Target bullets for hunting too?

[Sykes]

Elkeater is a generous guy! He gifted me his remaining 215 hybrids that shoot great in my Kimber but so do the 181 hammers. Now to decide which bullet to use this fall....

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I would stay away from SMKs on large game. Used a .308 win 180 grain SMK on three separate occasions on deer. All three times penciled through. Found the deer several hundred yards away from my stand. They were all shot within 100 yards.

I also shot a big bobcat at 75 yards with a 77 grain SMK .223. It blew up on its shoulder and didn't penetrate. I had to track him about 100 or so yards through super thick ga brush.

Four bad experiences was enough for me. I love target bullets but when I go hunting I swap over to the not so sexy Remington corelokts. They group decent enough in all my rifles for the type of ga box blind hunting I do.

 

[Bucklowery]

I have had great results with the 168 amax in my 308. I am here in Florida so small deer. They have worked just fine from 100-600 yards. I have not tried the 208 amax in the 300wm yet

Thanks

Buck

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

For 223 I've had best luck deer hunting with the Hornady 55gr gmx or the Barnes equivalent and push them fast copper bullets are extremely tough and speed is required for reliable expansion. I've had less then stellar luck with the 70gr copper bullets in 223 unless loaded at the top of book and that doesn't always coincide with the accuracy node in a given gun.

 

[Almondgrower]

Bottom line .....DONT use targets Bullets on game.....period !! Of course, dead is dead but the problem is .....your risk of losing a animal goes threw the roof . Blowing a softball size hole out of the exit side is not a plus , unless a premium hunting bullet is taking bone with it . In hunting , u need to plan on the unplanned !!( animal takes a step at shot break , bullet hits a stick 1/2 way to the target) it happens ! Target Bullets are not bonded and tend to blow apart ! I witnessed a buddy jerk the trigger and hit a deer in the hip at 75yards w a target bullet , it was terrible , looked like you put a m-80 under the muscle on top of the hip bone.A premium hunting bullet would have punched completely threw HOPEFULLY causing enough damage to quickly dispatch the animal . ( ya ya , I know , he is 80 yrs old and after this tragic event I worked with him a ton and got him a good hunting load . The following year he made a beautiful 285 yard shot on a deer rite threw the motor room !!) It's all about being a ethical hunter ( just in case you don't hit your aim point ) with modern hunting bullet technology, there is no way a person ( can't ) find a good hunting bullet load !!

 

[trhall]

So has anyone else had a 215 hybrid blow up and fail to penetrate a rib cage? Not a shoulder shot but a straight up rib shot.

Here's a pic of the entrance wound on a doe antelope I shot last year at 200 yards. .300 Win Mag, MV 2950 FPS. She did not die and had to be shot in the head. Bullet did not exit.
View attachment 139048

Sure looks like one of the many 215 Hybrid exit wounds I've seen on antelope. Why isn't the head in the picture?

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Bottom line .....DONT use targets Bullets on game.....period !! Of course, dead is dead but the problem is .....your risk of losing a animal goes threw the roof . Blowing a softball size hole out of the exit side is not a plus , unless a premium hunting bullet is taking bone with it . In hunting , u need to plan on the unplanned !!( animal takes a step at shot break , bullet hits a stick 1/2 way to the target) it happens ! Target Bullets are not bonded and tend to blow apart ! I witnessed a buddy jerk the trigger and hit a deer in the hip at 75yards w a target bullet , it was terrible , looked like you put a m-80 under the muscle on top of the hip bone.A premium hunting bullet would have punched completely threw HOPEFULLY causing enough damage to quickly dispatch the animal . ( ya ya , I know , he is 80 yrs old and after this tragic event I worked with him a ton and got him a good hunting load . The following year he made a beautiful 285 yard shot on a deer rite threw the motor room !!) It's all about being a ethical hunter ( just in case you don't hit your aim point ) with modern hunting bullet technology, there is no way a person ( can't ) find a good hunting bullet load !!

I agree when they work, they work. But consistency is key. I gave up on softball size exits with the SMK after 4 failed attempts. I should have learned after my first failed attempt.

