Favorite big game bullet -Poll

[Topshot]

Killed over 100 Sambar deer with my .338Win Mag loaded with plain jane 225 grain Hornady soft points. From close range out to 200 yards it just drops them.

This is not an expensive bullet, is not particilarly accutate, has a crap B.C. and gets no rave reviews, but for me it has served me well for over 20 years.

 

[338 bruce]

I voted other, my go to bullet for hunting is the hornady 250 soft point , my 338 rum shoots them at 3050 fps and delivers soda can accuracy to 800 yds. and they cost only $32.00 per 100. I tryed the 250 accubond results were the same at a much higher cost.

 

[mike hall]

I am shocked that the barnes TSX bullet is not listed. I have been shooting Barnes bullets for the last four to five years and have not had a single animal walk away from a one shot kill. I live in Montana and have made some seriously long shots to over 500 yards with these bullets in .25, .284 and .30 calibers. From my experience they penetrate completely through animals even at long range. I shot a mule deer buck last season at 487 yards, broadside. He went 10 yards! complete pass through, nice wound channel and not to much bloodshot.

 

[travelr47]

For me, it really depends on the cartridge I'm shooting. The 280 Rem & 7x57, it's the
TSX bullet all day long. My 308's like the Hornady IB, and is more accurate than the
A-Max in my rifles. I only own a two magnums and one of them (Win pre-64 300 H&H)
doesn't get shot much; the other a 375 H&H does get shot a bit and it shoots the
250gr TSX. Although, I just got some 300 gr Hornady "Dangerous Game" bullets I'm
going to try. My 9,3x62 hasn't met a bullet it didn't like. Clover leafs at 100 yds.
Go figure.

 

[britz]

I dont own anything over 257 so i cant Vote.
Mike

Sorry Mike. I had to draw the line somewhere. I probably should have included down to .244, but I'm going to just leave it be as is. You will see that I started two other polls to try to include smaller rounds and to specify between factory chambers that will have excessive freebore and custom chambers.

Looks like the Nosler Accubond still has a slight lead

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[MontanaRifleman]

First, I would choose a hunting bullet based on it's accuracy in my rilfe as the highest criteria assuming it was a good hunting bullet.

Having said that, I have used partitions in the past and they worked well. However, I voted for the E-Tip because I believe they are the most superior off the shelf hunting bullet there is. The main reason being, they expand well and stay together. They have a decent BC and they open a little wider than most bullets of the same cal. I haven't used them yet for hunting, but from the reports and photos I've seen, they get my vote.

Don't mean to step on anyone toes here but I dont care for highly frangible hunting bullets at high velocities. The VLD's and SMK's, etc, are IMO a great long range hunting bullet, but I would only use them at the longer distances.

In order of preference:
E-Tip
TTSX/TSX
AB
A-Max
Other

JMO

 

[338 LEGEND]

I like the accubond in the 300 ultra. you can work up a load with the ballistic tips to save some money. I took an elk at over 400 yrds with the accubond, the bullet went throw both shoulders. The elk went strait down, You cant do better then that.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

For the 338 EDGE I prefer the 300g SMK, but am going to work up a load with either of the AB's.

For my 7 RM, it depends on what I"m hunting as it shoots about 8 different bullets .5".

For antelope and deer, I like the 140g NBT's.

For elk I like 160g AB's.

I voted "other" as my favorite bullet is the NBT. Its cheap, accurate, high BC for a "hunting" bullet, and it has gotten the job done for me everytime on every animal I've hit with them.

 

[theodore]

For long range big game bullet, I stick to 168vld in the 7s. It has been very succesful on trohpy elk over 1000 yards. For brown bears, stick with 180vld, they are good for at least 700 yards.

 

[shiredude]

I have to say that my opinion is somewhat a biased one. Ever since I tried the accubonds in my STW about 5 years ago, I cannot load anything else for it. The results are superb! Since my STW is my main hunting weapon, why change? I have shot some critters with the SMK and Bergers with smaller rifles (243 AI), and the results were promising, I just dont have near as many kills with those rifles as the STW. I even have a box of 168 bergers sitting on my reloading bench that I swear I will try out in the big 7, but in 2 years I haven't loaded one up yet. Just cant make myself do it when the accubonds continue to tell me not to try anything else.

 

[Texas Hunter]

Most of my hunting is done within 150 yards here in Texas. At this time I favor the Nosler AccuBond. What I look for in a bullet is that it expands on impact and does not fail which leads to a quick kill. Since switching to the AccuBond I've not had any bullet fragmentation. Previous to that I did have some issues with fragmentation with the Nosler Balistic Tip on a deer at 100 yards, others I hunt with had the same issue. Prior to switching to the Balistic Tip I used Core Lokt, although I had good results more often than not the bullet would go through either a hog or deer without any expansion.

With that said there is no substitute for a well placed shot.

 

[travelr47]

I obtain better accuracy and quick kills with Hornaday's Inter-Bond bullets (a little bit better
than the A-MAX). But I have to mention, I've heard/read horror stories as well as high praise
on just about all makes/brands of bullets for big game. Not to mention I've personally shot
A-Max and IBs, SMK, Barnes TSX/TTSX, VLDs, B-Tips, ABs, and Partitions. Guess it comes down
to what works in YOUR rifle.

 

[RemingtonMagnum]

Barns tsx

 

[Limbic]

Don't rule out Barnes MRX. Lots of good qualities.