One Gun Hunters

[CBP1888]

For those of you that hunt all your western game with one firearm. Do you use the same bullet for all big game you hunt or do you change the bullet grain depending on the animal your hunting (150 gr. for deer, 180-220 for elk)? I have a few hunting rifles, but I'm contemplating selling and using the 300 Winchester for everything.

 

[badthirtyone]

I'll be honest in that I have flip-flopped on this idea myself.

For a number of years, I hunted everything I could (western big-game) with the 300 Win Mag. At different points in my history, I either had one "do all" bullet - which was for years, the 200 gr Sierra Game King. This applies the "KISS" mentality, and makes for an always ready to hunt package, regardless of the game that I was after.

Then, I had the idea to hunt deer with 180 gr/class bullets and switch back to the 200's for Elk. The reason was simple - "Well, I'm a shooter, and I really should have a custom/specific load for the exact animal that I am hunting, lest those animals and other hunters don't think I'm serious about this."

While this methodology does work, it requires the additional sighting in/range time/multiple data sets etc. associated with having 2 (or more) different loads. This load changeout doesn't bother me because I genuinely enjoy shooting and administrative range time as much as anything else, so I don't mind the extra work.

At some point though, the older, wiser man in me figured that I can get all of the range time that I want without having to justify it with needing to switch loads for the sake of switching loads.

The great thing about hunting and shooting, is that you have the freedom to experiment - and to do what you want, even if for no other reason than that you want to do so.

The other great thing is that a deer doesn't notice if it was killed by a 200 gr bullet, nor the elk that is killed by the 150.

 

[Huntnpack]

I'm planning to dual load for my 6.5 MAX.
More for distances rather than game specific.
156 Berger's & 123/124 Hammers.
chamber throating & barrel twist will allow,
Depending on where you run the two loads
You may be able to run them together
With minimal adjustments.

 

[MagnumManiac]

When you become wise, you will realise that twirling knobs, re-sighting every time you switch bullets and the number of times you discover that ONE bullet weight will do it all, you will have saved yourself some invaluable time.
I have dozens of rifles, all but a handful use a single load and bullet for everything.
My load testing might take 3 bullets and 3 powders generally, whichever shoots the best is what it is fed.
I also have switch barrel rifles…finding a load that shoots close to each other in separate barrels is a challenge, but totally doable.
For example, a 30-06 is perfectly adequate with 165g-180g pills for everything including elk and moose, a 300 mag of any flavour is perfectly adequate with 200g-230g bullets for the same animals.
No animal knows what you hit it with, some go the middle of the road, me I like heavy bullets, not too heavy but on the heavier side of the scale.

Cheers.

 

[Ranger Rick]

When I was 24, I started out with 7mm Rem magnum 160gr Federal Premium Nosler Partitions for muleys. I quit deer hunting shortly after that and switched to elk. 20+ elk later, that same ammo is my favorite round.

 

[lefty308]

I keep the same load for everything. 168 grain TTSX at 2785fps in my 308 goes with me for deer, elk, coyote, and even the occasional woodchuck.
Although I do have a load worked for 168 grain AMAX bullets that shoots basically identically out to 300ish. Drops only slightly more then the ttsx at 400 and up.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Most of my rifles have one load.
A few have two. Those are rifles that get hunted in specific units that request/require non-lead projectiles.

But, I have numerous rifles. Most are fairly purpose built. Deer-sized and down, or elk-sized and up.

 

[vancewalker007]

Out of 4 long range western hunting rifles we pretty much use 1 bullet type for everything. It will end up being which ever bullet shoots the best at the distance we are trying to cover. I have changed around over the years with several cartridges but usually shot the same built with the given cartridge. For the majority of the hunting we do we prepare for 0-1000 yard shot with most shots being 300-600 range. If I am hunting somewhere that shots are for sure going to be shorter then I might use a special bullet like hunting the Limpopo in South Africa where long shots are 200-250yards so a tough bullet like a Barnes TSX or TTSX might be better. I have used the 30 cal 180gr TTSX with very good results in those cases. In my 6.5 PRC I would use the Barnes 127gr LRX in that case now.

 

[memtb]

For those of you that hunt all your western game with one firearm. Do you use the same bullet for all big game you hunt or do you change the bullet grain depending on the animal your hunting (150 gr. for deer, 180-220 for elk)? I have a few hunting rifles, but I'm contemplating selling and using the 300 Winchester for everything.

My wife and use one rifle, she her .338 WM and I my .375AI, for all of our big game hunting....deer/antelope thru elk and moose! One bullet, one load, and one zero. Simple.....simply works! With our particular loads the two cartridges have very similar ballistics ( trajectory and drift) which also may help if one of us has to use the other's rifle.

Often our seasons and game areas overlap, so having one load/bullet/ zero you're always prepared for the largest game you may be licensed for. I have never bought into the "over-gunned" concept! I yet to have an antelope have issues with being taken by the same bullet used for elk/moose! memtb

 

[nso123]

I find myself in polygamous relationship with hunting rifles, but as mentioned above they each pretty much have one load that is used in them.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Oh, and another aspect to rifle shooting at normal ranges out to as far as you can hit them….use your MPBR and twirl knobs from that, any good ballistic app can help you do this. Not all animals show up at LR in every instance I have found, even in NZ where long shots are the norm, my last red deer was at…..25yrds.
I have all of my rifles zeroed for a MPBR of an 8" kill zone, which translates to a 250yrd zero, give or take. This way, I don't have to 'think' about hold, aim 2/3rds up and I will hit vitals to 400 or more.

Cheers.

 

[The Oregonian]

I have one load per rifle and I grab a different gun if I want another bullet.

140 gr - 6.5cr (12 yr old son's rifle that I use some)
168 gr - 280 Ackley
185 gr - 30-06
215 gr - 30 Nosler

Creedmoor is deer or smaller, 30 Nosler is elk or bigger, 280ai and 30-06 can take either just fine.

I also like that I can choose my guns to hunt with in the fall and get them shooting well, and dialed in late summer/early fall and then practice with a gun I am not using this fall. If a gremlin shows up while practicing I don't have to stress about a hunt.

 

[26Reload]

Either of my 65284s shooting 142lrabs would suffice as deer or elk rifles....so would my 26nosler with 140acc or my 280ai with 140acc......
Toughest part for me is getting them off the mountains by myself...

 

[MagnumManiac]

Toughest part for me is getting them off the mountains by myself...

Me too!

Cheers.