The 180 Nosler ballistic tip (30 cal) is a TOTALLY DIFFERENT beast than the 168. 12 grains of bullet weight don't make a huge difference but the 180 is an elk penetrator no worries at all and the 168 in a magnum would not be something I'd EVER advise. The jacket on the 180 is waaaaaaay stouter.

By that same token out of the .308 win the 168 is a much more emphatic killer of deer size game.

No doubt, I hear you the 30 cal 180 NBT is a beast! Same with the 200 NBT in the 33's!

 

[Brad Norman]

From my experience there is a big difference in different caliber game kings. Even within a caliber different weights are different. Nathan fosters data backs this up. Some are very frangible others tougher. You get some of this variance due to sd, caliber etc but it seems more pronounced with game kings. Just my experience.

I don't doubt what you're saying could be true Mr. Cajun. I can't speak for bullets my family and I haven't used but the Sierra Game Kings never let us down in .243 Winchester with the 85-grain BTHP, which we found tougher than their 100-grain BTSP. We never recovered one of those funny square-tipped hollow points on Muleys, and no bullet fragments either.

In .260 Remington and the 6.5 Swede the Sierra 140-grain BTSP shot tight like a match bullet and killed Coyotes, Pronghorn and Muleys on the spot. In our .308 and .30-'06 rifles the 165-grain GK's were what we stuck with and they always gave great results. Again the BTHP Game King was, in our experience, tougher and we always got an exit. The only Elk I recall us using a Sierra on was a big cow my Son shot with a 165 BTSP in his .308 and there were no issues at all. She never took a step.

The most impressive shots we've had were from the .270 Win. caliber using the 150 BTSP. Dang. Everything we shot in the chest with that bullet (loaded to about 2,900 FPS) collapsed in its tracks except one big 3X3 Muley several years ago, which ran uphill about 40 yards then crashed after being hit through both lungs. That was so unusual I had to shake my head. Otherwise, our .270 rifles killed like lightning strikes with those Sierra bullets. I've recently re-barreled one of my old Remingtons with an 8-twist barrel so I could take advantage of Sierra's new 175-gain .277 TGK. I long throated my .270 Win. chamber and with H1000 I'm getting very close to 2,800 FPS, but not quite. So far, so good. We'll see if over time it performs as well on game as the old lead-tipped 150-grain has.

Thanks for sharing your experiences Sir.

 

[NW NM hunter]

I stopped using them a long time ago after hitting a shoulder blade on a deer to watch him try to run off, with no penetration beyond the shoulder blade . A neck shot with my 270 finished him off .They are accurate just not good on bone ,in myexperiences too frangible for a not so perfect shot.

Something I just learned on here not too long ago are the current gamekings are constructed differently than the old ones. The new ones have thicker jackets whereas the older ones where thin like the matchkings.

 

[Bruce Treloar]

I feel like a dog chasing its tail. Lol

I have always been a Nosler Ballistic Tip guy and they have done very well for me, but I have been wanting to step up my long range game for hunting so I have been researching bullets with a better BC and maybe that holds up better on game, because it's seems that is what everyone is talking about now right..... But it seems that just when I think I have found one that I will try then I find all these bad reviews, which I know, obviously, no matter what you research you will find issues. I also know I am way over thinking this, as I do with most things in life, and I should just pick something and go with it.

I thought I had decided on Barnes LRX, yea I know, there BC is not good, but lots of folks rave about Barnes bullets and this is there long range bullet. So I tried it them out this year and wasn't overly impressed.

So I thought ok, I love Nosler bullets, I'm looking for good BC, something that holds together well, so I'll try the accubond long range. Well crude, there are more bad reviews on them than good.

In all my research it seems like Berger bullets always come up. Yes there are some bad reviews, but when I dig into them, it seems that most are blaming it on a plugged tip, and those that insure the tips are cleaned out, some are even drilling them out, have great luck. What gets me here is it seems lots of people, with seemingly with lots of experience, recommend the target bullets for hunting. What? I even had a very well known and experienced nilgai guide highly recommend 215 Berger Hybrid Target bullets for nilgai over accubonds and Barnes. I trust this guy as he is very successful with his clients who often shoot his rifle with those bullets. And nilgai are probably, IMO, some of the toughest, thickest skinned, animals in North America.