 

[Overkill338]

Bottom line .....DONT use targets Bullets on game.....period !! Of course, dead is dead but the problem is .....your risk of losing a animal goes threw the roof . Blowing a softball size hole out of the exit side is not a plus , unless a premium hunting bullet is taking bone with it . In hunting , u need to plan on the unplanned !!( animal takes a step at shot break , bullet hits a stick 1/2 way to the target) it happens ! Target Bullets are not bonded and tend to blow apart ! I witnessed a buddy jerk the trigger and hit a deer in the hip at 75yards w a target bullet , it was terrible , looked like you put a m-80 under the muscle on top of the hip bone.A premium hunting bullet would have punched completely threw HOPEFULLY causing enough damage to quickly dispatch the animal . ( ya ya , I know , he is 80 yrs old and after this tragic event I worked with him a ton and got him a good hunting load . The following year he made a beautiful 285 yard shot on a deer rite threw the motor room !!) It's all about being a ethical hunter ( just in case you don't hit your aim point ) with modern hunting bullet technology, there is no way a person ( can't ) find a good hunting bullet load !!

I've always used hunting bullets, as I do not like making things suffer. I only hunt if I know it's all going to be put to good use. I've never been a horn hunter either.

 

[19elkhunter51]

I have used SMK's in my 22-250 for varmints. I don't recall any that didn't perform on the little critters. Accuracy in this case was the more important factor. I personally don't care to use any of the "target" bullets. I have followed the Berger arguments for many years and will not use Bergers to hunt big game. I do use the 70 grain 22 bullet in one of my 22-250 and they work fine on coyotes at 100-170 yards. Haven't been able to get out to shoot at coyotes at longer distance. My opinion, use "hunting" bullets for reliable, ethical, killing shots.

 

[Mc Fraser]

In my experience using target bullets on game is a risky business. No matter how you spin it, in reality, you are creating unnecessary pain and a slow death to an animal. That is not the definition of a true hunter ...
Hunting bullets are designed to ethically kill game, target bullets are not.

Personally, I use a light Tikka T3 in 270Win shotting and 140 Sierra SBT topped with a 2-7 Leupold scope, zero 4 inches high at 100 yds. So far I've taken deer and elk that never run more than a few steps.
For long range, I am in the process of working a load for a 300WM with 210 Berger VLD. So far it looks promising.

 

[crkckr]

If I'm hunting big game I'm using Nosler Partitions, period. I've never had one fail, even on a 750 yd shot with my .270 Win., on an antelope another hunter had wounded. The only complaints I've ever heard is 1. Sometimes they work too well, especially at close range. An acquaintance shot a Coues at about 35 yds. with a 7WM and it completely removed the off shoulder! 2. Some rifles simply refuse to shoot them. Personally, I've sold 2 different rifles that wouldn't shoot them, although today I would probably at least try some of the mono bullets. Or maybe rebarrel? Back when, it was easier to just sell or trade them.

It doesn't seem to matter what bullet you hunt with, people nearly always ask how it compares to a Partition. They're pretty much the gold standard of hunting bullets and in my mind, they are always a good place to start!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Elkeater]

Sure looks like one of the many 215 Hybrid exit wounds I've seen on antelope. Why isn't the head in the picture?

Honestly didn't think to take a pic of the head it really wasn't much I guess. .30 cal entry and half dollar exit. Ya if that had been the exit wound it would have been fine but it was most certainly the entry wound. The animal took about 5 steps and laid down but had its head up looking around. Then I head shot it to put it out of its misery.

 

[trhall]

Honestly didn't think to take a pic of the head it really wasn't much I guess. .30 cal entry and half dollar exit. Ya if that had been the exit wound it would have been fine but it was most certainly the entry wound. The animal took about 5 steps and laid down but had its head up looking around. Then I head shot it to put it out of its misery.

Very odd.

 

[Overkill338]

If I'm hunting big game I'm using Nosler Partitions, period. I've never had one fail, even on a 750 yd shot with my .270 Win., on an antelope another hunter had wounded. The only complaints I've ever heard is 1. Sometimes they work too well, especially at close range. An acquaintance shot a Coues at about 35 yds. with a 7WM and it completely removed the off shoulder! 2. Some rifles simply refuse to shoot them. Personally, I've sold 2 different rifles that wouldn't shoot them, although today I would probably at least try some of the mono bullets. Or maybe rebarrel? Back when, it was easier to just sell or trade them.

It doesn't seem to matter what bullet you hunt with, people nearly always ask how it compares to a Partition. They're pretty much the gold standard of hunting bullets and in my mind, they are always a good place to start!
Cheers,
crkckr

My .338 Win Mag liked the 250 Partition. It worked great on whitetail, even at 90 yards.