I honestly don't know why I'm rambling on about this, I'm sure most of you are thinking just pick something that shoots great out of my rifle and go with it. But I kinda want to start with a great bullet and go from there.

Anyone else going thru this chasing of the tail trying to pick a hunting bullet?

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Not that it really matters but I'm currently messing with my 7 SAUM, 28 Nosler, and 300 WM.

I'm a Berger user, have made 6mm, 308 and currently make 22 cal using Berger jackets due to their concentricity being 2 tenths of a thou 1/8th of an inch up from the base. There is variation in all manufacturing but I would go with Berger projectiles for the concentricity reason. It's up to the shooter to be accurate enough to hit the vitals for a humane shot.

Now to find the right bullet using diameter, length, twist and velocity. There are numerous ways to work this out but I use "Optimum Rifle Twist Table" published around 1973 included in an article by Les Bowman. This article and the above will save you a lot of time, money and barrels. If the barrel twist documented or on the barrel is accurate then you would have solved all before you even go to shooting.
I shoot for skins and meat so don't like large exit but prefer plenty of internal damage.

 

[Majestic 6.5]

I'm a Berger user, have made 6mm, 308 and currently make 22 cal using Berger jackets due to their concentricity being 2 tenths of a thou 1/8th of an inch up from the base. There is variation in all manufacturing but I would go with Berger projectiles for the concentricity reason. It's up to the shooter to be accurate enough to hit the vitals for a humane shot.

Now to find the right bullet using diameter, length, twist and velocity. There are numerous ways to work this out but I use "Optimum Rifle Twist Table" published around 1973 included in an article by Les Bowman. This article and the above will save you a lot of time, money and barrels. If the barrel twist documented or on the barrel is accurate then you would have solved all before you even go to shooting.
I shoot for skins and meat so don't like large exit but prefer plenty of internal damage.

Speer Impact is a bonded VLD style bullet that has a thin jacket but still holds together but produces massive expansion at high velocity impacts that may or may not give a pass through. More like a bonded berger. Speer Gold Dot also bonded VLD style bullet that is plated copper like the Federal Fusion bullets produces extremely massive expansion and also holds together. Both these Bullets have decent BCs above .536/.571 advertised. I have tested the Gold Dots for high velocity impacts thru a 1"x6" and (5) water jugs. Extremely massive and may not pass thru the off shoulder but can invert if impacting a heavy shoulder bone quartering too or sternum bone. I wouldn't hesitate using either for broadside shots at close range.

 

[Majestic 6.5]

I feel like a dog chasing its tail. Lol

I have always been a Nosler Ballistic Tip guy and they have done very well for me, but I have been wanting to step up my long range game for hunting so I have been researching bullets with a better BC and maybe that holds up better on game, because it's seems that is what everyone is talking about now right..... But it seems that just when I think I have found one that I will try then I find all these bad reviews, which I know, obviously, no matter what you research you will find issues. I also know I am way over thinking this, as I do with most things in life, and I should just pick something and go with it.

I thought I had decided on Barnes LRX, yea I know, there BC is not good, but lots of folks rave about Barnes bullets and this is there long range bullet. So I tried it them out this year and wasn't overly impressed.

So I thought ok, I love Nosler bullets, I'm looking for good BC, something that holds together well, so I'll try the accubond long range. Well crude, there are more bad reviews on them than good.

In all my research it seems like Berger bullets always come up. Yes there are some bad reviews, but when I dig into them, it seems that most are blaming it on a plugged tip, and those that insure the tips are cleaned out, some are even drilling them out, have great luck. What gets me here is it seems lots of people, with seemingly with lots of experience, recommend the target bullets for hunting. What? I even had a very well known and experienced nilgai guide highly recommend 215 Berger Hybrid Target bullets for nilgai over accubonds and Barnes. I trust this guy as he is very successful with his clients who often shoot his rifle with those bullets. And nilgai are probably, IMO, some of the toughest, thickest skinned, animals in North America.

I honestly don't know why I'm rambling on about this, I'm sure most of you are thinking just pick something that shoots great out of my rifle and go with it. But I kinda want to start with a great bullet and go from there.

Anyone else going thru this chasing of the tail trying to pick a hunting bullet?

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Not that it really matters but I'm currently messing with my 7 SAUM, 28 Nosler, and 300 WM.

Speer Impact